Inclusion and Community Building

Last night our group prompted the class to tell your stories of inclusion and exclusion, it was a great night! Thank you all for sharing.  I have been thinking a lot about pulling students out of class for math, reading or writing as a means of exclusion.  This is definitely an issue.  It’s a push and pull between getting the child additional help in academics and making sure they do not fall behind in classroom lessons/activities.  I have witnessed this alot in the classroom from students with learning disabilities or autism.  Often “Greg” would miss the start of an anticipated art lesson due to reading lesson in another room. 

On the flip side, I have seen a lot of encouraging inclusion amongst peers at the school where I volunteer.  I have been many wonderful little boys varying within the spectrum of autism and each time their peers are helpful and supportive during lessons.  One second grade boy, “James” cannot communicate verbally or make eye contact, but he is very intelligent.  His peers do not shy away from his differences, and try to keep him on track when an aid is not around.  The teacher does not treat him differently than any other student, and I believe that is reflected in the atmosphere in the classroom.  In other classrooms, the only time I have witnessed peers not attempting to connect with a classmate such as “James”, is another boy who has trouble controlling his anger.  Overall in “James’” classroom, I believe the instructor’s efforts to explain autism, much like Nyla’s wheelchair, helped the students understand their peer a little better.  It’s a teacher’s responsibility to use their resources (parents, counselors, organizations), to education themselves and their classroom community.

I like how in the reading and our discussion we approached the topic that “community” is not only forged from our commonalities but our struggles together.  This made me think of Jane’s traffic light example.  Working toward a common purpose, the second grade achieved the goal of placing a traffic light near their school.  In an elementary school classroom, I’m anticipating each class will bring a unique set of personalities and therefore a unique set of challenges to overcome.  Perhaps working on our commonalities in ice breakers is a safe way to start in younger grades and build bridges. 

Teaching is like...Photography

Photography, in many ways, can be connected to teaching.  There are numerous techniques and skills to employ which are either technical or artistic depending on the photographer.  Color, black and white, macro, zoom, shadow, texture, angle and blurriness are some of the methods to convey themes of life, death, emotion, metaphor, and nature.  Various photo blogs are available which document the techniques of photographers much like the blogs of teachers we have viewed in class.  I feel like the internet provides a wealth of knowledge about both teaching and photography practices alike, and possible outcomes of employing their respective methods.

Additionally the better you know your camera, or your students, the better the outcome of the picture, or their learning.  I love to document the world around me, but I never know how the photo will turn out until later.  Reviewing my photos shows me how I can change my technique to get the result I want.  When I look through the eye piece to “frame” my photo, I focus my camera lens and hold very still.  I have to be patient and sometimes take several shots, or alter my angle, to get the image I want.  My future students hold the same potential as the subject of my photo.  My ability to adapt my teaching skills to the group and the individual reflects the same patience and determination needed for photography.  If some students are struggling to understand a concept, I’ll need to be flexible in adapting my teaching style to get the result I want.  Photos are to photographers, as student’s learning is to teachers.

When I took a photography art class as part of my bachelor’s, I was encouraged to expand my thinking and technical ability in order to produce a more artistic style of photos.  Whereas previously I used the settings on my SLR to experiment with images of nature, my instructor wanted me to replicate styles, methods and thoughts of all types of artists.  The image above is from my Van Gogh series.  Van Gogh was not a photographer, so translating his art to another medium was a challenge.  Technically the project required me to use large studio lights, external flashes, a tripod, and a remote to achieve the right shadows.  I also was not allowed to use color in photographs, so I had to find ways to make sunflowers come alive in other ways.  Throughout the quarter my photos continually progressed.  I became more comfortable and creative with the idea of “art as photography” and appreciated the challenge. 

The evolution of my work is related to the work I am doing in the teaching certification.  For me, the “ultimate goal” would be to learn effective ways of teaching all subjects in the elementary school classroom.  For example math was difficult for me, how can I make it easier for my students to understand? I have volunteered many hours, but truly the journey has just begun.  By meeting other teachers in the field and understanding what challenges await me, I hope to leave this program fully prepared to run a classroom.  The challenge of adapting my photography into art seemed impossible at the time and I achieved it.  Teaching does not seem impossible, and yet I am similarly facing generations of great ideas to learn, process, and adapt to my own teaching style. 

You can't say: "You can't play"?

