RE_5539

Summative Self –Critique – Lisa Outland

“There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one if to go on looking and reflecting at all.” –Michel Foucault

After I attended a week long Teacher’s Academy last summer of the works of Ruby Payne and working with children of poverty, I knew my life as a teacher would change. As I finish up this class, after learning even more about how race, gender and social class affect a child’s learning, I know my life as a teacher will change again to incorporate more information that I need to know about my students.
I see many needs for using and teaching Standard English (SE). This is the language used in the business world. It is the language which unfortunately many other forms of English are measured against. Children need to learn how to speak Standard English. However, I have discovered that we cannot expect a child to leave their home language at home. We cannot expect children to know of SE when they enter our school buildings. We must find a way to learn more about their home languages, and use them in the classroom to help our students succeed. We cannot forget SE, but we also cannot forget the many and varied wonderful home languages our children bring to us. We need to teach children when it is appropriate to use a certain code of speaking. When you are on the streets, using SE might make you a target, but if you can switch and use your home language there and still use SE in the business world, you have mastered something great. What I have learned from this class reinforced to me I was right in telling parents that it was okay to speak to their child in their native language at home and don’t let their children lose who they are and where they come from. Learning SE is one thing, but you can never forget who you are and where you are from. You must learn to be proud of your own culture.
I also discovered we teachers must be aware of what we say and how it comes across to our students. We need to make sure the message we are sending is what the student is receiving. Children truly can tell when you are not being real with them. They can read in your body language and tone, they know what you truly mean. I need to make sure I remember to say what I mean and mean what I say. This cuts down on confusion for the students and let’s them know you are true to your word.
It was impressed upon me in this class that we must truly get to know our students and their home lives. I reread the section about asking a child to make up a story. I had never thought that when I ask a child to make up something or use their imagination that I might be asking them to lie, or to tell an untruth. Little things like this can change a child’s entire attitude towards school. With just a phone call or two, and a conference or two, we can learn so much about our student’s home literacy and see how it will tie into their classroom learning. Granted, that seems like common sense, but I have spent many conferences going over my own agenda, grade, behavior, etc., and then giving the parent time to share their own concerns. Maybe I need to put my agenda off to the side and really just talk about the child and their life at home. I need to take time and talk with the parents and find out about their expectations, beliefs, and own educational experiences as well. This class really did drive home the point that a child’s education truly is tied to their race, gender and social class – also meaning their home life.
My learning reinforced to me the idea that what you read as a child truly can shape who you become. The idea that your mother’s own reading life and expectations of life help shape your world as a child is amazing. This reiterates the idea that we must find a way to tie the home/school bond to help future generations. Our home lives definitely shape who we become in the classroom. If we find out what interests the parents, then maybe we can come closer to finding out what interests the child as well. I know personally, I read all the time as a child and it certainly has shaped the adult I have become. I love to share a good book with someone.
I realized through this class that I must continue to work with small groups in my class so that each child does get the more individualized instruction that some of them so desperately need. In doing so, there is no way a child can be given permission to fail. Instruction will continue to be on the level that the child needs, not the entire class. I realize now I have to find a way to tap into my student’s interests as often as I can to help them succeed. I can tie their interests into what I teach in my small groups. Yes, I might have a difficult time explaining why I was teaching NASCAR to a group of boys to the administration. However, I know if I can tie it to the curriculum and their needs, then by any means necessary needs to become my approach and philosophy. Administration will just have to trust me!
The biggest thing I learned from this class is who you are affects who you will grow to be. You will always be your gender and race. You may cross class lines at some point, but you never lose who you truly are as a child. The life you live as a child is affected by race, gender and social class. It is my job as a teacher to teach every child as equally and fairly as possible, now that I realize the tremendous differences these three things can make in a child’s education.

"There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all." ~ Michel Foucault This quote best exemplifies my learning over this course.

After this course I am reminded of the flower basket that I make at the beginning of each kindergarten year. Each child's beautiful face is the center of each flower with petals of different shapes, sizes and colors...freely flowing around each face. Each flower comes from a different home. Each flower must be cared for differently and each one has its own unique style. If we were to put each individual flower together in the same pot and expected them all to grow the same, we would be disappointed in a few months to find that some of the flowers did not meet expected growth. Would it be the flowers fault for not producing to expectation or our own fault because we did not reflect on each individual difference, background and need?

My mind has also gone back to a non-supportive, non-understanding assistant I once had in kindergarten. In her opionion, all children had to be treated exactly the same...sit totally still and be seen but not heard. Even the chilld that I allowed to sleep after being abused the night before should have never been treated differently. He was an "outcast"...a poor child from an ignorant home. I have read that it is better to understand than to be understood. If we understand our children then won't we in return be understood by them? Is it then that our children are ready to learn?

After reading these books I have found a sense of affirmation for the individualized/reflective way in which I teach. I love to hear the low rumble of my chidren talking and their movement within the classroom. I love to hear their stories each morning when they come running through the door. I love the multi-cultural children and the various socio-economical status children. All these different unique flowers fill my classroom with such beauty. I also feel a sense of urgency to teach all children, to continue listening and growing professionally in courses such as this one in which we are called to search deep within our souls.

Finally, at the same time that I was reading these two books, I was also reading a book about Mother Teresa. Ironically, this book helped put this course in perspective. Mother Teresa was a teacher who crossed racial, gender, class and religious barriers. She believed and lived the statement from Hicks' book, "Rather, change also has to entail a moral shift, a willingness to open oneself up to the possibility of seeing those who differ from us. This is very hard work, but work that lies at the heart of teaching." Mother Teresa said, "The biggest disease today is the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody. Outcasts are found at every stage of life from the aged to the newborn infant. I have never refused a child, never. Not one." When we fail to accept a child due to his/her race, gender or class are we exposing him/her to this disease? Have we then refused a child?

In life it is absolutely necessary for one to think differently and perceive differently if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all. We can never refuse and child. All those beauiful flowers that bless our classrooms and our lives each year...how vivid and unique each petal is. It is indeed hard work to understand each flower's origin and to understand how each flower grows best but that is truly the heart of teaching. And oh, how joyous it is to watch each beautiful flower dance to the music of learning!

Donna Byrd-Wyatt

Text of pleasure: the text that contents, fills, grants euphoria; the text that comes from culture
and does not break with it, is linked to a comfortable practice of reading.
Text of bliss: the text that imposes a state of loss, the text that discomforts, unsettles the
reader’s historical cultural, psychological assumptions, the consistency of his [sic] tastes,
values, Memories, brings to a crisis his [sic]relation with language.
Roland Barthes

As I began this course, my first thoughts were: “What have I gotten myself into?” To be honest, I have to admit that I have always been a “text of pleasure” reader. During the summer months one will find me reading a book by Nicholas Sparks, Sue Monk Kidd, or J.K. Rowling. I love to read books that reflect my wonderful southern heritage and dialect. Moreover, I enjoy books that take me on a journey or to a magical place. These books do not make me critically think or question anything. These books are like a warm cup of soup on a cold winter’s day. In these books I find comfort, relaxation, and pure enjoyment. Therefore, when presented with the texts The Skin that Speaks and Reading Lives I was a little less than overjoyed. I knew that these books were going to require more than a casual read. I knew that these books were going to be difficult, critical, and controversial. I knew that I would have to step outside of my own little world to make connections and understand. What I did not realize; however, was how much these books would question, confirm, and change my own philosophy of teaching.

