I think that multiple literacies play an important role in any adolescent classroom regardless of race, gender or cultural background. The teenagers that I know are very similar to Daniel and Zonnie in that they have many interests outside of the classroom as well as feeling that school is out of touch with the things that are important to them in their lives. I think that most teachers, including Daniel’s, search for ways to make learning relevant. She gave all of her students the opportunity to write about a historical event from different points of view, including the Sioux perspective. It is just good teaching to make learning relevant and to recognize that students use literature in a variety of ways, including music, dance and art. So I wonder, who is Noll’s intended audience for this piece? Policy makers perhaps?
Noll commented in the beginning that “children are viewed and defined by the numbers rather than the activities and experiences of their lives.” Again, this is true of all children, regardless of race, gender, or cultural background. If the intended audience is policy makers, than I don’t understand Noll’s choice of numbers: only 66% of American Indians graduate. Both Daniel and Zonnie are surely part of that 66% who will graduate. I would have been more interested in a study from students in the 33% who don’t graduate. I feel that this would shed some light on the concerns and needs of the disenfranchised population.
Compared to the other articles that we have read, I didn’t find anything new or important in this study. It seems to me that the study discussed issues that are typical for most adolescents and shared concerns that most teachers try to address in their classrooms. As the saying goes, Noll was just “preaching to the choir.”
Jayne Thompson
Comments (8)
I agree that teens are hard to reach, and that school is out of touch with them. Your post brought to mind a teacher at my school. When he is using the laptops in his classroom, he lets the students check their email (gagglenet) before they start work. Some people think he is way too lenient. On the other hand, he is respecting their desires to communicate. He also lets them chat while they work. You got me thinking about ways to make school more relevant to kids' lives.
Ashley Catlett
Posted by Ashley Catlett | February 27, 2009 9:35 PM
Posted on February 27, 2009 21:35
Hi Jayne. I wondered some of the same things as you. I can see this being an important piece for policy makers because it sheds light onto the need for teaching and learning to be relevant to our students. I think that looking at the students who don’t graduate would actually be a better way to speak to policy makers because the population of students who drop out have become or it looks like they will become a special target of the Obama administration (at least based on his address last week). We’ve always know that we need to do something to address our students who drop out but I feel that we never get to the point where we can actually find solutions to keep them in school. I think part of the problem may be that we never take the time to talk to them and see what pushes them from leaving and what might just excite them to stay.
Posted by Amie Snow | February 28, 2009 12:15 PM
Posted on February 28, 2009 12:15
I appreciated your comments on the article. When I read it, I was trying to see how it pertained to me. However you made some very interesting comments. I had not even thought about looking at it from the other point of view, those American Indians who will probably not finish high school. That would probably be a very compeling article. I also believe finding things that will appeal to your students will increase learning in any age group.
SuSu Watson
Posted by SuSu Watson | March 1, 2009 3:23 PM
Posted on March 1, 2009 15:23
I couldn't agree more that teenagers are a hard to reach group in general. They have so much going on emotionally and their interest are generally not in their education. However, I do know that some teachers are better able to reach this group of kids than others. My sister graduated two years ago still talks about two teachers that she had that made learning relevant to them and seemed to understand them. Maybe if some of us stepped out of the box a little more, like the teacher at Ashley's school, more students would become excited about school and their classes.
Amy Spade
Posted by Amy Spade | March 1, 2009 8:41 PM
Posted on March 1, 2009 20:41
I really enjoyed your critique. You really did "critique" the article. Although I did not originally view the article in the manner you did, I can understand your comments. Much of the article and its research have already been covered in other readings.
Also, I agree with the idea of writing the article with research from the 33% who will not graduate. From a research aspect, some substantial qualitative research to support the numbers from Native Americans who will not graduate would have been helpful and perhaps more eye-opening for educators and policy-makers alike.
Posted by Brittany Guy | March 2, 2009 1:01 PM
Posted on March 2, 2009 13:01
I enjoyed reading your ideas of how the article was preaching to the choir, and it made me think...I have noticed how so many practicing teachers agree with the points that are made in the articles. I also like when you said: "it is just good teaching to make learning relevant". I completely agree, and I trust that everyone feels this way. Are the teachers in the system doing this, and are we as a society viewing our current educational situation in a glass half full way when we are identifying all of the problems with the current system. Or is it really an unequal balance of more teachers who aren't practicing what they preach?
Posted by Elizabeth Griffin | March 2, 2009 5:07 PM
Posted on March 2, 2009 17:07
Jayne,
I agree- PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. But sometimes the choir slips up, and we needed to be reminded what notes we are singing in! That's why I am enjoying this class so much. It really does keep me on my toes about what I am doing in my classroom!
Posted by Sarah Feinman | March 2, 2009 7:11 PM
Posted on March 2, 2009 19:11
Hm. Interesting. I'm curious about why you are assuming that Daniel and Zonnie are in the 66% who graduate?
I'm uncertain about such a prediction ...
Posted by Alecia Jackson | March 18, 2009 8:16 PM
Posted on March 18, 2009 20:16