I viewed and commented on Beth, Mariah, and Kerry's science activities.
Wow, this was a really cool activity for me because it taught me how to use technology to teach an entire lesson. We could leave this voice thread with a substitute if we can't make it to class and we can still teach without even being there. Or, the substitute can get direct instruction from us. Using the voice thread is a great way to pass on knowledge without having to be there in person. I also was extremely impressed with Stellarium. This technology is so effective because it allows the teacher to give direct instruction and then allows for the student to construct their own knowledge. Stellarium is a multimodal presentation that students can interact with and manipulate, allowing them to see the planets move across the sky after it has been explained to them why they appear to be moving like that. Thus, using Stellarium provides a learning experience teachers can't possibly hope to provide without that technology.
There is a downside as well. I went through three computers before I could get this program to work. Technology is not always reliable and I am convinced that we need to have a plan B, always, just in case technology doesn't feel like working when we need it. Also, I don't want students to pay more attention to the technology than they do to me. I want to work with the technology and if one is going to take dominance over the other, I want it to be me:)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Science Challenge
Describe the technology-enhanced science activity that you will be doing.
We are going to be teaching students about the 24-hr rotation of the sun on it's axis. The teacher will be shining a flash-light on a globe. The flashlight (our model of the sun) will remain stationary, while the teacher slowly has the globe turn on it's axis.
As teachers show the bigger picture of why it grows light and dark over a 24-hour period, students will have the opportunity to use the program Stellarium to chose a location and watch, hour by hour (or by shorter intervals) the sun and moon move across the sky. Thus, the students can see an technological representation of the 24-hour revolution of the sun, helping them form connections and giving them a clear representation of what the teacher is modeling.
What is the content you will be focusing on in your science activity?
3rd Grade Science
Standard 1
Students will understand that the shape of Earth and the moon are spherical and that Earth rotates on its axis to produce the appearance of the sun and moon moving through the sky.
Objective 2
Describe the movement of Earth and the moon and the apparent movement of other bodies through the sky.
Indicator c)
Use a model of Earth to demonstrate that Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours to produce the night and day cycle.
What is the pedagogy you will be using and why is it a good fit with the content?
We are going to have our students build a conceptual knowledge through "building activity types." Students will have the opportunity to view a presentation/demonstration by the teacher as the teacher models the movement of the sun and the earth in space. Thus, our first step in the pedagogy is to have students gain information from the teacher.
Second, students will have the opportunity to view Images/Objects and do a simulation. This is where Stellarium comes in. Students will use Stellarium to see and examine both the still and moving images of the 24-hour day cycle. They can see the location of the sun and the moon over a 24-hour range. While using this program, students will interact with digital simulations that demonstrate the science content.
This is a good fit for our content because it provides students with a unique opportunity to see for themselves the movement of the earth, sun and moon in a short period of time. Students don't have to go outside, they can see what they wouldn't see otherwise and the big picture comes together quickly. Because the content is so precise and compact, learning will be more efficient, leaving less room for misunderstanding. What an amazing way to learn this content--to see what's happening in space with the teachers model and being able to connect that with the movement of the sun and the moon across the sky. This connection will make the learning session much more powerful.
What is the technology you'll be using and why is it a good fit with the content and pedagogy?
Stellarium is a good fit for the pedagogy because we want our students to learn this content with building activity types. We want our lesson to have a constructivist theme where our students can explore and build their own knowledge. Stellarium allows for students to do their own manipulations. It lets them see an amazing representation of the the movement of the sun and moon across the sky in a time, place, and at a speed, they can choose.
How would you describe the representation of the content produced by the technology you use in your science activity and in what way would it help students better understand the objective you are aiming to teach?
