For this assignment I chose to explore the Sesame Workshop link. I loved Sesame Street as a kid! Sesame Street creates an environment that every classroom should strive to achieve. When considering diversity and Sesame Street I am struck by the realization that Muppets don’t have a specific color or look. No one would consider a red Elmo to be any better or worse than a green Oscar. Diversity is so welcome and present on Sesame Street that, while intentional, it is not obvious. If only our classrooms could all be this open! To be inclusive of all of the resources (our diverse students) in a way that seems effortless would be amazing. I understand that some teachers, myself sometimes included, are not always comfortable with immersing diversity into daily classroom activities, not because they or I am against the practice in any way, but because my own limited experience makes me fearful of stepping out of bounds to hurt a student or make him feel uncomfortable, obviously an outcome I would never want. Wouldn’t it be fun, though, if one day a teacher called roll by asking what each student had for dinner the night before? This simple activity could lead to great discussion about the differences and similarities in all of our families.
I think Sesame Street addresses a different type of diversity other than the multicultural variety. Sesame Street was originally begun to bring education to an underprivileged population. The show and its affiliated programs address a holistic form of learning. Not only do they address 1-2-3s and A-B-Cs, but they also focus on topics such as healthy living and respect. These may be lessons that every child might not otherwise receive at home. The show also encourages a sense of community where everyone is welcome, again, a welcome element in the classroom and school.
I admire the Sesame Street community. There is research, hard work, and passion that goes into the making of each show. Children laugh, sing, and dance along with the inviting content. Isn’t that the goal of every teacher? To approach learning with good background, preparedness, and enthusiasm to the effect that our students are engaged and almost “tricked” into enjoying the learning? Maybe we should all take a stroll down Sesame Street. Sunny day, sweepin’ the clouds away…
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Diversity in the classroom
It is often said that history is recorded by the victors. I believe the same is true in the classroom. Often what is taught in school is determined by who is in charge. Should this be the case? Not necessarily.
My personal education is not a reflection of multicultural championship. My elementary school consisted of 199 white students and 1 black student. There was also only one black teacher. We did not have any Hispanic students. Even the janitors and cafeteria ladies were white. This was not out of the ordinary; it was just a reflection of the rural farming community in which I lived. In middle school and high school there was more diversity in the student body, but not in the curriculum. I personally don’t feel slighted by my education, but I am part of the cultural majority.
My only exposure to cultural diversity was through my friends outside of the classroom. I had a friend who moved to my hometown from Brazil in 7th grade. When she arrived she did not speak a word of English. By December she could speak fairly fluently. By high school her written English was probably better than mine. I don't remember any attempts by my teachers to include any Brazilian culture into our lessons. She graduated in the top 10 of my class, and now she is a dentist back in Brazil. The entire time her family lived in America her mother refused to learn any English. I felt like that had to be really lonely for her mom.
Fast forward to my first year in the classroom. In February some of my students began to ask me what we were going to do for Black History Month. I didn’t have a clue. Growing up I had never had a big focus on Black History, and my lesson plan at the time wasn’t centered on an African American author. I didn’t know what a Black History Month unit should even look like. I ended up offering poems and biographies of a few African American authors to my students as extra credit. The subject of Black History was never brought up in any of our faculty meetings or school wide emails.
My point to these stories is that after reflecting on my personal experience I can definitely see how curriculum, policies, and structure can be used as a form of social control. I don’t think this is the intentional goal. I think educators sometimes are focused on finishing paperwork or preparing for standardized tests or maybe even following the plan that had been proven successful for so many years before. These things often take priority over a diverse sampling of view points on various topics.
My personal education is not a reflection of multicultural championship. My elementary school consisted of 199 white students and 1 black student. There was also only one black teacher. We did not have any Hispanic students. Even the janitors and cafeteria ladies were white. This was not out of the ordinary; it was just a reflection of the rural farming community in which I lived. In middle school and high school there was more diversity in the student body, but not in the curriculum. I personally don’t feel slighted by my education, but I am part of the cultural majority.
My only exposure to cultural diversity was through my friends outside of the classroom. I had a friend who moved to my hometown from Brazil in 7th grade. When she arrived she did not speak a word of English. By December she could speak fairly fluently. By high school her written English was probably better than mine. I don't remember any attempts by my teachers to include any Brazilian culture into our lessons. She graduated in the top 10 of my class, and now she is a dentist back in Brazil. The entire time her family lived in America her mother refused to learn any English. I felt like that had to be really lonely for her mom.
Fast forward to my first year in the classroom. In February some of my students began to ask me what we were going to do for Black History Month. I didn’t have a clue. Growing up I had never had a big focus on Black History, and my lesson plan at the time wasn’t centered on an African American author. I didn’t know what a Black History Month unit should even look like. I ended up offering poems and biographies of a few African American authors to my students as extra credit. The subject of Black History was never brought up in any of our faculty meetings or school wide emails.
