The quote from the Noll article, "Zonnie is just kind of there" broke my heart. At first I was infuriated with this teacher and then I realized any one of us could have said that. In fact, we probably have said things like that. "She's so quiet, I just don't know what is going on in her head." "He never speaks out in class so I don't know if he understands or not." We feel so overwhelmed with the majority that we cannot focus on the minority.
Speaking of minority, the thought that minorities are treated and viewed as a set of numbers is something to ponder. Think of the subgroups of students who must meet testing requirements. They are numbers that we must improve. I don't think there is a category called "rich white kids who have had plenty of help at home." How do we change the way we view minorities as members of the majority culture? Will we have to wait until we are truly in the minority?
I was struck by how important literacy was in the home to these two students. They had been read to and they did writing on their own. However, their home culture was rejected by society and teachers assumed that these children were not very literate. Their funds of knowledge were not recognized and drawn from in the school culture. These students probably spent more time outside school (especially Zonnie) writing than their Caucasion peers!
The application for me is with my ELL students. They also have a home culture that is rejected by society. They try so hard to be part of mainstream culture, or find a gang in which to feel a part. School culture does not draw on their experiences and funds of knowledge. How can I permit them to "be Latino", encourage their literacy, and not see them as a number.
Ashley Catlett
Comments (3)
Ashley-
I was struck as well by the huge crevasse between what these two kids experienced at home and what they experienced at school. I applaud their parents. It makes me wonder if there were any parent-teacher conferences held. The teachers could have learned a lot from the parents. I think these two situations are testimonies of looking beyond the surface, knowing the children that are in our classrooms. Using what has been built at home as a springboard for what will be covered in school. Bridging the gap would have gone far in the school experiences and successes of these two. Unfortunately, the educational community they were in fell into the trap of superficial judgements which prevented them from accurately seeing the gifts they had the blessing to instruct. Can we change the perception minorities have in our society? Or is that just a dream? Will our society continue to base abilities or the perception of abilities on how someone looks or the group of people they belong to?
I would love to be a stimulus for change.
Posted by Stefoni Shaw | March 1, 2009 6:02 PM
Posted on March 1, 2009 18:02
Just thinking about how your students can BE LATINO in school. At my school, we have a small percentage of Latino students. However, I notice that whenever there is a performance at night, their ENTIRE family will come out, and cheer and applaud louder than any other family. Maybe doing some of these presentations, or performances with your students, would pull the families in more. This might help the kids feel like it is ok to me at school.
Posted by Sarah Feinman | March 2, 2009 7:15 PM
Posted on March 2, 2009 19:15
Ashely,
I like what you have to say in your last paragraph; I think this is a very important question! Too often I see teachers' approach to this as "heroes and holidays." To me, such a superficial treatment of Latino culture only reinforces stereotypes. I agree with you that literacy is an avenue for more authenticity.
Posted by Alecia Jackson | March 17, 2009 1:07 PM
Posted on March 17, 2009 13:07