Entry #5: ~Woah, We're Halfway There~

Dear Dr. Jones,

I'll admit, I did not have high hopes for this semester. I'm in two literacy courses right now - this one and one for TESOL - and I was afraid it would be much of the same content, as the descriptions for the classes were strikingly similar. 

Luckily, my worries were for naught. While certain themes and ideas have been covered in both classes, the instruction and lens of focus have been very different. Furthermore, my concerns that this would be a class on how to teach phonics and word recognition and such were squashed the first night. The holistic approach to reading used in this class is one that seems approachable to me and much more enjoyable and inclusive. Everything we've covered has been useful for building a literacy toolkit for educators.

I didn't imagine we'd be doing as much reflection on our own experiences as we have. It's been a bit difficult, since my memory is fairly poor and I don't actually remember much of my childhood or adolescence - just snippets of random events. It's given me an excuse to call my mother a lot, though, and ask to hear all about my literary upbringing. 

In addition to past experiences, I've also had to reflect on my current habits. 

Ah, my current habits.

As I've mentioned, I'm a power reader, pushing through textbooks and articles to get what I need and be done with it. I rarely try to connect with academic texts any more than I must to do my work. I know that this isn't the best way, but since I've had hundreds of pages to read every week for classes basically since I started undergrad, I've prioritized speed over all else. Upon starting college, I quickly dropped my habits of note taking and vocabulary cards and relied on my (admittedly poor) memory. And since it worked well enough, I kept to that since it saved me time. The same goes for writing. I plan in my head, write my draft - revising as I go - and then let someone else read it over for clarity before calling it good and turning it in. I rarely read my own work once my draft is finished since I've been editing and revising throughout, and I'm usually sick of my own words and thoughts at that point. 

Are these good habits? Of course not. I know that. I would be horrified if my students did the things I did. Each week as we read these articles (which I have slowed down to read and sticky note to death (I have literally run out of sticky notes in my apartment because of this class)), I note all these good strategies and how few of them I normally do. It makes me wonder how much I have missed by not connecting more with the text.

Okay, so now to Liz Kleinrock. Can I just say, I loved that presentation? She seems amazing. She made ABAR education seem doable without guilting us for not already doing it. In fact, she was so kind and conscious of the current struggles in education that it made it feel okay, no matter what amount of ABAR education we were incorporating into our work. We need to take care of ourselves, our students, and then worry about the rest. 

Combined with what we learned in class, the presentation made it clear that it's important for us to use books that promote ABAR, use practices that support the tenants of HRL for the good of all students, and be open with caregivers and colleagues what we are doing and how they can support our work. The focus of ABAR is pretty aligned with HRL, something we've been focusing on in class. 

Finally (I didn't really have a good transition to this one), the struggles I'm having with the class right now are honestly more related to my personal life and health issues affecting my motivation and ability to get work done. For this, I just need to continue to focus on taking care of myself, being patient, doing what I can when I'm feeling up to it, and trying to give myself grace. There is unfortunately not much else that can be done. 

Sincerely,

Sarah

Entry #4: Three, Two, One - Let's Get Lit-erate

3 Ideas I Am Now Pondering

I think I already mentioned that I am low-key obsessed with Muhammad's (2020) Historically Responsive Literary (HRL) Framework, so it's no surprise that I started comparing Tompkins' (2017) nine principles of effective teachers to it right away. It is quickly clear that they are approaching literacy from different perspectives. There is very little focus on identity meaning-making or criticality, two of HRL's four components. Many of the Tompkins' (2017) principles focused on best teaching skills and information to the students, aligning with HRL's skills and intellect components. The closest references to criticality and identity were found in the section on sociolinguistics within the principle focused on understanding learning theories and on the section discussing English learners in the principle talking about instruction. 