Initially, as we began The Skin that Speaks, I was honestly caught very off guard. I had never really thought about the effect that language has on the way we perceive others. Growing up in a southern town and going to a southern college, I have spent most of my life with people who speak the way that I do. On occasion I have been reprimanded by a professor or administrator for speaking incorrectly; however, I had never thought about the impact that language has on a student. This whole idea truly took hold on me as I thought about what my students are expected to do for the 4th grade writing test. My students are expected to write a narrative that has proper grammar and is punctuated correctly. Unfortunately, my students tend to write the way that they speak. As we all know those who speak in the southern dialect do not always use proper English. Therefore, my students already have a mark against them before they even begin the test. As a teacher, this book has made me question what I am going to do to help my students in all aspects of language. One thing that I have truly learned is that we need to make students more aware of language and the way it is spoken. As a teacher, I have never really sat down with my students and talked about the way that we speak. This is going to change! I am now beginning to think that we should make students more aware of the various forms of language. I would like my students to understand that their Southern or Black English way of speaking is beautiful and a valuable part of their heritage. I would definitely make sure that my students understand that I respect their way of speaking and find it valuable. However, I also want them to learn that there is a certain place and time for each kind of language. I think it would be wonderful to speak with students about the way we should speak at home versus school. If I could make proper English valuable and exciting to my students, then they might be willing to accept it and use it more fluently. After reading The Skin That Speaks I have realized that we must teach our students to value their own language as well as the language of others. I truly found inspiration for my ideas in the chapter by Judith Baker. Judith’s teaching and discussion of language in her high school classroom was inspiring. I know that teaching younger students I could not complete an activity to this extent; however, I would like to complete something on a smaller scale with my own students. Baker states, “As young people become less fearful of being manipulated or disrespected, I think they can become engaged in the study of their own language competence. They can weigh their options, choose how they want to speak and write in each new setting. In this atmosphere, the mechanics and usage and vocabulary of formal English no longer threaten to demean them.” I want to create a climate of acceptance and willingness to change within my classroom. All of my assumptions regarding language were changed due to this text. I was forced to lay aside my own opinions and thoughts and look at the importance of language on everyday life. This text was very uncomfortable for me initially because I felt that I was being told that the southern dialect was totally wrong. However, after reading the rest of the book, I realized that the author’s purpose was for the reader to see that we need to be grateful for the many languages around us and utilize them in the appropriate ways. This book truly made me a more open-minded and critical reader.

As I began Reading Lives, I will have to say that I was completely confused by the initial chapters. However, after the wonderful experience with the book The Skin That Speaks, I kept my mind open and continued to read. The way in which Deborah Hicks presented the information regarding Jake and Laurie was very refreshing and thought provoking. As I read about Jake and Laurie, I began to connect them to many of the students in my own classroom. I was able to make connections because of the way in which Mrs. Hicks presented us with the “whole-picture” regarding each student. As a teacher I have always tried to connect with and know as much as I can about my students. Mrs. Hicks confirmed for me that it is okay and right that I do this. Many times other teachers have told me that they felt that I was to close to my students and parents. One of my peer teachers, a few years ago, told me that I was wrong for just going to a student’s basketball game. Now, I realize that they are the ones who are wrong. To be quite honest, I realized that I probably am not aware enough in regard to my students’ lives. This book has definitely made me realize the impact that home-life has on school-life. A student will only value those things that are important to him and his family. Therefore, I cannot expect a child to immediately identify with something that has no connection to his home. I must use student’s interests to make school valuable to each of my children. I must get parents involved so that they will value what I am teaching as well. If I can get my parents to value what I am teaching; then I feel that my students will value it as well.

Reading Lives not only made me think about my students; but also, my co-workers. I realized after reading this book that I should be an advocate of change in my own school. This book, to me, truly sheds light on the importance of teacher-student connections. It also proves that we as teachers have to meet our student half-way. It is our job as educators to present information so that it is valuable and meaningful to a student. Being in “Failing” school (according to the state) is very difficult and disheartening at times. Therefore, I feel that many teachers give up, lose hope, and find little value in their job. The book Reading Lives provides me with a new sense of direction in regards to my teaching style. I hope to share this new found information with the rest of my colleagues. I have found new direction in the statement on page 152 of Reading Lives: “Change also has to entail a moral shift, a willingness to open oneself up to the possibility of seeing those who differ from us. This is very hard work, but work that lies at the heart of teaching.”

I began this summary by stating that I was not “overjoyed” with the thoughts of reading The Skin that Speaks or Reading Lives. Now, however, I would not change a thing. I am very grateful for the ways in which these two books made me question, reflect on, and change my own philosophy towards teaching. I am truly amazed at the impact that these two books have had upon me.

"There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceived differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go looking and reflecting at all." Michel Foucault

The above quote by Michel Foucault sums up this course and also deals with many of the issues presented in chapter six. It says to me that as educators we must peel back the layers that contort our vision and our listening skills when interacting with our students. The way we listen, the way we think, and the way we see is all dependent upon our numerous previous experiences. How we shed those experiences to look at each student and situation with fresh eyes and listen with fresh ears is difficult, but it is imperative if we are going to reach every student in our classes.

This class took me through a series of experiences and helped formulate how I feel about some very important issues in teaching and society. One is the importance of validating all language whether it is a completely different language or an English dialect. I have to admit with my background in foreign language I did not have a problem with accepting other languages, but I realized I had a prejudice against the Appalachian dialect. This class has helped me realize that I was judging a group of people based on what I thought was correct and proper. I can say I went as far to judge their intellect based on my own perceptions which is totally incorrect.

I now believe that correcting speech and language should be very limited and used at very specific times. Reaching out to our students and helping all of them understand each other and support each other is much more important than the use of Standard English. I think Standard English will come with the pursuit of knowledge.

Another important issue presented in this class is to know your students and their families. The only way to do this is to be welcoming and approachable. If a family knows they are welcome to come into the classroom to share something from their culture, they will most likely value the experiences in your classroom. When I say culture, I am talking about anything particular to that family. It could be making apple butter with the children if that is related to the curriculum. Our families have many talents and gifts that they may not realize.

Again, I refer to Nussbaum’s quote in Chapter six of “Reading Lives”. Nussbaum states, “The longer I stay in education, the clearer it becomes to me that some of our basic orientations toward the teaching and testing of literacy contributes to our inability to see. To truly educate in America, then to reach the full sweep of our citizenry, we need to question received perception, shift continually from the standard lens. This relates directly to the above quote by Michael Foucault. It says it all to me. We must be able to view each situation as it arises with a fresh perspective without judging. This class has helped me see areas in my own life that I need to work on to help me become not just a better teacher but a better person.

