As I read this week it reminded me of how awesome it is that our Kindergarten team really focuses on creating the frame work for reading for the entire first half of the year. Each year they face parents and other teachers (from other schools) questioning their technique and why they don't have reading groups. However, they stand by what they believe and explain to them that in order to teach kids how to read they first have to have knowledge of how reading works. They do not assume that any student has had exposure to literacy but they know that it is their job to ensure they have a solid foundation before jumping in to reading.
Ladson-Billings and Purcell-Gates chapters were all too scary for me. To think that so many children fall between the cracks because they have learned that their teacher(s) has given up on them is devastating. I do not believe that this happens in every classroom or with most teachers, however when there is even one teacher that will allow this to happen it is one too many. Every child is reachable and teachable. The path to reaching certain students and teaching them may not be easy, but with encouragement, dedication, and the right teaching it can happen. I could not believe the situation with Donny and his family. So many times I have had parents that I wished I could reach and talk to but could never get in touch with. This mother was so dedicated to making sure her son had a future that she was even willing to admit that she was illiterate to everyone at the school. She made sure they knew she could not read their notes but for them to call anytime they needed her to know something. This situation reminded me of a family we have in our school. I have the youngest of the group and the others have all been to our school. There are some hygiene and other issues that are involved but it is obvious that the mom is involved with and loves her children. When I inquired about the family I received A LOT of negative feedback and was told about how basically the family was unreachable. It was discouraging to me because it was obvious that they had given up on the family. One of my goals this year is to help this family get the resources they need and to keep them informed about their child. This is a family that no one had ever seen or spoke to the dad before. I was told he doesn’t come to the school and that from what they heard he has social anxiety. Now this is a dad that I see at least once a week and we always have at least a small conversation. (In the beginning he didn’t say much but the more he has seen me the more he has opened up.) He has also attended a family night with his family where we preformed some songs and built gingerbread houses. I don’t think he ever felt welcome at the school until now.
On another note, Judith Baker has the right idea. Her theory of trilingualism truly categorizes language. As students get older they need to be taught and be aware of the different types of language and situations you would use them in. I loved how Baker worked to make the kids aware of their similarities and differences, as well as made them the judge of when certain types of language are appropriate versus not. She not only helped the students understand each other but gave them a better understanding of society.
Amy Spade
Comments (8)
With your comment about reaching all students through their "unreachable" parents, I had a thought. I wonder if the schools claim that a parent is unreachable, challenging, or "not smart enough" to deal with because the school itself is scared about failing to reach the parent. Perhaps they feel that they don't have the resources or the know-how to communicate with this parent and are scared away because of the language and cultural barrier. Of course, on the surface, it appears as though the school has written this parent/child off, and it might just be the case. But maybe there's something else there. Just a thought.
Posted by Christy Rivers | January 31, 2009 12:26 PM
Posted on January 31, 2009 12:26
Hi Amy – I have been where you have been before! I always hated that day before school started when we got our class roles and all the teachers from the year before come to tell you how awful a student is or how uninvolved a family can be. It may be different at other schools but part of the reason that it was so easy for me to leave my school was the constant negativity surrounding students and families that didn’t fit the perfect mold. Nothing makes me more disappointed than a school, a teacher blaming a student or a family because a student isn’t learning at the rate that we believe to be appropriate. I used to feel so upset that few teachers at my school were willing to change their instruction to meet the needs of the students and families they weren’t reaching. I believe that all parents love their children and all parents want the best for their children. I think it is wrong for us to think a parent doesn’t care because they aren’t there. We can’t know everything that goes on with a family but we can support all of our families and offer resources to help them feel involved – just like Amy plans to do. If we really want to be dedicated to helping all of our children we have to be willing to accept the different families that we serve.
Posted by Amie Snow | February 1, 2009 8:49 AM
Posted on February 1, 2009 08:49
Amy, I love your story of encouraging the father to get involved. I get so overwhelmed with trying to help everyone and then feeling like a failure. But if you help just one parent feel welcome, that is ONE. There will probably be a ripple effect that you might not even know about. And the child will have a better idea of school because of his/her parent.
