I've always been attracted to how authors use language to share their ideas, their thoughts. Whenever I read any book, although I read mostly children's books, I have a stack of sticky notes besides me so that I can write down and mark the quotes that stand out to me. Sometimes I choose them for their meaning, sometimes I choose them because I'm so envious of the author's ability to write so beautifully. So, with that in mind I chose a few quotes from this chapter that seemed to make crucial points about the literacy curriculum in our schools.
The Most Important for Me
pg. 123 - The stories voiced about us, by those who we love most and value, shape our identities in ways more powerful than even the most authoritative institutional systems of social regulation.
This quote seems to align perfectly with all that we have discussed this semester. Our students are defined by their families first. Who they are and how they became that person began at home and those home values/cultures have to be valued and respected in the classroom. By doing this we can then build a curriculum that meets the educational needs as well as the interest of our students. When Jake could write and read about topics of interest to him, he had success and enjoyed going to school. When Jake found meaning in his work, he was able to create and accomplish finished products that his teacher could appreciate. Hicks writes, "Rather than giving up the cherished identities they live at home, students like Jake should be able to place those identities in dialogue with new ones". It is in accepting who our students are that we can begin to help them discover who they hope to become. For me, our job is to show them the possibilities, provide them with the tools and knowledge they will need, and offer support as they work toward their goals. However, we must also remember that they carry with them the values of their family and those values will remain a part of them long after they leave our classroom. Finding a way to connect their literacy development to their home experiences can go a long way in helping them grow as readers and learners.
I think I wrote about the painted wall art in my house that reads, Home is Where your Story Begins, but I think it fits perfectly again in this entry. It is where we learn how to communicate, where we learn how to feel, where we learn how to know our world. We have to keep that in mind as we teach our students or we will be unable to give them what they need to become successful learners.
Amie Snow
Comments (6)
Beautiful post. The stories about us shape our identities...my daughter loves for me to tell about how little she was as a baby and how I held her and how she learned to talk. This is part of her identity. I hope to create that same sense of self for our adopted son, even though I wasn't there at his birth. I WILL be able to tell him about the day we get him and bring him home.
It's weird how we talk a lot about parent involvement but what we really prefer is for the parents to stay out of the way. School is separate; some people say that out loud and some just think it. This chapter helps us see how important the family is. And not that they conform to what we want, but that we include them.
Posted by Ashley Catlett | April 19, 2009 11:57 AM
Posted on April 19, 2009 11:57
I'm telling you Amy, it is uncanny how we pick the same quotes. Words speak to us, as they do to these children we have been reading about. I have the same quote hanging by my front door so it greets you as you ring the doorbell. It's truth resounds through the words of this chapter. I bought that hanging my first year here as a remembrance of what I hope to achieve as a mother. What goes on inside the walls of our home serves as a launching pad for every experience and endeavor that our child choose to embark upon. The foundation laid here is the springboard for their future. The same is true with everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone experiences safety, security, and unconditional love inside the four walls of their homes, hence the need for us to know about their stories, their lives from home. It is then we can begin to construct a bridge between the world and the realities of home. I wish I had more teachers growing up that were interested in what I did outside of school instead of only showing interest in the school "Stefoni". I may have tired a little harder and wanted to share a bit more if I knew they were interested.
Posted by stefoni shaw | April 19, 2009 4:10 PM
Posted on April 19, 2009 16:10
"It is in accepting who our students are that we can begin to help them discover who they want to become"--you have a pretty powerful quote yourself! I also highlighted the Hicks quote on p. 123. The power of what is said about us stems from the fact that this validation comes from someone we love. Both the Hicks quote and yours made me consider again the importance of respecting and valuing my students. Because of the nature of the task of teaching, it is easy to begin to focus on what is wrong with a student instead of what is right. I think it is a delicate balancing act between providing the instruction a student needs and the instruction a student craves. There has to be a way to provide both!
Posted by Lisa Rasey | April 19, 2009 11:31 PM
Posted on April 19, 2009 23:31
I couldn’t agree with you more! This is the underlying theme in almost all of the readings we have done this semester. I think it is one thing that I will walk away from this course remembering and carrying with me. Teachers need to respect where their students are coming from. This past semester at school has been a very different experience for me. I realize that each class is different from the year previous, but this class is very special. I think it might have something to do with the way I have been approaching my students. Thanks to the many readings from this course, I speak, look at and treat my students differently. They all respect me. I see this in their behavior and in their work. Very rarely does a student talk back, roll their eyes, or suck their teeth at me. When I watch them with other teachers, I am shocked to see some of their attitudes. I also see a difference in their work ethic. They always try very hard and work diligently. Of course, there are those moments when one or two shut down. But it seems to be few and far between. I hope next year will be just as successful if not more than this year. I will remember to respect my students, their values and their families. They will do the same for me.
Posted by Sarah feinman | April 20, 2009 12:11 PM
Posted on April 20, 2009 12:11
Amie, I think you've just written your final reflection! This blog really sums up this whole course. When we value and respect our students and their backgrounds with our words and our lessons, we reach and teach the whole child. Your entry made me reflect on both my teaching and my own family. The readings we have done this semester "play" back in my mind as I interact with my students and my children. They have helped me to remember just how important our words, actions and work are.
Posted by Jayne Thompson | April 20, 2009 6:04 PM
Posted on April 20, 2009 18:04
The quote you chose makes me think of another one written by one of my favorite authors, Trinh Minh-ha:
"Speak yourself, or you will be spoken."
She is writing from the identity of a third-world woman, but I see some similarities here. Trinh believes that women need to tell their own stories, in their own words and voices, rather than allowing others to speak for them. I see this happening with Jake -- he is silenced in so many ways, and his identity is imposed upon him, based on his class, in ways that are quite damaging. Thank goodness his second grade year turned better for him!
Posted by Alecia Jackson | April 23, 2009 8:47 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 20:47