Thank you for creating this class and conducting it in this manner. The books were excellent and the writing and reflecting were imperative. The issues presented here are in critical need of more discussion and personal examination by a wider audience. I hope a class like this will become required in the college of education.

Laura Wollpert

Michel Foucault says, "There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all." As an educator, this quote is meaningful to me because if you can think differently than you once thought about things and perceive differently than you once saw, then you enrich other's lives and yours, too. This is necessary to do if we are going to cross cultural boundaries with our students and parents. If we are able to do this it will broaden our horizons as educators.

After taking this course, "Race, Class and Gender in Literacy Learning," I think and perceive things differently. I hadn't given much thought about how students' race, class and gender affect literacy learning in the classroom. I see there are different ways that we can help students to achieve in our classrooms. Before, I looked mainly at the traditional approach to teaching but now I see that we have to take other factors into consideration and may have to change our teaching approach. We need to help students feel comfortable and welcome in the classroom so they will be motivated to learn.

One factor I look at differently is language. There are so many languages and dialects that we encounter in the classrooms of America today. We have Standard English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Ebonics, Southern slang, etc. For students to succeed we can not rule out the "home language." The "home language" is the language the students feel comfortable with and value. We need to allow the diversity of languages and cultures in our classrooms and build on them to teach Standard English. If we do not allow this, there is a possibility the students may struggle and not learn Standard English. The story of Maya, in "The Skin That We Speak", is a good example of how children feel comfortable around their language. When Maya went to a start-up public charter school with 98% African American children who spoke her language her self-esteem soared. Children can be caught betweeen two worlds. There is the home culture and the school culture. We as teachers have to realize this and respond appropriately to students so they can learn. An incident occurred in my classroom a few weeks ago with a kindergarten boy sitting at the table saying a curse word during a conversation. One of the girls ran up to my assistant and said that he said a "bad" word. This is the language he heard from home and he didn't realize this was inappropriate for the school culture. I truly believe he didn't know others considered it a "bad" word because it was probably used in everyday language in his home. The boy became upset and began crying. I have learned with incidents like these not to punish a child and make him feel bad about himself or his home life but to talk with the child about appropriate and inappropriate language at school. We as teachers have to move beyond our biases. If we do not, children may shut down and we may not be able to connect with them. We have to value the child with the language so he will feel accepted.

Another factor that I reflect on is that teachers and students may come from different social classes. Deborah Hicks says, "Our relationship, which by that time was one of mutual caring and acceptance, helped to make such movement between practices possible. Though we were living our lives in different class settings, we were in this moment of teaching and learning able to move between and across those disparate locations." She also goes on to say that this is possible in classrooms but it can be difficult. When Hicks did the research on Laurie and Jake she was able to move between these disparate locations and connect with these students. As a teacher, I need to learn about families in my classroom. Families may not have the same philosophy or come from the same social class but it is important for me to learn about them so I can connect with them. Deborah Hicks says that it's not just learning new pedagogies but it is a willingness to see those who are different than us. It is crucial to cross boundaries to reach the poor and working-class children. I currently teach these children and will need to make every effort to reach them. If we understand children's situated histories then we can move toward literacy practices in the classroom.

A factor that I continue to look at is gender in the classroom and how it affects literacy. It is amazing how boys and girls are so different in many ways such as the way they think or the way they learn. The research that was done on Jake said that he needed to have a task that made sense or a task that needed to be done. Girls don't necessarily need tasks that make sense. I need to be aware as a female classroom teacher how boys think and learn and try to find ways to connect with them and accommodate them in the classroom.

I also think differently about my classroom's identity. If I feel that it is best for a procedure, for example, to become the "norm" in my classroom then I will make it a part of the classroom culture. I feel comfortable establishing a procedure or activity as the "norm."

In conclusion, we as teachers need to be knowledgeable of race, class and gender in literacy learning. If we are open-minded, willing to learn and think and perceive differently, then we will be better teachers.

“There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all.” Where is it that we can learn how to think and perceive differently? I believe in classes as the one in which we just completed. The above quote is by philosopher Michel Foucault. It captures the process and result of what was taught this semester in our class, “Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Learning”, as well as what I have learned and how I have changed over this short period.

In the beginning of this class, I had a difficult time seeing how everything we read and did tied into understanding race, class, and gender and its effects on literacy. However, shortly thereafter, I could see how we were learning how to change our perception so we can have a more loving perception for all the children we teach especially those from working-class families. I learned that the education system in the United States is set up based on white, middle class ideology and most teachers fit into this as well, but not most children. Working class and impoverished children come from different background and experiences then most teachers. Although I am African-American, coming from a middle class family, I to am a part of the way in which the educational system works. I have learned in the course that I have to change my perception in order to reach all children. I have to think outside of myself. I have realized that it is not about what I perceive to be reality, but what the child thinks to be reality. I have to go into the classroom thinking as my children think and connect with them so I can gain their trust. If they do not trust me, I cannot teach them. I have read that home cultures and native languages sometimes get in the way of student learning not because of the nature of the home cultures or native language themselves but rather because they do not conform to the way that schools define learning. Until this change, I have to change the way I define learning in my classroom.

The literature in which we read was used to teach us about language and literacy. Delpit says just as our skin provides us with a means to negotiate our interactions with the world-both in how we perceive our surroundings and in how those around us perceive us-our language plays an equally pivotal role in determining who we are: it is The Skin That We Speak (p. xvii). It is sad that this day and age people are still classified and judged by how they speak. It use to be thought that what African American children my speak or hear is the reason for their underachievement. I have learned that this is not the cause. Yes, we want children to learn what is called Standard English, but to effectively reach all children who may not speak this way, we need to understand children’s home language and the different dialects children have and how it affects their learning. Standard English may be the language of the classroom, but it is not the language of most children. From The Skin That We Speak I learned that we might need to do as Judith Baker and valid children’s first language then respectfully teach them Standard English. We have to be careful of what we say and how children perceive what we are saying when we speak about Standard English and “home English as Judith Baker calls it (I dislike the word Black English). If not children may feel threatened or demeaned then no matter what you try and teach them they will not learn. What I learned from this book is best summed up in a statement Delpit said, “Teachers must acknowledge and validate students’ home language without using it to limit students’ potential.”

This leads to Hicks’ book Reading Lives: Working-Class Children and Literacy Learning. This book was deeper and more intricate, but the points she made transformed my thinking of children from working class families. I learned that children’s home environment plays a pivotal role in early literacy learning. I learned that real teaching is teaching the child not the curriculum. What I mean is we have to know our children and their families to have an impact on their education. I learned that as a teacher I need to cross boundaries, as Deborah Hicks did, in order to reach my students, and build caring relationships with them and their family.