Ashley Catlett
Posted by Ashley Catlett | February 1, 2009 11:53 AM
Posted on February 1, 2009 11:53
Amy-
I got a bit discouraged about the audacity some teachers have and openly display in regards to their students. But then, my discouragement lit a fire inside of me. I have been given a group of children each year to educate, and I will make every effort to reach EACH one! I have been given a voice that can decisively yet politely shut down a conversation full of the negative about a child and/or their family. I have been given the opportunity to attend graduate classes that will provide more information for me to use inside my classroom and share with my peers to make a difference down the halls of our school. You are on the right track, you have opened the door to this family. Your skin is speaking loudly to these families that you are interested in them and their children. You are different from what they have encountered in previous years. Wow, I'm giving a pep talk in this comment, but I think the message is simple. I do not think any one of us wants to be like the teachers referenced by Purcell-Gates or Ladson-Billings. We have been given authority over a collection of students with a myriad of different situations and literacy experiences. We can take this amazing collection and pull out its beauty for others to recognize. We can be encouraged and stimulated by our peer Forshay to experiment with what works to see our children soar. You are doing it girl! Press on, even when others attempt to demean your efforts!
Posted by Stefoni Shaw | February 1, 2009 5:26 PM
Posted on February 1, 2009 17:26
Amy,
I really enjoyed your comments. I am sure that your school has a high reading success rate in all grades. It sounds as if your kinder teachers are building a solid foundation, that will support a lot of growth later. I wish everyone could realize the importance of that foundation.
I was also touched by the concern you had for this father. I am encouraged to follow your example and be more open to having parents welcome in the classroom and school. I come from a school with traditonally little parental involvement. Most years I can recognize at least one parent, but one year I didn't know half of the families. Well that will be the last time.
Thanks for your encourgement.
SuSu Watson
Posted by SuSu Watson | February 2, 2009 6:52 PM
Posted on February 2, 2009 18:52
Amy, I am so glad that you were able to reach that family and gain their support. I too have several families that fit in the same category, but genuinely love their children and want what is best for them. My problems come from the parents who honestly don't seem to care. They go out, partying or trying to get their life on the right track and leave this child for us to "raise". Some of my more difficult children are the ones I really think about. I have been hit, punched, kicked, cussed out and had a chair thrown at me by one of my previous kindergarteners. This anger obviously stems from his home situation, but what do we do about that? The truth is, that unless we can get behavior under control, there is no way to teach a child. It breaks my heart, but sometimes your hands are almost tied. Of course, you keep trying and hope for good days, but that child still is not retaining enough.
On a side note, since you teach kindergarten, I was thinking about how I tried to get them to understand that the English language has a code without discouraging them and I found a great trick is to use the dictionary pen! What this is, is when a child is writing using inventive spelling, you really encourage them and tell them that that is fantastic. Then you use the "dictionary pen" to show what it would like like in the dictionary. All kids really love that and focus on it to help improve. Just and idea!
Whitney
Posted by Whitney Gilbert | February 2, 2009 7:08 PM
Posted on February 2, 2009 19:08
Amy what you have done with that father is truly a great thing, probably more than you'll ever know. What I do know is that now his children "see" him at their school concerned and involved. I can only take a guess at the tremendous impact their father's presence will have on them academically and self-esteem wise. It's so important that when families come to school they are valued and appreciated as an integral part of their child's educational success. It’s so frustrating, but teacher’s as a whole need to remember that for many people life is not sweet and simple. Too many parents are working two and three jobs just to bring home basic needs. It’s not that they aren’t interested in their child(ren), but they genuinely do not have time. For most of these parents what little time they do have they want to spend it with their child.
Posted by Cherrita Hayden-McMillan | February 2, 2009 9:23 PM
Posted on February 2, 2009 21:23
"How reading works" -- absolutely! I am happy that your kindergarten team does this. It is entirely possible that a child comes to school not even knowing how to hold a book or turn pages, and print literacy is something brand new to them. How devastating it would be for a child who has never experienced print-based literacy at home to be thrust into a reading group and be doubly behind.
And I agree the "trilingualism" exercise was more than just about language but also about society and culture. Great point!
Posted by Alecia Jackson | February 8, 2009 4:27 PM
Posted on February 8, 2009 16:27