The Silenced Dialogue
This article addresses the issues of cultural clashes within the school system. The author has situated the white middle class community in the culture of power. This culture of power Lisa Delpit speaks of tries to impose help, when help may not really be wanted. Also, by offering help, especially in the area of education, children may respond in different ways.
In some ways I agreed with the author, but in other ways I did not. There are certainly cultural differences that exist between the two communities, but that also goes for various communities. She speaks negatively of the hegemonic influence of the culture of power; at least she does at the beginning of the article. And, I agree with her as to the unfairness of this treatment.
As the article progresses, her argument becomes weaker. Delpit seems to still hold on to the idea that this cultural clash between the two communities, and the undesirable outcomes that can stem from teaching literacy in a multi-cultural setting exists. However, she appears to be okay with this existance at the end of her article. This is quite a drastic change than at the beginning of her article.
Also, she appears to be supporting segregation. Delpit states on page 585 that, “I am also suggesting that appropriate education for poor children and children of color can only be devised in consultation with adults who share their culture.” I did not expect to get this message when I first started to read this article. It shocked me a bit!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Ch. 2 - The Ethnographer’s Field Entry and Tools of Practice
The field of ethnography sounds so interesting! Observing the environment in which individuals live would have to be an intriguing path of study. Before this semester, I was not familiar at all with the field of ethnography. Heath and Street give a precise explanation by stating,” Ethnography…is a theory-building enterprise constructed through detailed systematic observing, recording, and analyzing of human behavior in specifiable spaces and interactions” (29).
There are two ethnographic studies I would like to focus on from this chapter: the juggler and skateboarders.
The Juggler
I would have never thought about studying a juggler, and I certainly would have never guessed how much went into this! Ethnographer, Molly Mills, created an ‘intellectual framework” around the skill of juggling. Her study consisted of the observation of one juggler by the name of Roger. The purpose of Molly’s study was to probe into the life of a person who chose to pursue a “self-selected expertise” (34).
As a person who pursued the art of playing the violin growing up, Molly’s research needed to be the reflection of a study centered around, “making the familiar strange” (32). Collecting data, by avoiding the why questions, is how Molly conducts her research. Instead, Molly ask the “who, when, what, where, and how questions” to decide “what is happening” (35).
A research conducted in this fashion would be more likely to produce authentic answers. Responses that seem to be of little importance may be part of the missing puzzle for the researcher.
The Skateboarders
Shirley unraveled a missing piece of the puzzle while conducting an ethnographic study on skateboarders. Shirley had to look past any preconceived notions concerning skateboarders. The community in which the skateboarders belonged to viewed them as unreliable and ill responsible delinquents who failed at school and were destined to fail at any career. How could these unreliable teens arrive at the same location on a certain night and at a certain time without actually keeping up with the time?
Through observation and not falling into the trap of being lead by preconceived notions, Shirley discovered that the skateboarders actually were very prompt. The members of the group determined the time they would meet according to a television show. After the show, wherever they were at, they arrived at their destination on time.
Shirley was delighted about her discovery, even though the boys did not see much importance about it, and instead asked her questions about the show. Through observation and asking the appropriate questions, Molly was able to obtain the answers she was looking for.
The field of ethnography sounds so interesting! Observing the environment in which individuals live would have to be an intriguing path of study. Before this semester, I was not familiar at all with the field of ethnography. Heath and Street give a precise explanation by stating,” Ethnography…is a theory-building enterprise constructed through detailed systematic observing, recording, and analyzing of human behavior in specifiable spaces and interactions” (29).
There are two ethnographic studies I would like to focus on from this chapter: the juggler and skateboarders.
The Juggler
I would have never thought about studying a juggler, and I certainly would have never guessed how much went into this! Ethnographer, Molly Mills, created an ‘intellectual framework” around the skill of juggling. Her study consisted of the observation of one juggler by the name of Roger. The purpose of Molly’s study was to probe into the life of a person who chose to pursue a “self-selected expertise” (34).
As a person who pursued the art of playing the violin growing up, Molly’s research needed to be the reflection of a study centered around, “making the familiar strange” (32). Collecting data, by avoiding the why questions, is how Molly conducts her research. Instead, Molly ask the “who, when, what, where, and how questions” to decide “what is happening” (35).
A research conducted in this fashion would be more likely to produce authentic answers. Responses that seem to be of little importance may be part of the missing puzzle for the researcher.
