Sunday, September 9, 2012
Dilemma: Sarah Learning to Care
I read the article "Learning to Care for Students in the Urban Setting." I found this article interesting and easy to relate to, since my school is in an urban area. The dilemma discussed in the article is about a new teacher who has heard a lot of negative things about the students and families in her new urban setting school. The students were being described to her as "limited English proficient, below grade level. The families were described as "overwhelmed and checked-out." The urban neighborhood was described as "drug infested, crime-ridden and resource deprived." It is hard to form your own opinions when all you hear from the people around you are negative things. So the new teacher Sarah tried hard to connect with her students on a more personal level in order to get rid of the preconceived notions that were formed about the students because they lived in an urban area. Sarah described a specific example of how a students' urban life shaped the way she viewed him. After Sarah took some time and visited her student (Ricky) at home she began to notice a different and positive side of her student. I think it is so important for teachers to form relationships with their students before they judge them on what their ethnicity is or simply where they live. I am teaching in an urban school this year and I know that there are many views and opinions on the type of students that are attending my school. One of my goals this school year is to get to know each of my students before passing any judgement about them. Since forming relationships with our students is so important, what other ways can we form relationships with our students besides visiting their neighborhoods?
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Nicely summarized, Emilee, and I agree with your comments that it is important that teachers get to know more about their students as individuals.
ReplyDeleteI would argue, too, that although we are human, it is vital to our students as individuals that we refrain as much as possible from deciding if we like them or not. Our role, legally, ethically, and professionally, is to teach each child, regardless of abilities, home environment, or likeability.
We want our students to be successful, and data prove that students who can read at or above grade level are more successful in other content areas and are statistically more apt to graduate from high school and further their education.
A great Posting!
Dr. Acevedo
I agree that this was a great way to summarize the article and you put it overall in perfect terms. It is common for teachers to talk about the students in there class and very common for them to engage in conversations with these students previous teachers, to gather information. I agree that this can cause problems with how they see their students and how they see their ability to learn, engage in social situations, and progress throughout the year. With every class I have taken and every placement I have been in throughout the years I have come out strongly believing that children are individuals and the way each of them learn is so important. Being a teacher means you want to teach these students but most importantly get to know them and make a positive impact on them...to do this we need to do what Sarah did and start from scratch, and going to their neighborhoods was a great start. :) Being in an urban environment as well I can relate with this article. My teacher and I have been trying to get to know them and discover how best we can help them as a learner. Anwsering your question..I think getting to know a student comes from their family and fun inviting activities in school. "All About Me" pages/books are a great way for students to show what they like, their culture, their social environment, and all the other great characteristics they possess. Once we as teachers know a bit about who they are or what they like I also think it is important to take a step into that culture, ability, learning style etc. This means researching a culture or what makes them who they are. Children love to express who they are especially through their colorful work! One other thing would be to have opportunities for parents to express concerns..getting to know the family right from the beginning is so important!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how this then might be passed on to other teachers in the school in a respectful manner?...I also wonder if these assumptions or judegements on students also just stem from them coming from/being in an "urban" environment perhaps? I think this was a great article to read it goes for ANY district.
Great postings everyone!
ReplyDelete-I too shared a similar experience as Sarah. My district had a reputation with many negative associations. It was said to be a 'bad neighborhood' populated by low-income families of minority demographics. The way my district was perceived by others, was then what I had adopted, and I was intimidated. The preconceptions mentally prepared me for what I was about to undertake. Now that I have been in the school for nearly 2 weeks, it is clear that it isn't the kids who are 'bad' but rather their environment. Their broken home lives result in outcries during school, no matter what form it takes. It is these children that act out who are in most need of love, support, and attention. Be it a hug or an open ear or even a smile, it is crucial to make a personal connection with each student. These kids are growing up witnessing things that many adults don’t even experience. A school should be a safe, neutral, and happy environment, which is only possible with strong trusting bonds with our students. Unfortunately, many teachers misinterpret these cries for help as threatening or hazardous behavior. They tire quickly from constant policing of the students, and with little school funding, the class sizes continue to grow and become that much more difficult to control, let alone teach. Before long, the teachers are burnt out, and give up or move on, leaving the students to fend for themselves. This vicious cycle is ever more apparent in the public school systems across the nation.
By investing our time and passion into our relationships with our students, we can set a positive example and one day strive to break the cycle. Visiting the neighborhoods is a great way to get on the same playing field as the school population, as would be interacting within the community. For instance, volunteering at a local charity or even simply reading the city's newspaper are excellent opportunities to learn about the surrounding environment. Of course, the best way to learn is through first hand experience. Just being in the school every day and dealing with kids and their parents is very telling. I agree that the relationship with the family is also very important, because if the teacher and parent are working together, the support is that much stronger, and so goes the other way around. You can see what morals and values are upheld, or what is prioritized. To me personally, turning out kind and caring individuals is more important than anything, yet at the same time, our job is to educate. I think perhaps we need to rethink our roles both in and out of the classrooms, and redefine what it means to be a teacher. After reflecting on the teacher dilemma, I cant help but wonder who these negative preconceptions about "urban schools" are molded by, who perpetuates them, and how they can be reshaped. Who's responsibility is it to turn things around? What can I as an intern do in such a situation to help make a difference?