Erica's Online Assignment
Erica Tymeck
difficulties.
1. One major theme I found through all the articles was the
transformative power of literacy (how fitting for our master's program
title right?!). I found this summed up best in the Street packet in
"The schooling of Literacy". The author discusses, "Literacy, in this
sense, becomes a symbolic key to many of the society’s gravest
problems: issues of ethnic identity, conflict, achievement....issues
of poverty...issues concerning the effectives of American society as a
whole, etc". I took away from this concept with the idea that Literacy
can not only teach my children skills, content and strategies but
supply and hopefully inspire them with ideas that can change their
initial mindsets and possibly, the mindsets of others around the
world. I feel like so many of us use literacy (texts, reading and
writing) in a cross curricular setting (books to supplement history,
movies to supplement science), but as Street shows us, literacy can do
so much more.
2. Three articles I would like to explore further are "Real Time
Strategy game" because it deals with issues in Technology (ICT).
Although technology is something I want to continue to incorporate
into my teaching and pedagogy, there are still some issues (that all
of us have experienced). I feel that technology in the classroom
(using it effectively, exposing children to it, learning more as an
educator) is something we should al continue to do. I know in our 1300
class, and even this assignment is an interesting use of technology
that I think the author would agree with.
Next is the Glass article found in the Friere packet. I found that the
"Education as a Practice of Freedom" was interesting. However, the
population that was discussed in he article(s) seemed to be quite
different from the population I teach. Freire talks a lot about
“overcoming the limits of situations “, which I think is so
interesting. I would be more interested to find out how to weave this
idea into a classroom with over-privileged children, ones who do not
face much struggle or oppression in their lives. However, I have
prided myself on at least exposing my students to people who do not
have the same upbringing and experiences they have. Although this
might sound strange, they live in the “Upper East Side Bubble” and I
hope to continue to expand their minds and outlooks to build sensitive
to others who are different and less fortunate. I believe this is a
huge aspect of our course, getting to that LEVEL 4 stage where
students are making a change (with themselves or others). It would be
wonderful to one day, reach that level with my students.
Finally, as I think so many of us enjoyed was the Boudin article. I
thought her example of “AIDS behind bars” was not only fascinating,
but showed the transformative power of literacy. First off, the author
was able to reach the students by providing them with a topic in which
they are interested and passionate about. I try to make this a central
point of my pedagogy. Keeping my students interested, passionate and
motivated about the literacy task (book, poem, writing genre, etc.) is
extremely important to me. Next, like the first article I mentioned,
I feel that this study did an outstanding job of blending literacy
(reading and writing skills) with social awareness and with personal
empowerment. I found it extremely inspiring (although the topic is
something I probably would not venture to in my 4th grade, Catholic
school environment), and something that I think so many of us would
want to attain in this class. However one issue I found with doing
something like this, as so many of us might agree is where to find the
time? I feel like to have a total comprehensive unit based around one
topic is So wonderful and can do wonderful things (look t the results
of the students though this AIDS work). I really look forward to
continue to learn how to “negotiate the curriculums” we have been
given so we can cover this powerful, motivational work as well as meet
the needs of our administrators.
4. As I already discussed in the above sections and where I noted the
specific articles, some key pedagogical implications I drew from these
readings are: the motivational, transformative power of literacy, the
use of technology, not being afraid of major social/power/oppression
issues, and motoring student by working with topics/contents/genres
which they are interested in and passionate about.
I look forward to reading and responding to your reflections.
Have a great weekend!
-Erica
Peanut
I read one of your article earlier and wanted to reply to it but was
unable because I could not find any reply option. After fiddling
around a bit I was finally able to find a reply link but not for the
intial article which your wrote that I wanted to reply to. In the
article you discussed Dewey's notion that children do not come to
school with a blank slate but come with prior knowledge form their
experiences. You suggest that we can build upon these experiences as
well. I agree that we have to begin where the children are. In this
particle article which I cannot locate you made a comment about
children becoming fully human. If you dont mind me asking what do you
mean by that comment?
Erica Tymeck
Hey Gary-
becoming "fully human".
Pauline Hunter
me know. Thanks pauline
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Pauline Hunter
awhodat
jasmijn quon
I am so confused if we are suppose to post for this upcoming class, so I am...If we are not suppose to, please let me know! I am confused with all the assignments right now! I had this ready by Thursday and Friday, but I didn't see anyone post, so.....
JT Quon
March 18, 2010
Online Post- Seminal Studies 3
Question #1:
Seminal Studies Packet #3 was all about reading strategies and theories about how to teach reading. Although all the articles were valuable at giving me greater insight into the theories (political, social, scientific to name a few!) behind reading and instructional methods, I discuss a few ideas here that I am grappling with.
