Reading Response for Class on 4/18

"Inescapable Privilege" from Teach for Us
http://firstyearreflections.teachforus.org/2015/06/07/inescapable-privilege/

This blog post caught my eye because it discusses something a fellow teacher-candidate and I were having a conversation about yesterday. I completely agree with the teacher in this post and the idea that once you're given knowledge about privilege and placed in a school that doesn't have it, you begin to view the world differently. When you're working in a school with students who don't have the simplest necessities like food on the table or a roof over their head, you can't just ignore the problem. It's frustrating that other's don't have this window into the problems in our society. I find it hard to explain it to others, to get the impact across that I have felt.

One of the final paragraphs of the blog really resonated with me. The author states, "I want more than to 'use my privilege for good'. I mean, that just feels like an excuse to dismiss privilege to me. In fact, I crave to give it all up so I can’t further the problem by benefiting any longer. But that is so stupid because my parents would always support me if I needed. I would always be white. Privilege is something you can never escape." I find myself often stuck in this thought process as well. I have a privilege that most of my students won't have, but is it enough to be aware of that? How do I take action in a more productive way? Furthermore, even if I'm an active advocate for change, what happens when society isn't? It's important to consider how to help those without privilege while educating those with it. Based off our course, I feel that taking a social justice perspective in the classroom and within lessons is one of the ways to do this.

"Leaving a Legacy: Connecting to Your Inner Superhero" from PLPNetwork 
http://plpnetwork.com/2015/03/03/legacy/

I enjoyed this blog post and many of the ideas resonated with me. As a future educator, you think often about how you want to impact students, the lives you want to change and the learners you want to inspire. I liked that this article focussed on a lot of positive aspects of teaching, opposite of the article above that featured a few struggles.

We learn a lot about the difficulties of teaching in our courses. We discuss the issues involved in dealing with administration and the lack of control often felt. We blame the system and get angry. However, sometimes it is important to take a step back and look at the big pictures. I got into teaching because I wanted to leave a legacy. I wanted to connect with students and change the world, one kid at a time.

We recently discussed in class how we are not superhero: we cannot do everything perfect, everything at once. We have to take things in stride and adjust as we go. However, to go after a profession like teaching is heroic. I like that this blog post brought in the idea of action, with a very positive, uplifting perspective. Things aren't always as bad as they seem. Superheroes don't have to be perfect to be heroic.

Conference Response for Class on 4/11

The writer’s conference we attended this past Saturday was my first conference ever. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I found myself amazed and inspired by the speakers and presentations, beginning with Linda Christensen. Until our class and reading her textbook, I never really considered teaching social justice in the classroom. I knew I wanted to prompt students to be active participants in society, but didn’t really know the means to do so. Linda Christensen has presented those means. I loved the different activities she presented during her speech and believe they could very easily be implemented in the classroom. Her central question, how do we build a better society? really resonated with me. I also really appreciated the idea that students should be activists and use what they learn in real world situations. I truly believe I will use many of her theories and strategies in my own classroom one day. 

The first presentation I attended was “Comics and New Literacies” by Michael Giarfraresco. Michael is a teacher at North Providence High School and uses graphic novels in his classroom religiously. He had so many different texts: social studies, history, science, etc. I was so impressed when he pulled out versions of Beowulf and The Scarlet Letter. I had an english course last semester where we read a graphic novel and discussed its potential use in the classroom, which really inspired me to attend this presentation. When considering students who are visual learners, it’s a no-brainer that graphic novels have value in educational lessons. What’s even cooler is that Michael is part of a team that is making it possible for teachers all across the country. Pop Culture Classroom is a company where, for very little money, you can pay to receive an entire set of graphic novels and curriculum for your classroom. This service, which starts up in September, should be utilized by all teachers.

The second presentation I attended was “Miracle Minis” by Dr. Karen Kurzman. She discussed teaching students to write narratives and focus mainly on “a piece of the pie” verses “the whole pie.” I enjoyed this description, and had to admit that it was something I hadn’t considered. If one moment can be selected and then “exploded out” you’ll get a much more descriptive piece of writing from your student. I also really appreciated the way Dr. Kurzman modeled writing for us, the way we should model it for  our future students. We went through a narrative, working through the five senses, as if we were students in a classroom. It was eye-opening to be on the other side of the lesson. I know I learned some strategies I’ll use in my own classroom one day. 

Attending this conference made me want to attend more. Working with teachers and students with similar ideals to my own, hearing from professionals making strides in the education world: it was all so incredibly inspiring. There are so many activities and ideas out there that should be brought into the classroom, and conferences are a valuable resource.