Similar to some other responses, I found that this week's reading assignment was a bit more difficult to become fully engaged in than some previous ones. I did however find a couple of excerpts that inspired me to think more critically about education and the students I teach.
First of all, within the first five sentences on page one, I found a sentence that says volumes simply standing alone. "Students' searches for social belonging are as much a part of learning in school as anything that might be described as cognitive or even discursive." As I have many times looked at each and every one of my fourth graders, I have noticed just this to be true. Education and learning mean much more than the standards we are expected to teach our children. Our students come to us and are trying to master our content while dealing with the happenings in their own lives. Students are constantly attempting to fit in with some social group. They do not want to be the child who is bullied or teased for not having friends. This social belonging can even interfere with the child's formal education.
Then, I also really enjoyed the story of Frankie. Having a name and an outline of a child to fit into the ideology is helpful. Being able to hear or read the thoughts that Frankie is processing reminds me of the things I thought about when I was 12 or 13. Although the problems were different, the way of thinking was the same. This reminded me that although some children seem better fitted and socially adjusted, all children are battling and dealing with their own social dilemmas, especially from 4th grade and older.
Finally, I also thought the nature of the book to be interesting in that ways of thinking about children and learning can be addressed from different approaches. For example, teachers wishing to learn more about working-class children might concentrate on Chapters 4 and 5. This finally leads to thoughts about socioeconomic status, which can also play a major role in a child's education and literacy. I hope there is a great deal of focus on socioeconomic status throughout the book as I am intrigued by the differences in status and apparent abilities in school.
The reading of the overview did encourage me to begin to question my own class a bit more. It encourages you to consider questions. What are they talking about when I call them down? Are they trying to make or keep friends? Have they been bullied or teased by others? What types of things do they see at home? Has anyone ever read a bedtime story to them? As I consider these questions, I begin to explore how these might influence my on instruction. I hope to gain a better understanding of the research done and learn how to apply it to my own ideas and methods of instruction.
Brittany Guy