When I started reading the Ladson-Billings article I was taken aback. How could a teacher let her First Grade student choose to abstain from working? It seems as though the teacher didn't even try to encourage Shannon to work. Perhaps she had given up on her? I think this is sad and exactly what's wrong with lots of teachers today. I think too often students are allowed to slide by or slip under the cracks. Nobody ever holds them accountable for their own success. Maybe I'm lucky in that I find my students aren't yet to the point where they dislike school, but they also know they don't have an option when it comes to school activities. I always hold my students accountable for their work. I expect them to be successful and to always try their hardest. I do, however, set different goals and expectations for each student. When it comes to writing some of my First Graders are writing like Third Graders, while a few of them are still only writing one sentence. Because they know I will praise them and be proud of them as long as they do their best, they are not reluctant to write.
I applaud Carter for finding methods that appealed to his students. I imagine that would be a difficult group of students to be able to reach out, especially if they had never had a teacher like Foster who encouraged them to do their best and was able to foster their creativity. Using music as a basis for writing is not something I've ever considered, but I will definitely try it.
One thing I really like about Baker's method of teaching language is that she gives language a purpose. She shows her students through careful explanation, studies, and role-play why it is important to be trilingual, as she says. I think it is great how the whole class listens to each other, and their families, and carefully analyzes. They find similarities and differences in the languages represented by the class. They also begin to understand why certain mistakes are made in language. It makes me think of my own students who are just learning to write and sound out everything as they say it. Many of the errors they make are due to the fact that we don't always enunciate or expect others to enunciate. For example a student may write they are "gettin a new dog" because that is how we often speak. We do not always enunciate the "ing" in our daily, casual speech. So I end up explaining that even though we may say "gettin" the word is actually "getting." They can then spell the word because they know that the letters i-n-g say "ing."
Kelly Beckley
Comments (4)
WOW! “One thing I really like about Baker's method of teaching language is that she gives language a purpose. This is exactly what I was thinking. As a teacher I feel that this is very important. Usually a child writes likes they speak. This is why I feel it is so important for the children to know the difference of what the appropriate language is and when to use it. I also liked her idea of role-playing. I feel that when a child is able to act out a situation then they are better able to understand, comprehend and explain the situation better. As the class listened together and found similarities and differences gave each students an opportunity to relate to the other students life. It allowed them to see that they are very much like their peers.
Misty Mistretta
Posted by Misty Mistretta | June 12, 2009 1:50 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 13:50
I also agree with you kelly that giving language a purpose is very important for students to see. If students can't see the difference in how to talk with their family, at school, and in the real world then they will never know that their are differences. Giving language a purpose really seemed to motivate Bakers students to try and correct some of the ways that they were not talking correctly. It also gave her students the information that they needed to make an informed choice on which way they could choose to speak. They knew the difference and could make and informed decision. Their own decision. She did not make it for them which I think is very important. I also agree that it is wrong for a teacher to give up on a student and give them "permission to fail". I have seen this in my school with a previous student I had when I taught first grade. He had been retained and I had him the second year he was in first grade. His self esteem was already low. I spent the whole year boosting his self esteem and making him believe he could do the work. When he got to second grade I guess his teacher thought that he was to mich trouble. She sat him in a corner desk and tried a few times to help him but when he got frustrated and wouldn't listen to her she gave up. Instead of trying something else she just quit helping him. I think that is the most tragic thing a teacher can do. If a child feels like someone is giving up on them then they will not try.
Posted by Megan Machuga | June 12, 2009 2:20 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 14:20
Giving language a purpose--exactly! I know this doesn't count as a whole post, but thanks for that insight.
Posted by Ruth Johnson | June 12, 2009 10:34 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 22:34
You are so right! Every language does have a purpose! From your home language to your professional language to the language used in a formal setting.
Children do not have to be corrected every time they do not use formal language and they do not need to feel humiliated by the corrections.
Being the example of correct language is a good way to to expose them Children imitate their teachers. Go into any classroom and allow the children a few minutes to play school. Most of teh children will take on personality traits including language. I have children, "be me," and I see me coming out in their actions and how they relate to the other children.
Posted by Caroline Walker | June 18, 2009 10:46 PM
Posted on June 18, 2009 22:46