This week’s reading was a bit frustrating for me as I believe it was for many others. Reading the story of Laurie was maddening because it is difficult to read about a child’s problems and the type of education received without being able to actually enter the story and change the child’s life. Reading the disheartening story without being able to alter it in any way is similar to living in a dream and wanting to scream without being able to do so.
It is quite troublesome first that Laurie was very successful in Kindergarten and early education but quickly problems emerged in first grade. Her personality and social abilities also seemed to change through this time span. The author explains that she was outspoken and even downright brassy while in kindergarten. She had a better identity at this point.
Then, the author talks about her femininity at this young age. This was interesting to me because I wouldn’t have thought to investigate a student’s femininity at the age of 5 or 6. However, after learning more about Laurie and her situation, I can see that she did exhibit actions of traditional female roles. This might encourage me to look closer at even young children, as conditioning and social ideas can be apparent at these ages.
Overall, all of the information about Laurie seemed to remind me that these children are all around us. We have all seen children suddenly drop in skills, whether social, educational, or mental. I have seen children who struggle to simply fit-in and whose social skills impact their academic performance. On the other hand, I have also watched students struggle academically. They have become frustrated to the point of no longer trying for fear that their peers will realize they struggle. A student would sometimes rather appear to make bad grades because “they don’t care” than to have trouble with the content. I just hope that I can always handle these situations in a way that will assist the student in improving skills in all areas of their life. I hope that I can be better prepared to deal with situations than what was sometimes done in Laurie’s situation.
Brittany Guy
Comments (8)
My daughter is four and she definitely has been socialized to act a certain way. We really try to give her toys that are considered "boy toys" like cars and trains and blocks. She likes these, but she likes princesses more. We make a point to say that girls can like all colors (not just pink and purple) and that boys can like all colors, too. (Some people say pink is only for girls, you know.) I think we are probably minority parents around here. It seems like parents encourage dolls for girls and cars for boys. And let a boy wear pink... the dad will go crazy. However, I have noticed at my daughter's preschool, boys will play in the housekeeping center and put on pink dresses. No one says anything to them. I love it!! I think that working class folks would have more of a problem with that. Do you?
Ashley Catlett
Posted by Ashley Catlett | April 10, 2009 9:44 PM
Posted on April 10, 2009 21:44
The idea that children are conditioned to adhere to sex roles as early as Kindergarten is fascinating to me. I completely agree with you Ashley--our area, especially, often presents female children with "feminine" toys and ideals of behavior. Dolls, not trucks...Quiet and respectful, not outspoken. I am very thankful that my parents were also in the minority. I received trucks and dolls as gifts, and was taught to "speak-up." I think (and hope) that as time progresses, the idea of neutral gender roles will become mainstream.
Posted by Heather Coe | April 12, 2009 10:56 PM
Posted on April 12, 2009 22:56
It certainly is interesting how the author brought up the issues of femininity for Laurie. I too wondered if this was appropriate given her young age, but as I thought about it, I thought, "why not?" Piggybacking off of last week's reading, it is the collective that shapes us, so those early experiences and demonstrations by Laurie will form how she acts as a girl, as a teenager, and as a young woman.
Posted by Christy Rivers | April 13, 2009 4:53 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 16:53
I was surprised by Laurie's desire to have a boyfriend at such an early age. But I can see why this would be an important to her given her family life. However, I'm not sure that this is relevant to her learning problems. I fault the teaching method, not necessarily her background. We can't change her past, but we can make better instructional choices.
Posted by Jayne Thompson | April 13, 2009 8:04 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 20:04
Brittany,
I was not suprised by Laurie's actions against the teacher, yes she was acting out but to me that was a sign to her teachers. At that young of an age, I feel that students are acting out because they don't know what else to do with their frustration. A professor once said to me: "bad behavior is a sign of intelligence". She was talking about students with cognitive disabilities, but that idea can relate to all children especially at the young ages.
Posted by Elizabeth Griffin | April 15, 2009 9:03 AM
Posted on April 15, 2009 09:03
I think that Laurie's femine role helped almost to give her a purpose. With her little friend in kindergarten, she was motherly, protective, and strong and this also showed in her learning. She was confident. However, once she was medicated and her friend moved, she lost this self confidencea and that, paired with less then desirable teaching methods, really inhibitted Laurie. It would almost be like taking away your identity or purpose in life. For me, that would be devestating and I don't know if I would know what to do either.
Posted by Whitney Gilbert | April 15, 2009 10:44 PM
Posted on April 15, 2009 22:44
Brittney,
I am really seeing the change now that I am in 3rd grade. I have 6 students in my class that I had last year in 2nd grade and I have seen some serious drop off in a couple of them either academically or behaviorally. One little boy cries everyday about how hard school is and last year he was one of the smartest kids in my class. He is struggling in math and his reading has slacked off this year. I try to spend time with him individually and I tutor him afterschool, but he is moving towards the place where he just has a don't care attitude.
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Posted on April 16, 2009 01:33
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Posted by Elina | August 16, 2009 2:50 AM
Posted on August 16, 2009 02:50