I will be able to apply what I have learned through the literature to my own life and my teaching as I open my eyes to see children through a lens that is now reshaped and redefined.
This semester, I have gained more self-awareness and have learned to be more aware of the children I work with by having a more loving perception. The only way I can gain a loving perception for the children I teach is to gain more understanding of their home language and culture.

Foucault was correct in saying there are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all. This quote solidifies what this class is about and all we have learned and we will be better educators because of it.

“Education can change culture but only in so far as educators are transformed.”

The quote that best reflects my learning during this course is:

"Critique is understood as an interrogation of the terms by which life is constrained in order to open up the possibility of different modes of living; in other words, not to celebrate difference as such but to establish more inclusive conditions for sheltering and maintaining life that resist models of assimilation."
Judith Butler

Throughout this course as we read about how language is perceived by others and how our race, class, gender and histories shape not only who we are but how we learn, I was constantly questioning myself and my teaching practices. From the experiences of the the writers in "The Skin That We Speak" to the philosophies in "Reading Lives" I questioned how I sound to my students, their parents and others.

From "The Skin That We Speak" I have considered that people are judged by how they speak. I have been enlightened to the fact that we all have different ways of speaking dependent on the company we are in, and we should not judge our students by the dialect they bring into the classroom. We should acknowledge those differences and use it as a means to reach them and to enlighten others to appreciate the beauty of our differences.

As a result of reading this book I have examined my thoughts on a single language. I have come full circle on this idea as a result of comments made by others in this class and conversations with friends and colleagues. I have come to respect the need for SE, come to understand why it is used and recently considered that it is a mixture of words from Latin, French, English, and Spanish. As we continue to watch it grow with the addition of Ebonic terms and others that we adopt, I realize just one of the reasons why it is so difficult for others to learn.

From "Reading Lives" I have learned that language is central to learning and that students need to feel valued and supported for who they are. Their ideas need validation and their differences enouraged and accepted. I have critiqued my perception of working class families and how they may perceive me as different from them and why. I have examined my flexibility as a teacher and reflected on my teaching methods to discern any discriminating or demeaning practices.
As a result of reading about Jake and Laurie I have considered my own learning history and compared it to others. I have concluded that I need to be constantly reflective and aware of my voice in the classroom. I am inspired to be more diligent in fostering better relationships with my students and their parents in order to engage them and entice them to desire to learn. I have questioned my instructional task and feel that I should strive toward more differentiated and inquiry-based activities to help equalize the classroom. I intend to work harder to be more flexible and accepting of students and their situations rather than seeking a label. I desire a more harmonious classroom environment where my students feel comfortable and can be successful.
I had no idea at the beginning of this class how much my thinking would evolve. My mind has truly been "opened to the possibility of different modes of living" and I will continue to question and reflect in order to maintain this openess.
The books chosen for this class were inspiring and thought provoking. This was a very informative and reflective class that all educators should have.

"Text of pleasure: the text that contents, fills, grants euphoria; the text that comes from culture and does not break with it, is linked to a comfortable practice of reading.
Text of bliss: the text that imposes a state of loss, the text that discomforts, unsettles the reader’s historical cultural, psychological assumptions, the consistency of his tastes, values, memories, brings to a crisis his relation with language." ~Roland Barthes

As this course progressed, I found myself frequently needing to reflect on my own views and background and beliefs. This type of self-critique is absolutely necessary for educators to do on a consistent basis; to review what you truly believe and how you respond to different ideas creates a practitioner willing to transform and even revolutionize their thinking, which can make a huge impact on the students in a classroom. I cannot say that when I began this course I was very open-minded or even ready to be exposed to some of the ideas that were expressed in our texts and in my peers’ blogs. However, as the course is now coming to a close, I find in myself something that wasn’t there before: a willingness to be aware of the differences in my students and the ability to move on from these differences to determine how to best design a classroom that provides an environment for all of these students to be successful. I have also discovered a desire to question concepts that have been so ingrained since my childhood. I can say without hesitation that the texts for this course and the comments of my peers have been texts of bliss, and often texts of pleasure as well. I have enjoyed reading others’ responses online and have found myself struggling to define and adjust my own ways of thinking from what I have read in our texts.

One of the most significant lessons I have learned through this course is the importance of communication, not just verbal, although this is essential, but the deeper communication so vital in a classroom that comes from being involved in students’ lives. I absolutely must find ways to connect with my students lives outside of school. Only through making these connections to their personal lives, can I hope to teach them in a way that they are most comfortable with and most willing to learn from. Too often, we as teachers expect our students to walk through our doors with empty heads ready to be filled with the knowledge we give them. This is just not the case. As Jane Miller stated in Reading Lives, “Readers and practices of reading are situated within histories of locality, gender, race, and class. Literacy learning is part of these histories, not something that children do as a cognitive task divorced from their lives. (pg. 37)” As a teacher, I must be willing and prepared to create a teaching program that fits into the lives my students already live. I cannot expect to fit their lives into my teaching; it simply will not work that way. I must be aware of so many identities that my students own, hybrid identities as Hicks calls them. I must be cognizant of how boys and girls earn “power” in the classroom (boys often through acting out and girls through a need to please their female teacher). I also must be willing to communicate with families so that I understand the priorities of a student, their learning styles, and their life-long influences from home.

This course has been a wonderful learning experience for me, particularly as a brand new teacher. I have learned so much about the experiences my students bring to the classroom and how I respond to the learning they bring from their lives. While we may not come from the same neighborhood or social status or gender or race, I can, and must find ways to connect to and communicate with my students’ lives. Only then can I hope to impact their learning inside the classroom. ~Allison Reese

“Critique is understood as an interrogation of the terms by which life is constrained in order to open up the possibility of different modes of living; in other words, not to celebrate difference as such but to establish more inclusive conditions for sheltering and maintaining life that resist models of assimilation.” Judith Butler

When I first received the syllabus for this course and read the three quotes, I liked this quote least but I’ve come to realize that it, of all the quotes, most closely sums up my perspective regarding race, class and gender in literacy learning. Often critique is perceived as negative or threatening, a criticism intended to point out faults or omissions. Both teachers and students shutter at the idea of being critiqued or evaluated because it comes with the negative connotation of being found “wanting.” Critique is “interrogation” (another term which often conjures up negative feelings, I prefer the term “questioning”) of what exists, the status quo, for the purpose of improvement. This course has motivated me to participate in self-critique as well as a critique of established (formal) educational views and practices. Far from being a negative exercise, this critique has led me to a greater understanding of my own situated history, my own literacy leanings, my limitations and my commitment to being open to new possibilities for learning in my life and in my classroom.
From the varied and challenging texts of THE SKIN THAT WE SPEAK to the inspirational voice in READING LIVES by Deborah Hicks, I found a critique that cautioned and yet encouraged me to seek those possibilities for open dialogue with my students, their parents, and committed others that might allow all of us to benefit from our collective languages/beliefs/histories/visions. As I read and mulled over my readings, I realized that I couldn't deny my own gender, race or class and the impact that had on my own learning. I realized that in my limitations I could celebrate my strengths. I kept returning to the concept of inclusion, a means for all students to share ownership despite yet including differences.Far from assimilation, rubber stamping,that often results from a strict adherence to one preferred educational practice (as evidenced in traditional formal practices and even in the current obsession with EOG performance standards)each individual could contribute from their differences and their strengths. Not only would inclusive practices in my classroom protect (shelter) rather than harm (threaten) my students, such practices would serve to establish a healthy, more vibrant and relevant, learning environment which would not only maintain but could ENHANCE the lives of all those who might learn and work there.
Betsy Baldwin

