Identify a quote from a section of this article that caused you to have a strong reaction. (no more than 150 words). We will be sharing these in our small group discussions.
"The implications of this stance of cultural difference instead of deficit for educators is profound."
I really loved where the article went with this topic. At school, aside from specific cases, students are equally instructed. However, not one student comes into school with the same early childhood experience as another. Before going into the school system, we learn and are raised at home by our caretakers and their cultures. Every student has difference experiences with written language. It is more prevalent in some homes than in others depending on a variety of factors.
I really liked the example Purcell provided about the driver's examination. We wouldn't expect someone who has never been in a car before to know where the pedals are. In the rural United States, we ride in vehicles almost every day. In other areas, people go their entire lives never having driven. This is not a deficit, but just a different way of living.
"I see literacy use as cultural practice. It is cultural practice because reading and writing are woven into the everyday experiences of people, and these everyday activities, attitudes, and beliefs help to define and distinguish among cultural groups."
I never thought about literacy in just this way- as a cultural thing, but reading this article, it made sense to me. I thought that the example of the child who was having difficulty learning to read because neither of his parents could and so he didn't have the necessary background was very helpful in illustrating the problem. When looked at as a cultural background thing and not as though he was just unintelligent and couldn't do it, he was able to make progress. That cultural background could be important for all academic subjects and is certainly something to keep in mind.
"Without an understanding that written language communicates - that it means, he had no idea what to do when he was "taught" to "sound out" words, to match beginning letter sounds, to fill in blanks using words he was supposed to have learned."
This article brought a different perspective on culture and literacy to the table. I had never thought about how culture and literacy fall victim to power, especially in educational settings. So many professionals and non-professionals assume this difference to be a deficit/flaw, which automatically allows them to write off the children, as the article stated. If we were able to see this more as a cultural difference in experience, it allows teachers/educators/counselors/administrators to step up and be advocates for students who fall into this category.
" And when we do this we play god conferring or denying educational opportunity to individual, social culturally different children". Teachers do e r a lot without thinking about it. As the article mentions teachers tend to discount a student’s ability with the environment they are raised in. When this happens the students lose out more than anyone. As a teacher it is our responsibility to ensure all students succeed to the best of our ability. Sometimes we have to learn to step out of their comfort zone and reach out to the students on a more personal level. Just yesterday I was substituting for an art class and they were to write an essay about a famous artist. An African American student came up to me and stated that he couldn’t do the assignment and when I asked him why he stated that he didn’t know of any famous African American artists. He stated this in a joking tone but rather than just push it aside I took the opportunity to create a the stated this in a joking tone but rather than just push it aside I took the opportunity to create a teaching moment. I looked up on the internet and found plenty of famous African American artists and also explain to him that art was more than just painting rather any form of expression which he took to with the association with music This seem to connect with him and I believe rather than criticize when a student shows their culture we as teachers need to emphasize it as a way of teaching.
“My ultimate wish would be to erase this imbalance of power.”
This quote stuck with me because I think one of the many responsibilities of a school counselor is to advocate for all students and try to make the school playing field as equal as possible. Not every student comes to school with the same family, home life, culture, background, etc. so we need to, as teachers and counselors, to provide the same resources and to help those students who may not have had all the same benefits even more.
I appreciated the angle this article presented because I think bringing awareness to this issue is a step in the right direction. Not a single student should fall victim to not having all the opportunities offered because of their culture or literacy. School faculty members need to remember that sometimes we need to be the voice for our students.
"To learn about written language. To learn that 'print says.' To learn that written stories sound different from the way people talk, to learn that letters make words and words make sentences, and that when you read you must begin at the left and move your eyes across to the right and then go back to the left again, to learn that letters stand for individual sounds-- to learn all of these basic concepts requires extensive experience with people using print, with people reading and writing around you and to you and for you and allowing you to try your hand at reading and writing." (pg. 125)
I know it is a long quote, and it is early on in the article, but this really made me realize how much goes into learning to read and write before we actually learn to read and write. It also made me realize how easily something this important can be overlooked or not experienced at all. I like when I am forced to think about things that come easily to me, like reading and writing. I think when we are forced to analyze things that have become second nature, we are able to see and understand why it is not easy for everyone.
