My stomach flipped and my heart sank as I read the opening to Gollnick and Chinn's (2009) chapter on Age. I began to realize about halfway through the opening story where they were headed. I recognized it because I saw it happen to Haley, my former student. She was so sad for so long and then one day she was Haley again. Wearing a crown, telling me she loved me, and laughing. The next morning she was gone. Three years after her death, I found an "about me" assignment she'd done at the beginning of her sophomore year. I sat on the floor of my classroom and cried. I should have known Haley wasn't okay that day. As teachers, we want our kids to learn, but most importantly we want them to be happy and healthy kiddos. Seeing students struggle with normal teen problems to more serious issues such as eating disorders, substance abuse, and child abuse is heart breaking.
As I've mentioned almost every week, our class discussions always make me grateful for my job. My students certainly have problems but nothing like some other people's students face. One subject the group touched was nutrition. I found my experience with children and nutrition is the complete opposite of most of my classmates, as a teacher and as a parent. My students are more adept at healthy eating than I am. Most of my students avoid fast food, limit sugar consumption, and avoid sugary drinks. Of course, sometimes they are overly conscious and develop eating disorders. My friends and I are quite conscious of what our children eat and try to teach them healthy choices. Most of our kids only like to go to McDonald's for the social activity. They don't like the food. My son would rather have fruit than candy most of the time. Gollnick and Chinn also mentioned that children are becoming more and more sedentary. Again, I found this to be opposite of my experience. Most of my students play more than one sport and rarely have time to watch television or play video games. My son and his friends would much rather play outside or engage in active play than watch television. I realize this is mostly due to socioeconomic status and/or parental education.
I thought of our class today as I read this article about a woman suing McDonald's over their Happy Meal toys. I have mixed feelings about the lawsuit. It seems if the woman doesn't want her kids to eat at McDonald's she should tell the children "no." However, I also know how hard it is to tell your child "no." The kids love those McDonald's toys. Should we legislate common sense and good eating habits or should people spend more time parenting and making hard decisions? We know laws will stop the practice. We can't count on busy, tired, and often, uneducated parents to make the change. I've done my share of drive thru runs and I totally know better.
In addition to our discussion on age, we had guest speakers discussing Amy Chua's book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. I enjoyed hearing the perspectives of different Chinese women on the "Tiger mother" concept. My friends and I have been joking about being "Tiger Moms" since this book came out (or more to the point, how we are failing as Tiger Moms as our kids do or don't do everything on Chua's list). Like the women on the panel and Chua herself, I struggle with how to parent my son. I don't want to let him get away with being lazy; however, I don't want to push so hard he is miserable. As a history teacher, I enjoyed hearing about education in China and the panel's perception of the effects of the one child policy. Again, our class became quite timely as I came across an article about Chua's daugher. She has started a blog to show that she is not an unthinking robot as many perceive her to be. She jokes about her Tiger mom on the blog and also defends her.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
#9 Geography
Our group was in charge of the class presentation this week. I learned a lot from the class as they participated in the activities. I expected that there would be a disparity in the poll results for where the class teaches and where they went to school. However, I did not expect the disparity to be so large. I wonder if people who grew up in urban and lower income communities are not choosing teaching as a profession or they are simply not enrolled in our class? While I'm sure the former middle to upper income suburban kids are doing a great job with urban, lower income kids it seems they need more role models from their own neighborhood.
Many of my classmates have similar stereotypes about other regions that I do. None of the things they wrote really shocked me about any of the regions. I did find it was interesting that the only stereotypes about education were with regard to the really good (New England and mid-Atlantic) and the really bad (the South). I'm not sure why we don't develop stereotypes about the Southwest, West, or Mid-West.
Preparing for the presentation, my group reflected on how this information on different regions was applicable to the classroom. What we realized was that most of us have no idea what goes on with education in different states. If a child comes to us from a different state, we can only apply our stereotypes as to what school was like in the other state. Teachers should ask for transfer records, search the internet for state standards, or possibly ask permission to contact former teachers in order to help the student adjust as much as possible.
While we should keep in mind that students may struggle if they come from a different environment, teachers and administrators should also be sure to give a child a chance before they stereotype their ability to perform. Each time I moved as a child, people assumed I wouldn't be able to do the work. If my mother had not been my advocate I would have ended up not being properly served in my new schools. I moved from Mississippi to Tennessee in 1st grade. My mom tells me my teacher in Tennessee was quite concerned when I enrolled in her class mid-year. The teacher knew Mississippi schools weren't good and thought I'd be behind. However, my mom was a former teacher and I had been enrolled in private school. The teacher was pleasantly surprised when she found my work to be on grade level. When I moved to suburban Chicago in high school my counselor discouraged me from enrolling in the honors classes because she thought I would be behind. The counselor thought my school in Tennessee had much lower standards than the Illinois school. I decided to take the honors classes anyway and found them to be about the same as my school in Tennessee. Some classes were harder and some classes were easier. I was disappointed to find my school in Illinois offered fewer Advanced Placement courses than my school in Tennessee. The students in my classes were also very judgmental of my background. They thought I was a "hick" and a racist just because I was from the south. I don't remember any of my teachers trying to help them understand not everyone from the south was a hick or racist.
