This week, I watched the video “Everybody’s Children”. This Canadian documentary focused on the lives of two unaccompanied refugee minors seeking asylum. Sallieu is a young man who immigrated to Canada from Sierra Leone where his mother was killed. Joyce was a young woman who left the Congo after she was forced into prostitution by her parents in order to pay for living. As I write these two sentences as a short summary of the lives these two people had before moving to Canada, it is hard for me to understand how they are able to be so strong. As an adult who has had amazing opportunities throughout my life, I couldn’t imagine the struggles these two have been through. Furthermore, I couldn’t fathom what it must have been like to leave everything they knew to come here, alone, in search of a better life.
While hearing their stories, a major hardship that both people share is that of having to support themselves financially, while attending school with little help. In these situations, I wonder how these students are able to stay motivated to make school a priority in their lives. I know as a teenager with no major responsibilities, it was still difficult for me to see the necessity of school. And yet, these two seem to have an understanding well beyond their years. In a way, they have not been able to experience lives as teenagers. They have been thrown into a life of adulthood that is necessary but not desired. Their stories have also made me think about how I will interact with students who are in similar, extremely difficult situations. Will I remember to be understanding of people whose daily lives are much more difficult than mine? How will I balance maintaining high expectations with understanding that sometimes, school has to come second? I find that as with every student, a support system and relationship building will be the key to creating an understanding and motivating environment. Both people in this video demonstrated how much they relied on their support systems to make it through the tough process of integrating into Canadian life. Joyce has her church family, while Sallieu relies on the support provided by Matthew’s House. It is these important relationships that are critical to the success of these individuals. As mentioned in the film, many minors are refused refugee status or end up in the streets due to a lack of resources or an established processing system. As sad and horrible as it is, Joyce and Sallieu are the lucky ones. Even through all of their hardships, leaving home, living alone, and providing for themselves by working and going to school, many refugees still find themselves in less ideal situations. I think that this speaks not only to the lack of institutionalized support provided by the government, but also the importance and power a community can have in a person’s life.
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The Hopkins reading from this week both focused on the idea of restorative teaching and the importance of individual expression and proper communication. While reading this paper, I have come to better understand not just the importance in being aware of how personal experiences affect classroom atmosphere and individual thought, but also how important it is to be extremely aware of how little actions, like the way questions are phrased or listening instead of talking, can allow for students to feel more included and valued in the classroom. In order to ensure all students are treated fairly and feel comfortable to communicate their ideas, students must all be given a chance to express themselves without judgement. This judgement may not come from a place of anger or distain; nonetheless, every person will have preconceived notions, beliefs, values or ideas that affect the way they learn and interact with others. If people are able to become aware of these preconceived notions that dictate their thought processes and attempt the be empathetic and understanding of other people’s opinions, they may then be able to listen more carefully and learn more than they would have if they were closed-minded or only receptive to things they already knew or agreed with.
The Ayers reading discusses a similar theme, with more focus specifically on the importance of creating an environment for learning. Ayers begins by explaining how all features of a classroom (and a school) contribute to the environment’s atmosphere. Although this seemed pretty obvious to me at first, the author pointed out also that every decision a teacher makes (such as the way the class is organized, how they teach a lesson and the expectations they have of student’s behaviour) gives the message to students of what the teacher finds important, valuable and right. If, for example, a classroom is run where a teacher authoritatively stands at the front, talking at the students without engaging them in conversation, students can then come to feel that unengaged talks are the right/only way to learn. Students come to view different teachers or subjects as boring, unfair/hard or uninteresting simply because of the environment they are learning in. Ayers realizes that learning is an active process and that students should be encompassed by positivity, respect and encouragement in order to promote learning and classroom engagement. The creation of a positive learning environment can only come if students and teachers learn how to work together and live together. This means that both teachers and students should be willing to learn from each other, realizing the potential that comes from varying life experiences. By respecting each other while not being afraid to question, explore and create, we are then able to feel autonomy and value in our individual ideas and contributions. During my CSL so far, I have been able to witness contrasting classroom environments. Just