One idea I am thinking about is Rosenblatt’s transactional theory. I actually loved the interview since I agreed with Rosenblatt completely on many of her the ideas: that “the reader brings to the text his past experiences and personality…and that reading is a continuous reciprocal of reader and text…that this is a dynamic relationship…we pay attention to the associations or feelings being aroused…” etc. (Interview, p. 5-6). I do believe that reading is dependent on one’s situation, history, context, etc, and that in a sense, there are no generic readers since if everyone is different with different experiences, then how can we all have the same reading experiences? Although she mentions so many different theories, I couldn’t help but think how similar this is to a combination of socio-cultural and social constructivism, for the building of understanding based on cultural, social, and historical influence overlaps and share tenets. So, I wonder why she never mentioned these theories, as well as why did I not read much of Rosenblatt within socio-cultural (I vaguely recall reading Rosenblatt…it might have been within my own self research for my thesis…).
In terms of what it can offer my work and my students, simply put, I think that I want to explore how the reader is emotionally involved with our reading, and that we have to learn how to handle our emotions and think rationally. I think that this is really powerful since it can help open doors to perspectives, deeper insight and identity understanding and building, as well as give experiential wisdom for young students. Rosenblatt implies that this involvement will help with stimulating a multicultural education, which makes since if we set up a student to read with a purpose (efferent reading), for students will then read with an experiential and informative lens. Thus, here is a chance for having students taking a more empathetic view during reading, the “lived-experience” as Rosenblatt states, and then make space for valuing cultures and differences, and thus understand them. This then can help students and myself bring learning to a level 4, and thus teach multicultural education with a social action angle, even if the “social action” is only a shift in decision making and thinking.
Question 2
Three articles I want to discuss further from Seminal 3 studies packet are:
|
Article |
Why I chose it |
Where it fits in my life, teaching, and goals |
What it helps me think about my own pedagogy |
|
Literature As Exploration (Rosenblatt) |
I like the idea that literature can be an experience and that one can gain a “lived experience” understanding for greater life comprehension. |
Helps give me ideas about how to approach literacy as an experience and see that literacy is a means to an emotional outlet. |
Since I am a socio-culturalist and social constructivist, I believe that learning is built upon in a social manner and through social interaction. Thus, the idea that the literature as a means to broaden knowledge relates to my idea of using social relations to build knowledge. |
|
Is phonics-rich instruction, as published in the White House, needed in US classrooms? (Thompson) |
I like exploring the issues and perspectives of this pedagogy for it helps me further my understanding of this issue as well as give me greater insight to the effects, practices, and thinking of these issues |
Since I teach at school that advocates whole language approach, I am interested in knowing another pedagogy and perspective on reading, especially when so many teachers at my school request phonics instruction and dismiss whole language instruction. |
In terms of how this can help me with my pedagogy, I believe that knowing more about these two practices can help me negotiate a better curriculum to fit the needs of my students, for I can take the best of both worlds. |
|
Louise Rosenblatt Interview (University of Miami) |
I want to explore the ideas of reading as a transactional process since it relate so closely to the ideas in socio-cultural theory. |
I agree and found many of Rosenblatt’s ideas true and made sense to me, I think that this will give me a greater understanding of how to approach teaching literacy and thinking about the development of literacy. |
As a socio-culturalist and social constructivist, I found Rosenblatt’s theories and ideas helpful in helping me construct my own beliefs and understandings of the process of literacy, and thus how literacy is built through the social processes. |
3) I think the authors would find the discussions and debates that we have on how to negotiate our curriculum as well as the fact that we are bringing in multiple perspectives to help evaluate and determine a best practice or a more multicultural and just curriculum and pedagogy for our students. The authors would like it that we are in dialogue to be activists and not just passive receivers of the curriculum imposed upon us.
4) Some specific pedagogical implications that I cam drawing from the reading are:
1) How to introduce new texts to young students (Clay, 1991)- I would use this also to teach the Arabic students who do not have any English background- I think this might be a less severe and intimidating introduction as well. However, I would adjust the questions and texts to the students’ maturity level, for I felt as if some of these questions or comments might give off a feeling or sense of patronization.
2) In general, the combination of these articles is helping me with my thinking of the underlying processes of how reading is constructed (thus my pedagogical beliefs) which helps me reflect on the intentions, practices, and the approaches I have towards my teaching. Thus, I am guided to reflect more on how I am approaching the reading as a combination of needing structural approaches such as some more word-work or word work within book introductions –which I really do not do- woven in with the ideas Rosenblatt and Goodmen discuss (transaction and whole language approach).
From: Pauline Hunter <pahun...@gmail.com>
To: 1301-negotiat...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, March 20, 2010 6:12:27 PM
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makeda