Our identities as readers and writers are shaped through our relationships with others. Miller refers to these relationships as our situated histories. “Literacy learning is part of these histories, not something that children do as a cognitive task divorced from their lives” (p. 37). Laurie’s relationships with her mother and grandmother were crucial in her literacy development. She took the values and beliefs that she was learning from them and implemented them into her literacy activities at school. She took on the role of caretaker and nurturer, and this role sometimes “limited her engagements in academic activities” (p. 61). As educators, it is important for us to remember that our students’ learning is connected to their histories and their lives. We cannot expect students to come into our classroom and be autonomous learners. As children learn to read and write, they are also learning to engage in their culture and the practices that are a part of that culture (Miller, 1990, p. 158). Again, we must integrate and incorporate these cultural practices into our instruction if we hope to be successful in our quest to reach these students.
As Laurie progressed through first and second grade, she continued to experience academic difficulties in relation to reading and writing. While part of Laurie’s difficulties stemmed from the use of a basal series that was simply too difficult for her, she was also greatly affected by her relationship with her mother. Hicks writes, “…Laurie in first grade began living a dual existence as a model student who was learning how to fail” (p. 66). To mask these academic shortcomings, Laurie began to focus on “being good.” How many of our students end up taking this route, and how many educators miss the academic difficulties until it is too late because these students exhibit “exceptional” classroom behaviors? I am sure that I have made this mistake. In today’s classrooms educators are faced with so many constraints and obstacles, from strict curriculum guidelines to the pressures of standardized testing, that it is difficult to “come to know children with the kind of depth that engenders successful change” (p. 96).
However, as teachers, it is our charge to do just this. We must get to know our students and create classrooms where movement between and across histories of class, race, and gender are possible. It will require, as Hicks states, “the hard work of seeking to understand the realities of children’s lives and to respond in ways that extend from those contextualized understandings” (p. 96). This is where best practices in our classrooms should emerge. Like Laurie’s second grade teacher, we must individualize literacy instruction and create opportunities for success. I don’t want to be the teacher whose students, like Laurie, are “learning to fail.”
Leslie Rothenberger
Comments (5)
Expecting for students to enter the classroom as autonomous learners is unjustly imposed by our white, middle-class educational systems. Since this is the 21st century, when are schools going to realize that all learners are different and bring different discourses or histories with them into their classroom learning that are greatly affected by their socio-economic status, race, and gender expectations? Laurie is a prime example of how class and gender affects a students learning, especially when she realized that she wasn't able to meet the expectations of a middle class system in her academic skills. Instead, she tried a way that was more familiar to her. She discovered a way of still being a "good student" despite her lack of grade-level reading and writing skills. Laurie used her learned perceptions on gender within her low-income family to behave appropriately within the classroom setting among her peers. She involved herself into pretend reading; however, her attempts eventually gave way to bigger problems, which developed from her desire for attention and a father-figure in her home setting. I whole-heartedly agree with you...I too don't want to be the teacher whose students "learn to fail" because I haven't individualized instruction to meet the needs of a diverse class of learners.
Posted by Melissa Riley | June 24, 2011 11:28 PM
Posted on June 24, 2011 23:28
Leslie,
I could not agree with you more about those students who focus on 'good' behavior in the classroom to mask academic problems. I have certainly experienced that and not realized until it is almost too late. I think with the demands of the classroom I often make the mistake of paying attention to disruption and noise as a sign of a student struggling academically, rather than a child who is 'good' in terms of behavior. This is why as you said it is crucial to know our students identities from home and at school. I cannot assume, I need to know. Only then will I be meaningfully able to integrate this into my curriculum and reach those students.
Posted by Karen Massey-Cerda | June 25, 2011 12:22 AM
Posted on June 25, 2011 00:22
Leslie, I appreciate your honesty in acknowledging how difficult it is to get to know every student "with the kind of depth that engenders successful change." Like you said, time constraints from the given curriculum and testing make it extremely difficult to take time to learn about each individual students.However, you were right in stating that it is our charge to do this despite the obstacles we face. One of the most important things I'm taking from this course is that need to get to know the background of my students. I'm hoping that I will be able to use some creativity to integrate that gaining of personal information into classroom lessons. Through integration of these practices, I will be able to cover the material I need to cover while also learning about my individual students.
Posted by Andrea Schlobohm | June 27, 2011 8:18 AM
Posted on June 27, 2011 08:18
Leslie,
You are so right. Every year I struggle with getting to truly know my students because of time constraints. Yet, we are commanded to meet eah child's individual needs. How are we supposed to do this unless we take the time to get to know each one? In the future, I will strive to seek out opportunities to familiarize myself with their individual backgrounds so I can make learning more meaningful for them. I truly believe that every child wants to learn, but he/she also wants to know that education has a role in his/her life. Children not only want to know the "what"; they also want to know the "why".
Posted by Holly Lawson | June 27, 2011 1:43 PM
Posted on June 27, 2011 13:43
I'M WITH YA!!! I don't want to be the teacher whose students learn to fail. That is my biggest fear of being a teacher, is that I will have a student that doesn't succeed. Learning to fail shouldn't be an option, but sadly it is. It is our job to ensure that all students learn and grow. They don't learn at the same pace or the same way. All students are different and we must know their histories, beliefs, actions, language, and relationships with parents. It is up to us, to create a classroom environment where all students can learn. We must use the histories of our students as a resource. It is more work to teach every student at his/her individual level, but how else can we ensure that all students grow and learn at the pace/rate that is best for the individual? You mentioned best practices in our classrooms, and I have to say I have a better understanding of best practice after the disucssions we've had over concepts such as race, gender and class.
Posted by Karin Scott | June 27, 2011 10:48 PM
Posted on June 27, 2011 22:48