First of all, I would like to state that I thoroughly enjoyed “Connecting, Resisting, and Searching for Safer Places.” As Moller and Allen point out, it is important that we allow children to experience and reflect on social issues--often through the medium of text. As a social studies teacher, I understand this concept extremely well. My kids are thirsting for a knowledge of their society and how it has “developed.” We discuss current events bi-monthly, and these issues are often addressed. While studying Islam, we read two articles on the practice of hijab among Muslim women. One article was written from the perspective of a self-described liberal American 20-something who criticized the practice as demeaning to women. The other article was written by a female Muslim who defended the practice as “liberating.” We used the articles to form discussion groups--I purposely mixed the groups to contain two people who totally disagree, and one neutral person. Using points from the article, the groups debated the topics. It was an amazing experience! The kids learned a great deal about Islamic society, and some of the misconceptions that are associated with their social practices.
On the other hand, when kids read stories about groups or individuals that they are “emotionally” connected to, things are a little different. For example, when our English classes read racially charged novels, some of the African American students are very uncomfortable with the topic. For example, when the kids read Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry this past Fall, we had parents who visited the principal regarding the novel. Moller and Allen clearly point this idea out by stating, “Children’s emotional responses to literature dealing with social and political issues will not always be comfortable.” Even though our kids were fine discussing the norms of Islam (a culture which is not represented in our entire school), reading about racial injustices and African American stereotypes stirred too many emotions for several of our students.
On the same token, we also see “engaged resisting” from the white children. Many of them don’t want to believe that the white racist characters that they read about in novels are related to them. I am not suggesting that our white kids are racists, but that they don’t want to be associated with those that they read about. Not only do they disconnect themselves, but they rewrite the story to include themselves. Instead of just accepting the story with its racist characters, they “retell” story, stating what they would have done differently (similar to the girl’s reaction to The Friendship).
Even with all of its discomfort, I still agree that addressing and discussing these social issues is crucial. The world, itself, is not a classless, unbiased, “raceless,” and unfriendly place. In order for kids to understand their world around them, they need to learn about it in a neutral environment. Often, school is the only place of this nature that exists for them.
Heather Coe
Comments (5)
I agree that school is the place for these discussions. They are not happening at home. I know personally our church doesn't really get into the issues, either. I had a student this week come out and say, during our discussion of social insects, "Why do people do it and not use a condom and get surprised when they get pregnant?" He felt safe to say this and he was coming to his own conclusions about what he learned in Health class. I was sort of stunned and caught off guard, but I acknowledged that he was right and that I hoped he would make good decisions about sex, too. Then we moved back to talking about ants and wasps. :-) Maybe he expressed something to me and to his peers that he had never expressed before and might never say at home.
Ashley Catlett
Posted by Ashley Catlett | February 15, 2009 1:52 PM
Posted on February 15, 2009 13:52
I also agree that many of these discussions do not happen at home, which makes it even more important that they happen at school. Although it brings up mixed emotions for kids and sometimes uncomfortable ones I think it is extremely important that the students have the opportunity to discuss social issues and possibly find some answers to their questions at school. So often I think kids have misconceptions about the past and they need the opportunity to find out and understand how and why things have changed the way they have. I think parents get bent out of shape over literature that discusses social issues because they don't know how to respond themselves. I liked that Moller suggested that the parents read along with their child. I think this kept the parents from getting caught off guard, since the dissucssion at home can build like the student's discussion did at school. This sort of preps the parents instead of being caught off guard by the tougher questions.
I like that you also did a unit with a culture that isn't represented in your school. Doing that can help the kids see how other cultures are and have changed and helps them realize that other people from other cultures may understand how they feel about their own culture.
Amy Spade
Posted by Amy Spade | February 15, 2009 4:04 PM
Posted on February 15, 2009 16:04
Heather,
I love the lesson you did on the hijab! What a great was for student to explore a different culture. And I wonder if you could have gotten someone from the Muslim community to talk about it. I think that those emotionally charged readings are the ones that inspire students the most. I think when students can emotionally connect to a text like that, they bring out the best discussions.
Posted by Sarah Feinman | February 15, 2009 6:33 PM
Posted on February 15, 2009 18:33
I loved some of the things that you have done with your class. I agree with Amy Spade comments about having the parents read along with their child. As I mentioned in another comment, when my own children read The Giver I was upset at what my children were being taught. The only thing I knew about it was what my children happened to tell me at the dinner table that night. Things taken out of context are not always good. It wasn't until I read The Giver myself that I understood what the book was about, and why my childrens teacher chose to read it in a fifth grade classroom. I wish my childrens teacher had said "why don't you read this book along with your children", because then I wouldn't have made such a fuss about it, involving the teacher and principal. This is certainly a lesson we all can learn from.
Posted by SuSu Watson | February 16, 2009 12:25 PM
Posted on February 16, 2009 12:25
Heather,
I'm glad that you were able to make such concrete connections to the Moller & Allen research article. What I found most interesting about your post is that student's don't *always* need a personal connection or experience to be engaged with a text. As you put it, the curiosity at the global level can be something that spurs good conversation, and a personal connection can actually create resistance! Your post here really takes the theories of personal connections to reading and turns it on its head. :)
Posted by Alecia Jackson | February 20, 2009 10:41 AM
Posted on February 20, 2009 10:41