Many of my classmates have similar stereotypes about other regions that I do. None of the things they wrote really shocked me about any of the regions. I did find it was interesting that the only stereotypes about education were with regard to the really good (New England and mid-Atlantic) and the really bad (the South). I'm not sure why we don't develop stereotypes about the Southwest, West, or Mid-West.
Preparing for the presentation, my group reflected on how this information on different regions was applicable to the classroom. What we realized was that most of us have no idea what goes on with education in different states. If a child comes to us from a different state, we can only apply our stereotypes as to what school was like in the other state. Teachers should ask for transfer records, search the internet for state standards, or possibly ask permission to contact former teachers in order to help the student adjust as much as possible.
While we should keep in mind that students may struggle if they come from a different environment, teachers and administrators should also be sure to give a child a chance before they stereotype their ability to perform. Each time I moved as a child, people assumed I wouldn't be able to do the work. If my mother had not been my advocate I would have ended up not being properly served in my new schools. I moved from Mississippi to Tennessee in 1st grade. My mom tells me my teacher in Tennessee was quite concerned when I enrolled in her class mid-year. The teacher knew Mississippi schools weren't good and thought I'd be behind. However, my mom was a former teacher and I had been enrolled in private school. The teacher was pleasantly surprised when she found my work to be on grade level. When I moved to suburban Chicago in high school my counselor discouraged me from enrolling in the honors classes because she thought I would be behind. The counselor thought my school in Tennessee had much lower standards than the Illinois school. I decided to take the honors classes anyway and found them to be about the same as my school in Tennessee. Some classes were harder and some classes were easier. I was disappointed to find my school in Illinois offered fewer Advanced Placement courses than my school in Tennessee. The students in my classes were also very judgmental of my background. They thought I was a "hick" and a racist just because I was from the south. I don't remember any of my teachers trying to help them understand not everyone from the south was a hick or racist.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
#8 Religion
Guests
I enjoyed our "guests" on Monday night. I found David's insights about moving to America interesting. It is always interesting to see how people from outside our country view our culture. Norma's experiences growing up in Gary, Indiana were not what I expected. I always perceive problems in Gary to be black/white. I had not considered the role of the Hispanic population. Deidre's insights about growing up in Chicago and moving to the south were interesting. I had the opposite experience to hers (moved from south to north), but agreed with her assessment of the differences.
Religion
As a World History teacher, I teach about different religions all of the time. Knowing about and talking about other religions is a big part of my life. Over the years, I've heard all sorts of stereotypes and misinformation from students about different religions. I expect this from my students because they are teenagers. However, I'm always shocked about how little other adults know about other religions. Several weeks ago in my Global Education class several teachers in the class did not know that a Muslim was a person who practiced Islam. They legitimately thought they were different things. These were people I deeply respect and could not believe they did not know this. Our education system needs to do a better job about teaching students about other religions. Not understanding or misinterpreting what people believe leads to all sorts of misunderstandings that could be easily avoided.
One of the questions my group was given related to whether the majority should rule in matters of religion. I do not feel majority rule should apply to religion and I believe the majority should respect the beliefs of the minority. I was raised Presbyterian and have always been part of the religious majority. However, I gained a great deal of understanding in what it was like to be an outsider when I met my husband who was raised Mormon. Most Mormons are not allowed to participate in any activities outside the home on Sundays except attending church. Thus, school activities, organized sporting events, etc. are off limits to Mormon kids on Sundays. My husband says he would miss out on bonus points for missing Sunday review sessions or would be left out in his group of friends because he couldn't attend Super Bowl parties, concerts, or other social events on Sundays. Seeing how left out my husband always felt, I try to avoid class activities that may cause someone to feel left out because of their religious beliefs.
I am constantly shocked by the responses I get from people when I tell them my husband and his family are Mormon. "Are you his only wife?" "Is that allowed?" "But you drink caffeine..." are some of my favorite responses. And Mormons are considered Christians! I can only imagine the kinds of questions Muslims or Hindus get. While Mormon kids aren't much different than the average kid, there are some unique elements to Mormon culture. There is a lingo that only Mormons understand, dating rules that only Mormon kids follow, and cultural ideas about marriage and family that the rest of the population does not follow. While teachers can't know everything about the cultural values of each student, it is important for teachers to realize religion does create different values. Teachers should ask students about their beliefs and encourage students to speak up when something is uncomfortable.
This is a video about Mormon culture by some Mormon girls. The lyrics are in the notes. I laughed hysterically because the rap describes the stereotypical Mormon life. This would have not been funny or made any sense to me 15 years ago.
My group also discussed the role of prayer in school. The presenters also brought up references to God and religion mentioned in the pledge of allegiance and on our money. I believe strongly in separation of church and state. I believe prayer and religion are always present privately, but outward expressions at school are not necessary. They can disrupt the learning environment for the minority. Further, separation of church and state exists not only to protect the religious minority, but also to protect religion in general. If the state and schools get too involved in religion, it takes rights away from the religion. Keeping religion separate protects people of all faiths from government interference and protects their rights to worship as they please.
I enjoyed our "guests" on Monday night. I found David's insights about moving to America interesting. It is always interesting to see how people from outside our country view our culture. Norma's experiences growing up in Gary, Indiana were not what I expected. I always perceive problems in Gary to be black/white. I had not considered the role of the Hispanic population. Deidre's insights about growing up in Chicago and moving to the south were interesting. I had the opposite experience to hers (moved from south to north), but agreed with her assessment of the differences.
