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
For me the quote by Micel Foucault encompasses this class. Through the course of this class I have had to look beyond my comfort zone and analyze things in a way that I have never done before. I was unable to relate on a personal level to any of the subjects that the research articles were written about but yet I had to find common ground with them to be able to understand the text. As Foucalult says I had to think and perceive things differently than I do in my everyday life. Each article brought out a new challenge of thinking about things in a different way. The first articles, “Ovuh Dyuh” and “No Kinda Sense” made me think about dialect and how people are perceived based on the way they speak. I have always known that my southern accent made people look at me in a different way, but I never thought before of how people could be ridiculed for using “formal” language. After reading the articles I now think differently about how I ask my students to speak when they are addressing me and also when they are addressing each other. Through reading “Hustle & Flow: a critical student and teacher-generated framework for re-authoring a representation of Black masculinity” I was able to think about how labels can deeply effect people and in this case African American boys. Since I am a white female I have never thought about how labels can be so harmful or encouraging to African-American boys or anyone for that matter. The article “From storytelling to writing: Transforming literacy practices among Sudanese refugees” my eyes were completely opened to a whole other world and culture. I had some background knowledge of refugees but I had never thought of how important a role literacy would play in their lives. I no longer saw literacy as a way of allowing students to broaden their horizons in terms of reading and writing, but I now see that literacy is in many cases a life line for people. For some being literate is a way of knowing your family and being able to hold on to your heritage. The way I began to think differently about literacy and my role in teaching it was most prevalent while reading, Reading Lives: Working-Class Children and Literacy Learning. While reading this I was able to see how my students in my classroom learn and think about reading. Before I read this book I did not think there was that large of a difference between working class and middle class students. I now realize that I was very wrong in my perceptions of these classes. I now feel that I will better be able to relate literature to my students in a more successful and positive manner. I also now realize how large of a role family plays in many of these students lives and the importance of making literacy match the beliefs and thoughts of their home.
Whether I have been learning about dialect or the importance of literacy I realize now that I can’t view things differently or begin to see things in a new way until I reflect and examine the differences in gender, culture, and socio-economic class. I always thought I was good about keeping up with research that impacted my student’s but I now know that in order to truly reflect and grow I have to examine all classes and not just the ones that are currently in my classroom.
This class has been one of the most challenging classes I have taken thus far. I was not familiar with the ways in research works and I have had to challenge myself to better understand the terminology and writing style of these articles. I think in the end with quite a bit of work I have been able to better understand the articles. In some ways I feel that my struggling has given me a better understanding of what our students sometimes go through. There were times when I felt just like Jake or Laurie in that what I was reading was above my capabilities. Now when my students begin to get frustrated I will be able to empathize with them but also be able to encourage them with the knowledge that with time and practice they will succeed.
Katie Templeton