Perhaps it will sound repetitive when I say that students will better understand the objective by having a visual, multimodal representation of the content we intend to teach. The representation of the content is deep, clear and concise. Students are instructed on the scientific reasons behind the 24-hour night and day period. The teacher models in front of the class. Then, students get to explore and discover for themselves. Students get to do the manipulations. They get to teach themselves. Their learning experience is interactive and they are fully engaged because they are conducting their own learning experience. The content specifically stresses the movement of the sun and moon through the sky and the 24-hour cycle. What better way to teach this content than by showing the MOVEMENT of these bodies through the sky? That is an experience students can't get from lecture or a textbook.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Cultural Snap Shot: Latinos in America
Welcome to my cultural snapshot. Today we are going to be looking at the Latino culture and how that culture is represented in the media. To start off, watch this clip from West Side story.
West Side Story Source
Anita sings about Puerto Rico, “Always the population growing, and the money owing.” Things look so much better to her in America. But there’s a problem. She’s not part of the majority culture in America. Bernardo, who has already had conflicts with the white culture of power, talks about the discrimination endured by the minority culture. They are not welcome, they are taken advantage of, and their standard of living is lower. As the girls talk about the great opportunities they are going to have in America, Bernardo warns, “Better get rid of your accent.” It’s interesting…the girls are comfortable with the idea of acculturation, but Bernardo brings up an good question—Can Latino’s live in America and be welcomed and embraced with their culture, or must they assimilate in order to be accepted? Bernardo and his desire to "Fight in America" plays into the resistance theory faced when the majority culture expects assimilation. The lyrics are quite thought provoking. If nothing else, this song should get us to start thinking. In West Side Story, the presence of Latin's in America is causing some tension and people can't get along. The whites don't want the Latin's there, and as Bernardo says, “Life is all right in America…If you’re all white in America.”
____________________________________________________
So, as I started searching for “artifacts” for my cultural snapshot, I went around asking my friends if they had seen any TV shows with a lot of Latin’s in them. One of my friends answered enthusiastically, “COPS!” I laughed thinking this was a joke, and he grew serious, “No. Mary. I mean it. Watch it for yourself. They are always arresting Latino’s for something on the show.” I went and did some research by watching some random episodes. I’ll admit, a large portion of the arrests are of Hispanics. There must be a lot of Latin criminals here:) The first clip I attached showed a Latin getting caught smoking weed and calling the police officer papi. I had to remove it due to the language, but this next clip should do just as well.
Cops: Drunken Fight Source
This clip from Napoleon Dynamite is included partly because I think it is funny. And honestly, there are a lot of stereotypes in this movie--Latin's pulling up in their flashy cars, making pinata's, the thick accent, and the threatening presence you don't want to mess with.
Napoleon Dynamite Source
In Latino Portrayals In Film and Television by Jesus Trevino, a review of contemporary media exposes some touchy issues regarding Latinos in the media. This article goes through a large number of films pointing out the negative depictions of Latinos within them. In the past, Latino's haven't really been represented in the media. Now the media portrayal of Latino's "reveals a succession of abusive stereotypes and denigrating distortions." Latino men are portrayed as the lovers, drunk, passionate, violent, illiterate, helpless, or lazy loafers who sit on the porch to drink and smoke. Women are depicted as the "hot-blooded temptress obsessed with carnal pleasure." An interesting point from this article--In our media, Latino’s aren’t often depicted as “people in control of their lives, capable of standing up for their rights, or having an interest in their own future."
Now, do I understand that this article has an agenda, that perhaps bias has tainted the validity of the words written? Yes. But, the number of films listed with specific examples of negative Latino portrayal are compelling.
______________________________________________________
Are all depictions of Latin's in the media negative? Absolutely not. I grew up watching I Love Lucy. The Co-star is handsome, talented and successful. Ricky Ricardo brings his cultural capital to the screen and uses his accent, his music, and his cultural background, to make him not only successful, but famous in the I Love Lucy show, as well as in the American society. But don't they make fun of Ricky's accent? Wasn't that a running joke? Only Lucy is allowed to make fun of his accent, and the tone of that teasing is more endearing than offensive. In this media portrayal, Ricky's success as a movie star, owner of a night club, actor, performer, loving husband and father is due to his cultural traits. In this show, Ricky's cultural capital is responsible for his success.
