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

Well after reading other blog posts, I am glad that I am not the only one who was left dazed and confused after reading these chapters. I too will tried to make sense of what was read and do my best at finding applications to my own style of teaching and to my students.

The themes in the assigned articles all centered around teaching to the individual rather than the class. With the lack of parental support, community involvement and funding all of which seemingly worsen each year, as educators we must take it upon ourselves to teach the “whole” child-his heart, head, body and emotional being. Teaching to the child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and moral capacities provides them with a strong foundation for future academic, physical and social challenges.

Hicks’ two year study of students from kindergarten through second grade was startling.
The results of not recognizing and incorporating home literacies into the classroom greater impacts a student’s educational journey. In order to help working class children (and all children for that matter) learn, we as educators need to be aware of each child’s family and community influences and what impacts they have on developing literacy within the child. Helping students to share stories of self openly and without discrimination will help them to find success in the classroom and feel that they belong to this “community” too. Students also need to see the “human side” of their teachers. Sharing our stories can help students to form a caring relationship with their teacher. This relationship will strengthen their educational foundation and promote their literacy progress.

Kim Shaw