Religion
As a World History teacher, I teach about different religions all of the time. Knowing about and talking about other religions is a big part of my life. Over the years, I've heard all sorts of stereotypes and misinformation from students about different religions. I expect this from my students because they are teenagers. However, I'm always shocked about how little other adults know about other religions. Several weeks ago in my Global Education class several teachers in the class did not know that a Muslim was a person who practiced Islam. They legitimately thought they were different things. These were people I deeply respect and could not believe they did not know this. Our education system needs to do a better job about teaching students about other religions. Not understanding or misinterpreting what people believe leads to all sorts of misunderstandings that could be easily avoided.
One of the questions my group was given related to whether the majority should rule in matters of religion. I do not feel majority rule should apply to religion and I believe the majority should respect the beliefs of the minority. I was raised Presbyterian and have always been part of the religious majority. However, I gained a great deal of understanding in what it was like to be an outsider when I met my husband who was raised Mormon. Most Mormons are not allowed to participate in any activities outside the home on Sundays except attending church. Thus, school activities, organized sporting events, etc. are off limits to Mormon kids on Sundays. My husband says he would miss out on bonus points for missing Sunday review sessions or would be left out in his group of friends because he couldn't attend Super Bowl parties, concerts, or other social events on Sundays. Seeing how left out my husband always felt, I try to avoid class activities that may cause someone to feel left out because of their religious beliefs.
I am constantly shocked by the responses I get from people when I tell them my husband and his family are Mormon. "Are you his only wife?" "Is that allowed?" "But you drink caffeine..." are some of my favorite responses. And Mormons are considered Christians! I can only imagine the kinds of questions Muslims or Hindus get. While Mormon kids aren't much different than the average kid, there are some unique elements to Mormon culture. There is a lingo that only Mormons understand, dating rules that only Mormon kids follow, and cultural ideas about marriage and family that the rest of the population does not follow. While teachers can't know everything about the cultural values of each student, it is important for teachers to realize religion does create different values. Teachers should ask students about their beliefs and encourage students to speak up when something is uncomfortable.
This is a video about Mormon culture by some Mormon girls. The lyrics are in the notes. I laughed hysterically because the rap describes the stereotypical Mormon life. This would have not been funny or made any sense to me 15 years ago.
My group also discussed the role of prayer in school. The presenters also brought up references to God and religion mentioned in the pledge of allegiance and on our money. I believe strongly in separation of church and state. I believe prayer and religion are always present privately, but outward expressions at school are not necessary. They can disrupt the learning environment for the minority. Further, separation of church and state exists not only to protect the religious minority, but also to protect religion in general. If the state and schools get too involved in religion, it takes rights away from the religion. Keeping religion separate protects people of all faiths from government interference and protects their rights to worship as they please.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
#7 Language
This class leads me to reflect on all sorts of people that have touched my life at some point or another.
When the group passed out the ASL alphabet, I was reminded of my childhood friend M. M was born completely deaf but was otherwise completely fine intellectually and physically. M and her parents taught me to sign and I remember getting so accustomed to watching TV with closed captioning, I figured out how to turn it on at my house. Remembering how fluent I was at signing and realizing I don't remember very many signs now makes me realize how quickly language disappears if not used. It makes sense that non-English speakers are reluctant to put their children in English only classrooms. They don't want their kids to lose their heritage.
Because I teach an AP class in a school with very few ELL students, I rarely have a student who does not speak English fluently or as a native language. I have a few students who are non-native speakers but have been speaking English for a number of years. I always feel like such a terrible teacher when working with them because I know so little about teaching ESL. Talking with my group about the CQ questions was enlightening and made me realize how easy my job is compared to other teachers. For example, we were asked whether allowing children to use informal English in class would be acceptable. Most of the teachers at my table did not think this way acceptable. I allow my students to write "ppl" and other informal things when writing because I know they know how to spell it and when to use the formal language. I did not think about the fact that some students don't know how to spell "people" or the only time they ever hear formal English is in the classroom. The conversation on dual language programs was also interesting. It sounds like the program can be quite successful if the teachers follow the program and there is parent support.
Dr. Lan mentioned at the end of the presentation on language that "text" language and computer language were also becoming important considerations. My students constantly speak and communicate in this language. They use 2 instead of "to, too, or two" in their writing. They tell me "BRB" as they head to the restroom before class, "LOL" when I say something funny, or shout "FTW" when they get a question correct in class. My husband and I often have to consult with one another when reading e-mail or text messages from younger people. His employees are in their early 20s and sometimes we can't even tell what they are writing. So the question is: should they communicate with us in formal language or do we allow them to use the informal language? Are they incorrect or are we simply failing to change with the times? We look at Old English as old fashioned. I'm sure at one point people criticized our formal language as the new slang.
When the group passed out the ASL alphabet, I was reminded of my childhood friend M. M was born completely deaf but was otherwise completely fine intellectually and physically. M and her parents taught me to sign and I remember getting so accustomed to watching TV with closed captioning, I figured out how to turn it on at my house. Remembering how fluent I was at signing and realizing I don't remember very many signs now makes me realize how quickly language disappears if not used. It makes sense that non-English speakers are reluctant to put their children in English only classrooms. They don't want their kids to lose their heritage.
