This chapter addresses the danger of labeling students. After citing some example statements from students with learning disabilities, Delpit states that “these children become packages of pathologies to be “fixed”—at best tolerated, more often rejected” (95). Because of this feeling of rejection, students, in turn, reject the school environment. Delpit’s commentary on labeling students is disheartening. If these labels are proven to diminish a student’s sense of competence and self-worth as a learner, then why in the world does the education system continue to do so? I like the example that she gave of having a special education class called “Critical Thinking” be fully integrated into the general curriculum. Why not just give students the assistance they need instead of some label that is associated with something less.
I thought this was interesting, as well. What good does it do to give the kids a label? I may help in sorting and things of that nature, but are these sorts of things even beneficial?
True. It is a very interesting dilemma. I think one reason why labeling exists is because that's what people believe will work. A lot of cases, involving students, and people in general, are assumed to be solved by telling them to stop doing what they are doing that is not desirable. Searching for the roots of problems and finding the source, is very difficult, and can be stressful and sometimes not rewarding, but when it is, it outweighs the negative. Outlook affects composure.
I love Delpit’s emphasis on “the arts” and how it “provides a model to ensure that all children can learn without being labeled” (99). What are some specific ways that we can discover our students' talents and emphasize them in our lesson plans?
I think that by listening & observing we can learn a lot about our students. Overhearing conversations going on in class can help give you an idea of what they like or may be good at. (ie: One of my students is always humming. Friday, I learned that she can really sing. I mean reeeeeally sing. Another student always selects books about sports. I can infer that he likes to play or watch sports.) Those are just a few examples, but I think that these types of things can help us (the teachers) know how to bring up those subjects in conversation or make reference to. (Dr. A. even asked us to compile a list of movies that we have all watched to get an idea of what quotations or references that she can make in class that we would all understand). Also, I noticed that by carefully reading what my students are writing about, well, it gave me great insight into what talents they have and their interests both in & out of school. I can use this knowledge to modify my lesson plans & use these tidbits of knowledge that actually relate to them instead of having examples no one will understand.
Side note - Speaking of the arts, I definitely like the fact that GCEC has a violin club. The program just received a grant that allowed them to buy violins for students who want to take lessons!!! YESSSS! Students have the opportunity to stay after school & take lessons for FREE. The only catch is -- they have to keep the instruments at school. But, that's still awesome that this is offered! At the end of the year, they have a performance where they can invite their family/friends to hear them play a concert. I think that adding arts into the mix helps the students to 1. commit & 2. become dedicated to something. Not only are they part of a group/community, they are being held accountable to use their practice time wisely. I love how my 8th graders rushed to sign up. It got them really excited.
I agree. I think that paying attention to your students and what they have to stay is so important. Kids love to talk about their interests. I have learned a lot about my kids, even in the small amount of time I have spent with them. Reading their writing is also a great highway into their thoughts.
The simple answer is perhaps having some sort of way for you to learn about your students early on in the year, because it can get so hard to find time for it later.
There is a conversation on page 84, in which the idea of judging students based off of what they can't do instead of what they are good at. We have been learning about cultural capital and accessing background knowledge to help students learn and perform better. Nonetheless, I remember quite a few teachers who focused mostly on what we were doing wrong. I didn't like it.
I agree with you, Ben. I didn't like when teachers did that either. I feel like so much more is accomplished when our strengths are strengthened. If I recall correctly this was a discussion back when we were reading Lemov during the summer. It'll be interesting to see how others respond now versus then. Seeing just how much students are responding to my host teacher (who focuses a lot on their strengths), I am a firm believer in doing the same in my classroom one day.
I completely agree. I don't think this is something that most teachers are even conscious of. They see things that are going wrong, so that is how they go about fixing them. But realistically, they could praise the students for the things they are doing right, and allow them to learn the smaller things at their own pace.
I agree, Ben! Teenagers especially are constantly told that they are doing the wrong thing. When a teacher/adult points out what they are doing right then it resonates more with them. Praising even the littlest of things is important. Instead of looking for something to correct, we should look for something to emphasize.
