A Few Parting Words

I can say with confidence that a lot of what I read this semester has opened my eyes to different perspectives when it comes to the world of education. To be honest, there's too much that I could write about each topic, but that's what the blogs have been for, right??

The first thing that I think was the biggest eye-opener for me would be the topic of asset-based education. I've been able to apply that lens to my studies in music education, and to say it's helped me rework how I connect with my students would be a vast understatement. Connecting with students and writing lessons based on their interests and what they can do has shifted their mood to where they look forward to coming to music class every week, and that's something that I'll continue to hold in my heart.

On another note, the "Precious Knowledge" documentary we watched in class also helped me see other perspectives in how we can help students engage in learning. Seeing the Ethnic Studies courses in action and how motivated the students were to participate showed me that, as Delpit wrote in "The Silenced Dialogue," we must not only listen to our students, but we also must hear them. We must take their perspective seriously and use it to recognize our own internal biases and work towards providing our students with an equal, free, and appropriate education.

Lastly, I think I enjoyed reading the article on neurodiversity the most because I was able to recollect my memories of how autism has affected my elementary school (and even middle and high school) performance--academically and socially--and truly feel like I wasn't a bad kid, or a troublemaker. I was genuinely struggling, and I had no support. Advocating for neurodiverse students is something I have grown to be passionate about, and I've learned to adapt my teaching styles to these neurodiverse students. 

It Feels Good to Be Yourself

Rhode Island provides extensive guidance on providing safe and supportive classroom environments for transgender and non-conforming students across elementary and secondary education. The aim of this guidance is to reduce stigmatization and discrimination towards these individuals and to foster a successful educational environment. Through enactments of Title IX (1972) and the Civil Rights Act (1964), educators are provided with information needed to respond to sex-based harassment, provide privacy to students related to transgender status, and to treat students consistent with their gender identity, regardless of what they are indicated as in their school record. 

These terms help educators accurately identify specific circumstances and/or aid in fostering an inclusive environment. Important terms such as gender identity provide new perspectives into how students see themselves compared to how they are seen in their records. Those who do not see themselves as the sex they were assigned at birth gradually start to express themselves in the form of the gender identity they see themselves as, and this process is called transitioning. Schools are advised to protect any students' privacy, as there are risks around notifying the family of transitioning, going as far as being kicked out of the house.

Since middle school, I've befriended a great number of people who identify as transgender or non-conforming, and the stories that they have confided in me with are unlike any other I've heard. It's ridiculous that these people have to be afraid to express themselves in ways that make them feel like themselves. These are people that are getting harassed, assaulted, and even killed for identifying in a different way. Watching the "Woke Read-Aloud" video, alongside a few others in the series, gives me hope that the next generation of our society will grow to break the cycle of mistreating the people around us because they aren't seen as "normal." No matter who you are, or how you express yourself, it should always feel good to be yourself.

The Ever-Changing World of Neurodiversity

Caroline Miller discusses neurodiversity, specifically in how it has evolved medically and socially. Miller says that neurodiversity is a broad concept that provides a label for the variations in our brain structures. Neurodiversity as a movement was launched by Judy Singer to advocate for these individuals, whom she called "neurological minorities," pushing for their differences not to be viewed as hindrances or deficits, but more as variations on how their brains work. The article says that while neurodiversity as a term was coined to fight the stigma against those who have autism, the term has been adjusted to include other learning disorders such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD), sensory processing issues, and more. Since the movement for neurodiversity was launched, educators and other advocates have fought to create inclusive environments and to emphasize the strengths of neurodivergent individuals (especially students) to help them receive the free and appropriate public education (FAPE) that they deserve.

As someone who was diagnosed with ASD early on in life (who also has suspicions of ADHD symptoms, but that's a different conversation), it was refreshing to see that people have been advocating for students like me for longer than I've been led to believe. It made me feel seen. It made me feel heard. It made me feel like I truly belonged in every setting I've been in. The unfortunate part of my experiences in the world of education were that I was seen mostly as a hindrance, not someone who was genuinely struggling to follow in everyone else's steps. I would habitually forget many things that seemed routine to others, and it affected my academic performance drastically. I would sometimes be a little too loud during class instruction, and I would be called out during class, and even sometimes sent out in the hallway for a brief period of time. I didn't see that what I was doing was disruptive; in my eyes, I was happy. I was attempting to make a connection with my classmates. I struggled to pick up on social cues and register that what I was doing in class was disruptive to others. It took a lot of fighting, but my mother eventually got me on a 504 plan throughout elementary school and middle school. 

This plan provided me with accommodations to help my academic performance and my neural development. I was given a checklist that had things that I was supposed to bring home every day--homework assignments, permission slips, etc.--that I had to bring to my teacher at the end of the school day, and we would go through every single pocket of my backpack to make sure I had everything that I needed, and that I had it in the right place. Soon enough, my academic performance improved, and how I displayed myself changed as well. I was less disruptive. Not by much, but at these points, I had teachers that had an idea of how I functioned as a person, and they were nothing but patient with me throughout my time as a student, especially my middle school social studies teacher. We shared a lot of common interests, and he was able to connect with me. He was one of the few teachers that I knew would accept me for who I was, and he was able to engage with his lessons a little more easily.

Blog 4/2: Classroom Observation

There's a fourth-grader in the music class at the school that I'm currently observing who I believe fits into the description of "troublemaker" that Shalaby writes about. He is a student with ADHD who does have a habit of disrupting the class, but usually it is due to him having a high amount of energy. The music teacher is normally very patient with him, not escalating to a punishment unless he is consistently reminded to stop disrupting the class, and even then he's usually told to take a quick walk. He's not one that is said to "have an attitude," which is unlike the stories of the students shared in Shalaby's writing, but his experiences are shared with said students. However, he was recently suspended for starting a fight with another student, and he has not returned to class since that fight. I was not given specifics on what caused the fight or who else was involved in it, but I do know that this child does not normally act this way towards other people and that it was surprising to hear what had happened when I came in for my first observation in almost a month. He tends to interact with the other students fairly well; he's occasionally told to stop by certain students when he gets overly rowdy, but most of the time, the students are laughing along with his antics–an average classroom scene for many.

