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

Chapter 5 and 6
In Chapter 5, Jake is introduced as her 2nd research project. I guess we heard from a girls point in previous chapters. It’s obvious that one’s home environment has a great influence on how children learn in the classroom. Jake was used to exploring and using hands- on activities keeping him busy vs. paper and pencil. No one sits all day when they are at home so why should we not teach to each child’s learning style at school. We should subject mobility, lecture for verbal learners and mix the lesson with hands-on right after for visual learners. All students need this diversity in classroom activities if nothing but social reasons. Everything I have read is projecting home environment with literacy. Interesting, like the Indian Tribe communicating by dance and song in the “Storytelling to Writing article.”
On page 102 of chapter 5 I like when Jake’s mother voices her family philosophy of teaching and learning. She states, "Children need to learn from their mistakes, to learn for themselves.” I am the youngest of five children so I pretty much had to figure out things for myself. There was no coddling or babying. I was told to watch and I would learn on my own. Being a grandparent kid at night plays an important role in a child’s life. I can relate because I was a single mom and I worked at night so my mom would keep the girls and have them ready for school in the mornings. My mom always supervised homework and made sure everything was in place for the next morning. My children would write stories all through elementary school about my grandparents. Its true family is the best resource for students and teachers to motivate and relate topics to differentiate according to gender, race, and ethnic background.
Jake was drawn to his father’s woodwork and carried out the fathers identities. His father’s education was at the school of “Hard Knox” I would call it. There is no substitute for experience and practice in whatever we do. Jake was always moving from one activity to another. The task at hand had to make sense or Jake thought it was stupid. Sometimes it’s difficult to realize every student’s strengths and the areas they have strength. Teachers sure can pick out weaknesses. In fact most teachers think of the points to work on first. I’m not saying this is wrong, I think teachers are held countable for so much that to meet everyone’s needs we would need 1-1 daily for most students and who has time for that? I have found that centers do work for non motivated students. I have always had success with multiple topical centers and all genders, races, and no matter what economic status. Students journal write everyday about our centers and what we did, who we played with, and how we did it. The kids love this activity and it is drawn on something from that center that includes math, research, writing, science, and social studies. The whole curriculum is in my centers. I keep a running record. I also pull students 1-1 and read a baggie book on child’s level after picture walk during this center time. I track all books read and I can pinpoint culture issues because the books are multicultural and cover all genres and this makes the kids well rounded. After reading this article, I will be more conscience of student’s interest in the real world. Hurrah!!! New Zealand Keep up the good work of thriving on hybrid cultural spaces.
Robin Hand

Chapter 6 tells us how we teachers should motivate our students using everything we know including, environment, social groups, ethnic groups, and race and gender. The underlying statement is that a intertwining of literacy and essayist forms moving between narrative histories and reflective commentary on the situated nature of writing, teaching, and theorizing. According to Nussbaum, much of what we know is shaped by relations with concrete others and attentiveness to those relations may be important for shaping educational theory. When learners engage in practices and relations they have a better connection with others. This just about says it all.
Robin Hand