from going to the school for a few days, I have already seen how a classroom environment that allows for open dialogue, class discussion and further questioning allows students to feel much more comfortable and excited to be in class. This environment allows each student the opportunity to participate in their own learning, thereby giving value to each person’s individual thoughts. I have also seen even more, I guess I could say ‘modern’ ideas implemented in some classrooms. For example, in a 4U chemistry class, students are not given textbooks or notes. The teacher barely talks at all. Almost every class is focused around group work and problem solving. Although this method has indeed peaked my interest, I wonder how I as a teacher will be able to implement something as non-traditional as this in my own class. These methods of teaching definitely contribute to a very different learning environment that is usually associated with chemistry classrooms. This teacher has been able to make his classroom a fun and engaging place where students come to learn through exploration, focusing more on concepts than memorization. I think the process of becoming a teacher requires me to find my own balance in what works and what doesn’t for my own classrooms. There will always be a new technique or new hot trend that every teacher wants to try; however, not everything will always work for every classroom. I find the main idea should remain focused on giving students a comfortable space to grow as learners and as people. Although methods to achieving this goal will vary over the years, an inclusive, respectful, active environment where students learn and live in the present should be secured in order to achieve success. From the beginning of Entre Les Murs, I could tell that the relationship between students and teachers in this school was strained. The movie began with teachers warning each other of how horrible their new classes will be. Going through their class lists one by one, teachers all began their year with preconceived notions about their students. This introduction of the film focused on the main theme I was able to take away from watching this film; student-teacher relationships and the importance of trust and mutual respect. Throughout the film, Mr. Marin demanded a certain level of respect from his students; however, he was never asked or expected to give them any in return. The students were able to call him out on this lack of respect, but Mr. Martin insisted on maintaining a hard demeanour as he felt that this was the only way his students could come to trust him.
I found Mr. Marin’s intentions juxtaposed the way he acted toward his students. At first, it was easy to see his downfalls. He had no legitimate, trusting relationship with his students, which prevented him from ever fully controlling his classroom. By making classroom management the main priority, he actually gave all control of his classroom over to the students. Yet, when we see him behind closed doors, it appears that he does in fact have legitimate feelings of care for his students. He seems to actually want them to succeed in his classroom (and not just for personal gain, but for the benefit of his students). He is seen to fight for them, fighting for their best interests in the face of his colleagues. And yet, any effort is overlooked by his students because of the in-class dynamics that have been established. I found that Mr. Marin should have been more open with his students and truly get to know them. Although he tried through the students’ self-portraits, his over-all attitudes made the effort seem insincere. It was never realized that “classroom management” is much simpler to achieve when the students feel like the classroom is a comfortable, welcoming place for them. Now, I will say that there was some effort on the part of Mr. Morin. In discussion with other teachers and the principal, this teacher did in fact suggest positive reinforcement as a form of classroom management, which was very quickly shut down by his colleagues. I was actually amazed at how closed minded some of the teachers were to new ideas, including those presented by fellow colleagues. As a teacher candidate, I find having an open mind and being willing to try new techniques in a classroom is critical for classroom management and student success. During my own CSL placement so far, I have seen how differing teaching strategies and an unwillingness to learn new strategies can cause tension between colleagues and within the whole school community. I find that there comes a point when teachers have to ask themselves what role they have in maintaining negative interactions in their classrooms. If students year after year are “hard to control”, then there may just be an issue with how the teacher approaches classroom management. Not all blame should be put on the students. From a more pedagogical standpoint, Entre Les Murs has caused me to re-think how some of the teachers’ decisions not only affected classroom management, but also the educational success of the students. In the classrooms we saw during the film, all the desks were in rows, and student discussion was limited. When the teacher would ask for class discussion, the students would often get off task and ignore the educational questions at hand. The environment of the classroom was cold and unwelcoming. If the teacher would have allowed for more group discussion, while getting to know the kids and allowing the kids to get to know each other, there may have been more educational success. Of course, not all students were doing badly, as some students are able to succeed in a more isolated classroom. Nonetheless, it is important to re-think how classrooms are arranged and what teacher strategies are used that can have an overall greater impact on the students. As I