I'd like to write a little bit about the inauguration day of our 44th president, Barack Obama. All day I've been looking forward to viewing his speech. It's such a special day for me, as a minority, because it finally represents what America is, a place where many people from diverse backgrounds can live together side-by-side. In our short history, it's been shown time and time again, that we have fought for the right to have the freedom to be ourselves, to practice our own religions and beliefs, and to have equal opportunities for everyone. Our country is defined by the many different cultures, backgrounds, races, and religions- it's about time the leader of our country reflects that. I am proud that America has come this far and finally has the tolerance to look beyond race.
I think Obama presidency is the change we need to bring back hope and restore our faith in this country.In his speech Obama states, "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task." This statement rings true to my reason for teaching. I have always felt a responsibility to the community. I have lived a part of my life dirt poor and the rest in relative comfort. Since I am lucky enough to have the lifestyle I have now, I have always believed in giving back and making a difference in the community- and I will do that through teaching.
In one of our classes, we were asked if anyone encountered any opposition or negative feedback towards their decision in teaching. I was surprised by this question because I was very fortunate to have a lot of support when I decided to become a teacher. Many of the people I know were very enthusiastic about my decision. My parents were also very encouraging. Once in a while, people mentioned that I would need to find a rich husband, but that was the extent of the negative comments! I have never thought that teaching is not a profession and viewed as a lower status than in other careers.
In our reading Can Elementary Schoolteaching Be a Career, I was really shocked to learn teaching can be viewed as "a failure of ambition" or that some teachers feel defensive about their line of work. There was even a story about how a teacher lied about her occupation at her husband’s work parties because some people were making bad comments about teachers. What is this world coming to?!! Perhaps I’m just lucky that I have yet to deal with any negativity regarding teaching. But I’m not worried about any negative connotations that may come with being an elementary school teacher. I am teaching for children and that’s what I’m concerned about- not people who will always find fault in everything. I don’t think it will be easy being a teacher, but life’s never easy. I’ll take the challenges as they come.
This week there were a few readings about programs in schools that are grouping and essentially labeling children. Grouping, Tracking, and Categorical Programs by Jeannie Oakes and To Teach by William Ayers both described how schools were placing kids in classes and programs according to the school’s judgments about their competencies and deficits. Almost all schools have different categories of classes that they sort students into. I understand why the schools do this. It’s human nature to want to organize and sort things into their different categories. Also, I understand that the schools may think it’s in the best interest of the children to learn at the same pace as their peers to not feel left out or so ahead that they get bored. Also, it’s easier for the teacher to not have to teach to many different levels.
As I read, I discovered there are many pitfalls to this method. Some schools use test to sort their students. Usually they only test once and are stuck with their placement. Other ways that a student might get categorized incorrectly is if the teacher doesn’t understand the student’s behavior. Even parent’s have a strong influence in this sorting. Knowledgeable parents can get their kids enrolled in better courses while others don’t know that they have any say in the system. I know if I had been placed unfairly as a child, my parents would not go to the school and try to change it because they didn’t know English and they would’ve assumed the school correctly placed me in that class. Another factor that I thought was shocking was that most schools have constraints about the number of people in their classes. So someone that may be borderline or enrolling late could be placed in a lower or higher level class depending on class sizes.
Most of what I read about labeling is very disturbing. Children are much more intuitive than most adults give them credit for. Many know that they are being placed in lower tracks- even if the classes have a special acronym or code. In the Grouping reading, Oakes mentions that, “ Placement in a low, middle, almost-but-not-quite-top class often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy- a cycle of lower expectations, fewer opportunities, and academic performance that, at best, can match (but not exceed) the expected performance.”
Ayers gives a similar opinion on the subject of labeling. He mentions that the labels, classes, and curriculum are very limiting because they only concentrate on the child can’t do or does poorly at. They do not focus on the child’s strengths or interests that will help the child learn better and succeed. There’s so much potential in children we may never know about because of the limitations that are put on them. Ayers mentions we need to find a better way to reach out to children, find ways to build on their strengths, and engage them in learning. Seems nearly impossible with how most schools are set up nowadays. There were a few of tips from Ayers that I thought were very useful, such as inviting letters from parents. I loved this chapter and what I got from it was that we may not single-handedly be able to change the school system, but there are many different little ways to get involved with the students and make their learning more interesting and engaging.
***I would like to learn more about what some schools are doing to change this system of grouping and labeling.***
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Nice post, Rosie, for the country rising to a higher place, to thoughts about the potential of kids otherwise labeled as less-than rising to a higher level of competence than others expected of them.
ReplyDeleteYour example of how schools are sometimes organized around rigid tracks and groups is a good example of how teachers sometimes aren't trusted to know how best to serve kids. Sometimes, if given the chance, teachers could come up with very different ways to work with a range of kids, but those decisions are sometimes made by others.
I like what you said: "There's so much potential .. that we may never know about because of the limitations that are put on them." I think that that is true of children and also of their teachers!
But our times now are full of change!