I Love Lucy Source
What about the TV show, Dora the Explorer? Dora is a smart, ambitious, talented little Hispanic girl. She has a good, strong family, she helps out everyone and she teaches little children Spanish.
Then, there’s Maya and Miguel. If there's a show that depicts Latino children as intelligent, inventive problem solvers, !eso es! Maya and Miguel teach about the Latino language and culture. This television series has a message of strong family values, the importance of doing good for the family and community, and of sharing your happiness with others. You can check out the Maya and Miguel Homepage. It’s !Super Fabuloso!
These two television shows are positive media portrayals of Latinos. They encourage socialcultural learning and show credible examples of biculturalism.
Let's take a look at Spy Kids, a movie catering to English speaking American's as well as Hispanics. This movie illustrates the story of the Latino Cortez family who are not only model citizens but super heroes saving the world. Once again, this media portrayal gives exposure to the emphasis of having strong family values because "Spy work, that’s easy. Keeping a family together, that’s difficult and worth fighting for."
_____________________________________________________
Let's look at how Latinos are portrayed in the news. In the news, article, Latinos Facing Racial Intolerance you'll read the sad stories of Latinos being run off the roads, beaten, shot at, taunted spit at, etc. because of their race. There has been a 40% rise in anti-Latino hate crimes between 2003 and 2007. Reports say the police are indifferent to the reports given by Latinos and often "blame the victim instead." What kind of message does this send about Latinos in America?--Perhaps they are unwelcome and unwanted by some? Perhaps some people want them to leave? Perhaps some people don't think they are worthy of the rights held by others?
I also happened upon a Mexican Joke Website. At the top of the page is a heading that reads,"NOT RACIST, JUST FUNNY!" Really? These jokes depict Mexicans as a people who can’t get a respectable job, who can’t raise their kids, who have too many kids, who can’t afford anything new, who are thieves if they do own anything nice, who are lazy-law-breakers, and the list goes on and on.
If racism is a theory that claims that one person or group is superior to another due to race, than I would suggest that there are examples of racism depicted both by the article of hate crimes, and by the jokes posted on that website. I might go a little further to say that the hate crime article is an example of institutionalized racism, where law enforcement protects people of one race while being unjust to those of another. And as for the joke website, if we laugh, if we share those jokes with our friends, if we see the web page and go on with our happy lives without really thinking about what we just read, then we are guilty of passive racism. We are guilty of seeing racism and allowing it to go on, or accepting it in any way, because we think we can justify ourselves by saying that these jokes aren't "racist,just funny."
I also gathered some CNN clips on Latinos. This one is on Latinos and their high birth rates.
Birth Rates Source
Read the Article for yourself.
This is a negative media portrayal of Latinos because “They say they want to be educated and get good jobs and have important life goals, and that they know having a baby interrupts that, and yet the teenage pregnancy rates among Latinos are higher than among non-Latinos such as whites and African Americans.” This news report suggest that there are aspects of the Latino culture that could be responsible for these alarming pregnancy rates such as the catholic prohibition on abortion and birth control, and cultural issues with discussing sex in the Latino community versus other communities. These are culturally binding customs that are making it difficult for Latinos to have the higher standard of living they say they want.
This clip talks about road Blocks to Latinos Education
Latino's Education Source
And here's an article with similar findings.
There is an alarming drop-out rate in the Latino community here in America, especially for Latina women because of discrimination and gender stereotyping. A survey taken among young Latinas showed that 1/3 did not expect to achieve their educational goals because of family and societal expectations. They face the stereotypes of Latinas as submissive underachievers and caretakers. Poverty, immigration status, limited English, discouraging family situations and lack of documentation are all challenges to education. This article refers to some institutionalized racism of not having enough funding and resources, and teachers with lower expectations for ELL students. This article also hints that Latinos are suffering the effects of teachers deficit theory, the theory that because one is not originally from the majority culture, they will not be adequate in their performance.--This article sets the stage perfectly for our discussion in which I will delve deeper into the article.
