This article helped me see myself in a new light. I am a border patrol agent. I am constantly on the lookout to see who is going to cross over into my country. My role is a bit different than the agents currently on patrol between the U.S. and Mexico. See, I practice open borders, and welcome anyone coming in from a foreign land. Which, when I look around the desks in my classroom, I do not recognize any natives.
Early in the article, those two words"border-crossing" have stuck with me all week. This term refers to the process of "importing and exporting practices from different contexts." This is how a child's literacy is influenced, shaped, grown. It is not based on just one environment or one circumstance, but a fluid movement between the many environments, circumstances, and experiences one has. Visitation to new territories is encouraged, passports are not required, there is freedom to move about these new lands. The gentlemen in this article bear witness to this. They traveled through dangerous places, encountered the enemy, lost those close to them, and settled in a new environment with purpose. They took all their eyes, ears, and minds had witnessed and desired to share it with the rest of us. These young lads were experimenting with their voice and the result is profound. Their stories of survival, of tradition, and of identity are powerful. This is what I would like to witness in my classroom. The power of storytelling, relating to others the experiences of life. Perhaps I will not have a refugee from a war torn country, but I may have a child from a ravaged home life, or a painfully shy child waiting for an outlet to express all that is tucked so deeply down inside.
I love this article and how it is knit to the others we have read, examined, and sought to embrace in our own classrooms. Again, it testifies to the power of our words. Chol, Ezra, and Francis may have been termed "lost boys" because of the painful experiences of their life in Africa. However, they have certainly found what to do with those memories. They tell others what they endured. They bring into the light the atrocities of darkness, the traditions of their ancestors, and the hope for future generations.
It's time to hold a festival! A storytelling festival! Let's allow our children to practice their voice, to share orally and in written form the events of their lives. If we allow their experiences from all the borders they cross to be heard and read we are building a strong foundation for literacy. There is no worry of deportment, everyone is welcome, no story is too small too tell. Let's fill our classrooms with the stories of the travelers that have crossed our borders; sought to stay and discover the treasures our land has to offer.
Stefoni Shaw
Comments (5)
You are so right, there are not any natives in my classroom either. If only we could all have an open mind as you do to have our 'borders' open to all children instead of worrying and complaining about having to teach illegal immigrants. And instead,if we allow all of our children's voices to be heard and read then we certainly will be laying a strong foundation in literacy.
Posted by Amy Spade | March 21, 2009 2:19 PM
Posted on March 21, 2009 14:19
Stefoni--I love to read your writing. You paint such beautiful pictures with words.
You made me realize that we all teach "lost boys" to some degree or other. I am realizing more and more that most students are dealing with some sort of pain in their lives. If I can maintain open borders as you suggest, I can help students navigate through various circumstances. If I provide an opportunity for students to make sense of the world around them through authentic expressions, I help my students do more than just develop literacy skills. I help my students develop skills necessary for living.
Posted by Lisa Rasey | March 22, 2009 5:35 AM
Posted on March 22, 2009 05:35
What a wonderful blog. I loved the picture you painted of your classroom. I had never thought of myself as a border patrol agent. I am going to start looking at my classroom as a country without borders. I love the fact that we all read the same article yet so many different viewpoints come out in the blogs. Thank you for your perspective.
Posted by SuSu Watson | March 23, 2009 4:02 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 16:02
Stefoni, I agree. It is time to have a festival. Often we shy away from what is really going on in a student's home life and experiences. Lets now provide our children an audience, a caring environment where they can share their stories and help each other survive their lives. Let us embrace what they know, what is truly important to these children and provide a safe place to share.
Posted by Whitney Gilbert | March 23, 2009 8:23 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 20:23
The notion of borders being fluid is, I think, an incredibly important one and actually can serve as a metaphor for acculturation. I think we all live hybrid lives in many cases (you'll see that in the Hicks book), but it is more obvious when the borders are place-bound, rather than, say, gender-bound or even race-bound. We've learned a lot about hybridity in this course and I agree that this article encapsulates the issues in an effective way.
Posted by Alecia Jackson | March 25, 2009 4:40 PM
Posted on March 25, 2009 16:40