I'm going to Jordan y'all. Here's why:
STATEMENT OF GRANT PURPOSE
Maria Ramirez, Jordan, English Teaching Assistantship
Beginning my second year as a middle school Spanish teacher, I have found that teaching this language is really only a small portion of my job. Of course, in planning my lessons on Sunday evening, I make sure to align my overarching objective to the state-mandated Spanish curriculum. But once thirty little bodies walk through my classroom door, I remember that there is more than just vocabulary and verbs that I would like them to take away from class.
I am applying for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship for just this reason. Since receiving my undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and beginning my Masters of Arts in Teaching at American University, I have fallen in love with the teaching profession. The time in the classroom that I spend interacting with students keeps me coming back for more. After exploring other professions and different graduate school programs, I could not conceive of another job equally as meaningful and frankly as enjoyable as a foreign language teacher.
Working as an English language teacher in Jordan, I would employ my knowledge of linguistics and trends in teaching foreign language to create an interactive and cooperative classroom in which all students would be actively engaged in experiencing the English language and American culture. In returning to the United States, I would be able to use my experience with Jordanian students and the Jordanian education system as a foundation from which to continue to build an internationally connected classroom for my future American students. And as the United States continues to be politically involved in the Arab world without an adequate number of American Arabic speakers, teaching the Arabic language to and cultivating an interest in Arab culture in our nations’ youth greatly appeals to me as well.
Working with students who have rarely left their community, it is my vision to transform my students from citizens strictly of Maryland into citizens of the world. It is my belief that until students are exposed to the rich cultural background of the target language, they cannot truly become fluent. I realized this myself when I was thrown into Egyptian culture and society in 2006 as a recipient of the AFS Intercultural Programs and National Strategic Language Initiative- Youth language study program. Though I initially applied to study in Cairo because I wanted to be able to understand the lyrics to Amr Diab’s greatest hits, I left with a newly awakened passion for the Arabic language and a fiery interest in Middle Eastern culture and politics.
I would like to teach English in Jordan specifically because of my combined interest in education and the Arabic culture and language. I am excited for the possibility to teach in a country which pushes bilingualism at an early age and whose leaders value the institution of public education. Additionally, I am eager to continue my Arabic studies by interacting with people in and out of the classroom, focusing my studies especially on the Levantine dialect. And after countless conversations over bowls of the green and gooey molokhiyya and the latest Nancy Ajram hit humming in the background, my Jordanian friends have proven their homeland as the best place for this type of experience. Their stories about laying under the stars in Wadi Rum or sharing endless cups of cardamom-flavored coffee in a friend’s dining room have allowed me to see the Middle East outside of the limited view I gained in Cairo. And knowing that I will have adoptive friends and family upon arrival draws me in even more.
Time and time again, Jordan presents itself as a center for rich ancient culture, vast national diversity and warm, welcoming people. The more I learn about my peers’ experiences in Jordan, the more I cannot wait to hop onto a crowded bus on my way to work, greeting my new neighbors with a friendly “al-salaamu alaikum.”
Monday, April 9, 2012
Fulbright Personal Statement
I since I know this essay is a winner, I figure I may as well put it up.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Maria Ramirez, Jordan, English Teaching Assistantship
“Ms. Ramirez, I don’t mean to be all up in your business, but is you and your family… illegal?” I decided to take a break from –AR verb conjugations to watch and discuss a documentary about young Central American immigrants making their way north to the United States. And instead of being highly offended at this no-so-politically correct question, I thanked Alexander for speaking up and used it to turn the discussion towards every teacher’s dream: the “teachable moment.”
Whereas five years ago I may have turned up my nose at such a question and deemed someone ignorant for asking it, I find my reaction to be quite different these days. As a second-year middle school Spanish teacher and the only Hispanic adult in the school building, I have grown accustomed to misunderstandings about my birthplace in America’s Dairyland and inquiries about how I speak English so well.
Growing up in a small and rather conservative city, I was a very confused teenager. Should I be annoyed with the people who seem to only focus on my “exotic look” or should I enjoy getting a leg up in acceptance on committees because it looked good to have a Ramirez on the roster? It was not until I had the chance to leave my hometown and explore other parts of the world that I decided I did not have to choose one or the other; instead I greatly benefitted from my identity in that it actually allowed me to become a cultural chameleon, adapting to any culture, context or community in which I would find myself.
Spending six weeks with a conservative Muslim host family in a suburb of Cairo put this notion to the test. As an 18-year-old Wisconsinite who had never before experienced any big city, Cairo was the ultimate first introduction to traffic, overcrowding and culture shock. Sharing a three-bedroom apartment with an Egyptian family of six, I certainly had to adapt. No longer was I an independent American high school graduate with a part-time job, car and her parents’ complete trust. Instead, I was an illiterate, unmarried Muslim daughter, totally dependent on her parents and family for food, transportation and lessons in cultural competency.
