RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2009)

Qualitative research is great when you want to develop a theory and quantitative research tests that theory. These articles showed huge results in their qualitative research, however both articles, just reiterated what I already knew: minorities have a difficult time learning in a “white” school. I understand this being a problem, but what I don’t understand is how to solve it. Does this state see the results of this research?

While I read Henry’s article, I kept getting irritated, at myself, at education in general, and at my school for several reasons. First, in Henry’s research it stated that “teachers who ignore issues in the lives of minority students leave them “voiceless.”” Why does it always have to be the minorities – my classroom was full of “voiceless” white children. Most of my students were from a very low socioeconomic background and therefore did not have a place in the “academic setting” (236). They did not have the “identity” or the “power.” It said that students were “reprimanded for using their first languages in the classroom” (237). Could it be – since voice is power (236) and the teachers didn’t understand their voice they felt powerless resulting in a reprimand?

Second, again in Henry’s research, it irritated me that she took a group of 7 girls and had a “private” lesson. They read The Diary of Latoya Hunter… so she could connect with the lives of the girls. During their discussions and writing assignments, they made connections as well as made inferences. I do that every day in my classroom. I have trouble getting my students to connect, because they do not have the background just like these girls do not. They know more about divorce, death, drugs, and deportation than vacations, historical landmarks, and sometimes even just happy times.

Finally, from Henry’s article, I was irritated most, because it made me feel helpless because I don’t know how to help my “minorities.” It stated that the “school’s ESL department practiced current approaches to developing reading and writing” (243). My school has one ELL person and I never saw her. I had 3 Spanish students (1 student just moved here 2 years ago) and 2 Hmong and no one helped me. My one Spanish student has no clue how to read on a 5th grade level, but she will be in middle school next year. How is she going to make it? These authors went out and did the research and published the results, but what is being done in the school systems, because of this research?

On the other hand, Noll’s article enlightened me some with the amount of parental support that Daniel and Zonnie have. In my school’s community, education does not seem important to most. Even though Daniel and Zonnie are minorities, their parents seem to have a strong desire for their children to get a good education. They also were involved during their early school years. I loved the solution Daniel’s parents came up with regarding the bullying (213). However, I was a little alarmed that Daniel’s parents didn’t seem concerned about his grades and his disorganization.

I understand that we have many different cultures in our classes and, as teachers; we need to learn them and to be respectful of them. On page 230, the quote stating (summary) – it is up to the educators to learn the specific information regarding the culture which will lead to more effective educational practices – says it all. However, one concern is time & resources and another concern is…………..EC.

Loren Van De Griek