EDU2360 Course Reflection

Perspectives on Learning Course Reflection

By Elizabeth Conard

In the education course Perspectives on Learning, we discussed many topics throughout the semester. Three topics that I found particularly important were our discussions on marginalization, patterns of learning and development, and how to create learning opportunities for different types of students. 

Through the books and articles that we read, I gained insight into different kinds of marginalization. The marginalization of Native Americans in schools is an issue that I was uninformed about previous to this class. In Narrative & Experience in Multicultural Education, the chapter titled “White Teachers, Native Students” shed light on Native American marginalization. This chapter opened my eyes to how the education system can marginalize students by refusing them access to the appropriate resources, such as easy transportation or the ability to move forward in the classroom. This made me consider the importance of allowing anyone, of any culture or learning style, to move upwards in their classes and to be successful. 

Another issue of marginalization that I saw was within Hispanic communities. In Narrative & Experience in Multicultural Education, we read two chapters that discussed Hispanic marginalization. In the first chapter, “Being Educated in the Absence of Multiculturalism,” we learn about two Mexican women who grew up in the Bronx. In their school, being Mexican was looked down upon. These women talked about their struggles with identity as they went through school, and how they would do anything to fit in with their peers, including calling themselves “Spanish” instead of Mexican. In the second chapter we read, it talked about Hispanic mothers and how they are treated in American society. Because they are Hispanic, these women are thought to be bad mothers, and are not accepted into the norms of society. This marginalization of Hispanics, especially women, brings up the issue of discrimination and exclusion from Caucasian people against Hispanic people. It made me realize that in the classroom, it is extremely important to work against discrimination, and to make sure you are not making assumptions based on a student’s race. 

Another type of marginalization that I found in our readings was in my choice book Holler If You Hear Me. In this novel, we heard many stories from students living in the urban areas of Chicago, and how they were marginalized in school because of their social associations. For example, in one section of the book, a teacher is telling the students about the new requirement of school uniforms. When one of the students asks about why they are required to wear uniforms, this particular teacher responds with saying “you are all gang bangers” and that the uniforms are to “keep the students in line.” In this case, the students are being marginalized by their teacher because the teacher is assuming (based on the outside environment) that the students are participating in gang activities. Reading about these situations gave me insight into the harm that assumption can cause in the classroom. You should never assume that a student participates in a negative activity. If you are concerned about a student, you should approach them and talk to them about their situation, instead of making harmful assumptions. This is a point that was re-emphasized throughout the course, and one that I will carry with me as I continue in education courses. 

The discussion of learning and development patterns and how to create learning opportunities was also a large part of this course. The first reading that we had was about a student in elementary school name Jiana, who had a very different style of learning than her peers. Jiana was a student who came from a family that did not speak English in the home, therefore Jiana was underdeveloped in language. This made activities such as “sharing time” very difficult for Jiana. Usually the teacher (the narrator of the story) would intervene during sharing time to assist Jiana with language. The reading we were assigned documented what happened in the classroom when the teacher stopped intervening. The teacher found, when she stopped interfering during “sharing time,” that Jiana created her own way to communicate with her peers, and changed the dynamic of the classroom. Because the teacher chose not to intervene, she was creating a learning opportunity in her classroom that would not be possible if she had continued to guide the discussions during sharing time. I really liked this article because it showed that to understand your students and how they learn and communicate, you have to observe carefully and let them “feel out” the classroom without teacher interference. I also saw this idea demonstrated in Daniel Tammet’s book, Born on a Blue Day. In Daniel’s case, he also had a different style of learning and socialization, and he was able to succeed because his teachers, family, and peers recognized that his learning style was different and they adapted to it. For example, in the classroom, Daniel would often feel uncomfortable participating in group meetings and would hide under tables. The teachers allowed him to do so, and Daniel would observe the meetings and observe his classmates, therefore becoming more comfortable with both. Eventually, Daniel joined in with the class activities because he had become comfortable with them by observing from a distance. If Daniel had been forced to participate before he was comfortable, this could have resulted in traumatization. Instead, the teachers allowed him to have his space until he became comfortable with the environment. 