My point to these stories is that after reflecting on my personal experience I can definitely see how curriculum, policies, and structure can be used as a form of social control. I don’t think this is the intentional goal. I think educators sometimes are focused on finishing paperwork or preparing for standardized tests or maybe even following the plan that had been proven successful for so many years before. These things often take priority over a diverse sampling of view points on various topics.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Multicultural Relevance
In reading this week’s material I will admit that more than once I had to go back and read a few sentences twice. The debate over multicultural inclusion is a very relevant issue. I know people who think everyone who does not love America and everything American should just pack up and leave. Some call these ideals a preservation of the American way; I call them intolerance.
Some of the reading focused on the history of America and what should be included in this history. I think the entire outlook of history as a subject needs to be evaluated. Why do we teach history? Is it so students can recite a list of facts and dates? Or is there a greater purpose? If history is taught to engage students in thought about actions and consequences I can see no other option but to study both sides of events in history. Europeans settling in America had a huge impact on the native people. Not only did Europeans bring foreign disease, but they also brought a huge culture invasion. Both sides of that story need to be told. I was paying attention when the article suggested that including multicultural history would cause students to lose focus and pride. My question is is history always something we should be proud of? I don't teach to make my students proud. (I'm glad when a student takes pride in his work.) I teach to inform and improve my students' abilities, to help them exceed their own expectations.
Anyone hiding behind supremacy or one nationality is only camouflaging hate. I think hate is sad and unfortunate in any community. I understand that times are tough and sometimes people want to lay blame. Pointing a finger at a them is not going to make anyone's life better. What do numbers matter? We are all just people in the end.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Teaching grammar to ESL students
Teaching grammar plays a central role in every ESL/ELL teacher's classroom. The important question that needs to be answered is: how do I teach grammar? In other words, how do I help students learn the grammar they need.
Before I address the issue of how do I teach grammar, I think the more important question to be answered is what is grammar. In particular, what is grammar to my ESL students? To me grammar is a set of rules that help me navigate written language. Grammar tells me how to phrase my thoughts and when and where to punctuate. I don’t know that my view of grammar is or should be shared by my ESL students. To a non-native speaker I imagine the most important function of grammar is to help the speaker effectively communicate in his new environment. Only after this basic level of communication has been mastered should a student concern himself with the whys of grammar.
In the ESL classroom, grammar cannot be taught in a vacuum. Students are surrounded by multiple types of language in school and their community. ESL students will benefit from learning two types of grammar- the type presented in textbooks known as prescriptive or Standard English, and the type they hear their friends using in the cafeteria often called descriptive grammar. Fortunately for the teacher, these two types should sometimes overlap.
Learning a new language can be intimidating. With this in mind, material should be divided into manageable chunks. Covering nouns on Monday, verbs on Tuesday, and a test on Wednesday is not going to cut it. Teachers should take time to cover each unit thoroughly, checking with each student for understanding. Teachers should also get to know students individually to make sure the lessons are presented in a way that every student will understand and retain.
One complaint even native speakers often have of grammar is that it is boring. Teachers should make an effort to make the learning fun. Play grammar games in class or have material review challenges to keep students engaged and excited about coming to class.
I think another aspect of teaching grammar to ESL students teachers must consider is how to keep the learning relevant. Our hope as teachers is to see our students succeed. Success does not always mean an A on a test. Teachers should make sure to include real world examples of the language in teaching. I would invite students to make note of phrases or terms they hear their friends or classmates use in other classes. We would come together as a class and discuss what those phrases actually mean in their spoken text, for example, the word cool very rarely refers to temperature when spoken by the American teenager. ESL students need to be able to blend in when conversing with their peers.
As with any class, assessment is key. The difference in the ESL classroom is that teachers should not be using assessments to check for complete mastery of a topic. If a students achieves total mastery great, but this will not often be the case. Teachers should instead use assessment as a reference point. Testing should be used as a tool to determine where the next lesson should begin. Can we start a new topic, or should we linger here a bit longer until we are all comfortable? I think this approach to assessment will help ease student anxiety about content that is very daunting.
Before I address the issue of how do I teach grammar, I think the more important question to be answered is what is grammar. In particular, what is grammar to my ESL students? To me grammar is a set of rules that help me navigate written language. Grammar tells me how to phrase my thoughts and when and where to punctuate. I don’t know that my view of grammar is or should be shared by my ESL students. To a non-native speaker I imagine the most important function of grammar is to help the speaker effectively communicate in his new environment. Only after this basic level of communication has been mastered should a student concern himself with the whys of grammar.
In the ESL classroom, grammar cannot be taught in a vacuum. Students are surrounded by multiple types of language in school and their community. ESL students will benefit from learning two types of grammar- the type presented in textbooks known as prescriptive or Standard English, and the type they hear their friends using in the cafeteria often called descriptive grammar. Fortunately for the teacher, these two types should sometimes overlap.
Learning a new language can be intimidating. With this in mind, material should be divided into manageable chunks. Covering nouns on Monday, verbs on Tuesday, and a test on Wednesday is not going to cut it. Teachers should take time to cover each unit thoroughly, checking with each student for understanding. Teachers should also get to know students individually to make sure the lessons are presented in a way that every student will understand and retain.