Because I teach an AP class in a school with very few ELL students, I rarely have a student who does not speak English fluently or as a native language. I have a few students who are non-native speakers but have been speaking English for a number of years. I always feel like such a terrible teacher when working with them because I know so little about teaching ESL. Talking with my group about the CQ questions was enlightening and made me realize how easy my job is compared to other teachers. For example, we were asked whether allowing children to use informal English in class would be acceptable. Most of the teachers at my table did not think this way acceptable. I allow my students to write "ppl" and other informal things when writing because I know they know how to spell it and when to use the formal language. I did not think about the fact that some students don't know how to spell "people" or the only time they ever hear formal English is in the classroom. The conversation on dual language programs was also interesting. It sounds like the program can be quite successful if the teachers follow the program and there is parent support.
Dr. Lan mentioned at the end of the presentation on language that "text" language and computer language were also becoming important considerations. My students constantly speak and communicate in this language. They use 2 instead of "to, too, or two" in their writing. They tell me "BRB" as they head to the restroom before class, "LOL" when I say something funny, or shout "FTW" when they get a question correct in class. My husband and I often have to consult with one another when reading e-mail or text messages from younger people. His employees are in their early 20s and sometimes we can't even tell what they are writing. So the question is: should they communicate with us in formal language or do we allow them to use the informal language? Are they incorrect or are we simply failing to change with the times? We look at Old English as old fashioned. I'm sure at one point people criticized our formal language as the new slang.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
#6 My Book
Our group is reading Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. The author explores the power of fiction in allowing people to escape bad times in their lives. Through parallels to several novels, the author describes her experiences living in the Islamic Republic of Iran. As I read, I found several ideas that can be applied in the classroom.
One theme the author revisits several times in the book is the unpredictable nature of a totalitarian regime. How citizens feel on edge all the time because they are not sure what will get them in trouble that day or when rules will be relaxed or strict. The author compares this unsettling feeling to the way Lolita must feel living under the rule of Humbert. First, this idea reminded me that I need to make sure my students understand this aspect of totalitarian regimes. Second, this unsettled feeling is something to remember when teaching immigrant/refugee children and children who have lived in abusive households. Children who have lived under totalitarian rulers or lived with an abusive parent feel unsettled and are always waiting for the rules to change. It is important that teachers let them know that the rules at school do not change and that they can expect stability in the classroom. If something should change, it is also important that the student be prepared as much as possible.
Another topic the author mentions frequently is the different views she and her students have toward the changes for women in the Islamic Republic of Iran. For the author, she feels a sense of loss. She once has rights and did not have to wear the veil. For the author's students, they feel a sense of longing. They have never experienced the rights the author did. As we've discussed in class over the last few weeks, it is easy to assume that all students had the same upbringing the teacher did. Teachers forget students may come from poverty, wealth, different countries, or that they are simply from a different generation from ourselves. Different backgrounds have a huge impact on the way we learn and understand different concepts.
Several weeks ago, one of the discussion topics was about selecting literature for the classroom and addressing diversity. Since the author intertwines her own story with the power of fiction, it was fascinating how stories written by men and women with very different backgrounds about people with very different lives were able to help women in Iran find hope and courage in dark times. Many of our schools require students to read novels that seemingly have nothing to do with their own lives. Because Nafisi was a teacher passionate about her subject, she was able to help her students find personal meaning in American and English novels. Perhaps we should try to do the same.
As Nafisi and her students study their novels, the limitations on women's freedom in Iran surface. I compiled a list as I read. The following are just a few things: women can't leave the house without a veil and robe, they can't be seen in public with a man that is not their husband or relative, they can't sing or drink alcohol publicly, they can marry as young as 9, and the genders are segregated in the classroom. Young girls in the United States often struggle with academic confidence or feel pursuit of an education is futile (escaping cycle of poverty, etc). Exposing students to stories like those of Nafisi and her students and how hard they fought to be educated and be strong in the face of a totalitarian regime may make the task of young girls in Americas seem less daunting. They may also find strength in the story as Nafisi and her "girls" did in their English language novels.
One theme the author revisits several times in the book is the unpredictable nature of a totalitarian regime. How citizens feel on edge all the time because they are not sure what will get them in trouble that day or when rules will be relaxed or strict. The author compares this unsettling feeling to the way Lolita must feel living under the rule of Humbert. First, this idea reminded me that I need to make sure my students understand this aspect of totalitarian regimes. Second, this unsettled feeling is something to remember when teaching immigrant/refugee children and children who have lived in abusive households. Children who have lived under totalitarian rulers or lived with an abusive parent feel unsettled and are always waiting for the rules to change. It is important that teachers let them know that the rules at school do not change and that they can expect stability in the classroom. If something should change, it is also important that the student be prepared as much as possible.
Another topic the author mentions frequently is the different views she and her students have toward the changes for women in the Islamic Republic of Iran. For the author, she feels a sense of loss. She once has rights and did not have to wear the veil. For the author's students, they feel a sense of longing. They have never experienced the rights the author did. As we've discussed in class over the last few weeks, it is easy to assume that all students had the same upbringing the teacher did. Teachers forget students may come from poverty, wealth, different countries, or that they are simply from a different generation from ourselves. Different backgrounds have a huge impact on the way we learn and understand different concepts.