"First, and most obvious, teachers and schools must accept, believe, and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at any time, and will learn."
This is a crucially powerful statement about the mindset a good teacher should keep. Yes, there will be difficult students who challenge you but remembering that they are a child who deserves nothing less than a positive future, can quickly put things back in perspective. A child cannot change or control many things in their life and often those who are impoverished find the most fun part of their day is at school with teachers and friends. Children need encouragement and to avoid feeling shame for not being the best student in the classroom. This article has a passionate message and was an enjoyable read.
"It does make a difference how we interpret this."
As a counselor, we are always taught to see the bigger picture. This is true of all people and scenarios. In schools, oftentimes this is not the case though. This applies to language, appearance, behavior, and more. What many see as a deficit or an issue that a child inherently has is oftentimes so much more. The bigger picture includes looking at life experience, not limited to home life, trauma, etc. Children's learning and behavior is shaped by these experiences, for better or for worse. Without taking this into consideration, we overlook many students with potential to be great. As educators, it our job to be educated, and it is our job to look at the bigger picture.
"It suggests, among other things, that children who experience other people in their lives reading and writing for many different reasons in the years before they begin school are better equipped conceptually to make sense of-- to learn from-- the beginning reading and writing instruction.."
This passage reminds me of the research I have been studying in another class about instructing reading to students with difficulties. There seems to be little to no correlation between intellectual and physiological deficiencies and reading ability. The greatest factor that will influence a student's ability to read is her socio-economic status (SES), which this passage distills as the need for early childhood models to show reading applied in context before children enter school. The importance to early childhood modelling for reading and other learning activities reaffirms my belief in the necessity of programs like Head Start that have proven success rates in advancing the reading levels of low income students in the US compared to similar students from other developed countries. Young learners thrive in an environment where reading is a daily occurrence and literacy is integrated in learning, play, and entertainment by all members of the family.
"It does make a difference how we interpret this. If we assume that Phil's problem is due to a deficit, it is easier to write him off, tell him he can't learn to drive, or put him in a remedial drivers ed class that gives the same classroom instructions at a slower pace but still without giving him experience with cars...(etc.)" The entire example regarding learning and experience.
While elementary, the principle that the outcome of a student’s difficulties will be greatly dependent upon the teacher’s approach is, in my experience, often overlooked. The role of an educator and making assumptions seems like an obviously poisonous mixture. However, since the skills that are taught in our schools are considered essential to be useful to or successful in our society it is almost natural that a disdain would be felt for someone who is struggling. Certainly this is the case if their struggle can be misattributed to qualities of “laziness” or “ignorance” within the student or their household. By taking an experiential perspective on the accumulation of knowledge, and tempering our approach with dedication and compassion, we could work toward a more integrated and inclusive society. Ultimately the goal of education shouldn’t be to perpetuate the societal roles that we are given at birth but rather an elimination of the ideas of an underclass and eventually the existence of that strata of society.
"...teachers and schools must accept, believe and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at anytime, and will learn." I think this is true for all students they have been learning and will continue too. We shouldn't write off any student who is struggling, but instead support them to move forward and learn more. We can always learn new things from all areas- we learn from others and we learn from our students. How can we say they are going to fail just by where they are from or how they speak?
“I believe so; I believe that if we claim to allow equal access to educational opportunity to all children in our schools then we must. But I also know that whether we interpret differences among children—or adults—as deficit or difference depends primarily on our preconceptions, attitudes toward, and stereotypes we hold toward the individual children’s communities and cultures”.
This quote stood out to me the most because an important piece to being a school counselor, as well as teacher, is being multiculturally aware. Being educated about the diverse populations within your school is essential. I think especially working in West Virginia, it is important to know about Appalachian culture and poverty as that plays a major role in the communities all over our state. It is also important to recognize within yourself biases, stereotypes, attitudes and beliefs that may hinder your ability to see a student as a human being with different life experiences, rather than a “deficit” or “difference”. It truly centers around staying educated and having empathy for another person.
