After reading the last two chapters, I feel like I have more of an idea of how I can help bridge the gap between working and middle- class values in my class. One thing that seemed to be important is all children having access to the “literacy practices valued by middle-class society.” It is important for students to be exposed to these practices, because if a child is not exposed then they will not be able to make any connections. So, explicit instruction in reading and writing is important. But, after reading Hicks we can’t forget that when we do this explicit instruction we need to build on home and community discourses. It would be best to start with something a child is familiar with and can relate to in order to grab their attention and help them make a connection with the literacy practice that they are not familiar with.
For example, I really liked how Jake’s second grade teacher used the book Up Goes the Skyscraper to help teach communities. It was during this time that Hicks noticed Jack was “alert and engaged”. He usually would not pay attention during story time. It makes sense that Jack became engaged because he was able to make a connection to his family life. I think another thing that makes this book interesting for Jack is, he sees a purpose. It makes sense to him, because one of the discourses in his family is everything must have a purpose or it is considered senseless or a waste of time.
Hicks had also said that our histories help us to understand our students. So, when I read about Jake and the book about building skyscrapers, it reminded me of my dad. My dad works with wood and makes things just like Jake’s dad. When Hicks described the backyard shed and how meticulousness it was, I immediately thought of my dad. His workshop is the same way. When I was growing up, everything we did had to have a purpose. This was just one part of Jake’s history that I was able to make a connection with. This connection and knowledge about working –class boys, will help me teach boys in my class who seem to exhibit some of these traits. If I can build on their histories, then I can begin to expand their knowledge of other cultures. This knowledge will help them become more well –rounded and be able to express empathy for others. But, I first have to accept who they are and they have to know that they are valued in the classroom. They have to know that their voice is being heard.
Thinking back to my second grade classroom last year, during writing the girls tended to write more imaginative stories with feminine identities. The boys liked to write informational books and stories with more masculine identities such as fighting, video games and winning which is in line with masculine identities. During reading, most boys liked informational books like Jake. He seemed to like them, because that is what he saw at home from his dad. I also noticed last year that I had a large number of girls who got excited about informational books, which I find interesting considering what I have learned about girls through Laurie, Hicks and my own histories. I also have to remember that each child is different and they are coming from many different discourses. So when I notice something in my classroom, I have to remember that they will not be exactly like Jake, Laurie my own histories or other research I find. There may be something else “hidden amid discourses about cognitive learning are in fact some of the most meaningful truths about learning.” My goal is to try to uncover these truths, especially when a child is struggling in literacy practices.
Trish Edwards
Comments (5)
I think one of the most important things to consider here about Jake is that he was more engaged when there was choice attached to his learning experiences. Even from the time he was participating in Kindergarten Centers to participating in readers/writers workshop Jake felt ownership. This choice provided that “purpose” for learning, as the worksheets did not. Through this “workshop” method of teaching, I am hoping that I will get a better feeling of how my students are performing. The teacher gets to work one-on-one and in small groups to facilitate this learning. I am looking forward to this next school year, to put into practice these strategies that we have read about!
Posted by Angela Steele | June 27, 2010 9:43 PM
Posted on June 27, 2010 21:43
I love how you worded the goal you have set for yourself “My goal is to try to uncover these truths, especially when a child is struggling in literacy practices. “ I too have the same goal since reading through all the articles and chapters in this course. I’m have learned a lot about who I am, how I teach and things I need to change, and your postings have really helped me to come up with new ideas and thoughts about my teaching, so THANK YOU! In my classroom I find that my students like to have choice in their writing, but often write about what we had learned during the day, or about their families. Since they are just beginning their writing process, I understand why they are using my ideas and words to write their own stories, but after my students begin to come into their own writers, they get out of the box they are living in and begin to be more creative and begin to choose their writing topic. Their writing is more elaborate and much better quality. It’s all in the developmental process, and as teachers we have to remember that all students will one day be the writer they were meant to be, not the writer we need them to be!
Meredith
Posted by Meredith Bromley | June 28, 2010 6:03 PM
Posted on June 28, 2010 18:03
I agree with that you should start with something the child is familiar with and build on that. I see similar results in my classroom in terms of writing. I had several girls who loved writing and would spend so much time on their stories and draw very detailed pictures. They loved to write and would often ask could they write in their journals if they finished their work. Then I had the Jakes who hated to write and would do anything to avoid it. I had one little boy who was so smart but absolutely hated to write. He could tell me a story but getting him to put it on paper was so hard. I tried different things with him like reward systems, free choice writing and sharing topics with a partner. Nothing seemed to work. What can I do for Jakes do like school, reading or writing? How can I make things more exciting and approachable for the Jakes in my classroom?
Posted by Ashley Caldwell | June 28, 2010 7:46 PM
Posted on June 28, 2010 19:46
Trish,
This year I had the opportunity to work with a group of boys that were struggling with literacy. We wrote every day in a journal about life experiences and fantasy. I have to agree that their fantasy was very different from many of the girls in my classroom. They wrote about headless horsemen and hunting deer with big guns. The boys seemed to feel off of one another and the stories grew larger and larger. Later in the year a little girl joined this group of rowdy boys and she loved to write about a fairy garden. Each day she would add to the things that her fairy was capable of and the boys loved to hear what she would do next. Within a week the boys writing began to change and it was as is the boys were more free to write about what they felt. In the end only one child continued to write with a violent theme while the other explored new ways of expressing themselves.
Posted by Candy Mooney | June 29, 2010 10:49 AM
Posted on June 29, 2010 10:49
Providing a choice and make connections to students lives is definitely essential to engage students. When school discourse and home discourse merges that is where the success can take place. For Jake his identity was embedded in his reading experiences at home, but at school he struggled because he wasn't interested. I found that very telling. At school we demand AR points and neglect to have students truly interact with the text. At one point Hicks mentions that Jake found activities such as whole class reading and DEAR as senseless. There was no connection. For Jake it wasn't that he couldn't perform; he felt disconnected fromt the text. It is necessary to make connections and provide reading materials that they enjoy. I cringe everytime I hear another teacher say oh they can just do DEAR. They need to read and get AR points. This is the same thing. Reading is more than just getting points. It is connecting with texts. This is a valuable lesson for us all.
Posted by Amy Hardister | July 2, 2010 11:00 AM
Posted on July 2, 2010 11:00