Several weeks ago, one of the discussion topics was about selecting literature for the classroom and addressing diversity. Since the author intertwines her own story with the power of fiction, it was fascinating how stories written by men and women with very different backgrounds about people with very different lives were able to help women in Iran find hope and courage in dark times. Many of our schools require students to read novels that seemingly have nothing to do with their own lives. Because Nafisi was a teacher passionate about her subject, she was able to help her students find personal meaning in American and English novels. Perhaps we should try to do the same.
As Nafisi and her students study their novels, the limitations on women's freedom in Iran surface. I compiled a list as I read. The following are just a few things: women can't leave the house without a veil and robe, they can't be seen in public with a man that is not their husband or relative, they can't sing or drink alcohol publicly, they can marry as young as 9, and the genders are segregated in the classroom. Young girls in the United States often struggle with academic confidence or feel pursuit of an education is futile (escaping cycle of poverty, etc). Exposing students to stories like those of Nafisi and her students and how hard they fought to be educated and be strong in the face of a totalitarian regime may make the task of young girls in Americas seem less daunting. They may also find strength in the story as Nafisi and her "girls" did in their English language novels.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Exceptionality
As a history and political science major in my undergraduate studies, I've read plenty about court cases and laws. I despise trying to keep similar court cases and laws differentiated. Reading the chapter and the activity we did in class totally stressed me out. As I was doing the activity in class I realized that this is what stresses most people out about special education. Most teachers love kids and want to see them be successful and are one hundred percent behind any policy that will help a child be more successful. However, with all the laws and paper work the spirit behind what we are trying to do gets lost.
It seems all the different facets of my life are connecting these days. After a class devoted to exceptionality on Monday night I accompanied my students to an assembly where Norman Kunc was the guest speaker. Kunc has cerebral palsy and spoke about not allowing disabilities hold you back. Kunc spoke of the importance of inclusion and authentically including those with disabilities in all activities. I found his idea of "authentic inclusion" of particular interest. He argued most people were nice to him and made him feel welcome but they treated him as different and tried to make things easier for him. Although this was nice of people, it did not make him feel like he belonged. He argued he felt he belonged when people allowed him to participate according to his abilities and did not make things easier or make exceptions.
We talked very little about gifted students in our discussion in class. After teaching gifted students for 7 years, I feel many teachers lack understanding of the needs of a gifted student. There is a misconception that g/t is synonymous with academic success. Many of the most gifted students I have taught have horrible GPAs. Some need gifted programs to encourage academic interest and success while others lack motivation to be successful in an academic setting. Teachers also find gifted students to be rude or annoying. They need teachers who understand and feed their curious nature. While gifted and talented students are often at the other end of the academic spectrum from most students in special education they do have special needs and are often unique students. The head football coach at my last school explained it best. His wife taught resource math and I taught in the gifted and talented program. He told me that during TAKS week when all the students were in the cafeteria waiting to be released to class he would often encounter some unusual characters. He would ask them, "do you have my wife or Mrs. Truax for any classes?" He claims 9/10 spent time in one of our classes!
It seems all the different facets of my life are connecting these days. After a class devoted to exceptionality on Monday night I accompanied my students to an assembly where Norman Kunc was the guest speaker. Kunc has cerebral palsy and spoke about not allowing disabilities hold you back. Kunc spoke of the importance of inclusion and authentically including those with disabilities in all activities. I found his idea of "authentic inclusion" of particular interest. He argued most people were nice to him and made him feel welcome but they treated him as different and tried to make things easier for him. Although this was nice of people, it did not make him feel like he belonged. He argued he felt he belonged when people allowed him to participate according to his abilities and did not make things easier or make exceptions.
We talked very little about gifted students in our discussion in class. After teaching gifted students for 7 years, I feel many teachers lack understanding of the needs of a gifted student. There is a misconception that g/t is synonymous with academic success. Many of the most gifted students I have taught have horrible GPAs. Some need gifted programs to encourage academic interest and success while others lack motivation to be successful in an academic setting. Teachers also find gifted students to be rude or annoying. They need teachers who understand and feed their curious nature. While gifted and talented students are often at the other end of the academic spectrum from most students in special education they do have special needs and are often unique students. The head football coach at my last school explained it best. His wife taught resource math and I taught in the gifted and talented program. He told me that during TAKS week when all the students were in the cafeteria waiting to be released to class he would often encounter some unusual characters. He would ask them, "do you have my wife or Mrs. Truax for any classes?" He claims 9/10 spent time in one of our classes!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
#4-Gender and Sexual Orientation
Thoughts on Gender
Our discussion on gender roles the other night centered around whether or not gender roles were taught or innate. We also discussed how to teach children about gender roles. While there are many ideas I could discuss about teaching high school students and gender roles, I found myself reflecting on my own child's experiences and views regarding gender roles. Below are several photos of my son over the last few months. Until four days ago, my son had long hair. As you can see in the photos, he is a typical 4 year old boy. He likes sports, Legos, and camping. However, people call him a little girl ALL the time. It is shocking. Young people, old people, nice people, rude people, they all see his hair and think he is a girl. My son really likes having long hair, but he made me get his hair cut in August because he didn't want his new teachers and classmates to think he was a girl! He asked to let it grow out again once it was cut. Recently we started getting the girl comments again. After a bang trim gone wrong by Grandma, he got his first "big boy" cut on Saturday. While he seems to like the new look, the comments we've received bother me. Several people have said, "he looks more like a little boy." I think he's always looked like a little boy and hate that he felt he had to cut his hair to meet others' expectations.