“There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all.” Michel Foucault

This quote best sums up my experience in this course. The time is now, more than ever. As teachers, we must think differently and perceive differently. If I do not, I have lost the fight before even entering the classroom as a teacher. I have honestly thought about my students in a different light as well as myself as an educator after completing the readings and posts in this course. I never thought about all the facets of a child’s world that influence and creates their histories, and ultimately their educational experience. I have learned a new acceptance of my students, and I question many of my teaching practices.

There were times this school where I really felt defeated.I was overwhelmed by the low academic levels of my 7th graders, my obstacles as well as theirs, and what I was still supposed to be able to teach them along with what they were to be accountable for. I came into this course thinking I am young white twenty something year old teacher, and what I do in the classroom is the best I can do in the educational system at hand. I have found this to be untrue. There is a lot I can do. From reading The Skin that we Speak, I have learned I can value each of my student’s language and at the same time show them Standard English. I can teach my students the beauty and value of code-switching, a skill I never knew about until reading this text. I can work harder to foster and promote an environment of beautiful multiculturalism in my classroom. From Reading Lives, I have learned I can strive harder to incorporate culturally relevant text and activities, and engage my students. I can think twice before I respond to a student, because I now am coming to realize how much I influence my students my language and history. I must value and involve my students’ communities. Ultimately, I must stop making excuses, stop trying to place blame, and simply, “perceive differently”. Then I can go on looking and reflecting (teaching). Perhaps then, I won't feel so defeated.

A message that was revealed in both texts, but especially Reading Lives is that of communication. One project I really want to work on with my administration is holding a parent night in my student’s Winston community where many of the students are bused from to Kernersville. If we are going to understand each others histories, we must be willing to do this. I have thought more closely about parents’ feelings of school, and their need to be a part of the educational process. I have thought about what myself and my school must seem and appear to be to my parents. Additionally, I have a renewed sense of hope and motivation for teaching my students.

There is a lot more behind each face in our classroom. There is a language, a story, and an individual. We all have prior experiences, and we form our beliefs upon those experiences. Our student’s race, gender, social class, and experiences make them each very different. But one thing remains the same, they are all children. They are the best their parents have, and they send us them everyday. As one of the texts said changing your way of thinking is no easy task, it requires somewhat of a moral shift. I recognize this and see it as my challenge. If any teacher is going to continue their career today, we must begin to think differently about ourselves, and then teach our students how to do the same.

I think the following quote best reflects how I view my learning during this course: "There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all." This course has revolutionized my thinking about my role as a teacher and how I perceive my students. Before taking this class, I never realized the scope of influence my job as a classroom teacher has on children. I've always known that as a teacher I am helping to mold the minds of children and prepare them for the future, but my perception of what was required of me to achieve this end was vey narrow.

I have always cared about presenting clear academic instruction to my students that is based on their needs and the standard course of study. I have also cared about maintaining discipline in the classroom and have given incentives to the children to practice good citizenship and be good workers. These teaching priorites were sufficient for most children, but not all. Each year, I have had at least one or two children who had trouble going along with the program. These children had problems such as trouble getting along with peers; difficulty with self control, staying on task to complete work, and following directions and class rules. These children usually lost their happy gram almost every day. I did not know what to do to help these children change their behavior. Though some made more academic progress than others, most of them carried their bad reputaitons with them into third grade.

I knew very little about the home lives of my students. Most of what I knew about my students was based on what I knew from superficial interactions with them in the classroom. Anything I learned about their interests and lives with their families was a result of information they shared at school in their writing or during discussions. However, I didn't value this information as much as I valued the quality of their work or their achievement of an academic objective. As I now know, demonstrating to students that I genuinely value their backgrounds and interests could have been a bridge of influence to connect difficult students with the expectations of school.

As a result, my classes will be conducted differently from now on. Achievement and good citizenship will continue to be valued as important. However, so will students' backgrounds, interests, and their feelings about themselves as students and individuals. I want all of my students to feel that I care about what they think and feel, and respect their language and values from home that they bring to school with them. Hopefully in a class environment in which genuine mutual respect thrives in the teacher-student relationships, all students (including the students initially known as difficult) will be motivated to practice good work habits, behavior, and strive for their best academic achievement.

Vickie Howell

There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all. Michel Foucault

This course has awakened me in so many ways. The first book, The Skin that We Speak by Delpit, offered new thoughts on how important language is in the classroom. I still remain strong on my opinions of teaching correct grammar, but I have a new respect for all languages. Students need to be given an opportunity to express themselves in every way. Grammar has its place in the classroom, but does not need to hinder what a child is saying. A child’s identity does not need to change just because they walk through a school’s front door.

In chapter 4 of the book, Judith Baker states, “When students know that their home language is respected, they can be fascinated by a study of different Englishes they speak.” The students can see patterns in other languages and refer back to their own native language for understanding. I particularly like this part of the book because it approaches language as a “trilingual” approach. Students learn that there is a time and a place for formal English, but it does not threaten or hinder them. Students and teachers need to learn to appreciate each other for who they are not what they are or where they come from in society.

Delpit’s book allowed me to see another side of language. Why should I force my middle class views and language onto all of my students 100% of the time? They come from diverse backgrounds and speak various languages. I should appreciate their views and comments and save my grammatical corrections for when I am teaching grammar. Their thoughts and comments do not need to be hindered. The discourse that is occurring in my room in small and whole group lessons should be the focus for my teaching. My students and I will benefit more by just listening rather than correcting.

Reading Lives, by Hicks was an interesting book that focused on the study of two children. Jake and Laurie were working class students who learn very differently. They both looked up to their parents and struggled with school in their own ways. Laurie being tutored by the researcher was an advantage for her. She was able to communicate and learn how to read by being given individualized instruction and attention. Jake bloomed in kindergarten. He was full of energy and expression. He enjoyed centers and it showed in every way. Even his body language expressed how he felt. At times, he would resist structure, but would eventually conform. Both children struggled in later grades of elementary school. The home-school connection that did not take place with these children showed me as an educator how important this is in today’s system. We need to connect with our students and embrace their cultures.

In closing, this class has been an exceptional learning experience for me. The lessons that I will take away from this will not only help me as a teacher, but also as a parent. I will listen more and correct less. Communication is the basis for our society regardless of what form or language. Without it, we are expressionless human beings without personality.

