There are times in life when the question of knowing if ...



There are times in life when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one thinks, and perceive differently than one sees, is absolutely necessary if one is to go on looking and reflecting at all.

~ Michel Foucault

I elected to write my summative on this quote by Michael Foucault because of the reflection this course has evoked regarding how I think and do things. Never before have I had to reflect and connect so much. I feel that I have truly grown, as a person and as a teacher, and for that, I am thankful. When I first read the quotes at the beginning of the course, I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret them or how they would apply to the course. Now that I have completed the course, the meaning is clear.

By asking me to read the articles and make meaning of the text, Dr. Jackson was challenging me to dig deeper, to go beyond a summary, to make the text apply to my situations in the classroom. I cannot think of a better way to grow as a teacher than through self-reflection. All the readings were intertwined with controversial issues that were difficult to reflect upon. Sometimes these readings evoked emotion within me and my reflections were personal memories involving pain or success. To make meaning of the texts, I needed to find connections whether it be professional or personal in nature and I think I was able to do that. At times I had to challenge myself to think differently. Now I realize that I must always keep an open mind regarding a sitaution and continue to think and reflect.

I grew up in a middle-class neighborhood. While we certainly weren’t wealthy, my mother always made sure I had everything I needed by sacrificing herself. As a middle-class, female, white educator I occassionally forget that everyone isn’t just like me! I realize we all look different but I am speaking in terms of upbringing, exposures, life experiences, etc. Because I teach middle school, I do not think I had considered many of the things that my students from different backgrounds experience when they are learning to read. Most all my students are fluent readers by the time they reach the 8th grade. I want to be sure those that aren’t fluent readers don’t fall through the cracks. The quote above is significant to me as an educator because through our readings, I have discovered that I can think differently. I am better prepared to recognize that my students experience things that cause me to move out of my comfort zone in order to understand. I also believe this quote is refreshing because the working class and minority students can be anything they aspire to be. I spend countless hours every year reminding all my students of that fact. Thinking differently! Today’s students have more opportunities than ever before including the ability to overcome their situations and becoming successful in school and beyond.

The articles by Delpit and Dowdy certainly stirred some emotion within me. While I did not automatically agree with everything that was written, I understand a few things better. The one thing that bothered me in this article was Ebonics. I found it quite interesting how Delpit’s daughter picked up on Ebonics so easily. This confirms that children learn more quickly from other children than adults. But as an English teacher, I struggle everyday getting students to use grammatically correct language in speaking and writing; therefore, I have trouble considering it an actual language instead of slang. While Ebonics may be acceptable in the home and on the playground, I do not believe it should be acceptable in the classroom or professional workplace. That being said, I also realize that the classsroom environment isn’t always formal. Now that I have become more aware of how my corrections will affect my students, I will limit my corrections to written assignments, formal papers and oral presentations only. I do not want to cause my students to shut down.

In reading the Noll article about, Daniel and Zonnie, the American Indians, I became aware of how important motivation is to successful teaching. These two students should have done well in school but did not because of lack of motivation. I will look at my students differently from this point forward and encourage my students to achieve their personal best instead of expecting all students to achieve the same goal. I aspire to be the best teacher and motivator that I can be.

Looking back over all we read during this course, my favorite article was the story of the young men from the Sudan. Reading about the lives of these young men touched me and put life into a whole new perspective. The little things that I deal with every day, such as the drama with my three teenage daughters that constantly cause worry and stress, are minor compared to what these young men endured to simply survive. Suddenly, my issues are not such a big deal after all.

The book by Deborah Hicks, Reading Lives; Working Class Children and Literacy Learning, was an additional resource I am glad I was exposed to. This text has inspired me to think about my classroom and how I teach. Do I teach in the most beneficial way for my students to learn both academically and emotionally? Laurie and Jake’s stories are the untold stories of children in my classroom. I gained fresh insights as I examined new perspectives on the working class children of my class. While I grew up in a working class family of just two, my mother and me, I knew the value of a good education. I also knew a solid educational background would be my way out of the working class.

I think this class has been the most challenging class for me thus far because it caused me to think and reflect on my own teaching practices and theories. I had to step outside my eighth grade, middle-class, mostly white classroom to consider ideas I have not thought of since spending my first two years of teaching in an inner city school full of diversity. Going forward, I am going to attempt to familiarize myself with students’ families and cultures in addition to getting to know each of my students. This will allow me to better see where my children are coming from. By reading the ideas of others throughout this blog, I have been able to reflect more on myself as an educator.

Karen Chester

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