The Skateboarders
Shirley unraveled a missing piece of the puzzle while conducting an ethnographic study on skateboarders. Shirley had to look past any preconceived notions concerning skateboarders. The community in which the skateboarders belonged to viewed them as unreliable and ill responsible delinquents who failed at school and were destined to fail at any career. How could these unreliable teens arrive at the same location on a certain night and at a certain time without actually keeping up with the time?
Through observation and not falling into the trap of being lead by preconceived notions, Shirley discovered that the skateboarders actually were very prompt. The members of the group determined the time they would meet according to a television show. After the show, wherever they were at, they arrived at their destination on time.
Shirley was delighted about her discovery, even though the boys did not see much importance about it, and instead asked her questions about the show. Through observation and asking the appropriate questions, Molly was able to obtain the answers she was looking for.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Chapter 10
Alternative Approaches to Active Learning in the Classroom
Bean introduces the reader to the challenge of creating a collaborative classroom experience while lecturing. Lecturing is typically teacher centered and allows few opportunities for active engagement. Of course, lecturing is very appropriate at certain times when the teacher wishes to deliver information. All too often, this experience may be mundane and only a few students are being reached in the process. The goal of an educator is to maximize the student's experience of receiving information into a tangible concept that the student can actually work and identify with.
I would now like to discuss Bean’s ideas that I find interesting and the most helpful for students.
1) Develop Guided-Journal Tasks Keyed to Your Lectures
I feel that I do this now in my English 100 lab. Each day my students spend the first ten minutes in class writing a response to a Dialogue Journal topic. From now to the end of the semester, I will be generating these questions from their Final Critical Reflections grading assessment list. Hence, this will enable the students to implement these ideas into their paper. Rick McCraw is the one responsible for giving me this idea!
2) Ask Students to Question Your Lectures
This method is a creative way to help students engage in critical thinking. They are asked to summarize the teacher’s answer, and are asked to provide further questions on the subject matter. It’s possible that through those further questions the students may find themselves in a situation in which they might defend a certain viewpoint. The information that has been received has become useful through this interaction.
3) Increase Wait Time
I really never thought about it, but it would be nice if the students are allowed time to think about the question that has been asked. The feeling of unease may cause the student embarrassment that otherwise may have been avoided if just given enough time to sort through their thoughts.
4) Have Students Generate the Questions to Be Discussed
What an effective way to get those thoughts and questions out in the open! Bean uses the example grouping students together, and those groups collaborate about what questions they would like to have for discussion that day. I think this method helps those students who are overlooked in class discussions.
* Bean mentions the subject of class discussion. While class discussion can be useful, it is very true that only a handful of students are benefitting from this – the ones who are always talking. The shy students are not given the opportunity to share their thoughts. Every student ought to have the opportunity to share!
Alternative Approaches to Active Learning in the Classroom
Bean introduces the reader to the challenge of creating a collaborative classroom experience while lecturing. Lecturing is typically teacher centered and allows few opportunities for active engagement. Of course, lecturing is very appropriate at certain times when the teacher wishes to deliver information. All too often, this experience may be mundane and only a few students are being reached in the process. The goal of an educator is to maximize the student's experience of receiving information into a tangible concept that the student can actually work and identify with.
I would now like to discuss Bean’s ideas that I find interesting and the most helpful for students.
1) Develop Guided-Journal Tasks Keyed to Your Lectures
I feel that I do this now in my English 100 lab. Each day my students spend the first ten minutes in class writing a response to a Dialogue Journal topic. From now to the end of the semester, I will be generating these questions from their Final Critical Reflections grading assessment list. Hence, this will enable the students to implement these ideas into their paper. Rick McCraw is the one responsible for giving me this idea!
2) Ask Students to Question Your Lectures
This method is a creative way to help students engage in critical thinking. They are asked to summarize the teacher’s answer, and are asked to provide further questions on the subject matter. It’s possible that through those further questions the students may find themselves in a situation in which they might defend a certain viewpoint. The information that has been received has become useful through this interaction.
3) Increase Wait Time
I really never thought about it, but it would be nice if the students are allowed time to think about the question that has been asked. The feeling of unease may cause the student embarrassment that otherwise may have been avoided if just given enough time to sort through their thoughts.
4) Have Students Generate the Questions to Be Discussed
What an effective way to get those thoughts and questions out in the open! Bean uses the example grouping students together, and those groups collaborate about what questions they would like to have for discussion that day. I think this method helps those students who are overlooked in class discussions.
* Bean mentions the subject of class discussion. While class discussion can be useful, it is very true that only a handful of students are benefitting from this – the ones who are always talking. The shy students are not given the opportunity to share their thoughts. Every student ought to have the opportunity to share!
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