Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Post 1b: Nieto, Chapter 5
What is the central thesis or main argument(s) in Chapter 5? How does Nieto back up her assertions? Do you agree or disagree, generally, with these assertions and argument? If you agree, why? How do you connect with her argument, either experientially or intuitively? If you disagree, why? How would you counter her argument? Also, provide any questions you have about the reading.
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5 comments:
I thought that the main focus of ch 5 was on how equal isn't the same. Just because students come from the same culture or experiences doesnt' mean that they should all be taught in the same ways. Everyone learns differently, even siblings raised in the same ways can learn in different ways. I think that this is certainly true, I really see this in my own classroom. Each of my students learns in very different ways, and because of this I have to constantly change the methods of instruction for each of them. This is slightly easier for me being special ed and having a smaller group of students to work with. A lot of times the classroom teachers argue with me about the modifications I make for my students in the regular classroom. I hear "that's not fair to the other students" more times than I care to throughout the school year. However, what's fair to the rest of the students is never fair to my students who have much lower IQ's and ability levels. So I totally agree with the statements made in the chapter about how learning about the students and their backgrounds and making accomodations to better their learning is the best way to promote their learning. If I didn't require my regular classroom teachers to make changes to their requirements for my students learning needs, they would never become successful in the regular classroom environment. Amanda
I think that what Nieto tries to argue in this chapter is that teachers are teaching ALL of their students the same monotonous way. Students from different backgrounds learn differently therefore need to be taught differently. What works for one students doen't necessarily mean it is going to work for ALL of the students. Teachers too easily blame these "different" students as acting out or not behaving. Maybe if these students knew what was going on they wouldn't be bored or need to pretend they know what was going on. I agree with Nieto that teachers need to start differentiating their lessons to fit the different needs of their students. ALL students are not the same. We can't pretend that these students don't exist in our classrooms. I come from immigrant parents and know how hard it is for these students to fit in let alone try to learn like everyone else. I try to make my admintration aware of these problems but not much gets done becuase of money issues. I always get "We can't afford to hire an ELL teacher". I say WHY NOT? We can have walks and fundraisers to paint the gym or get new computers but not to fund as ELL program???. Shouldn't our first priority be our students? How come we as teachers who out number adminstration can't rally for better education policies for these kids?
It seemed to me that this chapter pointed out the importance of a student being successful while at the same time maintaining his/her culture. Since I am the only black teacher at my school, I have heard many teachers comment that they do not see color--only students. When I read those same comments echoed in Chapter Five, it gave me a clearer understanding of why statements like this never really sat well with me. As is mentioned in the text, if you do not see the students color or make acknowledgement that the student has a different culture than the dominant culture, you do not fully embrace the total individual. A lot of times as teachers, we feel that it is the politically correct thing to do to suffer from "color blindness." As teachers, we must understand that those individuals who suffer from color blindness do not see the entire picture in all its beauty. There are some occupations that if an individual suffers from the clinical diagnosis of color blindness, the individual is not allowed to work in that profession because that individual lacks the perception to adequately, accurately, and effectively perform the duties of the position. If we as teachers suffer from color blindness in an attempt to treat students equally, are we like the clinically color blind individuals in a sense? Can we adequately, accurately, and effectively perform the duties of our position if our perceptions are skewed in an attempt to treat everyone the same when, in essence, students want to be appreciated and acknowledged for the special things about them that make them different.
My take on the central thesis of Nieto’s chapter five is that we as teachers/society don’t recognize differences among students….we do treat students as though they have deficiencies if they don’t fit the curriculum, the way that the curriculum is being delivered, and fear that they won’t pass the standardized test at the end of the year. I do think we accept the dominant culture as the norm and are color blind to not only people of color, race, poverty, but LGBT. It is very difficult for our society to think that our children are having sex before they marry but to have students under the age of 18 declaring that they are LGBT is too much…especially because of religious beliefs or bias. I don’t have any research to back this up…but most teachers don’t want to know about LGBT students in their classroom as they don’t accept that adults can be LGBT much less a student.
I do agree with the statement that “Equal is not the same” Children do bring differences to school how could they not? Every teacher that comes to the classroom brings differences to school. Most all teachers that I teach with do use visual, auditory, hands-on and lecture to teach content. I realize that still does not take in consideration of all “multiple intelligences” as in Howard Gardner’s work as discussed in Chapter five. I’ve seen first hand when the whole school values “multiple intelligences” and it is reflected in the lesson plans as well as the nomenclature of the school climate.
As far as connecting with chapter 5 in some ways I connect experientially. I used to live in Missoula, Montana….many Native American students were schooled on the reservations that were strictly closed from tourists and white people. Who could blame them…?
I teach special education…students with physical and sensory disabilities are quite frankly a problem for administration and some staff, especially if they have a parent who can and will advocate for their child.
I have witnessed first hand when an ESL child has to complete the same work as a peer when they don’t read, speak, or write English…and they turn into behavior problems.
I have witnessed first hand when regular education teachers don’t want students in their class with a learning disability or they feel that the accommodation isn’t appropriate and that the student must demonstrate that they can do the same amount of work as a peer and the same type of assessment.
I teach in a county that is mostly white….middle to upper class families but there are many families that live below the poverty line. The parents are working but do not make a living wage but many teachers have a bias thinking that because they do not make a living wage that their children automatically will need extra help academically. If a rich student needs help then their parents have had private testing and usually will pay for private tutoring before they would have their son/daughter receive extra help at school.
I know we teach to the norm.
I think you provide a nice analogy here, Cheryl, for all teachers to consider. Color-blindness has become a very fashionable term thrown about my rather uncritical educators of late. While we have discussed the fact that race is completely a socio-political construction it is important to understand that race doesn’t really exist, biologically, but it has very real social and political implications. To ignore one of the most salient features of a child’s life is to ultimately ignore that child. Josephine speaks to us from a place of real understanding. The administration should use her knowledge, as well as her courage, toward the benefit of more children in our classrooms. As well, Amanda has the real benefit of training and education in teaching ‘all children’ based on their learning needs. Shouldn’t all teachers receive this sort of training?
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