Literacy and Teachers’ Work
As I was reading the articles and discussing issues in Saturday’s class, I kept making connections to students who are English Language Learners (ELL). Along with these students, their families also came to mind. In the Toronto area many immigrant families tend to find homes in communities where other immigrants from the same culture live. So for example, many Chinese immigrants live in China town and Greek immigrants live on the Danforth. This makes complete sense to me because if you want to interact successfully in your community, living among people who speak the same language will make life a lot easier. Children from these neighbourhoods who attend their community school are supported by ELL teachers. ELL teachers work with students on things their classroom teachers decide to work on. So, if the classroom teacher decides that everyone is going to read the same novel and answer comprehension questions, the ELL teacher tries to work within that framework and assist the student. It might sound like a comfortable existence; however, there is a much bigger world outside their neighbourhoods.
Interacting in the larger community is a necessity today. People visit hospitals, file taxes or find employment outside the comfort of their own neighbourhoods. Being able to read the classics and write the answers to comprehension questions isn’t enough anymore for as Allen Luke says, “being in the world.” Although fiction will always be an important part of our learning experiences, it may look different in the future. Instead of a thick novel format, the new classics may be in video format. One criticism of video games is that the quality of the writing is not very good. That is quickly changing and writers are beginning to write in this new genre.
As teachers, are we preparing our students for employment in the future? Where is learning happening – in school or outside school? Are schools responsible for preparing students for employment later in life? For educators, these are all important questions to consider. I remember ten years ago saying that in 2010 all students in school would have their own computer. Why don’t they? If you believe that schools have a responsibility to go beyond learning to read and write, we are not keeping up with the times. In addition to improved technology, as Allen Luke explains it is not enough to have the latest technology if we are teaching the same old ways. We need to teach students to be critical learners along with the skills of reading and writing.
What children are reading in school also needs to change. Besides fiction, students need to read brochures, bus schedules and bills. For students new to the country this is even more important than learning to read fiction. These things are necessary to their everyday life. The skill of reading is important to understand the information but also is the ability to question, in a deeper way, what the text is suggesting. Students who have lived in this country for generations may have an easier time reading “between the lines.” However, this may not always be the case and along with students new to the country, student who are not taught to ask the right questions need to understand this level of understanding.
It seems to me that as educators, we have many questions to ask ourselves about our practices. Are we making good decisions about educating all our students? When reading the article called, “A Political Critique of Remedial Reading Programs: The Example of Reading Recovery” I realized that the students who’s first language is not English are at a disadvantage to be accepted into this program. An important part of the success of this program is that the student’s parents support their child at night by reading books with them. If you can barely speak English, this would be impossible for most immigrant parents to do. Dare I saw that “Reading Recovery”(RR) is not an equal opportunity school program and puts the minorities at a disadvantage? This past week in school I made it a point to take notice of the students who are a part of RR. I wasn’t surprised to discover that all of these students were white middle class students. Ironically, the majority of the students in this school are not white middle class.
In the past, when I taught grade one, students from my class who participated in this program experienced success with the skill of reading. Since I was a young teacher, at the time I didn’t consider the need for critical literacy. Now my opinion of the program has changed and I question: Is this program out of date? Like our own literacy classrooms, why are there no changes being made?
In the schools I visit, many classrooms are including other texts besides fiction. A variety of text is beginning to line the shelves of some classrooms. When returning from their RR sessions, children carry a bag of books to take home and practice reading. In those bags I don’t see comic books, brochures, menus …. All I see are fiction, fiction, fiction, and maybe one non-fiction book. This program is out of date and needs some changes.
In most schools, students in RR are taken out of their classrooms during their “literacy block.” When their classmates are reading, discussing, writing… they are learning the mechanics of reading. Reading Recovery takes time. Most students spend a whole term in the program and at the same time miss the opportunity to interact with their teacher and classmate around literacy learning.
In case I didn’t convey my point of view about Reading Recovery through my writing, let me make it clear that I believe RR is an elitist white middle class program.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Written Resonse for Workshops Seven and Eight
Ryan’s Story
Ryan moved to the Toronto area last January. He speaks very little English and is experiencing Canadian culture for the first time. He lives in a poor neighbourhood and attends school in a middle class area. The school board’s geographical boundaries often include students from different social class communities. At this school, your social class makes a difference with regard to your educational experience.
The English Language Learner (ELL) teacher often says that “Learning another language is not learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” She works with Ryan and his classroom teacher to help him fit into the school culture, learn the language and actively participate in lessons.