“First, and most obvious, teachers and schools must accept, believe, and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at any time, and will learn.”
This quote is an excellent reminder that all children have the capacity to learn. They may just need some additional help and attention. In other classes such as Reading and Educational Psychology we have learned that parental involvement and socio-economic status of students are great predictors of the academic success of students. I found it deeply disturbing in this article that the teachers and administrators in that school ignored Donny’s mother’s requests of phone calls and what she thought her son needed from them to help him succeed. She was truly a great parent; she wanted her son to have a better education than she herself received. That is certainly admirable. Even though she could not provide her son with the help he needed she attempted to seek out this help for him. As teachers I think we all need to be more aware of the difficulties our students face in their home lives. We should be willing and available to provide as much help and support as we can. Even if students come from homes of poverty doesn’t mean that they don’t want better for themselves one day, they just need a good teacher to take an interest in them and help them on the path to pursuing their dreams.
“Donny’s failure to learn was not considered worthy of attention, and Jenny’s inability to get herself heard was intimately related to this fact. Jenny wasn’t taken seriously as a rightfully concerned mother because it is a deeply held belief, or stereotype, of the middle class that poor urban Appalachians are unfit as parents.”
This article was difficult for me to read, and this quote does a good job of explaining why. I think that folks in the middle and upper classes develop a very surprisingly inhuman view of our counterparts in underprivileged parts of the world. As I realized while reading this article, many of the reasons these people do not succeed or are greatly hindered in doing so are the people are supposed to be helping. I think a large reason this happens is because people don’t realize they even have these stereotypes just as Donny and Jenny (in the writing) didn’t realize that their own words could be written down for others to read. It’s through challenging our own lack of knowledge that we can help others with the same.
"The implications of this stance of cultural difference instead of deficit for educators is profound."
ReplyDeleteI really loved where the article went with this topic. At school, aside from specific cases, students are equally instructed. However, not one student comes into school with the same early childhood experience as another. Before going into the school system, we learn and are raised at home by our caretakers and their cultures. Every student has difference experiences with written language. It is more prevalent in some homes than in others depending on a variety of factors.
I really liked the example Purcell provided about the driver's examination. We wouldn't expect someone who has never been in a car before to know where the pedals are. In the rural United States, we ride in vehicles almost every day. In other areas, people go their entire lives never having driven. This is not a deficit, but just a different way of living.
"I see literacy use as cultural practice. It is cultural practice because reading and writing are woven into the everyday experiences of people, and these everyday activities, attitudes, and beliefs help to define and distinguish among cultural groups."
ReplyDeleteI never thought about literacy in just this way- as a cultural thing, but reading this article, it made sense to me. I thought that the example of the child who was having difficulty learning to read because neither of his parents could and so he didn't have the necessary background was very helpful in illustrating the problem. When looked at as a cultural background thing and not as though he was just unintelligent and couldn't do it, he was able to make progress. That cultural background could be important for all academic subjects and is certainly something to keep in mind.
"Without an understanding that written language communicates - that it means, he had no idea what to do when he was "taught" to "sound out" words, to match beginning letter sounds, to fill in blanks using words he was supposed to have learned."
ReplyDeleteThis article brought a different perspective on culture and literacy to the table. I had never thought about how culture and literacy fall victim to power, especially in educational settings. So many professionals and non-professionals assume this difference to be a deficit/flaw, which automatically allows them to write off the children, as the article stated. If we were able to see this more as a cultural difference in experience, it allows teachers/educators/counselors/administrators to step up and be advocates for students who fall into this category.