I have talked about the messages being sent about this group all throughout the blog. There are some positive messages about this group. They are intelligent, contributing, thoughtful problem solvers. This is a group that is talented, that works hard, that has strong family values and that can save the world. This is a group that is welcome, that enriches society, that has a different culture we can learn about and appreciate.
Some negative messages portray this group as one with high pregnancy rates, high crime rates and a low level of education. This is a group who's customs don't match with ours, who are lazy, lustful, and gluttonous. This is a group who claims they want to be contributing members of society but who can't give the follow through. This is a group that we can crack jokes about because it's funny. And this is a group that suffers hate crimes because they don't belong.
When it comes to education, this is a group that is unlikely to graduate or to get a higher education. This group is seen as the underachievers and outsiders. They can’t speak English, and they come from disparaging backgrounds. They are poor. They are illegal and suffer from the associated instability. They don’t have the advantages and opportunities of their American counterparts. They don’t have many role models because there aren't a lot of Latino politicians, doctors, lawyers, or people of high position on display. Latinos have a hard family life and difficult backgrounds. Latinos have a hard time staying in school and they will need extra help and encouragement if they are going to be able to succeed.
Perhaps the positive messages being sent about this group will speak louder than the negative messages. Latino students will be viewed and treated just like every other student and there won't be any problems. But what if the negative messages being sent overpower the positive messages?
To answer this question, I would like to refer back to the clip of challenges in Latino education. Lucy Flores made a disturbing but eye-opening comment when she described the reasons for her dropping out of school,"Graduating wasn’t something that was expected for me. It just wasn’t something that really happens for a lot of people in my community.” Lucy had a hard time at home, a hard time speaking English when she started school, and she was exposed to a lot of teachers and a community who had lower expectations for her.
If there are messages being sent about Latinos that depict them poorly in the academic setting and group them with the lazy, the addicts, the criminals, the gangs, and the unwanted, then perhaps that is how they will be treated. Perhaps students of other cultural backgrounds will view themselves as superior to Latinos. Perhaps Latino students will be treated as the potential drop-out rather than the potential genius. Perhaps the teacher and other students of the classroom will have low expectations for the Latino students. Perhaps students and teachers will judge the Latino's in their class before they have even given them a chance to prove themselves...
And perhaps, Latino students may fear that they have already lost and that they cannot succeed because of their ethnicity .
Teachers have been given stewardship over their students. I wonder if teachers know how powerful and influential they can be. Teachers will be able to best reach and teach their students if they know their students. This means knowing their background and knowing about their culture. This means knowing about how that cultural group is represented in the media, curriculum and policy. Knowing this empowers teachers to recognize and combat racism (institutionalized racism and passive racism) within their classroom. Teachers are placed in a position where they can either contribute to the deficit theory or they can fight it.
A lot of us are going to be teachers. If you see negative portrayals of your students' cultural group, you can teach the class the truth, that everyone can succeed. You can stop yourself from prejudging your students based on their ethnicity, and you can help them succeed when society, or the media says they can't.
Lucy Flores was a high school dropout who joined a gang and lost her way. Lucy is back on track today studying to be a lawyer because there was an intervention. She found someone who treated her as a child with issues, not a criminal. She found a teacher to guide her, to encourage her and to allow her to believe that she was capable of something different. Lucy speaks fondly of that person who supported her as the "first person that set me on the right track."
That quote should give us a feeling of teacher efficacy. We can be that first person to set our students on track. We can believe in our students and be aware so as to fight against the challenges that face Latino students (including the racism and deficit theory they might be exposed to by us, their teachers.) The first step to solving a problem is diagnosing it. We can succeed. We can be good teachers. And ALL of our students can be successful as well.