said, it is easy to vilify Mr. Marin; yet, I question how I would react in certain situations he found himself in. As a teacher, it is extremely important to maintain a calm and controlled attitude, even in situations where you will be pushed to your limits. I know as a teacher, I will be pushed to my limits. Regardless of the relationship and trust built in a classroom, we all will be pushed there. How can I, then, learn how to react respectfully? I think one of the main things that I could do, that wasn’t really seen by Mr. Marin when he was arguing with his students, was giving all those involved a chance to talk. In Mr. Marin’s case, he would let the students finish (yelling) their statements, but he wouldn’t actually listen to what they were saying. He was extremely stubborn when arguing, which ended up causing more tension to build in the classroom. As has been repeated to me throughout my program so far, the students are not yelling at you. They are not swearing because they hate you. There is most often something else happening in their lives, school-based or not, that is causing them to feel and act in an angry or hostile way. As teachers, we should be seen as protective, caring listeners. We should be understanding of personal experiences and be aware that outside circumstances often affect the tone of the classroom. I find, in many instances, students are pushed away at times when they most need someone. If a child is acting out because they are fighting with their family at home, should they then be subjected to a walk to the principal’s office? What will that achieve? Why do some people insist on pushing those away who most need our help? In the case of Souleymane, for example, Mr. Marin was willing to look at his situation with an understanding eye, but none of the other board members were. They looked at the facts of the incident, and nothing more. They did not consider why Souleymane would act the way he was, what personal, social or emotional situations are affecting his behaviour, nor what the consequences would be for suspending him. There was no relationship built, so there was then no way for his situation to be better understood. This lack of understanding could also be what contributed to his lack of academic success at school. If he felt isolated, like no one would care if he was missing or interacting in class, and that no one would care if he succeeded, what motivation would he then have to try to succeed? The only time we see him do well in class was when he was given a platform to properly and fully express himself, without any judgment. He felt proud in his work, and he also felt like people cared about the things he had accomplished. Therefore, giving students a platform to express themselves, while respecting their personal situations, can help them succeed both academically and socially. Again, I am not saying that no situation requires outside intervention or punishment; however, we must work daily to concern ourselves with our students’ issues. We must be willing to talk and to listen, to be understanding and to make students feel welcomed to come to class. Finally, I wanted to comment on another small theme touched upon in the film - the importance of parent-teacher relationships. In Mr. Marin’s interactions with the parents during parent-teacher interviews, it is clear that there are many types of parents that we as teachers will have to work with. Some will be extremely dedicated to seeing their children succeed, others will not care. Some will do anything to up their child’s grade; others will feel it is completely the student’s responsibility to succeed. Some will want to be in constant communication with you; others will not even know how to speak English (or will not care to speak to you). Teachers must be able to work with every type of parent in order to all students the best opportunity at success. By interacting with parents, teachers also get a better sense of the student-parents relationship and how that relationship can play into the classroom experience of the student. At school, teachers should work to build relationships with both students and parents. Through regular communication and getting to know each other, all parties can learn to better understand each other and communicate any concerns honestly and respectfully in order to promote student success. In conclusion, I think this film provided me (and other new teachers) an opportunity to see how real classrooms are, and different challenges I will face as a teacher. I find this film provided some examples of how not to act in certain situations, but has also made me realize how difficult some situations might be to manoeuver. I have seen fist hand how different experiences, both positive and negative, affect how students behave and what they feel they are able to achieve in the classroom. I find it is critical to maintain high expectations for all students, make them feel welcomed while pushing them to become their best selves. This fil allowed me to re-think the importance of building relationships in all aspects of schooling. Although student-teacher relationships are critical, teacher-teacher and parent-teacher relationships also greatly affect student experience at school. The question “How can we positively impact the ways student see themselves?” is one that I as a teacher is required to ask myself on a daily basis. Students will only be able to succeed if they feel they are able to – without self-confidence and emotional and academic support, built on trusting student-student, student-community and student-teacher relationships, any child, regardless of their personal experience, will suffer. The readings and video from this week address some of the ways that the education system can work to both impede and encourage positive self-reflection in students.