" And when we do this we play god conferring or denying educational opportunity to individual, social culturally different children". Teachers do e r a lot without thinking about it. As the article mentions teachers tend to discount a student’s ability with the environment they are raised in. When this happens the students lose out more than anyone.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher it is our responsibility to ensure all students succeed to the best of our ability. Sometimes we have to learn to step out of their comfort zone and reach out to the students on a more personal level. Just yesterday I was substituting for an art class and they were to write an essay about a famous artist. An African American student came up to me and stated that he couldn’t do the assignment and when I asked him why he stated that he didn’t know of any famous African American artists. He stated this in a joking tone but rather than just push it aside I took the opportunity to create a the stated this in a joking tone but rather than just push it aside I took the opportunity to create a teaching moment. I looked up on the internet and found plenty of famous African American artists and also explain to him that art was more than just painting rather any form of expression which he took to with the association with music This seem to connect with him and I believe rather than criticize when a student shows their culture we as teachers need to emphasize it as a way of teaching.
“My ultimate wish would be to erase this imbalance of power.”
ReplyDeleteThis quote stuck with me because I think one of the many responsibilities of a school counselor is to advocate for all students and try to make the school playing field as equal as possible. Not every student comes to school with the same family, home life, culture, background, etc. so we need to, as teachers and counselors, to provide the same resources and to help those students who may not have had all the same benefits even more.
I appreciated the angle this article presented because I think bringing awareness to this issue is a step in the right direction. Not a single student should fall victim to not having all the opportunities offered because of their culture or literacy. School faculty members need to remember that sometimes we need to be the voice for our students.
"To learn about written language. To learn that 'print says.' To learn that written stories sound different from the way people talk, to learn that letters make words and words make sentences, and that when you read you must begin at the left and move your eyes across to the right and then go back to the left again, to learn that letters stand for individual sounds-- to learn all of these basic concepts requires extensive experience with people using print, with people reading and writing around you and to you and for you and allowing you to try your hand at reading and writing." (pg. 125)
ReplyDeleteI know it is a long quote, and it is early on in the article, but this really made me realize how much goes into learning to read and write before we actually learn to read and write. It also made me realize how easily something this important can be overlooked or not experienced at all. I like when I am forced to think about things that come easily to me, like reading and writing. I think when we are forced to analyze things that have become second nature, we are able to see and understand why it is not easy for everyone.
"First, and most obvious, teachers and schools must accept, believe, and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at any time, and will learn."
ReplyDeleteThis is a crucially powerful statement about the mindset a good teacher should keep. Yes, there will be difficult students who challenge you but remembering that they are a child who deserves nothing less than a positive future, can quickly put things back in perspective. A child cannot change or control many things in their life and often those who are impoverished find the most fun part of their day is at school with teachers and friends. Children need encouragement and to avoid feeling shame for not being the best student in the classroom. This article has a passionate message and was an enjoyable read.
I don't know how to go back and edit my name but this post is written by Ashley Bradley. Sorry??
Delete"It does make a difference how we interpret this."
ReplyDeleteAs a counselor, we are always taught to see the bigger picture. This is true of all people and scenarios. In schools, oftentimes this is not the case though. This applies to language, appearance, behavior, and more. What many see as a deficit or an issue that a child inherently has is oftentimes so much more. The bigger picture includes looking at life experience, not limited to home life, trauma, etc. Children's learning and behavior is shaped by these experiences, for better or for worse. Without taking this into consideration, we overlook many students with potential to be great. As educators, it our job to be educated, and it is our job to look at the bigger picture.
"It suggests, among other things, that children who experience other people in their lives reading and writing for many different reasons in the years before they begin school are better equipped conceptually to make sense of-- to learn from-- the beginning reading and writing instruction.."
ReplyDeleteThis passage reminds me of the research I have been studying in another class about instructing reading to students with difficulties. There seems to be little to no correlation between intellectual and physiological deficiencies and reading ability. The greatest factor that will influence a student's ability to read is her socio-economic status (SES), which this passage distills as the need for early childhood models to show reading applied in context before children enter school. The importance to early childhood modelling for reading and other learning activities reaffirms my belief in the necessity of programs like Head Start that have proven success rates in advancing the reading levels of low income students in the US compared to similar students from other developed countries. Young learners thrive in an environment where reading is a daily occurrence and literacy is integrated in learning, play, and entertainment by all members of the family.
