In these two articles, the students learning to use their voices in order to promote literacy was addressed in ways that I would never think to address in a classroom. We, as teachers, use everything that we can to encourage the use of literacy in everyday life. Sometimes our efforts are successful and other times they are not. Both articles look at ways to help students find their identities in the classroom while maintaining who they are outside of the classroom.
In the article by Henry, she talks about how African American girls have been taught to be silent and how silence is a type of voice. I think that this could be true of all minority groups, especially new immigrates. Previously in my class, when students have been silent during a discussion, I have always assumed that these children needed more time to process what was being discussed. I never thought that their silence could be hiding a fear of literacy and language. In my class this year, I had a student from Mexico. He had been in the country for less than two years and still produced a heavy accent when speaking. He was very successful at math and by the end of the year had progressed in reading so that he was on grade level. He was very quiet in the class setting but socialized with the students in more relaxed atmospheres. This article made me think that his lack of voice in class could have been due to being worried that people would not accept his accented language in a formal class setting. Regardless of how much praise that was given, he never really found his voice in my class.
In the article by Staples, I found it very interesting how the teacher allowed to students to put themselves in multiple roles. I think that over the course of history, many people have been stereotypes and given identities based on what they looked like or where they were from. I agree that African American males have lived with changing stereotypes for much longer. All of us take on identities based on the roles we play (even today). For instance: I am a daugther, sister, wife, mother, teacher, etc. I think that teachers attempt to use students identities to encourage literacy and education but I never thought of students having competing identities. I guess everyone has competing identities but adults have learned to balance them better than children/adolescents. I think that teaching the kids to look at things from multiple perspectives is a great way to encourage literacy and discussion in the classroom. We are so stressed for time with the pressures from testing that we forget the impact of how looking at things from various angles shape our being...our lives and successes or failures. I also think that by providing children/adolescents with positive identities, they can view themselves in a differnt perspective (especially students living a rough or dangerous life) that can be more positive producing success in and out of the classroom.
Comments (4)
After reading your post on Henry and Staples, I took a step back and looked at my classroom this year as a whole, and how some of my minority students would sit back and vary rarely communicate their thoughts and ideas when we were in a whole group setting, but would have so much to contribute to one on one discussions and when they had the freedom to write and draw. I would ask students to tell me about their work and their drawings they would go on and on about what they had done; asking questions and making connections to their life. They had so much to say and all along I thought they just didn’t understand or needed more time to think about the subject being taught. You are probably correct, with their broken English and difficulty to express their knowledge of the subject without having pictures to aid them; they feel as if they may be picked on. I will try to provide more pictures and props when I discuss topics, so that maybe the weary to speak will contribute, even if it’s pointing to pictures and a discussion begins. Great job!
Meredith
Posted by Meredith Bromley | June 13, 2010 6:29 PM
Posted on June 13, 2010 18:29
Erin,
When I read your critique I was challenged to reflect on myself as an educator and mentor. I really liked the point you made about how silence may be a student’s voice. I also had a similar experience this year with my ESL student. She would not respond much in class discussions, but loved to talk and play during recess and lunch time. I also thought that maybe I was not getting through to her or I needed to do a better job at explaining information to her. I never really thought that maybe her silence was her way of letting me know that she was unsure of how to let her “voice” be heard in the classroom. Maybe by taking more time with her one-on-one would have helped her feel more comfortable. Next year, if I am faced with the same situation I am going to try to make a point to figure a way to hear those students’ voice.
Posted by Emily Rhoney | June 13, 2010 7:21 PM
Posted on June 13, 2010 19:21
I once had a student that reminded me of your example. She was a quiet Hmong girl. I had taught her sisters before so I thought this was not a family preference. She would not talk unless the two of us were alone. Her parents said she spoke often with siblings. She would talk very quietly on the playground to a select few girls, all Hmong and usually in their native language. After speaking with her parents, I found out a lot about the girl. When she began in first grade some students had made fun of her and since then she had shut herself off from the rest of us. Earlier in the year I had started a show and share on Fridays to get children to practice talking in front of the class in a low pressure situation. My belief was that if that had shared a thing or two that was important to them, when it came time to deliver a report to the class, they would be more comfortable. Her dad suggested that she bring in something that related to her dancing, something that she is very good at. That week I read a picture book to the class about a ballerina and we looked at art by Degas. She knew previously that she was going to have to talk to the class on Friday ( her parents demand). She practiced with her sister every night to make sure that she was saying things correctly. When the time came that Friday I could tell she was nervous, but she did it! I was very proud of her. The class was very open to her and encouraged by asking thoughtful questions ( they also noticed that she never spoke). Afterwards I heard some of the class talking to her about dancing and making her feel important. The smile never left her face the whole day. After that she began to open up mor ein literature circles, and once even raised her handto share a written composition with us. There were many critics who laughed at me for doing show and share in fourth grade, but for this child it made a difference.
Amy Reep
Posted by Amy Reep | June 13, 2010 7:30 PM
Posted on June 13, 2010 19:30
I have had several hispanic students who are very quiet when they begin the year. As the year progresses they become more comfortable with the class and they begin to voice their questions and answers. I have to step back and think how intimdating it would be to be a hispanic student in a classroom that does not speak the language that is spoken at home. Most hispanic students that have been in my class have just recently learned to speak English so to speak out in class is very challenging.
Posted by Michelle Moffitt | June 13, 2010 9:28 PM
Posted on June 13, 2010 21:28