One complaint even native speakers often have of grammar is that it is boring. Teachers should make an effort to make the learning fun. Play grammar games in class or have material review challenges to keep students engaged and excited about coming to class.
I think another aspect of teaching grammar to ESL students teachers must consider is how to keep the learning relevant. Our hope as teachers is to see our students succeed. Success does not always mean an A on a test. Teachers should make sure to include real world examples of the language in teaching. I would invite students to make note of phrases or terms they hear their friends or classmates use in other classes. We would come together as a class and discuss what those phrases actually mean in their spoken text, for example, the word cool very rarely refers to temperature when spoken by the American teenager. ESL students need to be able to blend in when conversing with their peers.
As with any class, assessment is key. The difference in the ESL classroom is that teachers should not be using assessments to check for complete mastery of a topic. If a students achieves total mastery great, but this will not often be the case. Teachers should instead use assessment as a reference point. Testing should be used as a tool to determine where the next lesson should begin. Can we start a new topic, or should we linger here a bit longer until we are all comfortable? I think this approach to assessment will help ease student anxiety about content that is very daunting.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Multicultural Education
My working definition of multicultural education is creating an environment in which students learn about people and cultures all over the world and where students feel comfortable sharing personal or family experiences for the benefit of the class. I also believe multicultural education extends beyond the classroom. A broad classroom education will be obsolete if students come home to find contradictory views or “facts” from their parents. Parents must be included in the learning, or at the very least, be made aware of classroom content and objectives for multicultural education to be meaningful.
Defining multicultural education can be difficult because the definition of cultural can be interpreted in different ways. Some may see culture as different races or nationalities. Others may say culture is divided by religion or beliefs. I believe all of these characteristics make up the diverse world in which we live. I think the first step to a multicultural education is to acknowledge the multicultural aspect in the classroom. I also think it is important for me as the teacher to realize my limitations. I have but one perspective and one set of experiences from which to draw. I have never personally felt a sense of discrimination in the classroom. Multicultural education begins with me by my acknowledging that the standard cannon is not varied and encompassing for all.
Teachers will face numerous and great challenges in implementing multicultural practices in their classrooms. A teacher need not look beyond her own nose to find her first stumbling block. As I mentioned earlier, we are all the victim of our own experiences. Everyone has valuable life knowledge to add to a classroom, but teachers often draw on their own learning experiences when determining what and how content should be covered in class. Depending on the individual teacher, this may be a very limited perspective. Another challenge facing teachers is possible resistance from administration. Some schools have very structured curriculums. Introducing multicultural lessons may vary from the school planned lessons, causing problems for teachers. One final obstacle could be from members of the community. Children may be conflicted if what they learn in school is contradicted by what they are taught at home. Teachers may face resistance from parents or community members who do not want their children exposed to alternate ideas and beliefs. These feelings of intolerance could be strengthened by conflict covered in the national media.
Defining multicultural education can be difficult because the definition of cultural can be interpreted in different ways. Some may see culture as different races or nationalities. Others may say culture is divided by religion or beliefs. I believe all of these characteristics make up the diverse world in which we live. I think the first step to a multicultural education is to acknowledge the multicultural aspect in the classroom. I also think it is important for me as the teacher to realize my limitations. I have but one perspective and one set of experiences from which to draw. I have never personally felt a sense of discrimination in the classroom. Multicultural education begins with me by my acknowledging that the standard cannon is not varied and encompassing for all.
Teachers will face numerous and great challenges in implementing multicultural practices in their classrooms. A teacher need not look beyond her own nose to find her first stumbling block. As I mentioned earlier, we are all the victim of our own experiences. Everyone has valuable life knowledge to add to a classroom, but teachers often draw on their own learning experiences when determining what and how content should be covered in class. Depending on the individual teacher, this may be a very limited perspective. Another challenge facing teachers is possible resistance from administration. Some schools have very structured curriculums. Introducing multicultural lessons may vary from the school planned lessons, causing problems for teachers. One final obstacle could be from members of the community. Children may be conflicted if what they learn in school is contradicted by what they are taught at home. Teachers may face resistance from parents or community members who do not want their children exposed to alternate ideas and beliefs. These feelings of intolerance could be strengthened by conflict covered in the national media.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Introduction
Hello!
I'm Laura Byrd and this is my first blog... ever! I can't believe I am 26 years old and never have I blogged. I guess that will change this semester. I am new to graduate school and to the online learning environment. I am slowly learning my way around. I am currently not teaching in the classroom, but I want to keep my skills sharp and learn as much as I can.
Happy blogging everyone!
Laura
I'm Laura Byrd and this is my first blog... ever! I can't believe I am 26 years old and never have I blogged. I guess that will change this semester. I am new to graduate school and to the online learning environment. I am slowly learning my way around. I am currently not teaching in the classroom, but I want to keep my skills sharp and learn as much as I can.
Happy blogging everyone!
Laura
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