Student Dialogue

For these reflections, I used the questions to lead a discussion with a group of students (my son's friends), rather than interview just one. Group members ranged in age from 15 to 17, included girls and boys, and represented different cultures and racial/ethnic backgrounds.

I asked first about power. They immediately responded that leadership opportunities, such as acting as a camp counselor, or an officer in a music group were situations in which they had power. In the classroom, they said, getting good grades and excelling in other ways (such as in a music group) gives them a sense of power. They named classroom discussions as an activity in which they felt powerful. They stipulated, however, that they only feel powerful in well-directed discussions in which everybody is given the chance to participate. I asked whether they felt like students had very much power in classrooms and they said no--the teacher has about 95% of the power, but they thought that was fine, however.

From their answers I would say that good ways to provide power to students in a classroom would be, 1) give opportunities for leadership, 2) provide lots of chances to achieve and excel, 3) include classroom discussions often, 4) use discussion techniques that give everyone a chance to speak.

When I asked what made them feel free, one immediately responded, “Driving!” They also mentioned summer vacation, video games, cell phones, and getting older. They thought situations where there were no rules would probably make them feel free, but assured me that rules are very necessary in the classroom. In a classroom setting, they said that being given choices of assignments and activities made them feel more free. They said that the strict course of study they take as IB students restricts their freedom to choose other classes that they wish they could take. The realized that their commitment to music takes up a lot of their time and limits their freedom also.

For freedom, a teacher could 1) provide choices among assignments, 2) allow alternate activities, 3) limit restrictions and have fewer rules as students get older, 4) build a classroom environment that lets them communicate with their friends. They all thought a class in which they could blog the answers to discussion questions and could comment on the blogs of their classmates would be intriguing.

When I asked them what activities they thought were fun outside of school, they responded loudly with “Music!” They also mentioned sports, parties, hanging out with their friends and video games. Fun in school included music (again) and clubs. When I narrowed them to fun in the classroom, they mentioned discussions (even those who don’t participate said they like to listen), competitive activities, competition with classmates, eccentric teachers, interesting topics variety in activities. They said doing the same thing all the time is NOT fun and they like to have the classroom routine broken up with different activities. Those who attended charter schools said they missed the many activities they participated in when they were in middle school--such as field trips, group activities.

To bring fun to the classroom, a teacher could 1) vary instruction styles, 2) make the curriculum interesting, 3) spend more time in discussions, 4) vary the routine, 5) get out of the classroom when possible.

They were less animated when I asked them when they had a sense of belonging. Once again, they mentioned their music groups and music classes immediately. They said they felt they belonged when they were with their friends--either in or out of school. They said they had a sense of belonging in clubs and other groups where they shared interests with other members. They didn’t mention families, churches or sports teams.

To help kids feel like they belong, 1) teachers and those who organize classes and curricula should take care that scheduling doesn’t separate students from their friends, 2) teachers should be aware of friendships when small groups are formed in classes, 3) the bonds students have with other students should be encouraged, 4) students who share interests should be encouraged to do things together.

Finally, I asked them what I could learn that would make me a fantastic teacher. They said I should learn 1) lots of instruction techniques so they didn’t have the same thing in class all the time, 2) how to give students more choices in class, 3) how to teach so that content was related to “right now” and “real life”--but not in a contrived way (like some math and problem-solving questions). They don’t like being given a bunch of information and being told to put it together without being directed by questions or directions.

A few thoughts: They want structure--but not routine. They like to be with friends. Achievement makes them feel powerful. Freedom is part of growing up.

Reflections 2.8 and 2.9

Student Socializing Forces

The student I interviewed (an 8th-grader) indicated that what she learned in school (curriculum) closely matched what she learned at home--she’s often excited to come home and share with her family what she’s learned in history or science class. She felt the some of her teachers are the same kind of people as her family members but some are different.

She couldn’t see any relationship between what she learns at school and anything she sees in the media--unless she watches educational TV. The media seems to inhabit a different world than the world of her school--and her teachers.

