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

Henry and Staples

Both of these articles focused on giving teenagers an outlet expressing who they are as a person and a student. The term that was used for this outlet was a “voice.” “Voice is identity, a sense of self, a sense of relationship to others, and a sense of purpose.” Every person needs a voice, especially teenagers. These articles explored how it is harder for teenagers of different races and genders to expresses their voices. I found the Henry article more interesting and easier to read and understand. I felt like it was easier because the reader got to know the girls the article was written about. The real message of both articles is that literacy needs to be more centered around the students and involve the students in the curriculum. I really liked a quote from the Henry article talking the teaching model that we see in many classrooms. “Teaching and Learning processes often inscribe us into a unidirectional model of education in which the teacher does the thinking, knowing, talking, and decision making, and in which students passively comply and regurgitate.” I think this is true of many students no matter race or gender. They feel that they are disconnected from what is going on in the classroom. The curriculum and instruction has nothing to do with anything that relates to them or their life outside of school. In the Staples article it brought up the point of a great divide between in and out of school learning. As teachers we need to try to build a bridge between the student life in and out of school. I really believe it goes back to teachers getting to know their students. In both articles, the students were more involved, engaged and interested when their culture, race and gender was respected and recognized in what they were learning. The young black girls from the Henry article felt so comfortable and involved that they were sharing very private things with the group and the teacher. The girls were excited about reading, writing, listening and talking. They found their voices and were using them in other places besides in the literacy group. As teachers we need to do this for our students we need to help them find their voice and be there to listen to it. Our classrooms need to be welcoming environments where we let students have some part in the decision making. We try to include students’ interests into our instruction. As a teacher, I know we get busy and have so much to do that it is hard to take the time to do these things but I think it would make a big difference in our students’ feelings toward school and literacy.

Ashley Caldwell