At the end of the chapter Delpit states that education should discover strengths and accommodate needs for every child. Differentiation is a buzz-word in education, and as cool of an idea as it is; if you have a class with 35 students and you have four of them; differentiation is extremely difficult; I would wager that it is impossible, by yourself. You need a team and a good administration. Will we come across that alot, maybe. But I don't want to get to idealistic and end up not doing anything good. Thoughts?
That's a very good point and its one that concerns me frequently about trying to implement what we are learning in our future schools. You do have to win the administration over to your side sometimes and that is much easier said then done. And I also agree that it can be down right impossible by yourself most of the time.
I think that connects well with tools like collaborative learning, and not letting students slip through any cracks. It's even harder to differentiate when certain students are hiding in the back of the class and not being engaged.
Comment: I like how (p95) Delpit observes, "Children or young adults from middle-class families who are classified as learning disabled are often told that they are intelligent but that there's a part of their brain that works differently... they must find settings that meet their specific learning styles." This is an important concept. I think that often by identifying a child as "learning disabled" can lower their self esteem and perhaps encourage them to try less, that there is no point. I think that finding a learning style that works best for these children and encouraging them by telling them that they are intelligent is much more effective than making them feel ostracized.
I also think that sometimes people jump too quickly into labeling someone as a learner who is disabled. Instead, maybe we should just recognize that they are human and as flawed as the next human.
I liked this quote too. Delpit also pointed out that art is a way of discovering what makes us human when she states that art is a way to "deliver the human being to himself" (99). It's a really beautiful sentiment, but it definitely rings true.
Question: In reference to p100, "isn't what we call the arts what our children do as their most natural expression, as they learn to live in this world?" Children are naturally inclined to express themselves creatively from an early age but it seems that often as they grow older they lose this confidence and are less confident and more hesitant about their skills. What ways can you encourage students that they can create art, that they are not "just bad at it?" (unfortunately this is mostly an art teacher question but it could be applied to english classrooms too in encouraging students to express themselves)
I think this can also be applied to writing in an English classroom. I think one great way of letting students know they can do these things is to get them excited about it. I've noticed that the kids hate to write if there is a prompt. They moan and groan as they get out their binders. But if my teacher tells the kids they can write about whatever they want, their pencils never quit moving. I think this could be similar with art. If you allow them to create a piece of art the way they want, with freedom of using many different tools, and also a theme of their choosing, I think that kids will respond positively.
That is cool, I like that perspective, Sabrina. I think that certain students can handle and enjoy the freedom but others do need guidelines. Not necessarily because they are off task or don't want to do it but they have trouble coming up with something to do out of thin air. Maybe a good way to start would be showing students works of art, literature, or film that can inspire them?
I like that Delpit notes that she did use resources/references to find her daughter a new school to attend after the one that was not meeting her child's needs said to "trust" them & nothing seemed to progress. Her daughter still continued to bring home incomplete worksheets, which is sad. Obviously, time was not the problem. It gets to the point where you are like, "how long are you going to sacrifice your child's education to trust people who do not seem to have their best interest at heart?" I guess this gives me a new perspective on the fact that there are many who do not have the same resources, connections, etc. Delpit also mentioned that in this chapter, too. This makes me think about all the parents that are going through the same process without the resources - the parents that are trusting the schools & giving them time - the parents that do want their children to succeed, but have no clue where to start. I guess I don't understand how these teachers that put children next to a window & disregard them are considered "the best." The best to who is my question? If there are students that are being left behind, then something is missing. There has to be a way to reach that child. It may just come at a cost - modifying your lesson plan.
Sorry, I gave my opinion on the question, so it's a question & a comment. haha. But, I would like to hear your thoughts as well. Okay, go.
Question: "The arts give us new eyes to see the potential for the expression of genius in our children." (Delpit, 100).
How strongly to you believe the arts are conducive to a student's education? How can we, as teachers, be the impetus for more of the arts in schools?
Comment: I shared a passage that described how the author's daughter was essentially ignored by her teacher and traumatized by her inability to behave as expected due to her ADHD with one of my roommates. My roommate also has ADD, and explained to me that her experience in middle school was essentially the same as Maya's. She felt abandoned by her teacher, embarrassed, and stupid. However, my roommate is extremely bright and merely needed a different learning experience than some of her other peers.