She felt that her peers feel about the same way as she feels about the curriculum and the teachers at their school. She doesn’t know for sure how they feel, because they don’t talk about it very much. She says she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking about curriculum and teaching, but it’s never come up and she didn’t think she wanted to bring it up.

She realized that many of the moral and ethical lessons she learns at church are the same ones she’s taught at school, by her teachers. For example, to treat others as you would like to be treated, treat others with respect, tell the truth, don’t cheat, be kind.

It seemed to me that--at least for this student--the different forces in her life exist independently of each other. She has internalized values and attitudes from her family and other forces either are accepted by her according to those values. If what the teacher says or what she sees on TV doesn't match with her formed values, then she doesn't let them change her thinking. I had to push to get her to make the connections.

I suspect most kids are like that--they compartmentalize as much as they are socialized.

Reflection 2.6

Achievement

The people I interviewed ranged in age from early 30s to 70s, both genders, from both professional and non-professional careers. Their achievements focused on family and occupational successes, such as raising children or completing a difficult project, as well as personal achievement--such as receiving the Eagle Scout award. The skills they believed helped them achieve their goals included hard work, collaboration skills, flexibility, knowing their own limits, determination and having a joyful attitude toward life. They admired those attributes in others, and achievements in others that reflected their honesty, sense of duty and overcoming weakness.

From these interviews, I think some important conceptions of achievement are: 1) it requires determination to finish tasks and follow through, 2) success means collaborating with others with flexibility and honesty, 3) overcoming obstacles is more important than receiving recognition, 4) achievement requires recognizing the skills and gifts of others.

Reflection 2.2

Autobiography

In the town where I was born, there were no black people. In fact, I don’t recall ever even seeing a real African American person in the flesh until I was eleven years old and went to Seattle to stay with my cousins for a while. Obviously, all the kids in all my grades at school looked pretty much like me--middle class, white, small town. Some of our dads were ranchers, some were storekeepers, some were millworkers or loggers, some were professional men--all of us dressed alike, watched the same TV and (at least in grade school)--had the same ideas, goals and philosophies.

While there were no children of other races in our school, a different culture was strongly represented. In the early 1900s, a colony of immigrants from Finland had settled in the area; many of my schoolmates and teachers were of Finnish origin. And many of the “Finlanders”—as my dad called them—spoke Finnish at home and maintained their cultural traditions; they had their own church, their own graveyard. My mom and dad had many good friends among our Finnish neighbors (my mom had taught some of them in school) and my parents’ acceptance and appreciation for this “foreign” culture helped me to become aware, in a positive way, of how differences can enrich us.

Another early influence in the development of my cultural competency was my paternal grandmother, who had lived on an Indian Reservation as a child. She told us stories, demonstrated dances and described episodes from her childhood that always portrayed her profound respect for Native Americans and their culture. I was fascinated. Later, when I was in high school, one of my teachers often made disparaging comments about Indians and Reservations. Because of what my grandmother had taught me, his sarcastic remarks offended and hurt me--even while the other kids laughed.

These positive messages about cultures were ultimately more powerful in shaping my views than some other family influences. My mother’s family had moved west from Tennessee a generation earlier and had brought their intolerances with them. My maternal grandmother, in particular, showed her prejudice toward African Americans whenever the opportunity presented itself. I can’t imagine what she would have thought about one of us sitting next to a person of another race in a schoolroom. I remember once when my sisters and I were visiting with her she cautioned us—with intense disgust--to stay away from a certain house across the street because a family of Mexicans had moved in.

We didn’t pay any attention to her, however, and when Lupe came out to play and invited us into her yard we happily joined her—until Grandma came out and hustled us back into the house. Poor Grandma! As it turned out, we kept sneaking over to Lupe’s house. We actually spent quite a bit of play time with Lupe that summer and became pals. That I remember Lupe after all these years shows what an impression it had on me as a child to be exposed to a child who was different from me.