West Side Story Source
Anita sings about Puerto Rico, “Always the population growing, and the money owing.” Things look so much better to her in America. But there’s a problem. She’s not part of the majority culture in America. Bernardo, who has already had conflicts with the white culture of power, talks about the discrimination endured by the minority culture. They are not welcome, they are taken advantage of, and their standard of living is lower. As the girls talk about the great opportunities they are going to have in America, Bernardo warns, “Better get rid of your accent.” It’s interesting…the girls are comfortable with the idea of acculturation, but Bernardo brings up an good question—Can Latino’s live in America and be welcomed and embraced with their culture, or must they assimilate in order to be accepted? Bernardo and his desire to "Fight in America" plays into the resistance theory faced when the majority culture expects assimilation. The lyrics are quite thought provoking. If nothing else, this song should get us to start thinking. In West Side Story, the presence of Latin's in America is causing some tension and people can't get along. The whites don't want the Latin's there, and as Bernardo says, “Life is all right in America…If you’re all white in America.”
____________________________________________________
So, as I started searching for “artifacts” for my cultural snapshot, I went around asking my friends if they had seen any TV shows with a lot of Latin’s in them. One of my friends answered enthusiastically, “COPS!” I laughed thinking this was a joke, and he grew serious, “No. Mary. I mean it. Watch it for yourself. They are always arresting Latino’s for something on the show.” I went and did some research by watching some random episodes. I’ll admit, a large portion of the arrests are of Hispanics. There must be a lot of Latin criminals here:) The first clip I attached showed a Latin getting caught smoking weed and calling the police officer papi. I had to remove it due to the language, but this next clip should do just as well.
Cops: Drunken Fight Source
This clip from Napoleon Dynamite is included partly because I think it is funny. And honestly, there are a lot of stereotypes in this movie--Latin's pulling up in their flashy cars, making pinata's, the thick accent, and the threatening presence you don't want to mess with.
Napoleon Dynamite Source
In Latino Portrayals In Film and Television by Jesus Trevino, a review of contemporary media exposes some touchy issues regarding Latinos in the media. This article goes through a large number of films pointing out the negative depictions of Latinos within them. In the past, Latino's haven't really been represented in the media. Now the media portrayal of Latino's "reveals a succession of abusive stereotypes and denigrating distortions." Latino men are portrayed as the lovers, drunk, passionate, violent, illiterate, helpless, or lazy loafers who sit on the porch to drink and smoke. Women are depicted as the "hot-blooded temptress obsessed with carnal pleasure." An interesting point from this article--In our media, Latino’s aren’t often depicted as “people in control of their lives, capable of standing up for their rights, or having an interest in their own future."
Now, do I understand that this article has an agenda, that perhaps bias has tainted the validity of the words written? Yes. But, the number of films listed with specific examples of negative Latino portrayal are compelling.
______________________________________________________
Are all depictions of Latin's in the media negative? Absolutely not. I grew up watching I Love Lucy. The Co-star is handsome, talented and successful. Ricky Ricardo brings his cultural capital to the screen and uses his accent, his music, and his cultural background, to make him not only successful, but famous in the I Love Lucy show, as well as in the American society. But don't they make fun of Ricky's accent? Wasn't that a running joke? Only Lucy is allowed to make fun of his accent, and the tone of that teasing is more endearing than offensive. In this media portrayal, Ricky's success as a movie star, owner of a night club, actor, performer, loving husband and father is due to his cultural traits. In this show, Ricky's cultural capital is responsible for his success.
I Love Lucy Source
What about the TV show, Dora the Explorer? Dora is a smart, ambitious, talented little Hispanic girl. She has a good, strong family, she helps out everyone and she teaches little children Spanish.
Then, there’s Maya and Miguel. If there's a show that depicts Latino children as intelligent, inventive problem solvers, !eso es! Maya and Miguel teach about the Latino language and culture. This television series has a message of strong family values, the importance of doing good for the family and community, and of sharing your happiness with others. You can check out the Maya and Miguel Homepage. It’s !Super Fabuloso!
These two television shows are positive media portrayals of Latinos. They encourage socialcultural learning and show credible examples of biculturalism.
Let's take a look at Spy Kids, a movie catering to English speaking American's as well as Hispanics. This movie illustrates the story of the Latino Cortez family who are not only model citizens but super heroes saving the world. Once again, this media portrayal gives exposure to the emphasis of having strong family values because "Spy work, that’s easy. Keeping a family together, that’s difficult and worth fighting for."