For the most part, Ryan’s lessons are teacher directed from the front of the class. Ryan sits in the front of the class looking up at the teacher and the teacher looking down at him. My hope is that at some point the teacher will accept the challenge of “sitting at the same level as the students, listen in a different way, and speak in a different way” (Murry). I recognize the fear and pressure the teacher is experiencing trying to maintain control in the classroom and covering the curriculum. As a result, Ryan is learning that good students behave at all times in a classroom, listens and completes their work on time. Only during ‘literature circles’ is the teacher sitting with the students, however, there is very little exchange of ideas between the teacher and students. This is a time for the teacher to evaluate. Prior to taking part in literature circles, the ELL teacher helps Ryan to prepare. They read his book together and there is an exchange of ideas. The teacher, however, does most of the talking. She tries to engage Ryan by asking him questions. It is fair to say that ‘acquisition’ experiences are not available for Ryan in this class. Many of his classmates learn about school from a very young age and know how the system works.
Ryan’s experiences at school are very different when he is on the soccer field with his classmates. This is a place Ryan has a lot of experience and feels very comfortable. He appears to be very skilled and engaged. It would seem by watching Ryan play soccer that he has grown up from a young age with his team members learning to play soccer. But just like the idea that ‘learning a language is not learning different words for the same things’ knowing the skills to play soccer are not the only thing necessary to playing soccer in a different country. Yao Ming once said, “Basketball in America is like a culture. It is like a foreigner learning a new language. It is difficult to learn foreign languages and it will also be difficult for me to learn the culture for basketball here.” According to his ELL teacher, soccer is an important part of Ryan’s life and is often the subject of conversation during her interactions with him. Luckily the ELL teacher’s children play soccer so she is somewhat familiar with the soccer culture in Canada. She sees this common interest as a connection between the two and an authentic way for her to share thoughts and feelings with him.
Scott’s Story
Scott attends the same school as Ryan. He has been a student at this school since kindergarten. Scott is known by most if not all teachers in the school and is often the topic of conversation in the staffroom. He was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago and is medicated for this condition. When told that Scott will be in their class, teachers prepare themselves for a challenging experience. Whether in the classroom, on the playground or at home, Scott doesn’t fit in.
Early on in the year, Scott’s classroom teacher met his step brother and sister. “So is Scott driving you crazy yet,” his older sister asked his teacher. “He drives my mom crazy and she is constantly yelling at him to finish his breakfast, stop fooling around…,” she continued. This first glimpse into Scott’s home life gave the teacher a lot to think about. In this case the step mother was “Whinny the Witch,” not the classroom teacher.
Scott’s teacher attended meeting with his father, the social worker and principal. Their goal was to try to make Scott fit into a traditional classroom environment. However, one thing they didn’t know was that Scott’s teacher was not a traditional classroom teacher and didn’t practice in a traditional classroom environment.
After listening to the advice of his father, Scott sat at his desk quietly preparing to listen to his teacher. The teacher sat in her chair and invited the students to join her at the carpet. After a short time Scott began to move around and find small things on the carpet to play with. He ended up at the back of the group appearing to be distracted and not paying attention to the conversation. When the teacher talked about something that was of particular interest to Scott, he stopped moving and focused intently on what the teacher was saying. At other times Scott would stop moving when he questioned something or wanted to share something significant with the class. Clearly he was paying attention. Just like the video clip we saw in class, students who appear to be distracted may in fact be very much engaged in the lesson. Luckily for Scott, early in the year his teacher recognized his ability to focus when it appeared he was not engaged.
Scott loved books and was a very expressive, fluent reader. The reading center was his favourite place in the classroom and he often read with another students. Since he was able to read more challenging material Scott took the responsibility to read the book while other students listened. Sprawled out with a book on the floored, Scott would jump to his feet when he had something exciting to share. “Shark expert who practices unusual research methods was bitten by a great white shark.” he exclaimed along with a gruesome picture to share.
This teacher clearly had respect for her students and allowed for alternative ways of interacting in the classroom. As Palmer suggests “… good teaching requires the teacher to yield some control in order to empower the group.”
Both Ryan and Scott’s school experiences were enhanced by teachers who took the time to hear and understand their stories. Many students come to school groomed to fit into the traditional white middle class education system. However, more and more students who don’t have these experiences are entering our school doors. Clearly the traditional ways of learning in school are not meeting the needs of all students forcing educators to change their beliefs about learning.
Wenger’s theory of a more natural/social learning experience really applies to me. “What if we assumed that learning is as much a part of our human nature as eating or sleeping, that it is both life-sustaining and inevitable, and that given a chance – we are quite good at it?” For me, this statement feels like a breath of fresh air. It provides for a more authentic learning experience that respects the perspectives and abilities of all students.
Ryan moved to the Toronto area last January. He speaks very little English and is experiencing Canadian culture for the first time. He lives in a poor neighbourhood and attends school in a middle class area. The school board’s geographical boundaries often include students from different social class communities. At this school, your social class makes a difference with regard to your educational experience.
The English Language Learner (ELL) teacher often says that “Learning another language is not learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” She works with Ryan and his classroom teacher to help him fit into the school culture, learn the language and actively participate in lessons.