My parents recently shocked me during a discussion about President Obama’s policies by admitting their lifetime racism toward African Americans. I remembered how, one summer when I was in high school, I sought out a guy on a forest firefighting crew who came from Detroit, Michigan, and was African American. My parents were worried and wondered what might happen. But I was simply curious; I had never had a conversation with someone who was black. As much as I wanted to talk with him and get to know him, our relationship (must to my parents’ relief) was very brief. Communication between the two of us was hopeless; I couldn’t understand a word he said. My grandmother was appalled when she heard about it, “Didn’t he smell?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

By the time I was 16, I had seen and heard much about the Civil Rights movement which had been going on throughout my childhood (I was born in 1955. As we studied these events in school and followed the news, I could tell that some of my teachers were very uncomfortable about the changes that were going on—the students, on the other hand, I recall being universally supportive of segregation and equality. It was a time of generational conflict and many of us espoused liberal, inclusive philosophies in reaction to—and in rebellion against--our parents’ and teachers’ narrower attitudes. By the time I graduated from high school, in 1973, I was a feminist, a liberal and a supporter of Civil Rights for all.

The University of Idaho, where I went to college, was neither a hotbed of dissent nor a diverse community. Two of my roommates dated Asian guys. A few of the football players were black. Mostly, however, the people around me--again--looked and acted just about like me (although students with liberal politics--like me--were in the minority). The experience of my roommate who was involved with a Chinese-American man was interesting, however. She was completely rejected by his family--for being white. He could not cope with the anger of his parents and they eventually broke up. I realized that racism works in all directions.

Like many other young adults, when I was in college I became more interested in religion and spirituality. I had been raised on the fringes of a church, but our family rarely attended. As I studied the doctrines of world religions, of Christianity and of my own Christian church, I became convinced of the divinity of every member of the family of humankind—no matter what culture or race or lifestyle. This belief has shaped my philosophy more than any other factor. The peaceful teachings of Jesus and the examples of righteous people have been a continuing influence for good in my life. I came to believe in community and collaboration, rather than competitiveness and conflict.

A person’s world-view is not finished when she graduates from college. I’ve had many experiences as an adult that challenged my idealism and refined my ideas about life and cultures. In 1979, for example, we moved to a tiny community in North Idaho where I first became aware of the culture of the rural (white) poor. Our daughter attended a school (and I subbed there) where 99% of the students were getting free or reduced lunch. The economy was troubled; mills were closing, but poverty had been a way of life for most of the people around us--even in good times. I admit, I had a really hard time accepting some of the life-style values I saw. It was particularly troubling to me that young people wanted nothing more from the future than a seasonal job, unemployment payments (they called “rocking-chair”) in the winter, a snow machine, beer to drink and a gun to shoot. And, like their parents, to sit in their squalor and be consumed by hate, anger and racism. Finally, I realized that I was surrounded by a culture more foreign than that of the Finnish immigrants I grew up with. I found it difficult to extend my tolerance for other cultures should be to this culture as well.

The experiences of my children have taught me too. When we lived in Golden, Colorado, in the late 80s there were many Hispanic families in our neighborhood and children in my kids’ schools. (When we later moved to Oregon I was instantly struck by the BLONDNESS of everyone.) One of my daughters was very close friends with a girl her age named Maria Rascon. Like most of the Hispanic kids we knew, she came from a family with a many-generation history in Colorado or a nearby state. Unlike many of them, she came from a family that was quite wealthy--much higher on the socioeconomic ladder than us. They were members of our church and the girls were almost inseparable. We moved to Salem when my daughter was in the 7th grade; immediately she was exposed to racism at school where students were mocking and taunting “Mexicans.” Horrified, she stood up for the Hispanic kids--in memory of her dear friend Maria--and became a target of harassment herself, at least temporarily. She had to learn that, while the Hispanic kids in Golden were part of the “dominant” culture, that was not true here. There is a great deal more diversity in Salem than there was then, and there is less racism in our schools. My son sits in high school honors classes with many kids of other races--including Hispanic kids, but only very rarely an African American.