Beth Rigsbee

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” Marcus Aurelius said this during Roman times and it's still applicable (and speaks volumes) for my understanding of language today. I now understand that my perspective isn't the truth for all of my students. Initially this was difficult to embrace because my perspective was "correct" in my eyes. (Of course it would seem correct to me because it is my perspective. That is a given.) I now understand that my students feel the SAME WAY. Regardless of their backgrounds and life experiences, my students felt the same way that I did. THEY felt THEIR perspective was correct because it was based upon THEIR experience(s).

"The Skin That We Speak" brought excellent illustrations of life experiences to the table in a manner that made it easy to look into the lives of others. While these life experiences were different from mine, they were the same in that I could relate to their feelings and insight. I still stand by my initial thought that I should teach Standard English in the classroom as being "correct," but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea presented in chapter four about students feeling respect for their home languages while studying the other "Englishes" that we speak. This concept lends weight and importance to all forms of English. I LOVE THAT and will absolutely use that in my classroom, although in a modified form of understanding for my first graders.

This class has strongly reinforced the insight that, as teachers, we cant assume our students experiences are the same as our own. What a challenge this has been for me since day one in the classroom! Now, more than ever, I need to be mindful of the lives children live (like Jake and Laurie). In the back of my mind I know not to assume all parents think like me and that all children in my class are growing up like I did or like my daughter is. It's in those split-second decisions in the classroom that I fall back on MY way of thinking and forget that my students and their families may not even UNDERSTAND those expectations and consequences.

From this class, I see (now more than ever) that I need to have more understanding and compassion for what my students are bringing to the table. Although I THINK I understand and my intentions are well placed, I don't really have my finger on the pulse of my students' lives. It seems the only way to be completely aware of my students backgrounds is to make home visits. I'm debating this for the coming school year. I don't know how I will work it with the challenging factor of time, but this seems to be the "in your face" reality check that I need to see that all of my students don't live lives that mirror my middle-class background. What an eye-opener this will be. This won't lower my expectations or standards in the classroom, but it will help me to create alternate paths to reach the ultimate destination. I will continue to raise the bar on academics, behavior, and citizenship in the classroom, but I will be better prepared for my students by being open to more than my own perspective.

I've really enjoyed this class. The introspective look it forces you to take brings home a much deeper understanding of ourselves as teachers, parents, and human beings. It challenged me to look through my own personal experiences and embrace the diverse backgrounds and experiences my students and their families bring into my classroom. Their truths give me pause to understand that mine isn't the only correct experience and viewpoint in the classroom.

The quote that best reflects my learning during this course is:

Text of pleasure: the text that contents, fills, grants euphoria; the text that comes from culture and does not break with it, is linked to a comfortable practice of reading.
Text of bliss: the text that imposes a state of loss, the text that discomforts, unsettles the reader’s historical cultural, psychological assumptions, the consistency of his [sic] tastes, values, memories, brings to a crisis his [sic] relation with language. Roland Barthes

Text of pleasure: By contrasting the effect of words, this quote illustrates that reading familiar text creates a state of pleasure. When my daughter was a little girl, her favorite book was Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. Every time I read that book she would smile and squeal with delight. After reading that story at bedtime for about a week, she began to read the story along with me. Although she could not read the words, she knew the story. When she was older, she found that book in a box. As most mothers do, I put her most precious things in a box for keepsakes. When she saw the book, I saw the same twinkle in her eyes that were there when she was two listening to this story. She opened the book and began to read and squeal with delight. As I stood in the corner and listened to her read the words, I smiled because she could finally read her favorite story. Most importantly, she read it with ease and comfort because it was familiar to her. The same feeling of comfort and ease is evident in adults when they read familiar text. This occurs when reading books by an author that uses the same characters in all of his work, or by reading books by different authors about a particular subject of interest. Human nature enables us to cling to that which is familiar. It’s almost like having a favorite sandwich or entrée at your favorite restaurant. Even though you might want to try something different sometimes, you always know that you will thoroughly enjoy your favorite. I love John Grisham novels. Whenever I have an opportunity to read one of his books, I know I am in for a treat. I know that I can curl up in bed deep under the covers with a good cup of cappuccino and have a wonderful time. Reading his books is a form of enjoyment to me; it brings me pleasure. When I have an opportunity to read for enjoyment I find myself in a wonderful state of peace.

Reading for pleasure is an advantage that I miss. Being in graduate school has kept me very busy and I have not been able to read my John Grisham novels. I have had to retreat from my comfort zone and read so many books about everything except my favorite. All of a sudden, I felt like a child that was being separated from their favorite toy. This is especially difficult when reading a book about a subject that I am not interested in or more or less task oriented. However, I have grown to appreciate the effect of reading books that are not familiar. I realize that the point of being in graduate school is to master my craft and to become a deeper intellectual thinker. These two books, The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom by Lisa Delpit and Reading Lives: Working-Class Children and Literacy Learning by Deborah Hicks that I have read during graduate school have become favorites; but in a different sense. I now love books that challenge me and make me think out of the box. I now want to be taken out of my comfort zone and placed into a world of situations totally different from my own.

In this class, reading the experiences of the writers in “The Skin That We Speak”. It was pleasurable in reading this book. This book had a tremendous impact on the me by stating that there is a problem, stating out right what it is, what has been done about it, and then stating possible solutions for all those involved in the process, from the child through linguists. Some of the quotes I read in this book were like listening to easy listening music. In Joanne Dowdy’s definitive quote, “The chains fell from around my tongue, and my brain began to feel as if it were oiled and moving along without hiccups... I could travel up and down the continental shift, moving from Caribbean to English intonations, without anyone being offended. Doesn’t this sound so melodiousness? We as educators must allow dialects into our classrooms and allow other students respect those dialects.

Text of bliss: The meaning for this part of the quote, it means for intellectual stimulation, it may be better to read unfamiliar text, as such presents a deeper and mental challenge. Believe me, in reading the philosophies and memoirs in “Reading Lives: Working-Class Children and Literacy Learning has definitely been challenging. I had to read the chapters in this book several times to understand the author’s point of view of the influence of social class relations on literacy learning and the stories of family literacy issues. By exploring their successes and challenges, the book revealed how children's home life experience influences who they come to be and how they come to know in relation to reading practices. From reading my colleagues blogs and this book directed me to move closer to the intersection of "feeling" and "knowing" in my role as a teacher. I have learned that it is essential that children feel valued and know that you accept them for who they are. It also showed me how to be that vehicle to bridge literacy education by connecting what is interrelated such as the student’s identity, relationship, history, beliefs, socialization, and cognition. I never realized that home literacy practices and the school’s literacy practices were like a foreign language. Just as we find ways and make modification for our non-English speaking students, we should do the same with children of working-class families.

