Post 8: Literacy with an Attitude

 

Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick J. Finn

Argument:

Patrick J. Finn is arguing that in the United States, there are two kinds of education: empowering education, which teaches high literacy proficiency that prepares students for a life of power and authority, and domesticating education, which teaches functional literacy, preparing students to be society's workers, productive and dependable. Of course, like many aspects of our world, socioeconomic status determines which kind of education is available, with a system designed to ensure power remains in the hands of those who have it.

Finn supports this claim in chapter two, referring to a study performed by Jean Anyon, who studied fifth-grade classes in public elementary schools from both wealthy and non-wealthy areas throughout northern New Jersey. In this study, Anyon groups schools by the predominant socioeconomic class of their students. Executive elite refer to families within the top 1 percent, affluent professionals are in the top 10 percent, the middle class is above average but below 10 percent, and the working class has below-average incomes. Through this study, Anyon noted that despite having similar demographics, each majority white, following the same state requirements, utilizing the same arithmetic books and language arts course of study, students walked away with very different educations. 

What Finn would refer to as domesticating education were the working and middle-class schools from Anyon’s research. In working-class schools, students learned what to do rather than why, utilizing low-demand tasks that relied on memorization and discipline rather than creative thinking and problem solving, preparing students for wage labor, consisting of mechanical and routine tasks. In the middle-class schools, students held the belief that hard work would pay off, with a focus on textbook learning, finding information, understanding it, and using it to get the right answer, skills often valued by middle-class professions.

In comparison, Finn’s empowering education would comprise Anyon’s, affluent professionals, and executive elite schools. In affluent professional schools, students learned through discovery and experience, focusing on creative ideas rather than learning the right answer, preparing students for careers that demand creative thinking and inventiveness. In executive elite schools, learning is rigorous and challenging, focusing on logic, reason, problem solving, analytics, and self-discipline, preparing students for elite jobs that expect the highest quality performances. 

Comment: 

Having been in a middle-class public education my whole life, my experience aligns closely with Anyon's description. I remember getting so frustrated by the constant praise I would receive from teachers for my creativity, as I struggled to even keep up in school. I felt it was a skill without value, like they had nothing else worthwhile to say. We were never graded on our creativity, so what good is this “skill” if it did nothing to help my performance? I wonder how differently my experience could have been had I gone to a school centered around creative thinking. 

For ways to inspire creative thinking in the classroom:

​​https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/teacher-resources/inspire-creativity-in-the-classroom/

Post 7: What to Look for in a Classroom

 

Alfie Kohn, What to Look for in a Classroom.

Learning for Justice, Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.

Connection:

The chart, originally from Alfie Kohn’s What to Look for in a Classroom, and revised in The Schools Our Children Deserve, outlines the positive and negative signs to look for in a classroom space that may inform how the educator operates and their dynamic with students. Kohn notes a number of areas to analyze, such as the use/organization of classroom/school space, teacher disposition, students' demeanor, and task/discussion management. The positive signs for these areas generally consist of a classroom following an asset-based, student-centered approach to teaching that focuses on engagement, collaboration, and active learning. The negative classroom signs consist of an overly regimented space focused on direct teaching and silent independent work. In connection to this week's video, Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, this discussion shows an area that could be expanded on in Alfie Kohn’s chart. This video features educators who discuss culturally relevant pedagogy, which consists in part of teachers building connections between what students' lived cultural experiences to what they are being taught. This idea aligns with the asset-based and student-centered approach Kohn is highlighting in his positive signs, as educators take a personal interest in students, adapting their teaching to align with the individual needs and backgrounds. However, Kohn does not explicitly discuss cultural diversity, focusing more on what environment is generally positive for most students. This chart could benefit from noting signs for culturally inclusive classroom environments, such as having culturally diverse examples in lessons or around the classroom. Another connection that could diversify Kohn’s chart is from Lisa Delpit’s The Silenced Dialogue. Like the educators from the video, Delpit discusses how cultural differences between teachers and students can impact learning when not considered. For example, she discusses how direct instruction, explicit expectations, and displays of authority may feel overly controlling for teachers but can benefit students from different cultural backgrounds. In both connections, educators are emphasising the importance of recognizing that one size will not fit all, so teachers must consider the individuality of their students. This is an element I feel may be missing from Kohn’s chart, which could benefit from including a cultural lens for assessing the classroom environment.

Comment:

One thing I’m very excited about when I become a teacher is setting up my classroom space. Through my observations in schools, it became very clear how important the management of this enviorment can be as you enter several classrooms, some of which immediately feel overwhelming, while others underwhelming. I recall feeling most inspired by classrooms that found a middle ground, being well decorated (not too much, not too little) and organized to allow for a nice flow. These teachers used fun methods such as call/response or classroom incentives to ensure appropriate management over the class without being overbearing.

For tips on arranging a classroom space to promote engagement:

https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/classroom-spaces-that-work/

Post 6: The Silenced Dialogue

Lisa Delpit, The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children

Argument:

Lisa Delpit argues that there are codes or rules for participating in power, based on the culture of those in power, that must be explicitly taught in schools to those outside this culture of power, to ensure students from all cultural backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed. These codes refer to ways of talking, writing, dressing, and interacting. 

She demonstrates how issues related to power start in the classroom as the current framework in schools puts those from different cultural backgrounds at a disadvantage, failing to prepare them for success and ultimately limiting their power. Often well-intended, educators may be unintentionally tailoring their teaching for students who are already integrated in the culture of power and familiar with its codes by following a middle-class framework. An example Delpit provides is that often the fundamentals are taught at a speed suitable for students who have had some introduction and practice at home, typical of middle-class households. However, children outside this culture may not have the same introduction at home, making this speed more difficult to follow. The author also demonstrates how communication can follow cultural norms that negatively impact those unfamiliar with them. Teachers often resist exhibiting power in the classroom, as in middle-class culture, authority is attributed to position, and as such, teachers provide direction in a friendly, indirect way. However, working-class culture views authority as someone authoritative, meaning these children respond best to direct, explicit instructions. This often leads to misunderstanding or kids not listening, as children don't recognize their teachers as an authority figure. This is why Delpit advocates for educators and schools to listen to those inside these communities on how education can support those outside their culture.

Comments:

I found this reading to be very eye-opening, as the provided examples of cultural differences impacting student learning are some that I had never considered. I recently watched a TED Talk discussing the value of human connection in education that reminded me of the conversations we’ve been having over the last couple of weeks. The speaker provides some great excerpts from her educational career that demonstrate the positive long-term impact of asset-based teaching, connecting, and understanding students as unique individuals. Some quotes that stood out to me from this TED Talk include:

“Seek first to understand as opposed to being understood.”

“Every kid deserves a championship, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”

Every Kid Needs a Champion | Rita Pierson | TED.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw&t=38s