Everyday I'm Hustlin: A Few Thoughts Bouncing Around My Brain

At my after school job, the students have a snack time, then it's on to homework help for an hour, then we have activities (gym, poetry, creative writing, yoga, board games) for an hour.
Last Friday, during homework time, I had one boy, who is normally pretty well behaved, refuse to do his homework. Here is how the conversation went;

Me: Jose, look at the kids around you, what do you see that is different between you and them?
Jose: They are doing their homework.
Me: Bingo! So what are you going to do about that?
Jose: I can't do my homework! I can't read (giggles are heard from the other children)
Me: Jose, you are in the 5th grade, I know you can read
Another student: No, Ms. Kristy, he really can't read
Me: Jose, come with me. Can you read?
Jose: I can't! I read at a 3.2 level.
Me: Well, then you can read, let's see what we can work on.
Jose: No, I don't like reading, and I don't need it.
Me: What kind of future do you think you'll have not being able to read? What are you going to do for a job?
Jose: I'll stay home
Me: And how will you pay bills?
Jose: I'm gonna hustle
Me: Jose, that's not funny
Jose: I'm not kidding
Me: Jose, how many drug dealers do you see living past 35? How many grandfathers do you see that sell drugs? Jose, you can't mean that.
Jose: I don't want to read (puts head down)

Now, to put this conversation into further perspective, I work in North Philadelphia (Killadelphia to some).
After that conversation with Jose, I still can't shake the reality that some of these kids just are not going to make it. It depresses me despite the inevitability.
Some of the best professors I've had in my Master's program have asked us to question the role that education plays, that it should play, and whether education is for everyone. Unfair racial advantage and biases aside, not everyone succeeds by "educational standards"
If it is the case that Jose just hasn't lived up to his potential (which I believe is true), or hasn't been given enough attention, then the issue is something that we CAN and SHOULD fix.
If it is the case that Jose, or any child struggling in school, just does not have the skills or can not live up to educational standards, and if that child has a skill set that is needed in other areas, then what are we doing pushing them so hard and making them feel inadequate?
I mean, there was a time in this country where learning a trade was a valid choice, but in this society of yearly, monthly, weekly testing and benchmarks, everyone is measured to the same standards.
There are obvious reasons why this is unfair and many people are coming to realize that testing is not the most appropriate way to measure skills. The question, however, still remains;
Is school for everyone? As an educator I want all kids to succeed and I have to believe that there is a way to teach everyone. Despite this optimistic mindset, or possibly because of it, it is hard to look at statistics of dropout and failure rates.
I suppose, as a teacher, you have to decide whether you can allow for varying levels of "success" on an individual basis or whether you are going to accept the common notion that being "successful" is earning a High School diploma and going off to college.

Week Two: Speaking, Writing, and Inquiry. English Education, K-12

The Language Debate Continues

Readings discussed:
- ATLANTIC MONTHLY
Academic Ignorance and Black Intelligence
by William Labov

- Language, Register, and Genre by J.R Martin

While I have taken an 'Introduction to Linguistics' course, many educators have not. This is a concern amongst many supporters of varied dialects. In this particular reading, J.R. Martin starts off by explaining the differences between Systemic Linguistics and other schools of linguistics. Simply, Systemic Linguistics has an emphasis on choice, for example "What you say in relation to what you could have said", as well as a belief in having to understand context in order to understand the meaning of what is said.
This reading is very dense and technical, but it basically discusses how we subconsciously choose our words, tone, voice, mood, and theme in very complex manner, one that can be studied and dissected by genre, register, and dialect. This linguistic theory supports the idea of those who believe many dialects are unjustly stigmatized.
William Labov states that"This position holds that inner-city children do not necessarily have inferior mothers, language, or experience, but that the language, family style, and ways of living of inner-city children are significantly different from the standard culture of the classroom, and that this difference is not always properly understood by teachers and psychologists." So, if all language is created equal, then how should we teach? Should there be no rubric for "proper" language in school?
Not quite, there has to be organization and expectation for our students. Without guides and regulation we step further away from a globalized classroom and into a chaotic environment in which our children are not prepared to function in a society that values educational language.
Each learner has the right to learn standard languages, however, as Labov says, "They argue that everyone has the right to learn the standard languages and culture in reading and writing (and speaking, if they are so inclined); but this is the end result, not the beginning of the educational process. They do not believe that the standard language is the only medium in which teaching and learning can take place, or that the first step in education is to convert all first-graders to replicas of white middle-class suburban children." while this statement seems dramatic, it is quite true. Why, when students first enter school, is there not a forum for them to express themselves in a language that they are comfortable with? What are we achieving, as educators, by making students at such a young age feel as though they have failed us because of the way they speak? There should be a way to help students understand the validity of their "home" language", while also teaching them the importance and situational need for standard languages.