Speaking of the section discussion English learners in Tompkins (2017), I was very curious about the placement. It was placed fully within the section on instruction. However, I believe that it cannot and should not be confined to one principle. Being an effective teacher to English learners is not just a matter of instruction. It involves all of the principles. For example, an effective literacy teacher for English learners needs to know relevant second language acquisition theories and second language teaching theories, just as they would need to know learning theories, something that is discussed in principle one. Cueing systems, which was discussed in principle two, were something I just read about for another class that focuses on literacy development for English learners. What I mean to say is this: while I appreciate that English learners were included at all, I can't help but think that little thought was put into their inclusion. It makes me wonder how I could adapt the nine principles for English learners. 

I feel like the things I have been pondering have just really been me ragging on Tompkins (2017), but I actually really liked the principles she put forth. Principle five, for example, was one that I didn't expect to see included but that I thought was very important for teachers. I feel like standards are only briefly discussed in most textbooks, but teachers are expected to structure their teaching around them. If these are things teachers have to do, teacher candidates should become familiar with them and how to use them. It makes me wonder why so many other textbooks seem to avoid them. Even Muhammad (2020) discusses them very little (other than to mention she is working on rewriting them to infuse HRL into them). How can teacher preparation programs embed work with standards into their curriculum?

2 Comments That Really Inspired Me

"Perhaps the most striking quality is the partnership between the teacher and students: They become a "family" in which all members respect one another and support each other's learning. Students value culturally and linguistically diverse classmates and recognize that everyone makes important contributions" (Tompkins, 2017, pp. 14-15). 

Classroom environment is something I value greatly. When it comes down to it, I think forming relationships and caring for students' needs (whether they be physiological, social, or emotional) are more important that any curriculum. I don't know if this is the right mindset of someone who wants to be a teacher, but I truly believe that a missed year of curriculum is not nearly as devastating as a year of unmet needs. Creating a family like this goes a long way to helping students have their needs met. The learning will come. To me, this, creating a community for the students, is what is most important.

"When I think of the greatest leaders of our time, they hold identity (or a strong sense of self and others), plus skills, intellect, and criticality. On the other hand, the greatest oppressors of the world lack criticality and knowledge of self and of others" (Muhammad, 2020, p. 61).

This quote says it all, doesn't it? The components of the HRL Framework are the same characteristics we want in our leaders. They make for a well-rounded and competent person. Without them, a person lacks empathy and consideration for others. As teachers, we play a role in shaping the future generation. If we want a generation of great leaders, we need to teach like it.

1 Commitment I Want To Make For My Future Students

One commitment I want to make for my future students is this: I will always consider and value who they are as a person - all of their identities - and work to support all facets of their selves.

References

Muhammad, G. (2020). Cultivating genius: An equity framework for culturally and historically responsive literacy. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Tompkins, G.E. (2017). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Entry #3: Where I Begin To Suspect My Personality Might Be From My Sisters

 

Starting top left, moving clockwise:

Legally Blonde - Growing up with two older sisters, I was often roped into their interests, and my older sister Emily loooooooved this movie and musical. I could sing along with all the songs as a kid and had perfected my "Bend and Snap" routine by age 3.

Blue's Clues - I didn't watch a whole lot of TV has a kid, but this was one of the shows I did watch, just as my sisters had. All three of us can still sing the songs that go with it (and do, more frequently than we should).

Disney Princesses - I was obsessed with Disney Princesses. Books, movies, costumes, the whole shebang. When I asked my mom what books I read when I was little, she mentioned Disney Princesses several times. (Aurora was my favorite, and I used to say I was going to name all my kids Aurora and just change the middle names.)

Dr. Seuss - Like many American kids, I grew up with Dr. Seuss books. My favorite was "Are You My Mother?" read to me by my mother. 

My mom and sisters - These were the people that read to me when I was little. My mom read to me every night (and often throughout the day), and my two older sisters, Megan and Emily, read to me fairly frequently, especially when I was a baby/toddler. 

"Love You Forever" - I can't even tell you how many times I made my mom read this book to me. I could recite the little rhyme in it ("I love you forever; I love you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.") with her as she read. I think part of why I loved it was because it made my mom cry when she read it... Little kids are cruel, okay?