In the video, Xs Stress: Teens Take Control, three teenagers are interviewed and talk specifically about their personal struggles and how they were able to overcome these struggles and become successful in school and in their lives as a whole. In all three cases, there was a repeated theme that was present; all the students felt under-supported and alone during their time of trouble, and were able to succeed once they were able to find a good support system and felt they deserved to succeed. All of the students were also negatively affected by societal norms and expectations, in their own way. Once they were able to become accepting of themselves, they were then able to succeed socially, emotionally and academically. This film worked to demonstrate how much of an impact personal lives and relationships have on student success in the classroom. Although I find that not many specific solutions were presented in this video on how teachers can work directly with students to help them succeed, it did demonstrate forming trust worthy relationships with students can contribute to their success. The second piece of text examined this week was the Pupil Voice is Here to Stay by Jean Rudduck. Here, the author demonstrates the importance and benefits of including the student voice in decision making in all aspects of school. In most classrooms I have experienced, students have no say in what they are taught, how they are taught or how their school community and classrooms function. One thing I found particularly interesting was when the author explained how the immense insight, capabilities and potential of students often goes unheard of due to a lack of responsibility they have in a school. I find this point interesting since I would like to think of school as a place where students would have the most liberty to express their learning and learnt capabilities. School is like home to a lot of kids – it is where they grow up, make friends and spend their days. So why aren’t they a part of the planning around what they learn during those 12+ years? By incorporating student thought into educational practices, all parties would contribute and benefit. As a student teacher, I would have found it helpful if the author would have included ways a teacher can work within the standard guidelines of school boards and curricula to include student voice more deeply in the educational experience. It seems easy to simply go into a class and ask “what do you find important?”, but how do these thoughts get translated into serious changes and contributions to school policy or curricula? How are we able to practically and effectively include the voices of all pupils in a school community in a way where they feel they are properly represented? The final paper read this week, and the one I struggled with the most, was What School Movies and TFA Teach Us About Who Should Teach Urban Youth: Dominant Narratives as Public Pedagogy by C. Cann. Firstly, I found the core argument of this article to be extremely accurate, relevant and important in understanding the relationship between public narratives and student success in urban schooling. In this article, Cann focuses one two narratives, WTSF and TFA, that paint the same picture; in urban schools, students of colour must be rescued from their “bad” lives by an unexperienced white teacher. I have personally seen this narrative played out in numerous movies, including those mentioned in this article. I was unaware, however, of this real-life narrative played out through programs such as TFA. One thing I noticed was how the basic reasoning behind this narrative did not focus on student success; rather, it is presented as an opportunity for new teachers to gain experience working with “rowdy” kids – something that could seem impressive on a resume. This could be supported by the interest convergence concept (under critical race theory), as this is an example of an institutional program designed to benefit a group of people who are dominant in the hierarchical landscape of race. In these narratives, student success is seen as a by-product. This is even more apparent when the author presents evidence of students actually performing worse when in classrooms run by less-experienced teachers of a different race than the student. Fundamentally, I agree that these narratives are true and impact real urban schools, and negatively impact student success and ultimately how students see themselves. Nonetheless, many questions and concerns regarding my own experience in an urban school were raised when reading this article. I found the author spoke strictly on the work experience and race of the teacher but failed to expand on how differences in class, regardless of and in intersection with issues of race, between students and teachers play into student-teacher dynamics. Even if race was not a main concern (ie. if a teacher of colour entered a student classroom), there is often still a divide in terms of class and possible educational opportunity between teachers and urban students. As a teacher, there is an automatic assumption that you have received a university education; that in and of itself can be seen as a barrier between student and teacher experience. As a teacher, we must learn to work around these differences in experience and opportunity and put the success of the student first. As a white female teacher candidate working in an urban school, I find I have the responsibility to continuously prove that I am not fulfilling the role of the teacher in the narratives presented in this paper. All students, regardless of personal experience, require a teacher-student relationship that supports them on their journey through education. Although I have been able to reflect upon my own experience as a teacher candidate in relation to these narratives, I found one of the most difficult struggles I had with this paper was a lack of solutions to dismantling the negative narratives currently present in urban education. How do I hope to fight against these stereotypical narratives as a white teacher new to the profession hoping to work in an urban school? I worry that my physical description and current resume somehow puts me in the role of “savior teacher” without feeling like such. How do I convince students that I am here to support them without needing to save them from themselves? Again, building a relationship is most important as a teacher. By connecting with students, parents and the community, it becomes easier to understand how students think, what students are struggling with, what types of support they need and how to help them push themselves to succeed. I hope as I become more established in urban school communities, I am able to fight against these stereotypes and help students find success within themselves. References Cann, C.N. (2015). What School Movies and TFA Teach Us About Who Should Teach Urban Youth: Dominant Narratives as Public Pedagogy. Urban Education, 50 (3), 288-315. Rudduck, J. Pupil Voice is Here to Stay. Qualifications and Curriculum Society. XS Stress: Teens Take Control Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_veiprAHoDc |
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January 2017
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