In the first half of You Can’t Say You Can’t Play Paley alternates between telling her fairytale of the magpie with describing how her kindergarteners structure their play. Her observations of some children being excluded from other’s games lead her to have several class discussions both with her class and as well as other grade levels. Does there have to be a “boss”? Should the children be left to work these conflicts out themselves? Can Paley’s “rule” work in a classroom? Paley’s poses many valid questions. Many that I am having a hard time answering myself. Should teachers intervene on student’s free time? Paley “intervenes” by using characters from the children’s stories as well as the magpie fable to illustrate how excluding others makes each other feel. While the topic at hand is not academic, Paley is creating a sense of community by asking her students to help her solve the problem.
I have not yet finished Paley, but after commenting on a fellow cohort member’s blog post I have started to think more about what I have read so far in the text. The main question I have in my mind is whether enforcing “fair play” in a classroom will work. We can all most likely agree that personalities clash, opinions differ, and therefore feelings can get hurt. Some people do not get along, whether this been in our jobs, families, sports teams, TV shows, or our government. Why would this be any different in a kindergarten classroom? Why are children expected to model a type of society we cannot promise them outside the classroom? I'm not excusing bullying, rudeness, or exclusion whatsoever. People do not get along, but that does not mean they have license to be rude. Interpersonal communication skills to solve conflict can be taught without forcing people to play together, it is only asking for more conflict otherwise.
The other thing to consider is just because the rule is instituted does not mean it is followed. Even in my own family, “let your sister play”, did not promise fair play when mom was not looking! The school becomes a shared environment that is safe for all opinions and ideas for all students; this atmosphere may a little different than home. Even so, I’m not yet convinced controlling play on the playground is possible or effective in making others feel included.

Where I'm From

I am from the cul-de-sac, where Stanley the chocolate lab reigned.

From the Elementary school up the street.

Bikes rolled up and down the hill, and fireworks gathered the neighbors.

I am from friends and hot pavement and summer

From scraped knees and bee stings

This week in class we read our “Where I’m From” poems out loud.  As I mentioned in class, although usually the details were different, the words from other’s poems often evoked strong memories of my own.  This could easily be incorporated into the classroom with children, and maybe even adapted to a different theme.  Children love an opportunity to “show and tell”, even if they choose to display it on the wall rather than read it aloud.  It would be a great exercise to build a community and learn more about my students.

As the quarter draws to a close, I have had a ton of work to do.  Our poems however inspired me to set it aside this week and visit the second and fourth grade classrooms I volunteered in earlier this year.  All of the kids have grown, and had so much to tell me! It was exciting for me to work with them on math, and ask teachers questions about standardized testing (MSP) and Bin Laden.  I was curious whether the topic came up in schools, because I was unsure myself how I would address it.  Neither class asked their teacher questions however, nor as far as I know did the principal send out any guidelines.  After reflecting on the 9/11 attacks ten years ago, one teacher told me not all parents wanted their children exposed to the images and information.  Despite what I would tell my own (future) children, if such an event were to occur, it is obvious as a teacher I need to remain neutral- or at least tread lightly. 

The “new WASL” (MSL) is now taken on the computer.  Additionally the teachers were sent a netbook in order to find creative ways of incorporating it into her lessons.  Next year students may each have one at their desk.  I really appreciated getting the “live” update of topics we have been discussing in class.  It was refreshing to see where I’m headed as well.  I cannot wait until I get back into the classroom again!

Standardization

Given our discussion on standardized tests, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB), it seems the only part the class could agree on was that this is a political issue.  Our readings presented one strong viewpoint from the negative side.  From my observations, this lead our discussion down a path of more questions than answers. For example, who pays for the test, districts or the state? Are charter schools required to take the test?  Is NCLB a means of weeding out bad teachers and is that a fair assessment?

As future teachers beginning our career we are going to be subject to a world of scrutiny.  Standardized tests are not a shock.  I have both taken them and helped proctor them.  Like it or not, we will have to handle them.  Students need to be measured on some scale, as well as teachers, that they are learning.  Similarly this is an opportunity for students to learn to take future rigorous standardized tests, such as the SAT.  Honestly, I do not want to teach to a test.  I agree that students will not retain information.  So what is the solution? 

First of all, I believe each of us need to approach standardized testing from both sides of the table.  This can only help us ask better questions, instead of becoming a chorus without all the facts.  What are the merits of NCLB, and how can it be altered? What is the alternative to standardized testing to assess students are learning? How can we raise the bar for teachers, so that students are receiving the best quality education?