For this reason, my visit to the Middle East was not your typical see-the-pyramids, ride-a-camel vacation. But for the same reason, I credit this sole experience for preparing me mentally and emotionally for everything that came after. Being engrained into a culture and society so different from my own, I realized that that I did not have to be limited by the stereotypes that other people cast upon me and no two labels were mutually exclusive. Instead, I could be “mi hija” to my Mexican-American grandmother, “ya habibti” to my Egyptian mother and father and “Maria” to my American family and friends.
My identity has continued to shift and transform especially after becoming a teacher as part of Teach for America’s national education movement. Over the past year, I have found myself in countless new roles, some of which- mentor, educator, behavior monitor- I expected, and others- lunchroom supervisor, Spanish interpreter, public education advocate- which I did not. Yet, all of which I embrace as part of my ever-evolving identity.
I know that I am potentially throwing myself into a quite uncertain scenario where I could be living in either a big city or small village, teaching perhaps small children or adults. But knowing that my life experiences have led me to be able to find my way around a 19-million person urban jungle and manage a classroom of 37 thirteen-year-olds makes me confident that no matter the responsibilities placed upon me, I will manage. I will struggle until I find what is right and what is appropriate for where I am and for the task at hand. And through it all, I will share with my students a part of each of my past experiences while asking for their help in shaping my current experience and future identity.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Maria Ramirez, Jordan, English Teaching Assistantship
“Ms. Ramirez, I don’t mean to be all up in your business, but is you and your family… illegal?” I decided to take a break from –AR verb conjugations to watch and discuss a documentary about young Central American immigrants making their way north to the United States. And instead of being highly offended at this no-so-politically correct question, I thanked Alexander for speaking up and used it to turn the discussion towards every teacher’s dream: the “teachable moment.”
Whereas five years ago I may have turned up my nose at such a question and deemed someone ignorant for asking it, I find my reaction to be quite different these days. As a second-year middle school Spanish teacher and the only Hispanic adult in the school building, I have grown accustomed to misunderstandings about my birthplace in America’s Dairyland and inquiries about how I speak English so well.
Growing up in a small and rather conservative city, I was a very confused teenager. Should I be annoyed with the people who seem to only focus on my “exotic look” or should I enjoy getting a leg up in acceptance on committees because it looked good to have a Ramirez on the roster? It was not until I had the chance to leave my hometown and explore other parts of the world that I decided I did not have to choose one or the other; instead I greatly benefitted from my identity in that it actually allowed me to become a cultural chameleon, adapting to any culture, context or community in which I would find myself.
Spending six weeks with a conservative Muslim host family in a suburb of Cairo put this notion to the test. As an 18-year-old Wisconsinite who had never before experienced any big city, Cairo was the ultimate first introduction to traffic, overcrowding and culture shock. Sharing a three-bedroom apartment with an Egyptian family of six, I certainly had to adapt. No longer was I an independent American high school graduate with a part-time job, car and her parents’ complete trust. Instead, I was an illiterate, unmarried Muslim daughter, totally dependent on her parents and family for food, transportation and lessons in cultural competency.
For this reason, my visit to the Middle East was not your typical see-the-pyramids, ride-a-camel vacation. But for the same reason, I credit this sole experience for preparing me mentally and emotionally for everything that came after. Being engrained into a culture and society so different from my own, I realized that that I did not have to be limited by the stereotypes that other people cast upon me and no two labels were mutually exclusive. Instead, I could be “mi hija” to my Mexican-American grandmother, “ya habibti” to my Egyptian mother and father and “Maria” to my American family and friends.
My identity has continued to shift and transform especially after becoming a teacher as part of Teach for America’s national education movement. Over the past year, I have found myself in countless new roles, some of which- mentor, educator, behavior monitor- I expected, and others- lunchroom supervisor, Spanish interpreter, public education advocate- which I did not. Yet, all of which I embrace as part of my ever-evolving identity.
I know that I am potentially throwing myself into a quite uncertain scenario where I could be living in either a big city or small village, teaching perhaps small children or adults. But knowing that my life experiences have led me to be able to find my way around a 19-million person urban jungle and manage a classroom of 37 thirteen-year-olds makes me confident that no matter the responsibilities placed upon me, I will manage. I will struggle until I find what is right and what is appropriate for where I am and for the task at hand. And through it all, I will share with my students a part of each of my past experiences while asking for their help in shaping my current experience and future identity.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
State Assessment !