Carla Shalaby: "Troublemakers"

When reading Carla Shalaby’s preface to Troublemakers, I couldn’t help but reflect on not just my own experiences in school growing up, but also in my experiences observing various classrooms across different grade levels. To think about what these kids go through every day of their lives while trying to enjoy what they have left of their childhood is heartbreaking to think about. Shalaby distinctly writes about the experiences of four elementary-school students to show a new vision, one that highlights life through the eyes of children that are considered troublemakers or challenges. This is a different approach to how most researchers aim to view educational settings. Whereas most will follow those who fall into the criteria of “leaders,” Shalaby shows how these students are continuously marginalized and isolated from their peers. To quote her directly, “the patterns of their experiences, especially those of older children, are well documented in what we know about the school-to-prison pipeline” (xix). She cites the notably higher percentage of preschool expulsion and suspension rates in children of color in comparison to white children, and writes that these children are the ones from whom we can learn the most about freedom. 

I can’t help but think about how important it is to view life through the eyes of the students that Shalaby has chosen for this book. We’re always reading stories about “who can behave the best?” “who can sit the quietest for the longest amount of time?” and even being subjected to such ruses as “anyone who follows the rules the most this week wins a cool eraser!!” but these stories inadvertently paint those who speak out against this conformity as “issues” that need to be solved. But are these “issues” really solved? Or are they simply removed? 

While reading Kazandra’s blog, her recollection of her experience witnessing a student be called out for their behavior in front of the entire class stood out to me in particular, especially when the student would isolate himself from the rest of the class and there was never any questioning on why the student never wanted to be a part of the rest of the class. The student simply accepted that he was placed in an environment that decided to “label” him instead of “listen” to him.

 

Removing issues does not solve the issues, just as throwing away a broken toy does not fix it. We have to acknowledge our internal biases, fix our system, and work with these “troublemaking children,” not against them.

Connections: What to Look for in a Classroom (Kohn)

When reviewing Kohn’s chart of classroom evaluation, many aspects reminded me of the readings about asset-based education and the Broken Model of education. The material that is covered in the “Good Signs” column reflect many points that were mentioned by Bertolini & Renkly in “Shifting the Paradigm” and Khan in “The Broken Model,” mainly in how the class is ran. Many aspects of how a class is conducted traditionally are listed in the “Possible Reasons to Worry” column: chairs and desks facing forward and/or in rows rather than in groups; students waiting to be called on by the teacher in class discussion rather than encouraging discussion between classmates; a controlling and demanding tone from the teacher, etc. Both texts agree with each other in that our current system of education is flawed in so many different ways, and that it is failing many of our students who get thrown off the path of success because their needs and problems are not being acknowledged. Having an atmosphere that falls into the criteria listed in the “Good Signs” column can shift our education system towards that of an “asset-based education,” encouraging creativity, student connection, as well as an overall positive and welcoming environment for the students.

Another thing that stood out to me when analyzing the chart was the general focus on the students in each setting. From my experiences in classes that utilize both styles of teaching (the “traditional” rows of desks with teacher-centric learning vs. the “newer” groups of desks with student-centric learning), both settings have their benefits and their downsides, but overall I felt as if the student-centered learning showed more confidence overall in students, even with what could be seen as “difficult” material. Although the “traditional” classroom structure does allow for students to ask questions from the teacher regarding material they are struggling with, the structure covered in Kohn’s chart allows for more student connection and, subsequently, a more active classroom environment. This can also help prepare students for college and the workforce, where collaboration with peers is crucial for a successful work environment.

Reflection - Finn: "From Literacy with an Attitude"

Finn describes his experiences in graduate school alongside the writings of Paulo Freire, a university professor in Brazil who founded an adult literacy program for the illiterate poor, specifically of his experiences with working with his community. He describes different approaches Freire utilized when working with this group of people, starting first with reflections on the concepts of justice before even beginning the process of teaching them to read and write. He approached his education in this way because he believed that “literacy would make them far better able to engage in the struggle they would certainly face if they tried to get a better deal” (2). Rather than teaching this community literacy to become better citizens, workers, and Christians, he taught them literacy to engage in the struggle for justice. At this point in time, discussing justice was seen as a radical viewpoint due to the huge divide between the rich and the poor.

Sound familiar yet?

We live in a society where people are beginning to point out a similar-sized gap between the ultra-rich and those who are stricken with poverty. It would make sense for those in poverty to be assisted to where they can be lifted out of this state of poverty and have a high quality life, right? Well, it doesn’t to the ultra-rich. Time and time again, bills that would shrink the gap between the poverty class and the ultra-rich are constantly thrown out, because then that means less money for the rich. And not just that, we have seen a constant fight to defund and dismantle our own Department of Education, in the name of “fighting wokeness.” The reality is, the rich that hold power do not want us to be educated. They want us to learn to become better citizens, better workers, and better Christians, just like Freire’s experiences in Brazil.

So with this in mind, what is there to do? Is there anything we can do? Do we have the power to change the culture of education being crafted?

Well, it’s not easy, but we have been given this power through our Constitutional rights, no matter how much our government tries to reduce them. We have the power to peaceably assemble and protest, we have the ability to call upon our lawmakers to do what is right for their constituents, and we have the power to create change through our votes. It may not seem like our vote has that kind of power, but slowly but surely it can create a change towards a better society. There is more power in numbers.