I must admit that at my advanced age, I was leery and reluctant about this on-line course. I am from the era that the necessity of the physical structure of a classroom is conducive to learning. I am accustomed to having a teacher present and I didn’t think that this on-line course would offer me the opportunity to explore issues and help me think about my professional work in literacy. However, I was wrong. I found myself having a voice in this on-line forum. I was able to share my discourses from the comforts of my home. I really and truly believe that it comes from feeling safe and accepting my environment allow me to explore the possibilities of taking a chance on sharing my experiences and practices. I have found myself being more enthusiastic about the upcoming year and implementing the knowledge learned of recognizing the differences in my students and provide an environment that is conducive for them to be successful.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading others’ on-line responses and the books required for this course. I am going to share these books with my principal and recommend that the staff read these two books just as we read Ruby Payne’s book, “A Framework for Understanding Poverty”. I feel that these books will have a great impact on our staff as it did on me. It would be of great value to all school administration for the problem of language in the classroom and how best to combat it from their level of authority. The people who I feel will value the most from these books are teachers. Teachers like myself who have not considered or are aware of how their student’s situated histories and their language patterns have a profound effect on their student’s academic success in their classrooms. Last week, I discussed these two books with a colleague of mine and she told me about another book that is written by Lisa Delpit called, “Other People’s Children”. Dr. Beth Frye, who is a professor at Appalachian State University, gave this book to her. I will definitely read this book.

The power of words never ceases to amaze me. The impact of literature can leave the most profound impact on the reader. While books that are familiar bring a state of instant pleasure and enjoyment, books that are intellectually stimulating can place the reader in an instant gratifying state of euphoria. ~ Shirley Mathis

"There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all." ~Michel Foucault

Before i took this class, i considered myself to be a teacher who saw each child as an individual and who didn't look at class, race, or gender; but boy was i wrong. I had no idea how much i paid attention to those things; or how little attention i paid to them, each scenario is detrimental to the child. I've learned so much through reading the two texts in this class. I love the above quote, and it basically sums up my feelings on the course. If i had never been introduced to these ideas, and had an open mind about them, i'd still be the same old teacher next year, who cared about her students, but rarely saw them DEEPLY. I never realized that the way i had been thinking and behaving weren't right.

I have to admit that when i began reading our first text, The Skin that We Speak, i was skeptical. I didn't like how it seemed as if the authors were ok with language other than standard english. It seems like such an ignorant thought now. I even commented to my father that i was frustrated b/c the author was writing in ebonics...at this point my father rolled his eyes and said that he wouldn't even read the book. Wow have my outlooks changed! I know that when school starts up next year, i'm going to do a language/home/family study with my fourth graders. I think they are going to be excited about it, and feel accepted by me and their peers. I want them to know that my classroom is one of cultural exploration and acceptance and respect. Language is so powerful! Language studies can build the bridges that are necessary for children to learn and want to learn. If a child knows that the language/dialect they speak at home, and with their "others" is accepted and respected at school, they will be more open to want to learn their teacher's language. If the teacher does a good job in explaining the time and place for certain dialects, kids will be able to switch (code switch) back and forth from home language to school language to professional language. I think this should be a teacher's main focus.

The second text we read, although harder to read, was actually my favorite of the two. I liked learning about Jake and Laurie, and about the issue of class altogether. I had never read or researched anything on this topic. I'm glad i had the chance to open my eyes to something new and different, so that i could decide for myself the importance of it and relevance of it in my own professional and social life. We need to really SEE each child and their families. I'd like to hold a conference at the beginning of the year and do some type of interest inventory with the family (about their child and themselves), and then do the same with the kids. I think the parents would feel important and they would know that their child's teacher cares about where they came from and will work to preserve that cultural background. Before this class, i didn't realize how class affects children. Now i see that a child's homelife has EVERYTHING to do with how they learn and their attitude about school. I will use this knowledge to my advantage and try to reflect on their situations before teaching and reacting.

I have always known that all children learn differently, but now i have a little more insight to why that is (based on class, gender, and race). I'm so glad that i took this course. I had no idea that my perception could be changed so drastically. It WILL affect my teaching, for the better! It always feels so good when you come away from something knowing what you can do to incorporate what you've learned and knowing that what you've learned will have an impact on those around you. I hope to show my students the importance of learning new things and thinking differently as well. I'll end with the quote that i think says it all: "We can only change the world that we can SEE." ~Iris Murdoch.

Quote:

There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all.
Michel Foucault

Let me start off by giving my explanation of what this quote means to me. I think that when you work is a field such as education or any field that is in a constant state of change with new research appearing everyday, you must always be open to that change and never get so comfortable and set it your ways that you aren’t open to the new ideas around you. If I can not accept and adjust to the new technology of this world or the new reading research that is always just around the corner then I might as well just stop trying at all. In a field such as education you must always have an open mind. You must always be ready for someone else’s view point on a subject and be able to either accept it or be able to explain to them why you don’t accept it. For example, I currently co-teach with a teacher who is extremely set in her ways and doesn’t want to hear any of my philosophies or ideas about how to run the classroom. I am just a mere nuisance she has to put up with for a certain period of the day. I shouldn’t be in her classroom because I am not certified to teach the subject she is teaching even though I do have a teaching license in special education. I am there for one reason only and that is to give the test to the students in a separate room when they need it. She has never asked herself that question stated above. She can not think differently and she is not open to anything new or out of her comfortable norm. I, on the other hand, think I have a lot to offer in the classroom. Or at least I would like to think that. And I think that it has a lot to do with the fact that I allow change in my philosophies. I am constantly checking to make sure that my information is the most up to date and I do not just throw an idea out the window because it isn’t kosher with how I currently believe and teach.

I believe that we live in a world where you must always be looking for the best way to do something. We live in a world where you can buy a computer one day and it is outdated in a week. If we, as teachers, can not keep up with the change, then we are doomed to fail. It is absolutely necessary to assess your own philosophies as often as possible because new information is constantly being found and implemented. If we as teachers, who teach the future leaders of this world, can not keep up with this change, then those whom we teach can and will suffer. I refuse to let that happen to my students. I will continue to read professionally as often as I can in order to make sure I do not let me students down. Mine and their futures depend on it. I have enjoyed this class because it has made me look at how I interact with my students. And I have decided to change things that I do in order to accommodate things that I have learned. One for instance is getting to know more about the lives of my students outside of school. I hope that I will never end up so set in my ways that I forget to think and see things differently every once in a while.

