I am from Sunday School, Bible stories, and bedtime stories.
I am from Goodnight Moon, The Friendly Giant, rotary phones and country music.
I am from Sunday dinners, sitting at the kids table and "save your fork".
I am from Nancy Drew, Little Women and diaries with a key.
I am from double dutch, skipping songs and sandcastles.
I am from The Diary of a Young Girl, record Players and 45's.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Workshop Two
Response to Workshop 2
Workshop 2 has been a journey for me. It was a transition from being vaguely aware of the depths of the social issues around literacy, to having a beginning of greater understanding. While reading the articles, I felt as if I was wading through the information, trying desperately to see what it was that I was supposed to see. Immersed in middle class culture- experiences, schools, neighbours, friends- I found myself questioning what the authors had to say. “Was this just an American experience?” I wondered, and “does Canada really have an illiterate underclass?” Naively, I suppose I wanted to believe not. As I considered what I was reading, I began to feel as if I really had no idea about the issues around being critically literate. Reading, talking to my colleagues and workshop discussions has opened my eyes significantly. Considering the readings, the situation seemed pretty bleak. How, with all the social issues, systems of meanings and all the other things at work beyond a teacher’s control, can we make a difference and empower our students? That question especially rang true when reading p.140 in Literacies as Social Practice- “as long as literacy is tied up with the state, the church, and the school, there will be powerful hidden agendas at work”. If educators are successful in teaching all students to be critically literate, is that all that is needed? Will the hidden agendas lose their power?
Recently I was listening to a program called “C’est la Vie” on CBC. It is a program that airs documentaries about French Canadian personalities. During this particular program, a doctor who has worked globally with AIDS patients spoke of the resistance he encountered as he considered medicine as his career. He was encouraged by his family to stay in their community and work in the local industry. His family worried that once he was a doctor he would forget his family and maybe even more importantly his French Canadian culture and where he came from. I made a connection between his experiences and our readings and class discussions about some of the obstacles faced by learners. It also reminded me of how strong family influences can be, along with society- either positive or negative.
So, how do we help these students overcome obstacles and believe in themselves and the power of the written word and their ideas? How do we take the students beyond being naively literate to being critically literate? In my opinion, Rich summarized it best for me. It requires trust between student and teacher. How do we develop trust when students will be reluctant to “make friends with the enemy”? The discussion in class around this was particular interesting for me to think about. It must be extremely difficult for a student to “beat the odds” when you are attending schools that are rundown, crowded, and where teachers and society expect you drop out anyway.
One quote that resonated with me is also from Rich’s Teaching Language in Open Admission “it is a very demanding matter of realistically conceiving the student where he or she is, and at the same time never losing sight of where he or she can be.” I would also add we need to show the students where we believe they can be and the power that they can have when they begin to express their ideas and to look at their world in a different way.
Workshop 2 has been a journey for me. It was a transition from being vaguely aware of the depths of the social issues around literacy, to having a beginning of greater understanding. While reading the articles, I felt as if I was wading through the information, trying desperately to see what it was that I was supposed to see. Immersed in middle class culture- experiences, schools, neighbours, friends- I found myself questioning what the authors had to say. “Was this just an American experience?” I wondered, and “does Canada really have an illiterate underclass?” Naively, I suppose I wanted to believe not. As I considered what I was reading, I began to feel as if I really had no idea about the issues around being critically literate. Reading, talking to my colleagues and workshop discussions has opened my eyes significantly. Considering the readings, the situation seemed pretty bleak. How, with all the social issues, systems of meanings and all the other things at work beyond a teacher’s control, can we make a difference and empower our students? That question especially rang true when reading p.140 in Literacies as Social Practice- “as long as literacy is tied up with the state, the church, and the school, there will be powerful hidden agendas at work”. If educators are successful in teaching all students to be critically literate, is that all that is needed? Will the hidden agendas lose their power?
Recently I was listening to a program called “C’est la Vie” on CBC. It is a program that airs documentaries about French Canadian personalities. During this particular program, a doctor who has worked globally with AIDS patients spoke of the resistance he encountered as he considered medicine as his career. He was encouraged by his family to stay in their community and work in the local industry. His family worried that once he was a doctor he would forget his family and maybe even more importantly his French Canadian culture and where he came from. I made a connection between his experiences and our readings and class discussions about some of the obstacles faced by learners. It also reminded me of how strong family influences can be, along with society- either positive or negative.