I hope to be the teacher that makes a difference in my student's lives, and not the one that asks parents to "trust me."
I think Delpit's thoughts on children needing individualized and energize learning plans is so on point. There are a few kids in m class who desperately need interaction, activity, movement. Discussion is suitable for this, but worksheets definitely are not. I think kids would excel if all teachers learned these important strategies.
Agreed, Sabrina! I can't imagine a teacher who would actually think that worksheets are helpful in learning. Wouldn't most teachers feel a little bit guilty for handing out a worksheet instead of actually teaching?
Comment: This chapter raises so many issues and questions that it should be broken up into more, longer chapters I think! This adresses what Dr. Stone was telling us about labeling students and that we should always put the student first, not the disability. There are ways that students learn and you can adress it better. There is one student in my class who cannot sit down during a lesson--he has to stand. Another is in the band and has to tap rhythm almost all the time--so my hsot teacher lets him listen to music when he is taking a test--I think that is brilliant.
Also, I am a serious advocate for the arts and I LOVE that she mentioned that all children are artists! (She implied it at least). In England, they have implemented drama strategies for EVERY subject area for all grades which is highly effective it seems.
Question: How will you incorporate art into your classroom (various arts...drama, dance, music....) ?
I think that has to be one of the easiest things to do in a school setting. Even just stuff like we did in July, where we had students look at art and create narratives from inspiration. Using music to inspire poetry, etc.
I like the unit that we're working on for you and Dawson in class. I feel like that is an excellent example of how to use art in an English class. I also think that if a work is set in a particular time period then I could show art that was created during that time period as well.
"Some [students] learn that we expect them to be successful. And some of them learn from us that they are dumb." That last part is particularly disturbing. Our kids can be pretty fragile, one misstep, one off phrase or glance, could make any student believe something other than what we truly think of them would be absolutely catastrophic.
Why is it so hard for so many people to see past the obvious differences in others to get to the fact that, at the core, they are simply just other people?
I think they go for what is easy. It's easy to label. It's easy to apply bias and prejudice and discriminate.
What's hard is to try and reach individuals, particularly since you may see many each day. Some people just don't want to bother and want to go the path of least resistance...
...until someone does it to them, of course, then that's *different.*
I enjoyed this chapter and the focus on arts and students' strengths as individuals. Sometimes it's so easy to forget that not everyone learns the same way and to dismiss behaviors as bad behaviors and thus slip into labeling students by those behaviors.
I love the focus this chapter put on the detrimental effect labeling students has on children and what you believe of them becomes what they believe of themselves.
It's rather daunting, but it can't be said and re-said enough that everything we do affects our students and that it can take years to build someone up and one second to tear them down, so it's always wise to be cautious in addressing them.
How do you all plan to see and use students' strengths to foster their learning? Would you consider adapting lessons/assessments to the individual students or just vary them for the entire class?
Honestly the idea of students who learn radically differently from everyone else worries me. I am confident that I can manage a decent level of differentiated instruction, but learning to work with and for students who need drastic interventions is an area that I think I might not be good enough in.
When we talked about book circles we embraced the idea that sometimes students choose a book that is too hard for them, and we know to encourage them to pick a new one. As a teacher is it ever appropriate to say "As I am now, I cannot give this student what he/she needs."? If we have an honest self assessment of our own abilities and honestly don't trust in our ability to serve the student adequately, how do we deal with that? Is it something that should just never come up?
I think it is extremely important to learn about and encourage students for their strengths. Make them feel like you are interested in them as an individual, beyond just whether or not they get their homework done on time. Show them you care, and figure out how to engage them in the classroom. If it is a student who is accustomed to be written off as a bad student, I think they will respond even more to positive encouragement. we may not even realize how much learning about students and encouraging their strengths actually may influence them. It may have a deeper impact then we even realize. An average teacher will have average students. A really great teacher is going to have a lot more great students.
It can be extremely different to work with students who learn differently, or even simply don't want to learn. Does anyone have specific strategies or ideas about how they will handle these difficult situations?
If the student doesn't want to learn, it's important to start a dialogue with them when you can. Learn why they don't want to do the work and go from there.
It may take a while and maybe you never will reach them, but it's still more than worth it to try.