The Philadelphia Dialect

While this site might be slightly outdated, it is interesting to look at the linguistic ideas behind how Philadelphians speak.


"Naturally, Philadelphian has its own peculiar vocabulary. Some words are purely local, others are being used in other regions as well. Ten of the most commonly cited usages are as follows;
anymore, at the present time, currently.
baby coach= baby carriage.
bag school= skip school.
hoagie= submarine sandwich.
hotcake= pancake.
scrapple= a local breakfast dish.
square= city block.
pavement= sidewalk.
yo= hey there; hello.
youse= you all, you plural."

I found some of these examples to be particularly hilarious, especially scrapple (apparently no one can explain what it actually is) and, of course, listed is the ever popular "hoagie vs. sub" debate. It is interesting that these words were chosen while some of them are clearly used in many urban environments and others I have never heard before (note: Jawn is not listed, which is a shame)

Week 2 Discussion in Computer Based Instruction

Online Tutorials in Excel Spreadsheets

Websites being discussed;
Classrooms that Excel Resources
The A to Z of Spreadsheets
Almost Everything you Need to Know for Using Spreadsheets in the Classroom

As most of us educators know, keeping organized is essential for our own sanity.Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is a simple yet amazingly useful tool that can be used as grade books, to organize reading lists, and as a tool for everyday classroom management and instruction. Excel is also an important application for students to be well versed in, as it can be useful to almost any career and competency in it can be a great addition to a resume.
Above are three websites that give instruction in using Excel in and out of the classroom.Overall, I found "Almost Everything you Need to Know for Using Spreadsheets in the Classroom" to be the most appealing. The website is simple and offers terrific worksheets and activities to test one's knowledge on spreadsheets. The diagram they use is well laid out and is not intimidating. One thing the site does lack is any step by step instruction in the area of using cells and types of formulas.
This information can be found at the next site, "Classrooms that Excel resources" under "Excel Tutorial". While this site is a bit disorganized and overwhelming, it does contain anything and everything you ever wanted to know about using Excel in the classroom.
If your issue is that you can not remember, or that you are trying to define, Excel terminology, "The A to Z of Spreadsheets" is the site you are looking for. This site has every term available, explained at length.

...in progress

Week One: Speaking, Writing, and Inquiry. English Education, K-12

Citations for readings
- "What Teachers Need to Know About Language" - by Lilly Wong Fillmore and Catherine E. Snow

- "The Structure of Language: Why It Matters to Education", Ray Jackendoff, Ph.D.
Talk for conference on Learning and the Brain, Cambridge, November 5-8, 2003
www.edupr.com

- Chapter 3, from the book, "An Unquiet Pedagogy" by Eleanor Kutz and Hephzibah Roskelly

Language and the Classroom

In chapter 3 of Eleanor Kutz and Hephizibah Roskelly's book, "An Unquiet Pedagogy", the authors concern themselves with the stigma of "home" language versus educational language. They explain "home" language as a form of dialect in which a student expresses themselves outside of school. Most often, this way of speaking is regarded as something that should be changed or that is inappropriate in a school setting. The authors argue that by assuming this, educators are ignoring what students bring into the classroom and are therefore assuming that these students are "empty vessels" to be filled with "proper" language. This of course ignores many cultural needs and leads many students to believe they are "stupid" if they do not speak Standard English. This is especially disconcerting for second language learners or those students who have parents or caretakers who do not speak Standard English.
Kutz and Roskelly go on to explain that every learner, despite there background, has a different dialect. Standard English has many variations, and most people speak differently at home than they do at school or at work etc. As Dr. Ray Jackendoff states "Language is an important proxy for group identity. Attitudes toward another group are reflected in attitudes toward their language. To stigmatize a person or a group, stigmatize their language.To help suppress a group’s sense of identity, suppress use of their language (examples: Catalan, Welsh, native American languages). Conversely, to reinforce one’s own group identity, adopt
distinctive language (not necessarily consciously!)." In other words, language helps us form our identity, and by ignoring or trying to change a students' language, is an insult to their cultural background.
It is not ignorant of education systems to assume and assign a certain level of literacy among the student population, as it is understood that in order to succeed in certain areas, such as business, or to prepare for college, a certain level must be achieved. However, it is also important to understand the linguistic variations students bring to the classroom so that we can bridge the gap between home and school language without ignoring the cultural and social background of the students.Moreover, researchers like Fillmore and Snow believe that an engaged and successful classroom can not exist without this bridge.
Unfortunately there is a major lack of discourse over this issue. In Fillmore and Snow's article, "What Teachers Need to Know About Language", they state that "The U.S. teaching force is not well equipped to help these children and those who speak vernacular dialects of English adjust to school and learn joyfully: Too few teachers share or know about their students cultural and linguistic backgrounds, or understand the challenges inherent in learning to speak and read Standard English." the authors blame a lack of professional preparation within teaching programs for this.
While this is certainly true (and hopefully changing) the social ideas and stigma behind "proper" speech must certainly be a factor in how we educators view those people whom we do not see as "linguistically fit". The idea that school is supposed to "properly" socialize children is a strong belief among many people. But is that the purpose of school? I hope not, if only for the fact that I have no idea what "proper" is, or should be. I do, however, believe that school should be a time for change, growth, and acceptance, both intellectually and socially.
So, perhaps, (like many other changes) the change of how we view language should start within the classroom.