I found myself conflicted regarding the nature/nurture discussion about gender stereotypes. My husband and I both work and share household duties. We don't really classify things as male/female jobs or responsibilities. However, my son has expressed the following stereotypes in the last few months: girls can't go in Home Depot, girls don't paint or use tools, only girls are teachers, and girls should be protected. While we never told him these things or meant to model a stereotype, my son formed the stereotypes. We have deduced that while we don't mean to create stereotypes, he draws conclusions from the behavior he observes. For example, I'm a teacher, his aunt is a teacher, and he's never had a male teacher. Thus, all teachers are girls. Just as I started to fear I was raising a chauvinist pig, my son told me I couldn't cook him breakfast anymore. He then explained that both his grandfathers cook him breakfast and Daddy needed to learn how to do it too. Luckily, we model some positive gender behaviors as well as stereotypical. While I think nurture has a great deal to do with development of gender ideas, nature also plays a part. My son has always expressed an idea that girls need protecting and is innately drawn to traditionally masculine activities such as playing with guns and cars.
Thoughts on Sexual Orientation
The debate activity during class made me so uncomfortable. I'm not fond of debating and really don't like arguing controversial issues. While it was uncomfortable for me, it is important to listen to others ideas. I should probably stretch my comfort zone more often. The idea that resonated most with me was the conversation about what it is like to be a gay child. One person argued that it was getting easier to be a gay child in today's world. Another argued all teens feel isolated and awkward. While I do agree that being openly gay in 2011 is easier than it was 10 years ago, it is still incredibly difficult. Further, it is difficult being a teen in any situation, but I think being a gay teen compounded with all the other teenage insecurities is much worse. While many people are accepting, there are many that aren't. The number of gay teens that have taken their own lives in the last year illustrate this point.
Overall Thoughts
A few months ago I saw an ABC news report regarding an old riddle about gender roles. The riddle was made famous by the Archie Bunker character on All in the Family and was later featured on a Cosby Show episode and an episode of the Office. The riddle queries: a father an son are injured in an accident. Both are transported to the hospital with injuries. At the hospital, the doctor looks at the boy and says, "I can't operate on this boy, he's my son." How is this possible? The answer: the doctor is a woman. The news report interviewed people of different generations to see how they would respond. While older people were still stumped, most people under 40 responded that the doctor was the mother. As they began to interview children, I thought that my own child would not only answer that the doctor was a woman but would also answer that it was the boy's other dad. My son is totally jealous of his little friend who has 2 dads. A few seconds later, a child in the video made the same point. While we have a long way to go, many young children have more open minds about gender and sexual orientation.
Our discussion on gender roles the other night centered around whether or not gender roles were taught or innate. We also discussed how to teach children about gender roles. While there are many ideas I could discuss about teaching high school students and gender roles, I found myself reflecting on my own child's experiences and views regarding gender roles. Below are several photos of my son over the last few months. Until four days ago, my son had long hair. As you can see in the photos, he is a typical 4 year old boy. He likes sports, Legos, and camping. However, people call him a little girl ALL the time. It is shocking. Young people, old people, nice people, rude people, they all see his hair and think he is a girl. My son really likes having long hair, but he made me get his hair cut in August because he didn't want his new teachers and classmates to think he was a girl! He asked to let it grow out again once it was cut. Recently we started getting the girl comments again. After a bang trim gone wrong by Grandma, he got his first "big boy" cut on Saturday. While he seems to like the new look, the comments we've received bother me. Several people have said, "he looks more like a little boy." I think he's always looked like a little boy and hate that he felt he had to cut his hair to meet others' expectations.
I found myself conflicted regarding the nature/nurture discussion about gender stereotypes. My husband and I both work and share household duties. We don't really classify things as male/female jobs or responsibilities. However, my son has expressed the following stereotypes in the last few months: girls can't go in Home Depot, girls don't paint or use tools, only girls are teachers, and girls should be protected. While we never told him these things or meant to model a stereotype, my son formed the stereotypes. We have deduced that while we don't mean to create stereotypes, he draws conclusions from the behavior he observes. For example, I'm a teacher, his aunt is a teacher, and he's never had a male teacher. Thus, all teachers are girls. Just as I started to fear I was raising a chauvinist pig, my son told me I couldn't cook him breakfast anymore. He then explained that both his grandfathers cook him breakfast and Daddy needed to learn how to do it too. Luckily, we model some positive gender behaviors as well as stereotypical. While I think nurture has a great deal to do with development of gender ideas, nature also plays a part. My son has always expressed an idea that girls need protecting and is innately drawn to traditionally masculine activities such as playing with guns and cars.