_____________________________________________________
Let's look at how Latinos are portrayed in the news. In the news, article, Latinos Facing Racial Intolerance you'll read the sad stories of Latinos being run off the roads, beaten, shot at, taunted spit at, etc. because of their race. There has been a 40% rise in anti-Latino hate crimes between 2003 and 2007. Reports say the police are indifferent to the reports given by Latinos and often "blame the victim instead." What kind of message does this send about Latinos in America?--Perhaps they are unwelcome and unwanted by some? Perhaps some people want them to leave? Perhaps some people don't think they are worthy of the rights held by others?
I also happened upon a Mexican Joke Website. At the top of the page is a heading that reads,"NOT RACIST, JUST FUNNY!" Really? These jokes depict Mexicans as a people who can’t get a respectable job, who can’t raise their kids, who have too many kids, who can’t afford anything new, who are thieves if they do own anything nice, who are lazy-law-breakers, and the list goes on and on.
If racism is a theory that claims that one person or group is superior to another due to race, than I would suggest that there are examples of racism depicted both by the article of hate crimes, and by the jokes posted on that website. I might go a little further to say that the hate crime article is an example of institutionalized racism, where law enforcement protects people of one race while being unjust to those of another. And as for the joke website, if we laugh, if we share those jokes with our friends, if we see the web page and go on with our happy lives without really thinking about what we just read, then we are guilty of passive racism. We are guilty of seeing racism and allowing it to go on, or accepting it in any way, because we think we can justify ourselves by saying that these jokes aren't "racist,just funny."
I also gathered some CNN clips on Latinos. This one is on Latinos and their high birth rates.
Birth Rates Source
Read the Article for yourself.
This is a negative media portrayal of Latinos because “They say they want to be educated and get good jobs and have important life goals, and that they know having a baby interrupts that, and yet the teenage pregnancy rates among Latinos are higher than among non-Latinos such as whites and African Americans.” This news report suggest that there are aspects of the Latino culture that could be responsible for these alarming pregnancy rates such as the catholic prohibition on abortion and birth control, and cultural issues with discussing sex in the Latino community versus other communities. These are culturally binding customs that are making it difficult for Latinos to have the higher standard of living they say they want.
This clip talks about road Blocks to Latinos Education
Latino's Education Source
And here's an article with similar findings.
There is an alarming drop-out rate in the Latino community here in America, especially for Latina women because of discrimination and gender stereotyping. A survey taken among young Latinas showed that 1/3 did not expect to achieve their educational goals because of family and societal expectations. They face the stereotypes of Latinas as submissive underachievers and caretakers. Poverty, immigration status, limited English, discouraging family situations and lack of documentation are all challenges to education. This article refers to some institutionalized racism of not having enough funding and resources, and teachers with lower expectations for ELL students. This article also hints that Latinos are suffering the effects of teachers deficit theory, the theory that because one is not originally from the majority culture, they will not be adequate in their performance.--This article sets the stage perfectly for our discussion in which I will delve deeper into the article.
WHAT MESSAGES ARE BEING SENT ABOUT THIS CULTURAL GROUP?
I have talked about the messages being sent about this group all throughout the blog. There are some positive messages about this group. They are intelligent, contributing, thoughtful problem solvers. This is a group that is talented, that works hard, that has strong family values and that can save the world. This is a group that is welcome, that enriches society, that has a different culture we can learn about and appreciate.
Some negative messages portray this group as one with high pregnancy rates, high crime rates and a low level of education. This is a group who's customs don't match with ours, who are lazy, lustful, and gluttonous. This is a group who claims they want to be contributing members of society but who can't give the follow through. This is a group that we can crack jokes about because it's funny. And this is a group that suffers hate crimes because they don't belong.
When it comes to education, this is a group that is unlikely to graduate or to get a higher education. This group is seen as the underachievers and outsiders. They can’t speak English, and they come from disparaging backgrounds. They are poor. They are illegal and suffer from the associated instability. They don’t have the advantages and opportunities of their American counterparts. They don’t have many role models because there aren't a lot of Latino politicians, doctors, lawyers, or people of high position on display. Latinos have a hard family life and difficult backgrounds. Latinos have a hard time staying in school and they will need extra help and encouragement if they are going to be able to succeed.
