“There is not a letter “I” in the word team”
“You do not spell the word team with the letter “I”, is a famous quote seen on sports t-shirts to teach children the value of working together to win an athletic event. I think the quote can also be integrated in the classroom setting. In Hicks’ reading, a writing that I highlighted several times and was inspired by was Barbara Comber, “When teachers and students are engaged in critical literacy they will be asking complicated questions about language and power, about people and lifestyle, about morality and ethics, about who is advantaged by the ways things are and who is disadvantaged”. I circled the word “and” between “teachers and students are engaged”; we have to work as a team. WOW! In previous readings, we have read of the importance of allowing students to have a voice in the classroom. In Comber’s writing she reiterates the importance of voice from students, but also working with teachers. I find it fascinating that she speaks of complicated questions, which I assume are not multiple choice questions that we use on tests (EOG’s), instead higher order thinking questions. In a perfect world, I can envision my students and myself, sitting around discussing a work of literature, in which they are engaged and their dialogue is reflected upon their identities, possibly even their own discourses. I believe that it would take time and work to reach the point in which students are truly engaged in critical literacy due to obstacles. Students have different discourses that make them the person that they are. Their discourse may hinder them from participating in literacy discussions (afraid, shy, or timid), or it may not affect their participation but cause trouble within the discussion due to the different discourses (views, power struggles, etc.). As I envision this perfect engagement of critical literacy in my classroom, I can name at least one student in my classroom that would struggle with this activity due to her discourse as a student, impacted by her home. It is apparent that her discourse at home, being a working-class family, is one in which education is highly valued, and it is stressed that there is only one right answer, and you better get it right, or you will be punished. The same child was punished at home if she did not make a 100 on her Spelling Tests. The child would come to school terrified to be called upon from fear of calling the wrong answer. Her discourse at home greatly affected her as a student at school. We must reach out to our students and work together, stressing that we are all unique individuals that come from different discourses. I love to read how Babara Comber concludes her writing, “To work towards a socially critical literacy is not unproblematic. It requires that we look at the ways we read the world; it requires examining what we take for granted, what texts tell us about the way things are and why they are the way they are.” I appreciate Hick’s ideas of critical literacy, discovering that literacy is more than reading and writing; it’s also who they are (discourse).
When reading chapters one and two, I couldn’t help but reflect upon a common theme that keeps popping up as I read each assignment and posts, taking time to truly know your students, discovering their culture, and allowing them to have a voice in the classroom through reading, writing, and sharing their stories. After reading Hick’s work, I believe it is also important to add the understanding that students have different discourses helps to truly know your students. Concluding the two chapters, and the readings completed in the course, I am both eager and curious to learn how do we as teachers teach our students the significance of teamwork, and break down perceived barriers among children’s gender, race, and class? Furthermore, I am interested in finding out if there are lessons, or works of literature which will help teach students the importance of working together as a team and respecting one another’s discourse?
Katie Johnson
Comments (6)
Katie-
TEAMWORK! That is a key concept in making a classroom setting work. I was faced with a "challenging" group this year. I jumped in quickly to the position and did what I could to keep a job.
In doing so, I did not take the correct amount of time to create a classroom environment including "TEAMWORK". I kick myself now, because I feel had I started the year off differently, I might have had a different outcome regarding my mixture of kids.
I had a colleague that spent about a week with her students outside doing team building games, practicing working together in groups and played get-to-know-you games one-on-one. I thought at the time I was so rushed to get on to the curriculum that I wouldn't have the time to participate in games. Boy, had I just followed her ideas, I would have started my year off a little less hectic!
I am still new to this profession, but I know that classroom management is one of those ideas that need to be tweaked every year. Using TEAMWORK seems to be the key to a successful beginning to the year!
Renee Hennings June 21 2010
Posted by Renee Hennings | June 21, 2010 6:17 PM
Posted on June 21, 2010 18:17
Katie,
I too agree that a teamwork approach should be taken with any form of teaching, especially literacy because it really takes a lot to learn the hows and whys of literature, in particular at the high school level. I think it is also a good place to learn, as the teacher, from the student’s perspectives, how they perceive literature. I tell my students that they always have a choice in learning, but it is the understanding of that choice that’s so important.
William Byland
Posted by William Byland | June 21, 2010 6:31 PM
Posted on June 21, 2010 18:31
Katie,
You have hit on it: teamwork is the essence of a well-run classroom, where the teacher provides a supportive and nuturing environment so that children call all be free to express their voice and learn critically from the teacher and each other. I also would love to be advised to works of literature that helps students respect one anothers discourse. The teacher is the one, though, that must set the tone for acceptance.
Working with EC students, I have had the pleasure of working with several RE teachers who eagerly accepted my EC students with compassion and there was no "my student" - "your student" distinction. The class took on this attitude and it was a rewarding experience for all students.
Susan Hines
Posted by Susan Hines | June 21, 2010 7:21 PM
Posted on June 21, 2010 19:21
I agree that each child in our class has a different set of discourses. Many children may not feel as strongly about school as others. However I felt sorry for the one little girl in your class who was punished for not making a 100 on a spelling test. I wonder if her parents realize how they are damaging their daughter. Her love for school will die with this type of pressure being placed on her at such a young age. Instead of punishing her they should compliment her on the words she spelled correctly. As a teacher I worry about my students. We do need to take a step back and really get to know our students. Sometimes a hug may be just as important as the lesson we are getting ready to teach. Pam Aubuchon
Posted by Pam Aubuchon | June 21, 2010 9:47 PM
Posted on June 21, 2010 21:47
Katie,
If you ever get the chance to take a workshop on Cooperative Learning based on... I think it's Nancy Kagan's approach, it would be well worth your time. For years I THOUGHT I had been using cooperative learning strategies. After participating in this workshop,though, I quickly realized I knew nothing about cooperative learning and teamwork within my classroom. She has a book with lots team-building activities and instructional games to play in the teams you have established within your room. I used this in my classroom and it was AMAZING to watch my kids working together and supporting one another. It even carried over into non-instructional time, encouraging respect for their teammates on the playground and cafeteria. It really was great and I would highly recommend giving it a try.
Posted by Marcia Smith | June 21, 2010 10:46 PM
Posted on June 21, 2010 22:46
Katie I have also had a student in my class who was punished for making less then 100 on spelling and anything less than a 90 was considered awful on any other subjects. I used to hate to send progress reports. She worked really hard but just struggled with reading so much that it spilled over into the rest of her work. Her discourse at home was completely different than her school discourse.
I believe team work in a classroom can make such a difference for students, I find that in most cases students can learn more from each other through cooperative learning activities.
Do you think students are as focused on race, class, or gender unless it is brought to their attention? I have found that no matter what a child’s race, class, or gender they will work together without these barriers ever being present. They are innocent and so open until they are other wise influenced by family or peers when they get in upper grades (4th and up) this begins to change. I find this to be so sad.
Posted by Tracy Icenhour | June 22, 2010 11:51 PM
Posted on June 22, 2010 23:51