Thoughts on Sexual Orientation
The debate activity during class made me so uncomfortable. I'm not fond of debating and really don't like arguing controversial issues. While it was uncomfortable for me, it is important to listen to others ideas. I should probably stretch my comfort zone more often. The idea that resonated most with me was the conversation about what it is like to be a gay child. One person argued that it was getting easier to be a gay child in today's world. Another argued all teens feel isolated and awkward. While I do agree that being openly gay in 2011 is easier than it was 10 years ago, it is still incredibly difficult. Further, it is difficult being a teen in any situation, but I think being a gay teen compounded with all the other teenage insecurities is much worse. While many people are accepting, there are many that aren't. The number of gay teens that have taken their own lives in the last year illustrate this point.
Overall Thoughts
A few months ago I saw an ABC news report regarding an old riddle about gender roles. The riddle was made famous by the Archie Bunker character on All in the Family and was later featured on a Cosby Show episode and an episode of the Office. The riddle queries: a father an son are injured in an accident. Both are transported to the hospital with injuries. At the hospital, the doctor looks at the boy and says, "I can't operate on this boy, he's my son." How is this possible? The answer: the doctor is a woman. The news report interviewed people of different generations to see how they would respond. While older people were still stumped, most people under 40 responded that the doctor was the mother. As they began to interview children, I thought that my own child would not only answer that the doctor was a woman but would also answer that it was the boy's other dad. My son is totally jealous of his little friend who has 2 dads. A few seconds later, a child in the video made the same point. While we have a long way to go, many young children have more open minds about gender and sexual orientation.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
#3- Class and Socioeconomic Status
Three different ideas about class and socioeconomic status stuck with me after class this week.
1. I am incredibly blessed. While my students are faced with several challenges in their lives, poverty is not one of them. Most of my students lead incredibly privileged lives. I was horrified to learn Texas has one of the highest populations of homeless children in the nation. While the information about teaching children in poverty doesn't have much application in my classroom, the information about the number of people in Texas who struggle with poverty does. As an educator of students who have the ability to donate money and time, create programs, and influence legislation, it is my job to inform them about the high level of poverty in our state. Our students read Nickle and Dimed their junior year which makes them more aware regarding the working poor. Making more literature available or suggesting students follow the Tweets of the homeless on Twitter may help them be more aware of the issues of poverty and make them more compassionate.
2. The risk of the "single story" discussed in blog #2 was alive and well in our discussion of SES. Ruby Payne makes great points; however, teachers must be careful not to lump all people in poverty or all people in wealth into one group. It is unfair to assume that all children who come from generational poverty have parents that do not value education. Further, it is unfair to assume all students in wealth have happy home lives and parents who have been reading to them since birth. Another single story it is important to keep in mind is that people in poverty are somehow in that position due to some failing on their part. Many people in poverty work long hours each day.
3. I am currently enrolled in a class at my school on Global Leadership. Last week Dr. Hunt, a professor in the Perkins School here at SMU, spoke to our class about developing global leaders. According to Dr. Hunt, global leaders know how to use their global network. Teachers develop global leaders by teaching students to expand their network. This involves teaching students to evaluate their connection to the rest of the world and use the resources available to them to learn more about the world and opportunities available to them. Geisel, a professor at UTA, asked students in schools of differing socioeconomic levels to name as many jobs as they could think of. Students in low SES schools could name far fewer jobs than students in middle and high SES schools. Geisel argues students can't aspire to jobs they don't know exist. Several times during class on Monday, I thought back to these ideas as different classmates talked about their experiences in low SES schools. Several classmates mentioned students who found programs and opportunities which allowed them to go to college. These students taught themselves how to be global leaders. However, classmates also mentioned parents and students who are not aware of their global network and are not aware of the opportunities available such as magnet schools. Teaching global leadership skills to teachers, students, and parents would help prepare students for the work force as well as help students find opportunities outside the cycle of poverty.
1. I am incredibly blessed. While my students are faced with several challenges in their lives, poverty is not one of them. Most of my students lead incredibly privileged lives. I was horrified to learn Texas has one of the highest populations of homeless children in the nation. While the information about teaching children in poverty doesn't have much application in my classroom, the information about the number of people in Texas who struggle with poverty does. As an educator of students who have the ability to donate money and time, create programs, and influence legislation, it is my job to inform them about the high level of poverty in our state. Our students read Nickle and Dimed their junior year which makes them more aware regarding the working poor. Making more literature available or suggesting students follow the Tweets of the homeless on Twitter may help them be more aware of the issues of poverty and make them more compassionate.
2. The risk of the "single story" discussed in blog #2 was alive and well in our discussion of SES. Ruby Payne makes great points; however, teachers must be careful not to lump all people in poverty or all people in wealth into one group. It is unfair to assume that all children who come from generational poverty have parents that do not value education. Further, it is unfair to assume all students in wealth have happy home lives and parents who have been reading to them since birth. Another single story it is important to keep in mind is that people in poverty are somehow in that position due to some failing on their part. Many people in poverty work long hours each day.