Aside from that, I think being flexible and open to student suggestions and ideas in your lessons are a great way to go about things. Try and present material in varied ways and have a variety of accepted activities.
I think those are all good suggestions. It is important to listen to student input in order to find out what it will take to engage them in what they are learning. I think having a one on one discussion with these types of students would be helpful...
Honestly the idea of students who learn radically differently from everyone else worries me. I am confident that I can manage a decent level of differentiated instruction, but learning to work with and for students who need drastic interventions is an area that I think I might not be good enough in.
When we talked about book circles we embraced the idea that sometimes students choose a book that is too hard for them, and we know to encourage them to pick a new one. As a teacher is it ever appropriate to say "As I am now, I cannot give this student what he/she needs."? If we have an honest self assessment of our own abilities and honestly don't trust in our ability to serve the student adequately, how do we deal with that? Is it something that should just never come up?
Sadly, environments do take a negative toll on a person's ability to learn. This is getting into environmental issues but things like pollution or contaminated food can deteriorate a child's health in a major fashion (cancer, heart disease, etc.)
Delpit asserts that labeling students leads to negative consequences and I certainly agree that it can but not all of the time. There are positive labels teachers can place on their students and this may allow them to learn at a higher, more critical level. However, there is the risk that the students will become jeaouls and so forth. Regardless, we are all just teachers and we don't have unlimited power to know every single student's needs. Even if we did, we cannot help them all. We don't have the time or power.
Question: Can you guys think of any powerful labels that would motivate students instead of discouraging them?
Chapter 5 comment:
ReplyDeleteThis chapter addresses the danger of labeling students. After citing some example statements from students with learning disabilities, Delpit states that “these children become packages of pathologies to be “fixed”—at best tolerated, more often rejected” (95). Because of this feeling of rejection, students, in turn, reject the school environment. Delpit’s commentary on labeling students is disheartening. If these labels are proven to diminish a student’s sense of competence and self-worth as a learner, then why in the world does the education system continue to do so? I like the example that she gave of having a special education class called “Critical Thinking” be fully integrated into the general curriculum. Why not just give students the assistance they need instead of some label that is associated with something less.
I thought this was interesting, as well. What good does it do to give the kids a label? I may help in sorting and things of that nature, but are these sorts of things even beneficial?
DeleteTrue. It is a very interesting dilemma. I think one reason why labeling exists is because that's what people believe will work. A lot of cases, involving students, and people in general, are assumed to be solved by telling them to stop doing what they are doing that is not desirable. Searching for the roots of problems and finding the source, is very difficult, and can be stressful and sometimes not rewarding, but when it is, it outweighs the negative. Outlook affects composure.
DeleteChapter 5 question:
ReplyDeleteI love Delpit’s emphasis on “the arts” and how it “provides a model to ensure that all children can learn without being labeled” (99). What are some specific ways that we can discover our students' talents and emphasize them in our lesson plans?
I think that by listening & observing we can learn a lot about our students. Overhearing conversations going on in class can help give you an idea of what they like or may be good at. (ie: One of my students is always humming. Friday, I learned that she can really sing. I mean reeeeeally sing. Another student always selects books about sports. I can infer that he likes to play or watch sports.) Those are just a few examples, but I think that these types of things can help us (the teachers) know how to bring up those subjects in conversation or make reference to. (Dr. A. even asked us to compile a list of movies that we have all watched to get an idea of what quotations or references that she can make in class that we would all understand). Also, I noticed that by carefully reading what my students are writing about, well, it gave me great insight into what talents they have and their interests both in & out of school. I can use this knowledge to modify my lesson plans & use these tidbits of knowledge that actually relate to them instead of having examples no one will understand.
DeleteSide note - Speaking of the arts, I definitely like the fact that GCEC has a violin club. The program just received a grant that allowed them to buy violins for students who want to take lessons!!! YESSSS! Students have the opportunity to stay after school & take lessons for FREE. The only catch is -- they have to keep the instruments at school. But, that's still awesome that this is offered! At the end of the year, they have a performance where they can invite their family/friends to hear them play a concert. I think that adding arts into the mix helps the students to 1. commit & 2. become dedicated to something. Not only are they part of a group/community, they are being held accountable to use their practice time wisely. I love how my 8th graders rushed to sign up. It got them really excited.