~Kristen Billings

Summative- Self-Critique-Heather Holland

The first step towards knowledge is to know that we are ignorant. –Richard Cecil This quote by Richard Cecil seems so simple at first, but it truly exemplifies how I feel at the conclusion of this course. Before taking this course, I thought that I was a ‘pretty accepting person of other cultures, values, belief, etc.’ However, I have learned that I am not accepting of other peoples’ beliefs per se, but I am accepting of the “person” and who they are in relation to their own personal beliefs or ideas. I think of my best friend--Rose and myself. We could not be more opposite. My mother asked me one time, “Heather, how are you two friends? You don’t agree on anything?” I smiled, laughed, and said, “Because we are true friends. We respect each other’s differences and love each other for the person that we are. We get into lively debates, but we later laugh about it. We agree on very little, but that makes it interesting!” I remember back to the first “friendship” moments we had together. Her boyfriend of many years ended their relationship and in the same weekend her friend and co-worker was killed in a motorcycle accident (I am going somewhere with this…I promise). I was there for her at that moment. I didn’t care about her political viewpoint, her religious beliefs, or her ‘crazy’ ideas about woman’s lib…I cared about her! Later, when I needed support when I was going through a crisis, she was there for me! She traveled 600 miles, took time off work, and pulled me together when I needed someone most. It’s because of these “accepting” values that make our friendship great.
Now to the quote that I was supposed to choose from on the syllabus… First, I do not think that my style of learning parallels Michel Foucault’s quote because I do not believe that I have thought differently than I have thought before. I continue to think the same old way… but my ideas about people and who they are as a person, is what is the key component of my learning.
I must say that my learning reflects more of Judith Butler’s quote: “Critique is understood as an interrogation of the terms by which life is constrained in order to open up the possibility of different modes of living; in other words, not to celebrate difference as such but to establish more inclusive conditions for sheltering and maintaining life that resist models of assimilation.”
In the beginning of my journey to find the quote that best exemplifies my learning, I shook my head at this quote because I immediately saw the words “critique”, “interrogations”, “sheltering”, and ‘constrained”. Then, the following phrases nipped at me: “not to celebrate difference” and “resists models of assimilation”. I did not stop there. I tried to figure it out. I could not decide why Dr. Jackson would put such a ‘negative’ quote on our syllabus. Of course, at this time, I did not understand the quote. Now, I think of this quote as more of critiquing of my thoughts and beliefs, as questioning the norm and the things that go on in society, and resisting the models of assimilation that expect us, as educations, to just do what everyone else does—accept things just how they are and not question “why”.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. In fact, I looked on ASU’s website for course offerings that were an extension of this one. I couldn’t find another course with a similar format or subject matter. Now, I will just have to be appreciative that this class stretched me and who I am, as a person and as an educator. I will not go back to my classroom in the fall and just take things as they appear. I will look deeper, try to understand the children God has given me, and love and accept them for the people they are.
Thanks for a great class (my first online course)!
Written by
Heather Holland

Micheal Foucault's quote best describes my new outlook on learning during the duration of this course.

"There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all"

I have never been one who is "set" in their ways and not willing to open up to new ideas and have always strived to learn more. During this course, however, I discovered something new happening to me while I was reading, writing, and reflecting on others, perceptions of the books we read. I began to see the world in a whole new light and perspective and began reflecting on my teaching practices and daily communications with others. I suddenly felt like a light bulb and the shining sun where I began to see the "whys" to things I have been in the dark about. I think a small piece of me was in the dark because I wasn't sure how important it was to connect instruction to issues that matter to students, their families, and their community. This course has really brightened up my perspective about happenings both in the classroom and in my everyday life and has helped me to think "outside the box".

Why have I been in the clouds for so long? After reading Reading Lives, the clouds lifted, the sun began to shine, and the sky was blue agian. It makes so much sense when you think about it that individuals all come from different experiences, histories, backgrounds, cultures, language identities, and dialect usage. So why did I think that just because I valued something, or thought a certain way, that others thought that way too? It is just this knowing that I must think differently in the classroom that is going to improve my relations with my students which is extremely important to generate the success of my students. More than ever, I realize, I must listen to my students, read "between the lines", and research who my students are, where they come from, what they value, respect, and what makes them tick.

I now know that I must be careful with my language, tone, and even way of conducting things in my classroom so that I can establish a learning environment in my classroom that assures students and parents that they are valued, accepted for who they are, where they came from, and are important. By peeling the skin off of each little peach in my room, I can constitute knowledge about them which will allow me to change my beliefs, practices, and understandings of what is going on inside of each individual fruit. I am going to turn on the lights in my classroom by doing a better job of researching my students backgrounds and home identities and use this information to see things differently as to what each individual child needs to succeed both socially and academically. It is just that internal listening to see things from a different point of view that will help me to understand them and thus improve my relationships with my students, parents, and even others. Hicks refers to it as "love's knowledge". The energy I put into a relationship with my husband, is the same kind of focus and attention I plan to have with my students. Hicks writes, "Understandings of other individuals (as in the cases of friendship and love) are therefore exemplary of the ways in which social relationships can be constitutive of knowing with others."

The Jake and Laurie stories helped me to realize that past experiences truely do shape our way of looking at things. I realize that just thematic units might not be enough since gender plays such a huge role in a child's learning development. It might be that I need to add a number or name like Earnhart to my toy cars. There are so many instructional opportunities that can be implemented from using NASCAR such as colors, shapes, ordinal numbers, and many other endless possibilities. It is just that incorporation of girlhood and boyhood practices that might just open some doors to literacy learning. So as an educator, I must look beyond the horizon to think and see in a different light.

I realize I must be careful not to judge, since the things that I say may be perceived as such creating a student to "reject" me which will stiffle their learning opportunitites in my classroom. Just because I think a student shouldn't have a toy car in front of them during writing, doesn't mean that is what the child thinks. That toy car could just be the thing that is motivating and generating ideas within the students. I am going to have to take the time to truely learn who my students are if I want to reach them.

After reading The Skin That We Speak, it internalized for me how important it is to use my words wisely because it is the misinterperatation of what I say, that can severly damage my relationships with my students. At the same time though, I see the light differently now that it is not enough just to teach Standard English. First, my students must be convinced that I truely do have their best interests at heart. To accomplish this I must embrace my student's interests, families, and native language. When my students respect and connect with me, then and only then will they be willing to adopt my Standard English format. I want, as Delpit wanted for Maya, for my students to appreciate and accept the beauty of their language, but learn to "code switch" when Standard English is the politically correct language to use. Delpit writes, "Ironically, the more determined we are to rid the school of children's home language, the more determined they must become to perserve it. Since language is one of the most intimate expressions of identity, indeed, "the skin that we speak," then to reject a person's language can only feel as if we are rejecting him."

From here, I now know that I am going to work harder to build a relationship with my families, with home visits, conferences, surveys, and even family nights possibly at the city lake park or whatever it takes to learn more about their identities and what they are up against. All of my students are from poverty or working-class families, so I must implement tons of literacy components and bahavioral patterns since this is absent from many of the families of this social class. This class has shed light on the way I see things and made me realize that I must listen more to what my students are saying so that I can form lessons that are geared towards their gender, interests, and sensitive to the roots of who they are.

I understand more than ever now how literacy learning is linked to the student's social class, gender, race, and life experiences which all work together to help students become "makers of meaning through literacy". I now know that reflecting on each of my students differences and life experiences, that bright lights will turn on and each little peach will be warmed by the sunlight and ripen the way they were intended to.
Linda Younts