Post #11

3 Things That Stand Out To Me 

Kohn, What to look for in a classroom: I really liked this chart by Alfie Kohn, it was very easy on the eyes. It gave you a bunch of different things you would find in a classroom and gave examples of good signs or reasons to worry. Specifically in my service learning classroom they have a bunch of tables and comfortable seating areas where they can sit and gather with other students. For tasks, good signs would be different activities and working with pairs or in groups, however, in the classroom a lot of the time the students are just working independently on the computer. Therefore, they are able to sit next to other classmates but they usually can't talk or work with one another while doing certain assignments that require them to work alone. 

Service Learning: I felt that being able to do the service learning and having the opportunity to go into schools is great for seeing what we would be doing in our future and get experience by being in the classrooms working with the students. Even though I was hoping to have a better experience in the service learning class I was still able to observe the classroom and make some connections with the students. It was also good to see the type of teaching style the teacher had to see what things worked that I could in my classroom one day and what things I disagreed with. Overall, it was a good learning experience and very beneficial being in that environment. 

Lisa Delpit, The Silenced Dialogue: Sometimes teachers don't even realize how much power and influence they have over their students. Especially when working with younger kids they haven't formed many opinions and experience many things yet so they rely on their teachers and take in everything that is being said to them. Lisa Delpit explains that teachers should and need to teach the rules and codes of power to the students in their classroom, especially for those who might not have learned them at home. In my service learning class I haven't seen any sign of this, I am only there for a certain period of time but it seems there isn't much classroom discussions, it mostly consists of the students doing independent work. 

Post #10

Queering Our Schools

Quotes

After reading Queering Our Schools there were many important points that I thought should be talked about. Starting with, "The cornerstone of nurturing classrooms and schools is community, where everyone talks out problems, gets to know each other, and feels that they are part of something larger than themselves. Part of this is emphasizing empathy, which is at the heart of both solidarity and social justice teaching, and thus at the heart of creating safe spaces for everyone." It is important to create a safe place so that everyone feels comfortable, for example having adults around if any of the students need someone to talk about gender and sexuality or anything else they may have questions about or just need someone to talk to. "What about enlarging a study of the Harlem Renaissance to explore the lives and impact of such LGBTQ poets, authors, and musicians as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Angelina Weld Grimké, Ethel Waters, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Josephine Baker? What about including the Lavender Scare in the study of the McCarthy era? Or the Stonewall Riots as part of the political foment of the late ’60s? Or considering implications of the campaign for LGBTQ acceptance in the military in the context of questioning current U.S. military strategy?" I felt this was a great idea by involving LGBTQ into the curriculum and classroom readings to learn about the history of their lives. It is good for both students who aren't as familiar with the topic and with students who already are. "When you invite kids to talk openly and ask questions about gender and sexuality, you have to be ready for whatever happens. It’s trickier than geometry." It may be tricky talking about this topic sometimes, especially depending on what age level you are talking to but it is important that the students feel they have someone they can talk to about this and know they can always come up to you if they have any questions. Students will probably feel more welcomed and accepted when you talk about LGBTQ in the classrooms. 

A point I would want to share with the class is the question, "How do we create classrooms and schools where each child, parent, and staff member’s unique, beautiful self is appreciated and nurtured?" I feel that this is a very important question and quote that should be talked about more, to come up with ways to make it happen. 

https://www.city-journal.org/article/queering-the-schools#:~:text=This%20movement%20to%20%E2%80%9Cqueer,mirrored%20the%20civil%20rights%20movement.

Post #9

Hehir, Toward Ending Ableism in Education 

Quotes 

After reading the article Toward Ending Ableism in Education by Thomas Hehir, he talks about ableism especially in classrooms and how it's important for students with disabilities to be with all students and not just ones with disabilities. "From an ableist perspective, the devaluation of disability results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with non disabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids, etc. In short, in the eyes of many educators and society, it is preferable for disabled students to do things in the same manner as non disabled kids." This quote shows that ableist think the only right way to do things is if it is a "norm". However, kids that are disabled shouldn't be forced to do things and learn a certain way, it should be however they feel most comfortable and ways that is going to benefit them. "I contend that negative cultural assumptions about disability continue to have a negative influence on the education of children with disabilities. The pervasiveness of ableist assumptions in the education of these children not only reinforces prevailing prejudices against disability but may very well contribute to low levels of educational attainment and employment." If people keep spreading around that kids that are disabled are going to have low levels of education and employment than that is what's going to happen, instead of thinking the other way around so that everyone is spending enough time with them and giving them opportunities so that they can succeed. In the "Toward Ending Ableism in Education" section I really liked this sentence, "Encourage disabled students to develop and use skills and modes of expression that are most effective and efficient for them." It is important that these students are learning and navigating ways that are going to benefit them and for teachers to help these students and give them a little more attention if needed to make sure they are doing well. 

A point I would want to bring up to the class is the Toward Ending Ableism in Education section and bring up all the key points, for example, Include disability as part of schools’ overall diversity efforts, Encourage disabled students to develop and use skills and modes of expression that are most effective and efficient for them, Special education should be specialized, and more. 

Hyperlink: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/disabilities/