October 20
Literacy With an Attitude by Patrick Finn
In chapter 2 of Literacy With an Attitude, I am reminded of Delpits views towards education as well as Shalabys. Fifth grade classes in five public elementary schools were studied by Jean Anyon. They all were located in the same state, had very similar state requirements, the same textbooks, but there were many differences in the way students were taught. The two working-class schools had teachers who simply shut down students' creativity or ideas to complete assignments in different ways or faster than the teacher instructed. Shalaby talks about how it's crucial to not do this and to listen and encourage creativity instead. Students are simply told "do it this way or its wrong" in these schools which can have an extremely negative impact on their learning and their relationship with school and teachers.
(Carla Shalaby)
Delpit explains, "Educators must recognize and adapt to the diverse cultural needs of their students to foster an inclusive and effective learning environment". This reading shows exactly why we need to do this, students from the working-class schools are overlooked and ignored. The majority of the teachers lived in the same city of the school but lived in the better parts. Therefore, many students are lacking a true understanding from their educators. I am reminded of Delpit again from this quote from "Literacy With an Attitude", "The status quo is the status quo because people who have the power to make changes are comfortable with the way things are. It takes energy to make changes, and the energy must come from the people who will benefit from the change."
(Lisa Delpit)
I really like the connections you made between the different texts
ReplyDeleteFrom Jess:
ReplyDeleteAlana: I enjoyed your connections to Delpit’s and Shalaby’s perspectives. You highlighted the critical importance of nurturing creativity and inclusivity in the classroom. It’s concerning how the certain rigid approach in schools can diminish students’ engagement and limit their potential. Your connection to Delpit’s views emphasizes the need for educators to be coordinated to the cultural backgrounds of their students. This is crucial for creating an effective learning environment that respects and values diversity. The quotes you included from Delpit encourage the idea that true change
requires effort from those in positions of power.