The novel Holler If You Hear Me was another great example of diverse learning styles and ways to create learning opportunities. The narrator of the book, Greg Michie, is a teacher in a Chicago school for “troubled” learners. In his classroom, Michie often deals with students who are very rowdy and cause disruptions in the classroom. These students come from diverse backgrounds, and many of them lived in unhealthy of violent neighborhoods and experiences discrimination at school. Michie recognizes this when he first enters the classroom, and begins to stray from his lesson plans to adapt to the students. For example, one day, the student’s came in upset because they felt they should be able to eat candy in class if the teachers were allowed to eat candy. Michie took this as an opportunity to create a learning experience out of something that was relevant to the students’s lives. He had the students conduct a mock trial about being allowed to eat food in class, and was able to teach his students about the court system and the government. In another instance, he had a large amount of Mexican-American students in his class, and had them read novels about Mexican-American adolescents. I really liked Michie’s teaching style, because he paid so much attention to the students, and taught to the student’s interests. This reminded me of Dewey, and how he felt it was important to teach subjects that students are interested in, but also turn it into a larger learning experience. When I am a teacher, I will strive to do this in my classes, and be aware that lesson plans and subjects will change depending on the class environment. 

Learning about marginalization and ways to create learning experiences has been a large part of what I have learned this semester in Perspectives on Learning. It is very important to be aware of different people and the situation they could be facing in school or outside of schools- different “perspectives on learning.” The choice book that I read was a great take away from the course, and I would recommend it to student’s in the future. This course (and the choice book in particular) made me excited to learn about future educators, and styles of teachers that I could apply in the future. 

References

Connelly. M.F., Fang, M.H., Phillion, J. (2005). Narrative & Experience in Multicultural Education. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. 

Michie, G. (2009). Holler If You Hear Me. New York, New York: Teachers College Press.

Tammet, D. (2006). Born on a Blue Day. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster. 

EDU2365 Course Reflection

Ecology and Human Experience Course Reflection

By Elizabeth Conard

In the education course Ecology and Human Experience, I felt like we had three main areas of focus throughout the semester, along with our choice book analysis. 

The first area of focus that I recognized was the ability to make connections between school and other factors outside of school, such as a student’s home life, economic status, sexual orientation, and social circles. As a future teacher, the first step to success in the classroom is being able to recognize the different factors in a student’s life, as well as the connections between what you see in the classroom and what may be effecting a student outside of the teacher’s sight. Before you can begin to understand a student or engage them in learning, you must understand both the positive and negative influences in their life. For example, in our first reading accountability assignment (in Middle Schools for a Diverse Society), the author talks about how she had students in her classes “who had no floors in their homes, who had no heat, or had no running water” (pp.17). In addition to economic or home situations, an educator can be faced with diverse sexual orientations, social circles, and personalities. Teachers need to know if their students are a part of the minority group (or a majority group) so that they can be aware of issues such as bullying, gang violence, or other issues that could be effecting students. 

The second area of focus that I found in this class, was how to begin understanding students and their problems once you become aware of all the different problems. There are several ways that I learned to start understanding your students and their needs. One way that I thought was very interesting (as a creative writing/secondary licensure major) was the “Theories and Methodology” chapter of Lives Across Cultures that discussed the narrative method of research. The author defines narrative methods as “looking at a variety of narrative materials, including stories (oral or written), diaries, letters, and their analyses" (pp.46) I think that using this narrative method is a good way to get to know your students. For example, in previous classes I have taken, we fill out index cards in the beginning of the class where we can write down our interests, favorite subjects, and other facts about ourselves for the teacher to know. After reading more about narrative methods, I think I will apply similar ideas in my classroom. Another narrative method that I am interested in as a continuous tool (as opposed to the index cards, which are more limited) is the idea of using journals for students to write in daily or weekly. In this method, teachers will give prompts for students to use a guide, or perhaps just let the students free write. I feel like this is a useful way to incorporate creative thinking into the classroom, but also another way for students to convey their individual voices to the teacher and for the teacher to continue to ask questions that they feel are relevant to the class. However, as I think about journaling more, I have more questions about it. Something that is still foggy in my brain is where the line should be drawn between what student’s should share with the teacher, and vice versa. In some cases, students could share very personal information that (for the students safety) the teacher will have to share with other school personnel or with the police. How much information should a teacher provoke from a student? How do you decide what is appropriate for a class or not? These are all questions that arise from my reading this semester, and that I will have to explore more as I continue my education courses and begin observing classrooms. 