"It does make a difference how we interpret this. If we assume that Phil's problem is due to a deficit, it is easier to write him off, tell him he can't learn to drive, or put him in a remedial drivers ed class that gives the same classroom instructions at a slower pace but still without giving him experience with cars...(etc.)" The entire example regarding learning and experience.
ReplyDeleteWhile elementary, the principle that the outcome of a student’s difficulties will be greatly dependent upon the teacher’s approach is, in my experience, often overlooked. The role of an educator and making assumptions seems like an obviously poisonous mixture. However, since the skills that are taught in our schools are considered essential to be useful to or successful in our society it is almost natural that a disdain would be felt for someone who is struggling. Certainly this is the case if their struggle can be misattributed to qualities of “laziness” or “ignorance” within the student or their household. By taking an experiential perspective on the accumulation of knowledge, and tempering our approach with dedication and compassion, we could work toward a more integrated and inclusive society. Ultimately the goal of education shouldn’t be to perpetuate the societal roles that we are given at birth but rather an elimination of the ideas of an underclass and eventually the existence of that strata of society.
"...teachers and schools must accept, believe and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at anytime, and will learn." I think this is true for all students they have been learning and will continue too. We shouldn't write off any student who is struggling, but instead support them to move forward and learn more. We can always learn new things from all areas- we learn from others and we learn from our students. How can we say they are going to fail just by where they are from or how they speak?
ReplyDelete“I believe so; I believe that if we claim to allow equal access to educational opportunity to all children in our schools then we must. But I also know that whether we interpret differences among children—or adults—as deficit or difference depends primarily on our preconceptions, attitudes toward, and stereotypes we hold toward the individual children’s communities and cultures”.
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me the most because an important piece to being a school counselor, as well as teacher, is being multiculturally aware. Being educated about the diverse populations within your school is essential. I think especially working in West Virginia, it is important to know about Appalachian culture and poverty as that plays a major role in the communities all over our state. It is also important to recognize within yourself biases, stereotypes, attitudes and beliefs that may hinder your ability to see a student as a human being with different life experiences, rather than a “deficit” or “difference”. It truly centers around staying educated and having empathy for another person.
“First, and most obvious, teachers and schools must accept, believe, and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at any time, and will learn.”
ReplyDeleteThis quote is an excellent reminder that all children have the capacity to learn. They may just need some additional help and attention. In other classes such as Reading and Educational Psychology we have learned that parental involvement and socio-economic status of students are great predictors of the academic success of students. I found it deeply disturbing in this article that the teachers and administrators in that school ignored Donny’s mother’s requests of phone calls and what she thought her son needed from them to help him succeed. She was truly a great parent; she wanted her son to have a better education than she herself received. That is certainly admirable. Even though she could not provide her son with the help he needed she attempted to seek out this help for him. As teachers I think we all need to be more aware of the difficulties our students face in their home lives. We should be willing and available to provide as much help and support as we can. Even if students come from homes of poverty doesn’t mean that they don’t want better for themselves one day, they just need a good teacher to take an interest in them and help them on the path to pursuing their dreams.
“Donny’s failure to learn was not considered worthy of attention, and Jenny’s inability to get herself heard was intimately related to this fact. Jenny wasn’t taken seriously as a rightfully concerned mother because it is a deeply held belief, or stereotype, of the middle class that poor urban Appalachians are unfit as parents.”
ReplyDeleteThis article was difficult for me to read, and this quote does a good job of explaining why. I think that folks in the middle and upper classes develop a very surprisingly inhuman view of our counterparts in underprivileged parts of the world. As I realized while reading this article, many of the reasons these people do not succeed or are greatly hindered in doing so are the people are supposed to be helping. I think a large reason this happens is because people don’t realize they even have these stereotypes just as Donny and Jenny (in the writing) didn’t realize that their own words could be written down for others to read. It’s through challenging our own lack of knowledge that we can help others with the same.