I am so glad that Deborah Hicks decided to do this research on working-class children. So much of what we’ve read about thus far has been about students of different cultures. I know we need to know all about different cultures in our classroom, but I’m glad Hicks included working-class children. I come from a school who is probably 90% white, working-class children. It is not unusual for me to have an all white class. I taught four years before I ever had a black or Hispanic child (which are the only three races I’ve ever taught).
Deborah Hicks talked a lot about discourse. We studied the theory of discourse quite a bit in our Politics of Literacy class taught by Dr. Moorman. I believe a discourse involves the various parts of your life. For example, if you go to church, you have a church discourse of how you are expected to act and respond during the church setting. At school, you have a school discourse of what “students” are expected to know and do. People also have a “home” discourse of how your family expects you to act. All of these different discourses must melt together to form the student. Students must learn how to incorporate all their various discourses into one way of being.
Hicks also talked about how much of student learning is socially constructed. Much of the way students act and receive information comes from watching others. Students learn from parents, friends, teachers, etc. Students cannot just automatically pick up on learning, they must observe, listen, and mimic what others around them are doing.
Students must also learn that what is socially accepted in one area, may not be accepted in another. Hicks gives an example of Jake (a child in her study) and his sister, Lee Ann. Jake and Lee Ann are playing with some boxes in the yard. Jake makes Lee Ann mad, and their mama tells Lee Ann to get revenge on Jake by holding him in the box and jumping on him. This form of punishment at home, would not work as punishment at school. Students have to understand the difference between what is acceptable and unacceptable in each of their discourses.
Hicks also talks briefly about gender roles. Working-class children are often taught that boys and girls must act a certain way. As mentioned before about Jake and Lee Ann, the mother and grandmother baby Lee Ann more because she is a girl. An older cousin is swinging Jake and Lee Ann around in a box, but takes more caution while swinging Lee Ann. I believe the way students see gender roles in also socially constructed. I had a student in my class this past year, whose dad was extremely prejudiced against people of different races and women. That child in my class developed the same mind set as his dad and would make comments in class about the races and gender roles. Once he got hurt on the playground and I said, “Are you okay?” He said, “Yeah, I’m fine. There ain’t no time to cry. Boys don’t cry, only girls can do that.” While other boys in my class did “find time to cry,” this student had socially constructed meaning of what was right and wrong for boys to do.
I am very interested to continue reading Deborah Hicks’ book, and find out how her research with Laurie and Jake pan out. Hopefully, I will find some insight on how to teach and connect with the working-class children in my classroom.
~Jamie Brackett
Comments (7)
I can relate to your post because I too teach in a predominately white school, although our population has changed a bit through the years. In our school it was not uncommon to have an all white classroom until just a few years ago. In fact I once had a child comment to me that she had never seen an African American child at school before. It is amazing to think about the different backgrounds we are all bringing to this class. I remember reading a few assignments ago about someone who has a predominantly African American class and it was interesting to see his viewpoint. I am looking forward to continuing the book to read more about working-class children and seeing how I can relate it to my teaching.
-Elizabeth Norwood
Posted by Elizabeth Norwood | June 19, 2010 4:11 PM
Posted on June 19, 2010 16:11
You bring up a good point that there is a different discourse from home and school. When you mentioned punishment at home and school is different, it made me think of why we may have some discipline problems at school. LeAnn is told to get revenge of Jake. Getting revenge at school is not acceptable. How many times have we heard: “They started it first”? When you try to explain why they are in trouble the students and the parents do not seem to understand and think it is unfair, when their child didn’t start it. This past year, I had a dad who was upset that his son had gotten into trouble when he hit someone for saying something mean to him. I had to explain that yes, you should protect yourself if you are in danger, but this was not a situation where the child needed to protect himself. I have also had the students who realize the differences in the discourses for punishment at home and school. They know there is very little we can do as teachers. So, they look at you and you know their thinking: “What are you going to do to me now?” Of course they keep testing you. They know what can and can’t be taken away, so as teachers we have very little to stand on when it comes to punishment.
Trish Edwards
Posted by Trish Edwards | June 20, 2010 8:44 AM
Posted on June 20, 2010 08:44
Jamie,
The boy you mentioned at the end of your post made me think. You said that some of the others boys have found time to cry. Isn't it interesting how some students can adapt to the school environment and others don't. Certian boys found it socially acceptable to cry at school while others viewed that as being wrong because of ideals being taught in the home environment. No matter how inviting we try to make our classrooms, some children don't let go of outside norms and adapt to the school. For that boy he has interalized that he cannot cry anywhere for any reason. No matter what the parents values are, they need to instill in their children that we behave differently in different places. There times you should cry, but you should also not be someone who is whinning and complaining alot. A balance is what needs to be achieved. An all or nothing idea will not creat well rounded children who adapt to lifes situations.
Michael Lemke
Posted by Michael Lemke | June 20, 2010 2:18 PM
Posted on June 20, 2010 14:18
I think that it is hard for some students to distinguish what is acceptable at school and what is acceptable at home. When students come to school they have to learn the difference and make adjustments. Sometimes they have to learn the hard way that what is Ok at home is not Ok at school. I have had kids say my dad said if that kid talks about me or hits me I am supposed to hit them back. As a teacher we have to have a discussion why that is not a good idea.
Posted by michelle moffitt | June 21, 2010 2:43 PM
Posted on June 21, 2010 14:43
I believe if we can find a way to help our students see that we do not completely expect them to change their discourse, to be robots. Instead to blend them together like you mentioned in your critique, we will have students who can bridge school, home, church, and sports together to be a very confident student. There is no way that students can come to school without bringing who they are at home with them it is our job to help sort things out and find what needs to be present in our classrooms. We also need to be cautious not to limit our students by assigning boy only or girl only roles, I am mainly speaking of educational roles or future job or career choices.
Posted by Tracy Icenhour | June 22, 2010 2:56 PM
Posted on June 22, 2010 14:56
Jamie,
Thank you for your post. I was unclear abou the concept of discourse and I like the way that you explained it in your post. I agree with your comment about how students must learn to melt all of their different discourses into one to become one way of being. This is harder done than said. I would image that some students struggle with this and all of the different expectations. I am sure that some expectations of home versus school contradict each other.
Angie
Posted by Angie Somers | June 22, 2010 9:55 PM
Posted on June 22, 2010 21:55
I am amazed at how quickly children learn those gender roles. It is amazing the things we "say" to our children and students without every speaking. We teach children by the behaviors that we exhibit in certain situation. Sometimes that's a good lesson, and sometimes it is a lesson that we wouldn't knowingly teach.
Posted by Christy Laws | June 22, 2010 11:19 PM
Posted on June 22, 2010 23:19