Along with more personalized narrative methods to understand students, I also learned about the power of having discussions in the classroom. In Ecology of Human Experience, we thought a lot about what you can and should discuss in a classroom. Two topics (that I learned about in Adolescents at School) that I think are very important to discuss in a classroom is sexuality (sexual orientation, what is appropriate, and non-traditional families) and different races, ethnicities, and cultures. From what I have learned, there are two positives to in-school discussions. The first, is that it gives the teacher a chance to hear different students voice their opinion and get a general feel for their stance on important issues such as sexuality or culture. Once the teacher gets a feel for the attitudes in the classroom, the teacher can ask questions to deepen the discussion and understand more about their students. The second positive aspect of having discussions deal with trying to get rid of prejudice. If a discussion of such topics is prompted in a classroom (especially with younger children) it gives students an opportunity to ask questions and to be introduced to different parts of their culture, instead of becoming close-minded and seeing only their “way of life.” Because this widens the students scope of the world, it can prevent harmful prejudices later in life. 

After becoming aware and understanding the different lives and opinions of your students, the third important thing that I learned in EDU2365 was how to cater to different students needs and engage them in learning. An important idea that I learned about is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In Maslow’s Hierarchy, the needs of a human being are categorized from most important to least important. On the bottom of the scale (the most important needs) there are things such as food, water, and sleep. Above that, there are things such as the security of family and health. As a teacher, you may be aware of a student that is not receiving adequate food at home, or does not have a stable home situation, therefore such student’s cannot move forward in their learning or in other aspects of their life. For example, let’s say you become aware that a student is unable to eat breakfast in the morning, and you discuss this with the student. To supplement this need for the student, you may find a way for them to eat breakfast at school. In another situation, you may know that a student does not have an adult to talk to at home. As a teacher, you may provide a safe space and offer the student support in a way they cannot receive at home. By studying Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs, I realize that there are many ways a teacher can cater to the different needs of students to help them succeed in the classroom and in their life. 

Another way to engage students and attend to their needs, is to address topics in the classroom that students can relate to and are interested in. For example, in Middle Schools for a Diverse Society, students said: “School would be more interesting if they had some choice about what they would be studying. ‘If we picked what we want, it would be more interesting’” (pp.71). If students are given a chance to choose what they study, there is more of a chance that they will become engaged in a topic, therefore strengthening the learning environment and encourage them to think critically about different aspects of their life. Another important thing to keep in mind an apply in the classroom, is to realize that there are different students with different learning styles, and cater to all those different learning styles. Further on in Middle Schools for a Diverse Society, there is a chapter about flexibility as a teacher. I think this is a very important concept, that I learned a lot about this semester. The book reads: “The task for educators, who are faced with young adolescents with diverse backgrounds and needs, is to acknowledge the challenges, find ways to address the challenges, and to incorporate strategies and organizational patterns within a learning environment that supports all students...The learning environment must be flexible to meet the needs of students through a differentiation of teaching strategies based upon the abilities, interests, learning styles, and rates of learning of the students. This is not quite complete; we must also adapt our curriculum, teaching strategies, materials, and assessment based upon the cultural, gender, and socio-economic differences of our students” (pp.131). I thought this was an excellent quote, and it should be taken to heart that all students are different, and that you will have to continuously adapt your teaching style from classroom to classroom. 

Another aspect of the course was our choice book presentation and discussion. For my choice book, I chose Monster by Walter Dean Myers. In my presentation, my partner and I related the ideas in Monster to the theorists James Banks,  Lev Vygotsky, and Erik Erikson. A large part of the novel discussed racism, and the effect of race and socio-economic status in the classroom and in other important situations, such as in a courtroom. In the book, the main character (who is being tried for a crime) and who is African American, is told by his lawyer: “You’re young, you’re black, and you’re on trial, what else do they need to know?”(pp.79). My partner and I related this quote to James Banks because in his research, he discusses diversity and racism, and how it effects young people. Throughout the novel, the main character also struggles with the lack of a positive role model and in developing his identity. We related the role model conflict to Vygotsky and his ideas of role modeling, and also discussed Erikson and his stages of identity development. Overall, I felt that this was a helpful project, because we were able to look at more of an abstract work (a novel) and relate it to different ideas we had learned. 

I feel that I have learned many important things about teaching this semester in Ecology and Human Experience. I have a different viewpoint of how to approach teaching, and have constructed teaching ideas of my own from the theories I have studied. However, many of my questions still remain, and I look forward to answering those questions in further education courses and experiences. 

References: 

Chamberlain, K. (2003). Middle Schools For A Diverse Society. New York, New York: Peter Lang Publishing. 

Gardiner, H.W., Kosmitski, C. (2011). Lives Across Cultures. Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon. 

Sadowski, Michael. (2008). Adolescents at School. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Education Press.