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

Yes, Staples was insinuating or maybe even more than insinuating that teachers use literacy tools that speak to their students. But I don’t think I will ever use Hustle and Flow and Just Another Girl in the classroom. I do believe that the students’ choice of current movies and books is what Staples got to get her group of students connected with literature. Possibly like you mentioned the students’ ownership of the material caused them to excel in academics. The African-American males in Staples’ study were not the best students during the school day. But when they were in their after school program and allowed to exhibit their own creativity and talents they did rather well connecting with literature. That reminded me a lot of Zonnie and Daniel. It seemed like they too did better out of school when they were allowed to express themselves to the best of their ability using an art or craft that they liked. Something you mentioned made me think about the way I teach. You stated that having a better voice would lead to writing in a more meaningful way. I need to find out if my students who are struggling in writing are disadvantaged in their “voice.” Maybe that is why their writing is hurting. You had also mentioned that in both the Henry and Staples articles the teachers earned their students’ trust. Could that have been the most important part of the two studies? What would have been different had the teachers not gained their students’ trust? I wonder if the classroom teachers had gained these students’ trust if that would have helped them to do better in school? Maybe that is what some schools are lacking. Good job pointing that out!

I think you are right in that we as teachers have to find out what our students are interested in in order to reach them . Maybe sometimes we don't think about that and just assume that whatever we choose to study or talk about in class should make sense and be of interest to everyone. I wonder what the best way to go about finding out those interests would be. Maybe a survey of some type? How would we go about getting the trust of our students when we would rarely get the opportunity to have a small group after- school class like these researchers did? Lots to think about.

Michelle,
I am glad to hear that someone else had to work their way through reading the Staples article. I thought that I was the only one. I too had to go back and re-read for better understanding. I really like this statement in your critique “A student’s voice is their identity.” What a powerful and true statement. Do you think that students have the opportunity to share their “voice” in today’s classrooms? I feel like teachers of all grade levels, especially testing grades, have a large amount of pressure placed on them to teach the test. How do students get to express themselves through a standardized test? Both articles had great ideas of ways to help students use their voice through a variety of avenues to express who they are and what interests them. However, I found it sad that these activities had to occur outside the classroom. How amazing would it be to be able to conduct activities like the authors described during the school day, instead of focusing on learning how to regurgitate information. I also teach in the lower grades, but I can still see the strong desire for my young students to want to share their voice. How can we as educators change an almost voiceless education system???

I had a hard time reading Staples article too, so you are not alone. I love how you chose to use the word identity to explain that a child’s identity is their voice. I had not looked at that as a clarification for voice, but it is very fitting, because without our voice we would not have an identity. If a person does not have a way to express their wants, needs, thoughts and feelings, then their true identity is lost. It makes me think of how a person who is in protective custody loses who they truly are because of their new “home and environment” they have been placed in. Students are the same as this protective custody, because if they are given a chance to use their voice to voice their thoughts and feelings then they feel trapped to live in the norm without expressing themselves freely for who they are. It is a MUST that teachers allow students to use their “voice” whatever “voice” that may be to open up themselves to the world.

Michelle,
Did you or do you teach at Gamewell Elementary School in kindergarten?

Meredith

Michelle,

Yes, I agree, the Staples article was difficult to read. I had to read it several times to get a better understanding of it. I think that we need to work to find literacy activities that will interest our kids. Just like the young males in the after school program, all students have some kind of talent. Talents may not always be reading, it may be rapping, athletics, etc. We need to find each student's talent and build on it. A student who hates to read, may suddenly try harder when reading a book about their favorite sport and getting to discuss it. It would be nice if we had enough time in the school day to form small literacy groups and let the group read a story they are interested in and discuss it amongst themselves. I think teachers have to put so much pressure on testing, they don't have time to let students do activites their students can really learn from and enjoy. Students need to be allowed to read what they want to read occasionally, and have time to talk about it with classmates.
~Jamie Brackett

I am not sure we want students to talk about just anything! A private conversation may be one thing, but group discussion can open a can of worms. We walk a fine line as teachers whose job it is to instruct. When you get into controversial topics such as gay marriage, gangs, sex, and religion we are crossing a boundary into a role that has traditionally belonged to parents. I know the argument is that parents are not talking to their children about such topics, and if we as teachers don’t, then who will? The issue then becomes, whose view do you teach? I don’t believe in gay marriage, while one of my teammates is a homosexual. I am sure what and how we taught such a subject would vary greatly. As a parent I would be very wary of having such topics broached in the classroom. Discussion on these topics also opens us up as teachers to liability and angry parents. Not to mention, speaking out against gangs can put you in danger of retribution. I am not saying that there is no place in the classroom for these topics, but I do think we have to be very careful about what is said and how they are presented.
-Rebecca Ashby

I agree with you about students wanting to voice themselves but do not for fear of being judged. I teach third grade so I do not have the issues to deal with as in older students. I feel as a teacher of younger students, I foster good relationships and teach my students to look for the good in all their peers from other cultures. Even those who have different interest and economic class. By the time they are older, they will not fear using their voice. It will be a part of them that they have been sharing for years and when someone new or different enters their lives, they will be open to learn about them without judging based on appearances. We cannot wait until they are grown to ask them to be open about learning about others without prejudice.

Michelle, I "worry" that the students will have to develop "traditional" ways of demonstrating their knowledge in the classroom, but I am hopeful that as they develop skills and enthusiasm this will carry over into the regular classroom. I think teachers can give assignments that give choice in the final product (like songs and poems), but I also wonder if there comes a point that the students have to be able to write a term paper or do a research paper. I don't know, this is all new to me.

I agree that the Henry article was much easier to read and I found it more interesting. Students need to see their culture represented in the curriculum. Teachers are making students voiceless. I think teachers would be amazed at the difference they saw in their students’ writing if it was a topic they were interested in. Why not let the students write about something that they feel strongly about? If this will make the students want to come to school and do the work I think it would be worth it. This would form a bond between the students and the teacher. Teachers can get so much more out of students if the students know that the teacher is interested in them. I agree with you that trust is everything. We need more teachers willing to give up a little bit of control and let students’ interests be involved in the curriculum.

I also thought that the Henry article was more interesting to read. I agree though with the general philosophy of both articles that as teachers we need to find materials that children are interested in. We need to teach lessons, read books, offer books, include writing topics, and show videos that children relate too. I think one of the most important things I will take away from graduate school is this fact. Many of my professors have stressed how important it is to reach out and include all students. Pam Aubuchon

Rebecca,
I do agree with some things should be discussed in private and not in groups. But rarely do students bring such personal topics up in front of many of their peers due to not wanting to be embarrassed. I also work with a homosexual, but I absolutely love him to death. He is one of the best teachers we have at our school. Because of my religious beliefs I don't agree with that, but that is what I have chosen for myself; but yet again sin is sin. On the last day of school I had a student tell me he could not be friends with another students anymore because she liked a black boy. Then he proceeded to tell me that a person deserved to go to hell for that! I was blown away but then quickly remembered the family background of this student. Then he asked me what I think. I simply said that it was up to her along with what each of their families believed in was within that family. It is not our place to judge.