A child’s values, beliefs system, language interactions, and behavioral interaction all impact how a child interacts in the world. Ideas that are rooted in a child’s upbringing shape their lives outside of the classroom “…it is an entire cultural web –of language practices and identities that so importantly has an impact on school learning, including literacy learning.” (p. 20) Children bring their deep rooted identities from home to school causing what Hicks has described as discourse.
During the podcast the discussion of “being socialized into ways of being, knowing, talking, acting, and feeling” brought think about my own school located in the center of public housing. Every student makes a shift when they come to school between their home expectations and their school expectations, but the shift is not always the same. The discussion of power really spoke to me and how children have to shift the power between school and home.
Many of my student’s parents work second shift and much of the responsibility at home fell on the siblings to take care of one another. At home the child was in charge. The child gave the orders and was also the caregiver. When they came to school and it was time to be “the child” it was hard for some of my students to make this shift into school mode. It was hard for them to relinquish the power and it could often lead to behavioral problems in school both academically and socially. For many of my children survival was the key as parents were working to make ends meet and the children took care of one another. Education was not always valued or modeled within the home, so for some kids the stigma of not being a good reader existed. The goal in the home was to be independent and take care of each other. School was routine for the kids, but not the center of their lives.
As their teacher it was my job to engage the children in the idea of accepting the roles of school. Building a trusting relationship along with understanding their life helps to transition the shift to school a little easier. When we embrace their lives while educating ourselves we make the shift for students between homes and school more inviting.
Kara Scott
Comments (6)
When you're trying to help your students accept school roles, perhaps you can create a relationship between "jobs" at home and "jobs" at home. For example, using effective classroom management with assigned "jobs" for each student might help build the trust and comfort you are trying to establish between you and your students. For example, since some of them are use to being caregivers, assign them roles as sharpening pencils or handing out paper. By doing this, students might be able to transition better between home and school while they are being empowered by their school identity and responsibilities.
Posted by Melissa Riley | June 21, 2011 7:09 PM
Posted on June 21, 2011 19:09
Kara,
When I did my student teaching, the school that I was at was made up of a majority of Hispanic children. As you mentioned, many of their parents worked second shift, along with other shifts as well. These parents received such low income that they were forced to work multiple jobs and multiple shifts. I remember one student in particular whose mother was a single mother, working two jobs, so it was his responsibility to take care of his two year old sister. From the beginning, I noticed that this third grader was very mature for his age, and always appeared to be tired. Throughout the semester, I learned that this student had no choice but to grow up at a young age and take on adult responsibilities. Since there was no adult in the house, he would stay up late watching tv, which made him tired the next day at school. Too many of our students are put into this situation at home, and this is something that we have to take into account. In this situation, students have more power at home than in school, and it is sometimes difficult for them to shift power for school. This could definitely lead to behavior problems, academically and socially. We need to keep their home lives in mind, and help them shift their power, so that they can be more successful in school.
Posted by Lisa Beach | June 22, 2011 10:01 AM
Posted on June 22, 2011 10:01
Kara,
It must be very difficult for the students whose parents work second shift. I would imagine it even more difficult for them to switch from being in charge at home to begin a student, as they are used to taking care of everyone and now being taken care of. This necessity of knowing where your students are coming from is essential to their success, I agree. But once that connection is made and the teacher understands the circumstances that is when the teacher can be more effective with their students.
Posted by Karen Gold | June 22, 2011 10:33 AM
Posted on June 22, 2011 10:33
Kara,
The power and responsibilities handed to your students while their parents work second shifts was an excellent example of how our students' discourse at home can be completely different than at school. I often take for granted that our students have a childhood when they leave the classroom everyday but many of our students go home and become caregivers to younger siblings or to themselves. What a shift they must make from being in charge at home and being the student at school with authoritarian figures. Those students that have difficulty shifting discourses are probably struggling with their different identities.
Posted by Michelle Carlson | June 22, 2011 12:56 PM
Posted on June 22, 2011 12:56
Kara,
What a good connection about the students being the "adults" at home and the kids at school. I have seen that too and I agree that it's a hard transition for the kids to make. I have had a number of kids who are incredibly irresponsible when it comes to assignments and homework but then I find out that they have real world responsibilities and I think to myself, homework probably isn't that important in the big picture. And yet, I feel that kids are probably better at code switching than adults are, especially if they are trying to survive in their community playing different roles.
Posted by Carrie Brown | June 22, 2011 11:14 PM
Posted on June 22, 2011 23:14
Very insightful connections and critique, Kara!
Posted by Dr. Jackson | June 23, 2011 10:03 AM
Posted on June 23, 2011 10:03