TESOL

So, I admit, I feel a tad bit overwhelmed and completely unqualified in the area of TESOL. I do, however, find most topics of literacy fascinating, and literacy of second language learners is no exception.
My first TESOL class is centered around creating curriculum for ESL students, and It would be a lie if I said the class looks like it will be a breeze. Among a plethora of presentations, projects, and lesson plans, we are also assigned with the task of finding ESL students (of any age) to work with at least two hours a week for 10 weeks. Luckily, the school that I work for has an amazing woman running the ESL program and she is very excited to have me in her classroom (that is, until she inevitably realizes that I know absolutely nothing about teaching ESOL). She has assigned me three students that I am to meet next week (barring any roadblocks that may occur due to PSSA testing). The two boys I am to teach are both in 5th grade and reading at the highest 2nd grade level, the third student is a girl in fourth grade who reads at a lower 2nd grade level. She explained that the one boy has issues with words that have a suffix and a prefix and that she has run into a roadblock with him and his reading skills. All of the children are Carribean, and I am hoping to find out more about them on Tuesday when I meet them for the first time (I have spent a considerable amount of time in Jamaica, so, if they are West Indian, I may be able to break the ice with relating to them and their culture). I am going to try and find some fun activities dealing with prefixes and suffixes online. Hopefully I will be able to help them, despite my limited knowledge.
We shall see.

Week One; Reading and Response for "Computer Based Instruction"

Article can be found here: http://www.guide2digitallearning.com/blog_mark_payton/who_are_you_calling_digital_immigrant

Digital Learners

While I have never heard of a digital immigrant or a digital native,
the author of "Who Are You Calling a Digital Immigrant?", Mark Payton, brings up some good points pertaining to how technology should be taught and used in the classroom.
In this article, he brings up concerns with computer classes as boring component based experiences as opposed to integrating technology in a way that could be useful.
Payton says of "digital natives" that "They are not some sort of genetic or even environmental digital natives, rather they are motivated students of the technology." While I do not agree with this statement entirely, because I believe that the ease of technology acquisition is heightened when it is available at a younger age (as is most knowledge or skill sets) I do think that there are strong social motivators for having to know certain technologies ( i.e. an ipod etc.).
I agree with Payton that students have much to learn in applying technology in ways that can benefit their education and careers. I also agree that it is the job of educators to not only familiarize themselves with new technology, but to also find a way to incorporate it into curriculum in the most seamless way possible.
As Payton says,"The more we can subsume the technology into what really interests our students, young or old, the more technology we can help them to learn and use effectively.", here, he emphasizes that using technology in the classroom is not good enough, we, as educators, must also teach our students how they can use technology to better their lives.
As someone planning on teaching in an urban setting, it can often seem unrealistic to think that a lot of the newest technologies will be available to me. I do, however, feel that I have to to prepare myself with the knowledge of these technologies. If only for the hope that the digital divide between inner city (as well as rural) and suburban (etc.) classrooms will someday be bridged.

Educatedly Speaking

Teacher: "How did you get the class to quiet down and listen to you?"
Student: " I dunno, I guess I was educatedly speaking, so I convinced 'em it was the smart thing to do."
Teacher: "Educatedly? You realize that isn't a word, right?"
Student: "Maybe to you, but I am the one who got them to quiet down, right?"
Teacher: "Fair enough."

I am starting this blog to document, keep track of, organize, and share my thoughts as a young educator in the wonderful city of Philadelphia.
I am currently earning a master's degree in Secondary Education from Temple University. I will eventually earn my certification as an English teacher and I am also working toward a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL).
When I am not in classes or reading for classes (this term I am taking "Curriculum for TESOL", "Reading, Writing, and Inquiry. English Education, K-12", and "Computer Based Instruction"), I can be found helping 3rd - 7th graders at an after school program in North Philadelphia. There, I work to create enriching activities through the use of creative writing and poetry. I also assist in an ESL classroom with one 4th and two 5th grade students for about two hours a week. Most weekdays, I tutor college students at Temple University's Writing Center on various aspects of the writing process. On weekends, through the Urban Youth Association at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center, I volunteer with middle school students, tutoring in reading and writing. I also host a poetry club for the students who come to the center.
For this blog, I plan on typing up any and all responses I have to class readings and discussions, as well as any interesting personal experiences I have in working with inner city youth and ESL learners.
Please feel free to comment!

- Ms. Kristy