Week 7

Yes! We finally get to talk about the survey and discuss some of the comments that were mentioned. As you all know, I showed up for class last week when it was canceled! It was a little disappointing to not have class because I was really curious to hear comments on the survey. The survey clearly says that some of the people are not feeling comfortable in the class. This came as a surprise to me because from what I observed, our cohort is a group that I thought was the supportive safe community that Sapon-Shevin was talking about. Personally, I’m not one to speak up in groups. I think this may have come from my “don’t interrupt adult conversations” upbringing. Well, somewhere along the way, I became an adult and sometimes it doesn’t sink in that I am allowed to talk! But I really do think my interaction with this cohort changed a lot of that. I feel like my classmates are supportive and hear what I have to say. I believe the program tries very hard to structure our classes like the models of community building we read about. I’m a little perplexed that there are people in the class that feel like they are not heard and even one comment that said, “Cliques have been forming, and I feel shut out by about half the members of the cohort.” I was very surprised by this and it made me think that perhaps I’m not observant enough in class. I hope with our discussion in the last class, that this person feels better and we continue to find ways to include everyone and continue our community building. And I will probably not be naming any one of my kids after my classmates, especially since there are only three names to choose from for boys!


Our discussion in class today was about Vivian Paley’s book, You Can’t Say You Can’t Play. I think this subject brings together a variety of other topics we have previously read and discussed. This book was about Paley’s introduction of a new rule in a kindergarten classroom. She noticed that there were a few students that were excluded from playtime and began a dialogue with them about including every person that wants to play with them. She even introduces this idea to the “numbered grades” to see what their thoughts would be on the rule. I like the idea that she goes through this very methodically and has many conversations about the topic instead of just implementing it. Children are amazing, they understand much more than adults give them credit for. I thought Paley’s conversations with the children were great because it brought the issue to light so everyone can think and talk about it. I connected this with Ayers’s when he mentions that “When teacher’s value their children’s opinions and experiences, children begin to think more openly, and we begin to see them differently.” Also it ties in with Ayers’s section on bridge building. Not only do we need to build bridges from teacher to student, we need to encourage bridge building with student to student. This may eliminate many of the exclusion problems if children get to know each other better.


I also found a connection with the Greene reading, Imagination, Community, and the School. Maxine Greene talks about art as a community bridge builder. She writes that “Individual identity takes form in the contexts of relationship and dialogue; our concern must be to create the kinds of contexts that nurture- for all children- the sense of worthiness and agency.” Seems like schools now are less concerned about getting to know one another as people and more about having solid proof that students are learning their core academic subjects. I strongly believe in a well-rounded education, which does include arts. It teaches ideas that are just as valuable to students as grammar or the multiplication table.


In these readings, I find that they are saying that we as teachers must create an environment that encourages the children to grow together and learn from one another as a way to form a safe community to enhance their learning experience in school. I find that although they are all writing about different things, it’s all connected and the bottom line is community.