Module 1: Reading Reflections

Important Concepts

1.      All students come to school with a set of values, viewpoints, customs, attitudes, experiences, and background knowledge that prepares them for life in their culture. This includes literacy. Students do not come to school devoid of literacy knowledge. Each student’s background knowledge in literacy is as important as any others’. How this knowledge is acquired is inherent to his life and thus valuable. It has been obtained through authentic interactions with written and spoken language therefore valid and legitimate. The fact that the acquisition is not what we, as mainstream teachers, would have prescribed does not lessen its significance. Educators tend to see this “difference” as inferior. This translates into thinking that students of diverse backgrounds are less intelligent and we treat them as such, albeit unintentionally.

2.      Most parents want what is best for their children and they do the best they know how. Different cultures place importance on differing and unique aspects that they deem the most necessary for their children to flourish. They may not have the knowledge or resources to provide a “pre-education” that educators would like them to, but what they provide is crucial to that child even if we do not understand its worth. Parents also walk a fine line between keeping their native culture alive verses teaching their children how to survive in the dominate culture. Those of us who make up the dominate culture do not know what this is like. More than likely, somewhere not too far back, we have ancestors who did experience this but it has been lost to us.

3.      Educators have an enormous responsibility. We must intentionally broaden our views in order not only to understand how to see beyond stereotypes but how to see differences as opportunities. In other words, to be more culturally aware so that we realize that being different does not mean being less. I have heard many teachers use judgmental and degrading language directed towards those who are not “mainstream.” We may think we are speaking in private when we release these remarks, but they permeate our actions and reactions. Educators have the ability to “make or break” students’ futures. We MUST learn to promote positive relationships with students who are different than we are (and I don’t mean just the “sweet” and “good” ones). It is a fact that the majority of public school teachers are Caucasian and that a growing number of students are not. Teachers must deliberately seek to understand how various cultures construct knowledge so that we can better educate all students in our care. We must learn to understand instead of judge. We must take children where they are and move them forward, not just tolerate them until they move on to the next grade.

Implementation

I will begin working on a parent handbook of strategies they can use at home to assist their children in furthering their literacy skills. Along with the strategies I will share the importance of each one and why the skills are important. I will make sure the strategies include short games and activities that are easy to employ as well as enjoyable. I will include books that are culturally diverse and utilize critical literacy models. I, like everyone, get stuck in a rut and it is my intention to examine all of my home-school policies and procedures.


Strategy

I used the SQP2RS strategy. I question my preschool students similar to this when reading fiction. I plan to make myself a file full of copies of this printout to have available when I have a non-fiction book to read to my class. I can quickly use it to guide my questioning and jot down what my students say in order to refer back to it after reading. During the last 9 weeks when their attention span is longer I will make a chart for my Promethean Board so they can see me write their answers and follow me as I refer back to them in order to complete the questioning. I will most likely have to summarize for them but this will be a great time to model recall. This takes the "Think Aloud" strategy to another level. I will still be doing the questioning but the students will be doing the answering. I like that the graphic organizer will keep me on track and give a boundry to the students. When your a preschooler, you think EVERYONE should get a turn. This can be more of a collaboration. I'm excited to use it.