I agree. I think that paying attention to your students and what they have to stay is so important. Kids love to talk about their interests. I have learned a lot about my kids, even in the small amount of time I have spent with them. Reading their writing is also a great highway into their thoughts.
DeleteThe simple answer is perhaps having some sort of way for you to learn about your students early on in the year, because it can get so hard to find time for it later.
DeleteThere is a conversation on page 84, in which the idea of judging students based off of what they can't do instead of what they are good at. We have been learning about cultural capital and accessing background knowledge to help students learn and perform better. Nonetheless, I remember quite a few teachers who focused mostly on what we were doing wrong. I didn't like it.
ReplyDeletePower of Praise > Power of Criticism
DeleteI agree with you, Ben. I didn't like when teachers did that either. I feel like so much more is accomplished when our strengths are strengthened. If I recall correctly this was a discussion back when we were reading Lemov during the summer. It'll be interesting to see how others respond now versus then. Seeing just how much students are responding to my host teacher (who focuses a lot on their strengths), I am a firm believer in doing the same in my classroom one day.
I completely agree. I don't think this is something that most teachers are even conscious of. They see things that are going wrong, so that is how they go about fixing them. But realistically, they could praise the students for the things they are doing right, and allow them to learn the smaller things at their own pace.
DeleteI agree, Ben! Teenagers especially are constantly told that they are doing the wrong thing. When a teacher/adult points out what they are doing right then it resonates more with them. Praising even the littlest of things is important. Instead of looking for something to correct, we should look for something to emphasize.
DeleteAt the end of the chapter Delpit states that education should discover strengths and accommodate needs for every child. Differentiation is a buzz-word in education, and as cool of an idea as it is; if you have a class with 35 students and you have four of them; differentiation is extremely difficult; I would wager that it is impossible, by yourself. You need a team and a good administration. Will we come across that alot, maybe. But I don't want to get to idealistic and end up not doing anything good. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good point and its one that concerns me frequently about trying to implement what we are learning in our future schools. You do have to win the administration over to your side sometimes and that is much easier said then done. And I also agree that it can be down right impossible by yourself most of the time.
DeleteI think that connects well with tools like collaborative learning, and not letting students slip through any cracks. It's even harder to differentiate when certain students are hiding in the back of the class and not being engaged.
DeleteComment: I like how (p95) Delpit observes, "Children or young adults from middle-class families who are classified as learning disabled are often told that they are intelligent but that there's a part of their brain that works differently... they must find settings that meet their specific learning styles." This is an important concept. I think that often by identifying a child as "learning disabled" can lower their self esteem and perhaps encourage them to try less, that there is no point. I think that finding a learning style that works best for these children and encouraging them by telling them that they are intelligent is much more effective than making them feel ostracized.
ReplyDeleteI agree with that. That is an interesting comment. The power of words cannot be understated.
DeleteI also think that sometimes people jump too quickly into labeling someone as a learner who is disabled. Instead, maybe we should just recognize that they are human and as flawed as the next human.
DeleteComment:
ReplyDeleteMmm...I love this --> "The arts give us new eyes to see the potential for the expression of genius in our children" (100).
I believe it. #optimism
I liked this quote too. Delpit also pointed out that art is a way of discovering what makes us human when she states that art is a way to "deliver the human being to himself" (99). It's a really beautiful sentiment, but it definitely rings true.
DeleteQuestion: In reference to p100, "isn't what we call the arts what our children do as their most natural expression, as they learn to live in this world?" Children are naturally inclined to express themselves creatively from an early age but it seems that often as they grow older they lose this confidence and are less confident and more hesitant about their skills. What ways can you encourage students that they can create art, that they are not "just bad at it?"
ReplyDelete(unfortunately this is mostly an art teacher question but it could be applied to english classrooms too in encouraging students to express themselves)
I think this can also be applied to writing in an English classroom. I think one great way of letting students know they can do these things is to get them excited about it. I've noticed that the kids hate to write if there is a prompt. They moan and groan as they get out their binders. But if my teacher tells the kids they can write about whatever they want, their pencils never quit moving. I think this could be similar with art. If you allow them to create a piece of art the way they want, with freedom of using many different tools, and also a theme of their choosing, I think that kids will respond positively.