How might these messages impact how a child from this cultural group is viewed and treated in the classroom?
Perhaps the positive messages being sent about this group will speak louder than the negative messages. Latino students will be viewed and treated just like every other student and there won't be any problems. But what if the negative messages being sent overpower the positive messages?
To answer this question, I would like to refer back to the clip of challenges in Latino education. Lucy Flores made a disturbing but eye-opening comment when she described the reasons for her dropping out of school,"Graduating wasn’t something that was expected for me. It just wasn’t something that really happens for a lot of people in my community.” Lucy had a hard time at home, a hard time speaking English when she started school, and she was exposed to a lot of teachers and a community who had lower expectations for her.
If there are messages being sent about Latinos that depict them poorly in the academic setting and group them with the lazy, the addicts, the criminals, the gangs, and the unwanted, then perhaps that is how they will be treated. Perhaps students of other cultural backgrounds will view themselves as superior to Latinos. Perhaps Latino students will be treated as the potential drop-out rather than the potential genius. Perhaps the teacher and other students of the classroom will have low expectations for the Latino students. Perhaps students and teachers will judge the Latino's in their class before they have even given them a chance to prove themselves...
And perhaps, Latino students may fear that they have already lost and that they cannot succeed because of their ethnicity .
Why is it important for teachers to know how cultural groups are represented in the media, curriculum and policy?
Teachers have been given stewardship over their students. I wonder if teachers know how powerful and influential they can be. Teachers will be able to best reach and teach their students if they know their students. This means knowing their background and knowing about their culture. This means knowing about how that cultural group is represented in the media, curriculum and policy. Knowing this empowers teachers to recognize and combat racism (institutionalized racism and passive racism) within their classroom. Teachers are placed in a position where they can either contribute to the deficit theory or they can fight it.
A lot of us are going to be teachers. If you see negative portrayals of your students' cultural group, you can teach the class the truth, that everyone can succeed. You can stop yourself from prejudging your students based on their ethnicity, and you can help them succeed when society, or the media says they can't.
Lucy Flores was a high school dropout who joined a gang and lost her way. Lucy is back on track today studying to be a lawyer because there was an intervention. She found someone who treated her as a child with issues, not a criminal. She found a teacher to guide her, to encourage her and to allow her to believe that she was capable of something different. Lucy speaks fondly of that person who supported her as the "first person that set me on the right track."
That quote should give us a feeling of teacher efficacy. We can be that first person to set our students on track. We can believe in our students and be aware so as to fight against the challenges that face Latino students (including the racism and deficit theory they might be exposed to by us, their teachers.) The first step to solving a problem is diagnosing it. We can succeed. We can be good teachers. And ALL of our students can be successful as well.
Virtual Tour: Holy Cities of Islam
I viewed and commented on...
1. Laila : The Oregon Trail
2. Beth : Number the Stars
3. Cicely : Cultural Contributions
What do I think the upsides and downsides are for implementing a virtual tour in an elementary education classroom?
I'll be honest. I think there are more upsides than downsides for implementing a virtual tour. I did my tour on the holy cities of Islam. I know I probably won't get to travel to these places and see them for myself, and probably, neither will my students. This is a great way for students to see the locations I am talking about. Where is this place relative to the rest of the world. What does it look like and sound like? How's the weather? There is so much information on Google earth. This is a multimodal representation. Students can interact with the tour and do assignments in Google Earth. What an interesting way to learn! How great that we have found a way to teach while serving the visual, audio, and textual needs of our students.
What are some of the downsides? What if I have limited resources in my classes? What if my students have limited resources at home? If that is the case, will I be able to teach like this? What if students start to play with Google Earth instead of completing the assignment as they take my tour? Technology is not always reliable and students might take advantage of my willingness to let them loose on the computer.
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