Story Time!

         Terry Meier brings to light a very important aspect of early development in a child, Story book time. Recently i had the chance to teach a third grade class for about three months. Story Time was the most important time of day for these children, although these stories are more advance then the ones that the preschoolers and kindergartners are being read they are receiving the same core values that come from story telling. 

         While reading Meier's narrative i found that classroom i taught in was among the social exceptional, White, English spoken middle-class students. These students are extremely interested in books as they are read books at home routinely by their parents. I realized that the cultural differences really do take quite a toll on a child's growth, social skills and language.



          I found the examples that Meier wrote about to be  very interesting.These were the examples that regarded Marisa, Lindsey, and Lem.  Each of these children used their knowledge of vocabulary at a very young age to get out of trouble with their parents.  They were all intelligent enough to realize quick and effective ways to switch the situations around in their favor. Meier uses these examples to show us how different cultural upbringings contribute to the way we talk and comprehend a situation and the vocabulary that we have and us. This leads to the next topic of how some young kids respond to book readings and can use language from the books in conversation, like Lindsey. Whereas, some children who do not respond well to books or were simply not read to at a young age prefer to use language they pick up just from listening to others speak around them, like Lem and Marisa.  I though that it was incredible how Lem thought of a poem off of the top of his head at such a young age and Marisa was able to switch her situation so quickly by making the offensive comment into a fun loving teasing game.



I found this video that i found demonstrates this reading quite clearly. You can see as the teacher is reading the book how the children react differently to the situations that arise in the book. I find it truly amazing to see how different each student is and how Meier is able to perfectly summarize the learning styles and natures of children of different cultures and social backgrounds.



         

Other People's Children

  "Other People's Children"

                Lisa Delpit



The Delpit article starts with moving testimonies from African American teacher's discussing the on going difficulties they encounter with the education system. These difficulties focus mainly on the education of African American students or the lack of. In retrospect they talk about the already known controversies that arise with educational standards of White students and how it differs from the educational standards of African American students. I found these to be interesting and just as important as the core elements in the article.

              "If you try to suggest that's not quite the way it is, they get defensive, then you get defensive, then they'll start reciting research.
       I try to give them my experiences, to explain. They just look and nod, the more i try explain, they just look and nod, just keep looking and nodding. They don't really hear me. Then, when its time for class to be over, the professor tells me to come to his office to talk more. So i go. He asks for more example of what i'm talking about, and he looks and nods while i give them. Then he says that that's just my experience. It doesn't really apply to most black people." 

This quote is a clear representation of the disconnect in the education system. When there are still strong racial walls up in our society and our everyday life, how are we supposed to form equal education rights and expectations. Delpit fights for the equal education of all students and for the individual expectation of each student not based on the color of their skin but on their own individual intellectual abilities.

Late Introduction

LSo my first blog was supposed to be about me but guess it will be my second because I already posted the assignment. So my name is Kayla Walker and I'm a Freahman. My major is Elementary Ed./Special Ed, I'm really excited to get through school and have my own classroom to teach every day. Teaching kids has always been something I've wanted to do, I love working with kids it is so rewarding to watch kids grow through out the school year. I'm a workaholic who prides on being independent. The school year is going great so far I am actually really excited for all my classes and feel great about how this semester will go. I'm also excited for this class I think it will be an eye opener to teacher different students in different demographic. 

Kozol "Amazing Grace"

The reading begins with Kozol traveling from the Manhattan to the South Bronx. He talks about the most populated areas of the Bronx, where most of the people who live in these areas are Hispanic or African American. Also goes on to talk about how these are among the poorest Americans and discuses the fact that most of these people are contracting HIV and dying of AIDS. Kozol then goes on to later take a tower around a neighborhood with this little boy, who is spirited and lively in spite the conditions he lives in. As the boy takes Kozol he learns of how New York has done nothing to help the circumstances that the people live in, although these areas the a high population of sick women and children. He shows you the high death tolls of these people and admires the young boy for his enthusiasm for life. He later talks to a lady who tells him about the apartment that mothers are dying on their children and every week someone else is dying. Kozol wants people to really understand the life’s of the children during this time and also relate it to the consistent struggle the children of these groups still have. The different races and the different social classes affects the quality of life for these children, they may not be well educated or well experienced in the social aspects of life. Kozol is making it appoint to pay attention to these children and not letting them "fall through the cracks" of the system.

        In relation to other articles that we have read it keeps on the same topic of bettering education. The children are our future we must put forth a great deal of effort to make sure our children are well prepared for life and well educated in the ways of life. Bettering education for the children and nurturing these children correctly is a vital task to insure this goal. Even if these children happen to be "Poor" or of "Race".