RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2010)

As I read more about Jake, his family, and school experiences I began to reflect on my on teaching styles. As a female I tend to relate more easily to the girls in my classroom because I feel like I have more in common with them. At times I am not sure how to handle all the movement my boys need in order to learn and meet their social and physical needs. This past school year I did an inventory of the books in my classroom and noticed that I had a lot of books that relate to girls. Many of the books I have in my room were mine when I was a little girl or are ones I have bought that seem interesting to me. So, this year I focused on buying and acquiring books that would appeal more to boys. Each time I received a new boy book I read it to the class and put in our classroom library. My boys would race over to read the books I had shared with the class because they found the stories interesting and could relate to them. I was amazed at how well the simple task of having more boy “specific” books in my classroom would encourage my boys to read. I teach 1st grade and I think it is a very hard transition for students from kindergarten to first. So much is expected of students in first grade, especially with their reading skills. However, I do not want my students to reflect back on their school year and dislike 1st grade, much like Jake did. After reading Jake’s story I began to brainstorm of ways I could help learning become more active and inviting for my boys.

1.Use songs and movement during lessons
2.Provide my students with more opportunity to move during reading group time instead of just giving them seat work
3.Perform Reader’s Theatre to help with reading skills
4.Try to incorporate more media and computer time in my lessons
5.Take small stretch or exercise breaks throughout the day
6.Allow the student of the week to get to pick something they want to learn about for the week
7.Provide my students more opportunities for them to work in small groups
8.Writer’s Workshop
***Please let me know what works for you in your classroom.

I was amazed at how well Jake liked Writer’s Workshop. He felt like this was his time to connect his home values to school values. Jake was able to write about things he wanted to and did not feel the pressure of having to do something he could not relate any meaning too. I also saw this trend with Laurie in her story. This has really made me see the importance of giving my students the chance to write about what is important to them. I don’t feel like I am a very good writing teacher because I am not sure how to teach my students how to write. Maybe I need to focus on letting my students write, because they all have a story to tell. Then, I can focus on the mechanics of writing. This way writing will be successful for both my students and me.

While reading about Jake I could really see how he valued his family and their beliefs. Then I began to think about myself and my students and realized that we are all shaped by the people that mean the most to us. I think Hicks said it best on page 123: “The stories voiced about us, by those whom we most love and value, shape our identities in ways more powerful than even the most authoritative institutional systems of social regulation.” As a teacher I cannot shape my student’s identities unless I become someone they love and trust like their family members. Once again, I am seeing the theme of the importance of getting to know my students on a personal level and being more than just a classroom teacher but a mentor and someone they can confide in. I enjoyed this book and it has really made me evaluate myself as a teacher and provided me with great ideas on how to become a better teacher.

Emily Rhoney