When I was young, I expected racism to disappear by the time I had kids in high school. I learned about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, I saw the segregation barriers come down and I thought the next generation would have learned to live and “sing, in harmony and love.” I believed the Coke advertisements.

Today, I realize that defeating racism will take much more time and more teaching and I worry much more about it now than ever before. I wonder about my role as a teacher who is a member of the “dominant” culture. I feel nervous about mentioning race and worried that some innocent comment or action I make might be offensive to another culture, or interpreted wrongly by others as racism. I don’t believe culture and race are exactly the same thing. Sometimes members of other races are part of the “dominant” culture. Sometimes white people are not. I try always to be aware of cultural differences, but I worry that noticing them leads to stereotyping.

My grown children have settled all over the world. I have kids living in England, France, Ukraine and Okinawa (as well as Texas and Manhattan.) Where ever they are, I am proud to say, my kids appreciate and respect the cultures they find.

SECTION ONE IN SUMMARY

To summarize my thoughts, I think reading and reflecting on teaching and purposes and influences has refined my philosophy of education, although what I posted below is not complete.

The text suggests that most people decide to become teachers because they "love children." That is not the case with me. At all. I DO love children, (that's why I had 8 of my own) but that's not why I want to teach.

This is the second time I've decided to become a teacher. The first time my reason was simple--I didn't like to type and needles made me squeamish and teaching was the other field "acceptable" to women of my class and culture at that time.

This time my reasons are complex and concrete. The assigned reflections helped me recognize and define those better. I also realized that, although I think I have a good grasp of my philosophy of education, my reasons for teaching and my approach to the classroom, I have more refining to do.

MY VISION REVISITED

As a teacher I envision myself: respecting my students with high expectations; cultivating their love of learning and stimulating their curiosity. I see myself always remembering that people are more important than content and standing as a witness that each student is a unique individual with her own background, culture, knowledge and power. I foresee my classroom as a safe, comfortable place where people collaborate, rather than compete and where students (and teacher) encourage one another in all ways

reflection 1.13

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

1. What is the main purpose of schools? Schools are the place where representatives of the adult generation pass the wisdom and values of the culture down to their society's children and teach them the skills they'll need when they become the adults. This is an anthropological philosophy, I realize. But it applies to all schooling, from tribal lessons around a campfire in a primitive society, to the English Boys' Public boarding schools of the 19th century, to the "factory" suburban elementary school I attended, to the prairie schoolhouse, to Harvard, to Hogwarts.

2. How does this purpose relate to or serve a diverse society? This purpose is going to reflect the culture. Unfortunately, schools can teach prejudice and fear. They don't have to, however, and MY dream is that schools will become the place where multicultural appreciation and the wonders of cultural diversity are among the values that are transmitted.

3. How does this purpose relate to or serve a socially stratified society? Obviously, some of the examples I mentioned in #1--such as the English Boys' Public Schools--used this purpose to maintain the stratifications of a stratified society. Boys were taught "their place" and the place of others--the servant class, the ruling class. A primitive society probably considers keeping a strict "us and them" value going to be a good idea as well. 19th-century American Prairie schoolhouses were quite diverse--a generation or two of immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, Bohemia learned English, civics and independence in those schools. I'm sure some were very stratified, but I have confidence that some teachers fought to teach the value of each human child and that--although the "melting pot" was probably not a great metaphor--students in some of those schoolrooms learned to respect and depend upon one another. Interdependence is a cultural value, too.

4. What are the implications of what you wrote above for a teacher? A teacher is "the keeper of the flame." A teacher chooses whether she will use education to further stratify society, to drive people apart, or to bring them together. A classroom can be a miniature United Nations, or it can be a place where children who are different are forced into invisibility. As schools work toward cultural competency, individual teachers can cherish the budding cultural value of respecting all and hand it on to a new generation.