For the most part, Ryan’s lessons are teacher directed from the front of the class. Ryan sits in the front of the class looking up at the teacher and the teacher looking down at him. My hope is that at some point the teacher will accept the challenge of “sitting at the same level as the students, listen in a different way, and speak in a different way” (Murry). I recognize the fear and pressure the teacher is experiencing trying to maintain control in the classroom and covering the curriculum. As a result, Ryan is learning that good students behave at all times in a classroom, listens and completes their work on time. Only during ‘literature circles’ is the teacher sitting with the students, however, there is very little exchange of ideas between the teacher and students. This is a time for the teacher to evaluate. Prior to taking part in literature circles, the ELL teacher helps Ryan to prepare. They read his book together and there is an exchange of ideas. The teacher, however, does most of the talking. She tries to engage Ryan by asking him questions. It is fair to say that ‘acquisition’ experiences are not available for Ryan in this class. Many of his classmates learn about school from a very young age and know how the system works.
Ryan’s experiences at school are very different when he is on the soccer field with his classmates. This is a place Ryan has a lot of experience and feels very comfortable. He appears to be very skilled and engaged. It would seem by watching Ryan play soccer that he has grown up from a young age with his team members learning to play soccer. But just like the idea that ‘learning a language is not learning different words for the same things’ knowing the skills to play soccer are not the only thing necessary to playing soccer in a different country. Yao Ming once said, “Basketball in America is like a culture. It is like a foreigner learning a new language. It is difficult to learn foreign languages and it will also be difficult for me to learn the culture for basketball here.” According to his ELL teacher, soccer is an important part of Ryan’s life and is often the subject of conversation during her interactions with him. Luckily the ELL teacher’s children play soccer so she is somewhat familiar with the soccer culture in Canada. She sees this common interest as a connection between the two and an authentic way for her to share thoughts and feelings with him.
Scott’s Story
Scott attends the same school as Ryan. He has been a student at this school since kindergarten. Scott is known by most if not all teachers in the school and is often the topic of conversation in the staffroom. He was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago and is medicated for this condition. When told that Scott will be in their class, teachers prepare themselves for a challenging experience. Whether in the classroom, on the playground or at home, Scott doesn’t fit in.
Early on in the year, Scott’s classroom teacher met his step brother and sister. “So is Scott driving you crazy yet,” his older sister asked his teacher. “He drives my mom crazy and she is constantly yelling at him to finish his breakfast, stop fooling around…,” she continued. This first glimpse into Scott’s home life gave the teacher a lot to think about. In this case the step mother was “Whinny the Witch,” not the classroom teacher.
Scott’s teacher attended meeting with his father, the social worker and principal. Their goal was to try to make Scott fit into a traditional classroom environment. However, one thing they didn’t know was that Scott’s teacher was not a traditional classroom teacher and didn’t practice in a traditional classroom environment.
After listening to the advice of his father, Scott sat at his desk quietly preparing to listen to his teacher. The teacher sat in her chair and invited the students to join her at the carpet. After a short time Scott began to move around and find small things on the carpet to play with. He ended up at the back of the group appearing to be distracted and not paying attention to the conversation. When the teacher talked about something that was of particular interest to Scott, he stopped moving and focused intently on what the teacher was saying. At other times Scott would stop moving when he questioned something or wanted to share something significant with the class. Clearly he was paying attention. Just like the video clip we saw in class, students who appear to be distracted may in fact be very much engaged in the lesson. Luckily for Scott, early in the year his teacher recognized his ability to focus when it appeared he was not engaged.
Scott loved books and was a very expressive, fluent reader. The reading center was his favourite place in the classroom and he often read with another students. Since he was able to read more challenging material Scott took the responsibility to read the book while other students listened. Sprawled out with a book on the floored, Scott would jump to his feet when he had something exciting to share. “Shark expert who practices unusual research methods was bitten by a great white shark.” he exclaimed along with a gruesome picture to share.
This teacher clearly had respect for her students and allowed for alternative ways of interacting in the classroom. As Palmer suggests “… good teaching requires the teacher to yield some control in order to empower the group.”
Both Ryan and Scott’s school experiences were enhanced by teachers who took the time to hear and understand their stories. Many students come to school groomed to fit into the traditional white middle class education system. However, more and more students who don’t have these experiences are entering our school doors. Clearly the traditional ways of learning in school are not meeting the needs of all students forcing educators to change their beliefs about learning.
Wenger’s theory of a more natural/social learning experience really applies to me. “What if we assumed that learning is as much a part of our human nature as eating or sleeping, that it is both life-sustaining and inevitable, and that given a chance – we are quite good at it?” For me, this statement feels like a breath of fresh air. It provides for a more authentic learning experience that respects the perspectives and abilities of all students.
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