DeleteThat is cool, I like that perspective, Sabrina. I think that certain students can handle and enjoy the freedom but others do need guidelines. Not necessarily because they are off task or don't want to do it but they have trouble coming up with something to do out of thin air. Maybe a good way to start would be showing students works of art, literature, or film that can inspire them?
DeleteQuestion:
ReplyDeleteI like that Delpit notes that she did use resources/references to find her daughter a new school to attend after the one that was not meeting her child's needs said to "trust" them & nothing seemed to progress. Her daughter still continued to bring home incomplete worksheets, which is sad. Obviously, time was not the problem. It gets to the point where you are like, "how long are you going to sacrifice your child's education to trust people who do not seem to have their best interest at heart?" I guess this gives me a new perspective on the fact that there are many who do not have the same resources, connections, etc. Delpit also mentioned that in this chapter, too. This makes me think about all the parents that are going through the same process without the resources - the parents that are trusting the schools & giving them time - the parents that do want their children to succeed, but have no clue where to start. I guess I don't understand how these teachers that put children next to a window & disregard them are considered "the best." The best to who is my question? If there are students that are being left behind, then something is missing. There has to be a way to reach that child. It may just come at a cost - modifying your lesson plan.
Sorry, I gave my opinion on the question, so it's a question & a comment. haha. But, I would like to hear your thoughts as well. Okay, go.
Question: "The arts give us new eyes to see the potential for the expression of genius in our children." (Delpit, 100).
ReplyDeleteHow strongly to you believe the arts are conducive to a student's education? How can we, as teachers, be the impetus for more of the arts in schools?
Comment: I shared a passage that described how the author's daughter was essentially ignored by her teacher and traumatized by her inability to behave as expected due to her ADHD with one of my roommates. My roommate also has ADD, and explained to me that her experience in middle school was essentially the same as Maya's. She felt abandoned by her teacher, embarrassed, and stupid. However, my roommate is extremely bright and merely needed a different learning experience than some of her other peers.
I hope to be the teacher that makes a difference in my student's lives, and not the one that asks parents to "trust me."
I think Delpit's thoughts on children needing individualized and energize learning plans is so on point. There are a few kids in m class who desperately need interaction, activity, movement. Discussion is suitable for this, but worksheets definitely are not. I think kids would excel if all teachers learned these important strategies.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Sabrina! I can't imagine a teacher who would actually think that worksheets are helpful in learning. Wouldn't most teachers feel a little bit guilty for handing out a worksheet instead of actually teaching?
DeleteComment: This chapter raises so many issues and questions that it should be broken up into more, longer chapters I think! This adresses what Dr. Stone was telling us about labeling students and that we should always put the student first, not the disability. There are ways that students learn and you can adress it better. There is one student in my class who cannot sit down during a lesson--he has to stand. Another is in the band and has to tap rhythm almost all the time--so my hsot teacher lets him listen to music when he is taking a test--I think that is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am a serious advocate for the arts and I LOVE that she mentioned that all children are artists! (She implied it at least). In England, they have implemented drama strategies for EVERY subject area for all grades which is highly effective it seems.
Question: How will you incorporate art into your classroom (various arts...drama, dance, music....) ?
I think that has to be one of the easiest things to do in a school setting. Even just stuff like we did in July, where we had students look at art and create narratives from inspiration. Using music to inspire poetry, etc.
DeleteComment:
ReplyDeleteI like how Delpit goes into talking about the arts in this chapter. And not just art, things that inspire and things to create.
Question:
My question is geared more towards the English folks. How will you implement art in the classroom allowing your students creativity to flow?
I like the unit that we're working on for you and Dawson in class. I feel like that is an excellent example of how to use art in an English class. I also think that if a work is set in a particular time period then I could show art that was created during that time period as well.
Delete"Some [students] learn that we expect them to be successful. And some of them learn from us that they are dumb." That last part is particularly disturbing. Our kids can be pretty fragile, one misstep, one off phrase or glance, could make any student believe something other than what we truly think of them would be absolutely catastrophic.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it so hard for so many people to see past the obvious differences in others to get to the fact that, at the core, they are simply just other people?