As I mentioned in #1, schools pass down the wisdom and knowledge of the society--as well as the values. As teachers and schools choose which parts of that wisdom and knowledge to focus upon, how to present it, how to relate it to students' lives in the present and the future, they are also deciding what kids will be taught to value.

reflection 1.12

DALE SPENDER'S OR SOJURNER TRUTH'S NEW INTERPRETATION

Traditionally, the "work" of women has been hidden--especially when they were not doing "women's work." Sojurner Truth's statement points to the invisibility of generations of women who worked alongside men in the fields--as well as in places and jobs which men wouldn't often stoop to--as slaves, indentured servants and wives.

Her comment was undoubtedly meant to speak for Black women; to me, it resounds for women of all races and backgrounds. Even the planters' wives whose households included slaves were expected to keep quiet (about their treatment, and the treatment of female slaves) and work hard at "support" tasks. Even women in "modern" times have wanted to yell, "Look at me! Look at my arm!" when their hard work--in offices, hospitals, schools, as volunteers--is minimized as unimportant by the gender with all the power.

In 1974, I took a job as a surveyor for the US Forest Service in Idaho. I was a member of the first "integrated" (meaning it included women) survey crew on that forest. They didn't know what to do with us! We were relegated to carrying stakes, holding targets and other "untrained" tasks, because we were untrained, and because we were women, nobody was particularly interested in training us. We were treated poorly. "Sexual Harassment" had not been invented yet--but we got a lot of it.

Even though we were performing the most mindless and least challenging and least important tasks, our work was still valuable--because the job couldn't have been completed without those tasks being performed. But we still felt invisible, and like we had to take the harassment because we should be "grateful". It's tough being a pioneer. Look at my arm.

reflection 1.11

LOVE AND HELP REEXAMINED

Similarities between the statements: Both mention thinking of students as individuals with diverse experiences and valuing them and their experiences. Both emphasize working to discover student strengths and what they already know.

Differences between the statements: My statement mentions trust, bonds and sacrifice. The other statement talks about matching children's needs and styles with teaching strategies and methods (rich and varied.)



reflection 1.4

WHAT WILL SUSTAIN ME

Loving children will sustain me if: I appreciate their individuality and their strengths. If I get to know them ("walk around in their skin") and if I carefully listen to them and recognize them.

Loving children won't sustain me if: I need to be loved back. WAY too many people get into teaching because they "love kids" but it's also because they need love back. High school students especially want to be valued, rather than loved--and they sense "needy" teachers who need to be loved back. Teacher hearts are often broken.

Wanting to help students will sustain me if: I trust them and teach them where they are; if I respect their backgrounds and personalities.

Wanting to help students won't sustain me if: I'm focused on myself and my needs. If I don't ask questions. If I try to "shape" them.

My other reason I want to teach will sustain me if: I value their strengths equally with mine. If I admit mistakes. If I keep my sense of humor and stay flexible.

It won't sustain me if: I'm too demanding--of the students, of myself, of the system, of the situation. If I'm patronizing.

reflection 1.3

WHAT I MEAN BY. . .

Loving children means: respecting them as individuals, valuing their experiences and knowledge ("Does American society value all of its children?"), establishing trust and building bonds through good communication.

Wanting to help students means: being willing to work, to sacrifice, to serve. It doesn't mean to "parent" especially as that means "patronize."

Another reason I want to teach includes: I love learning and value knowedge. I want to inspire and motivate students to seek knowledge by helping them develop confidence in their skills, abilities and prior knowledge; I want to ignite their curiosity and enthusiasm at the lamp of my own.

reflection 1.2

MY VISION OF MYSELF AS A FANTASTIC TEACHER:

As a fantastic teacher, I will excite student curiosity; model scholarship; care deeply about individuals; humbly respect their cultures and values and always ask questions.

reflection 1.1

Hello

My first day of school. I feel oriented