3. I am currently enrolled in a class at my school on Global Leadership. Last week Dr. Hunt, a professor in the Perkins School here at SMU, spoke to our class about developing global leaders. According to Dr. Hunt, global leaders know how to use their global network. Teachers develop global leaders by teaching students to expand their network. This involves teaching students to evaluate their connection to the rest of the world and use the resources available to them to learn more about the world and opportunities available to them. Geisel, a professor at UTA, asked students in schools of differing socioeconomic levels to name as many jobs as they could think of. Students in low SES schools could name far fewer jobs than students in middle and high SES schools. Geisel argues students can't aspire to jobs they don't know exist. Several times during class on Monday, I thought back to these ideas as different classmates talked about their experiences in low SES schools. Several classmates mentioned students who found programs and opportunities which allowed them to go to college. These students taught themselves how to be global leaders. However, classmates also mentioned parents and students who are not aware of their global network and are not aware of the opportunities available such as magnet schools. Teaching global leadership skills to teachers, students, and parents would help prepare students for the work force as well as help students find opportunities outside the cycle of poverty.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
#2-Race and Ethnicity
Several CQs from the week and one case study we discussed in class addressed the importance of students seeing themselves in the curriculum and texts. I do think it is important that textbooks and curriculum address more than the white man. I love teaching World History because we talk about cultures and people from all over the world. My class is multicultural by nature of the curriculum. Students of Chinese heritage are able to learn about and celebrate the political and technological advancements of the Chinese. Indian students learn about Akbar and his goals for religious unity and social reform. Students enjoy sharing their knowledge of their culture and history with the class.
One concern I have about my class and any efforts to include other cultural lessons is that students often don't understand that they are only learning a little bit about a complex society. What they learn becomes the whole story about an ethnic group, a country, etc. A colleague recently directed me to this video when I expressed these concerns. The woman in the video addresses how people have stereotyped her based on "one story" and how she has stereotyped others based on "one story." While it is only natural that we make assumptions based on what we've learned and heard about a group, how do we avoid students leaving our classroom with the "one story" mentality?
I thought the www.understandingrace.org site introduced in the group presentation was excellent. There is an activity on the site called "The Game of Life Experience" where students look at everyday experiences from other group's point of view. This would be an excellent activity for my students to do one of the first day's of school in order for them to realize not all people live like them. It would also be a good site to use in both a history and biology class.
Monday, February 7, 2011
#1-Foundations
Coincidentally, the class discussion in my classroom on Monday overlapped with our class discussion. Several groups chose to discuss the question on pg. 21 in the text regarding patriotism being a school requirement. Pros and cons were shared by the groups and several others shared personal stories of being proud to say the pledge of allegiance. When discussing the cons, I noticed many seemed to overlapping the concepts of patriotism and nationalism.
In my classroom we were finishing up a discussion of Western Europe in the 19th century and moving into studying imperialism in the 19th century. Nationalism is an important theme is this unit. Further, it relates to the current problems in Egypt, Yemen, and the Sudan. I introduced my students to George Orwell's essay "Notes on Nationalism" written in 1945. Orwell argues that nationalism can be positive and it can also be dangerous. Nationalism goes beyond pride in one's nation. Nationalism leads people to feel their country is the best, has not flaws, and should stop at no costs to be the best. Patriotism is a feeling of pride in one's country. While a patriot may feel his country is best, he does not think his country is perfect or needs to "beat" another country. During the group discussion, many objected to patriotism being taught in schools, but what they really object to is nationalism. Most agree there is nothing wrong with teaching students to respect their country, however, they do object to teaching students that our country is better or to be overly militaristic.
Other teachers' interest in the concept of patriotism was a bit of a multicultural lesson to me. I brought up the patriotism/nationalism issue in my class because I wanted my students to consider the negative side of nationalism. My students stand and say the pledge every day. Many think that Toby Keith song about America putting a boot in your a** is great. They completely agree that America is superior to everywhere else in the world. I didn't realize patriotism, or lack thereof, was such an issue in other communities.
My group discussed cultural relativism, experiencing the world through the lens of another culture. Several of my group members described experiences abroad where they experienced feeling like an "other" for the first time. I am interested in exploring this concept with my students as we study different cultures in World History.
In my classroom we were finishing up a discussion of Western Europe in the 19th century and moving into studying imperialism in the 19th century. Nationalism is an important theme is this unit. Further, it relates to the current problems in Egypt, Yemen, and the Sudan. I introduced my students to George Orwell's essay "Notes on Nationalism" written in 1945. Orwell argues that nationalism can be positive and it can also be dangerous. Nationalism goes beyond pride in one's nation. Nationalism leads people to feel their country is the best, has not flaws, and should stop at no costs to be the best. Patriotism is a feeling of pride in one's country. While a patriot may feel his country is best, he does not think his country is perfect or needs to "beat" another country. During the group discussion, many objected to patriotism being taught in schools, but what they really object to is nationalism. Most agree there is nothing wrong with teaching students to respect their country, however, they do object to teaching students that our country is better or to be overly militaristic.
Other teachers' interest in the concept of patriotism was a bit of a multicultural lesson to me. I brought up the patriotism/nationalism issue in my class because I wanted my students to consider the negative side of nationalism. My students stand and say the pledge every day. Many think that Toby Keith song about America putting a boot in your a** is great. They completely agree that America is superior to everywhere else in the world. I didn't realize patriotism, or lack thereof, was such an issue in other communities.
My group discussed cultural relativism, experiencing the world through the lens of another culture. Several of my group members described experiences abroad where they experienced feeling like an "other" for the first time. I am interested in exploring this concept with my students as we study different cultures in World History.
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