So, how do we help these students overcome obstacles and believe in themselves and the power of the written word and their ideas? How do we take the students beyond being naively literate to being critically literate? In my opinion, Rich summarized it best for me. It requires trust between student and teacher. How do we develop trust when students will be reluctant to “make friends with the enemy”? The discussion in class around this was particular interesting for me to think about. It must be extremely difficult for a student to “beat the odds” when you are attending schools that are rundown, crowded, and where teachers and society expect you drop out anyway.
One quote that resonated with me is also from Rich’s Teaching Language in Open Admission “it is a very demanding matter of realistically conceiving the student where he or she is, and at the same time never losing sight of where he or she can be.” I would also add we need to show the students where we believe they can be and the power that they can have when they begin to express their ideas and to look at their world in a different way.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Shelley's Introduction
I am a mom, a wife and a Kindergarten teacher. My husband and I are the proud parents of three children: Cindy 21, Alysha 18, Thomas 13, and our feisty Boston terrier named Mac. Both of our girls are attending university this year. Cindy is completing her 4th year at MSVU and Alysha is just beginning her studies at Laurier Brantford. Our son is quite independent at 13 and involved in hockey, guitar and generally busy with school. I suppose I thought this would be a good time to return to school myself.
I grew up in New Brunswick and moved to Halifax to attend university. I met my husband and we lived in Halifax for 20 years. I love the Maritimes and all the cliché Maritime things- the water, seafood, kitchen parties and of course my family that is still there. I would like eventually to return there and live my retired years in a cottage by the sea.
I began my teaching career in my late thirties, after working for sometime in a “small options” home for children. Just as I completed my B Ed, Bob (my husband) was offered a position within his company in Toronto. It seemed like a perfect time in both of our careers to make the move. We came with some trepidation about the big city, but I think we have adjusted quite well!
When we moved to Milton, I began working as an occasional teacher with the PDSB. I was thrilled to gain a full time position at my favourite school- Kindree. I have only taught Kindergarten there, and initially I was anxious to try my hand with older students. Now I feel much more content to be teaching K. They bring enthusiasm, energy, curiosity and honesty every day and they are truly funny! I could definitely relate to the little guy wondering “who wipes bums around here?”As a colleague of mine said one afternoon as we wiped tears of laughter from the corner of our eyes: “who else can say they have so much fun at work?”
When I am not teaching and parenting, I love to read and travel. Each summer since living in Ontario, we return to the Maritimes. I have also done some travelling in Europe and last summer we visited Ireland. This year while in New Brunswick, I braved the cold waters of the Bay of Fundy to try sea kayaking. Much to my surprise, I loved it! I look forward to the return of summer to get back on the water.
In the meantime, I am very excited to be embarking on this journey.
I grew up in New Brunswick and moved to Halifax to attend university. I met my husband and we lived in Halifax for 20 years. I love the Maritimes and all the cliché Maritime things- the water, seafood, kitchen parties and of course my family that is still there. I would like eventually to return there and live my retired years in a cottage by the sea.
I began my teaching career in my late thirties, after working for sometime in a “small options” home for children. Just as I completed my B Ed, Bob (my husband) was offered a position within his company in Toronto. It seemed like a perfect time in both of our careers to make the move. We came with some trepidation about the big city, but I think we have adjusted quite well!
When we moved to Milton, I began working as an occasional teacher with the PDSB. I was thrilled to gain a full time position at my favourite school- Kindree. I have only taught Kindergarten there, and initially I was anxious to try my hand with older students. Now I feel much more content to be teaching K. They bring enthusiasm, energy, curiosity and honesty every day and they are truly funny! I could definitely relate to the little guy wondering “who wipes bums around here?”As a colleague of mine said one afternoon as we wiped tears of laughter from the corner of our eyes: “who else can say they have so much fun at work?”
When I am not teaching and parenting, I love to read and travel. Each summer since living in Ontario, we return to the Maritimes. I have also done some travelling in Europe and last summer we visited Ireland. This year while in New Brunswick, I braved the cold waters of the Bay of Fundy to try sea kayaking. Much to my surprise, I loved it! I look forward to the return of summer to get back on the water.
In the meantime, I am very excited to be embarking on this journey.
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