ReplyDeleteI think they go for what is easy. It's easy to label. It's easy to apply bias and prejudice and discriminate.
DeleteWhat's hard is to try and reach individuals, particularly since you may see many each day. Some people just don't want to bother and want to go the path of least resistance...
...until someone does it to them, of course, then that's *different.*
I enjoyed this chapter and the focus on arts and students' strengths as individuals. Sometimes it's so easy to forget that not everyone learns the same way and to dismiss behaviors as bad behaviors and thus slip into labeling students by those behaviors.
ReplyDeleteI love the focus this chapter put on the detrimental effect labeling students has on children and what you believe of them becomes what they believe of themselves.
It's rather daunting, but it can't be said and re-said enough that everything we do affects our students and that it can take years to build someone up and one second to tear them down, so it's always wise to be cautious in addressing them.
How do you all plan to see and use students' strengths to foster their learning? Would you consider adapting lessons/assessments to the individual students or just vary them for the entire class?
ReplyDeleteI would vary them for the entire class, but when it came to projects and papers, allow the student to chose a way to explore a text or concept.
DeleteAwesome, Leslie! :)
DeleteHonestly the idea of students who learn radically differently from everyone else worries me. I am confident that I can manage a decent level of differentiated instruction, but learning to work with and for students who need drastic interventions is an area that I think I might not be good enough in.
ReplyDeleteWhen we talked about book circles we embraced the idea that sometimes students choose a book that is too hard for them, and we know to encourage them to pick a new one. As a teacher is it ever appropriate to say "As I am now, I cannot give this student what he/she needs."? If we have an honest self assessment of our own abilities and honestly don't trust in our ability to serve the student adequately, how do we deal with that? Is it something that should just never come up?
I think it is extremely important to learn about and encourage students for their strengths. Make them feel like you are interested in them as an individual, beyond just whether or not they get their homework done on time. Show them you care, and figure out how to engage them in the classroom. If it is a student who is accustomed to be written off as a bad student, I think they will respond even more to positive encouragement. we may not even realize how much learning about students and encouraging their strengths actually may influence them. It may have a deeper impact then we even realize. An average teacher will have average students. A really great teacher is going to have a lot more great students.
ReplyDeleteIt can be extremely different to work with students who learn differently, or even simply don't want to learn. Does anyone have specific strategies or ideas about how they will handle these difficult situations?
ReplyDeleteIf the student doesn't want to learn, it's important to start a dialogue with them when you can. Learn why they don't want to do the work and go from there.
DeleteIt may take a while and maybe you never will reach them, but it's still more than worth it to try.
Aside from that, I think being flexible and open to student suggestions and ideas in your lessons are a great way to go about things. Try and present material in varied ways and have a variety of accepted activities.
I think those are all good suggestions. It is important to listen to student input in order to find out what it will take to engage them in what they are learning. I think having a one on one discussion with these types of students would be helpful...
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ReplyDeleteHonestly the idea of students who learn radically differently from everyone else worries me. I am confident that I can manage a decent level of differentiated instruction, but learning to work with and for students who need drastic interventions is an area that I think I might not be good enough in.
ReplyDeleteWhen we talked about book circles we embraced the idea that sometimes students choose a book that is too hard for them, and we know to encourage them to pick a new one. As a teacher is it ever appropriate to say "As I am now, I cannot give this student what he/she needs."? If we have an honest self assessment of our own abilities and honestly don't trust in our ability to serve the student adequately, how do we deal with that? Is it something that should just never come up?
Sadly, environments do take a negative toll on a person's ability to learn. This is getting into environmental issues but things like pollution or contaminated food can deteriorate a child's health in a major fashion (cancer, heart disease, etc.)
ReplyDeleteDelpit asserts that labeling students leads to negative consequences and I certainly agree that it can but not all of the time. There are positive labels teachers can place on their students and this may allow them to learn at a higher, more critical level. However, there is the risk that the students will become jeaouls and so forth. Regardless, we are all just teachers and we don't have unlimited power to know every single student's needs. Even if we did, we cannot help them all. We don't have the time or power.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Can you guys think of any powerful labels that would motivate students instead of discouraging them?