At lunch today, all of a sudden, students were told to "FACE THE STAGE! EVERYONE TURN AROUND AND FACE THE STAGE! MOUTHS CLOSED!" After a few minutes all students had acquiesced though I still did not know what was going on as a lunchroom chaperone. An administrator got on the microphone to announce "TOMORROW IS THE MSA. MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR REST. DON'T FORGET TO USE THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU LEARNED IN YOUR RELA (reading language arts) CLASS. READ THE QU.... EXCUSE ME WHEN IM TALKING YOUR MOUTHS ARE CLOSED... QUESTION FIRST. L'IL BOY... SHUT YOUR MOUTH. TURN AROUND. YOU KNOW WHAT... GO SIT ON THE STAGE." There is something every day that happens at my school that literally brings a tear to my eye. Today, this was it. I remember taking standardized tests in elementary and middle school and I remember my parents and teachers saying "do your best," but no need to stress too much because it doesn't affect your grade. I remember these tests because a few weeks later I would get a personalized letter in the mail with my scores which I didn't understand but, which I thought was cool because when else did a 4th grader get any mail. But my students will most likely remember the state assessment for another reason. Maybe it will be for the two homework free weeks that they get cushioning either side of the MSA. Clearly, we don't want to stress out the children for fear that they may not be well rested! Perhaps it will be memorable for the "spirit week" leading up to the exam. Or will they remember it for the pep rally for which they got to skip out of their "creative art" (read: Spanish) class on the Friday before. Whatever it may be, when I read the following quote, I immediately thought of my school and my students. Please read. Please ponder.
“ NCLB adds yet another factor of division between children of minorities and those in the mainstream of society. In good suburban classrooms, children master the essential skills not from terror but from exhilaration, inspired in them by their teachers, in the act of learning in itself… They learn to ask the questions that will shape the nation's future, while inner-city kids are being trained to give prescripted answers and to acquiesce in their subordinate position in society” (Kozol, 2007).
“ NCLB adds yet another factor of division between children of minorities and those in the mainstream of society. In good suburban classrooms, children master the essential skills not from terror but from exhilaration, inspired in them by their teachers, in the act of learning in itself… They learn to ask the questions that will shape the nation's future, while inner-city kids are being trained to give prescripted answers and to acquiesce in their subordinate position in society” (Kozol, 2007).
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Ethnographic Sketch
Searching for current information about Academic Yearly Progress (AYP) for my school online, I came across a parent review of the school, dated June 25, 2011:
“The school is horrible. While I was walking in one day the kids were running around (uncontrolled). Kids were hanging out the window. I would recommend your child not attending here. I am currently taking my child out.”
It is unfortunate to see that after all of the effort that my colleagues and I put in on a daily basis, this is how our school is viewed from the outside. Nevertheless, I cannot blame this parent for commenting in this way. It is completely true. The transition times before and after lunch are comparable to a stampede on the Serengeti, as students rush from class to the cafeteria, jumping, screaming, hitting one another and running back and forth in the hallway. There have been instances of students throwing teacher’s belongings out the window and instances of students throwing textbooks out of windows and breaking windows of cars in the parking lot below. In my own classroom, a student decided that she was done with Spanish class for the day and because I was standing guard at the door, ran to the open first story window, jumped out and walked home.
It is easy to blame the individual students and say that they should know better. But in reality, one must look at the multitude of factors which influence each and every student’s life outside of the school walls, and then consider how this translates to a student’s behavior and attitude within the school. Additionally, it is important to look at the changes that have taken place and policies in place at our school to contemplate their impact on the school environment and students’ mindsets upon entering it.
Benjamin Stoddert Middle School (BSMS) is a 6-8th grade school located in Temple Hills, Maryland. It is about one mile outside of Washington, D.C. Many students who attend BSMS were born in D.C., but because of the gentrification process which has begun in many of the traditionally Black neighborhoods, Black populations have been pushed out of D.C. and now reside inside outside of the District of Columbia, yet inside of the Capitol Beltway, a more affordable living area over which Prince George’s County Schools such as BSMS have jurisdiction. For this reason, Benjamin Stoddert’s ethnic population has changed over the years. According to the building engineer who has been working at the school for a decade and living in the area his whole life (48 years), a once all White school in the early 1980s, Benjamin Stoddert is now a majority Black school with 95.3% Black students. Beyond that, the student population’s ethnic background is as follows: Multi-Racial (2.64%), American Indian (1.02%), Asian (.44%), and White (.44%). 68% of these students receive Free and Reduced Meals and 12% receive special education services.
In terms of the staff, there have been many changes in the last two years. in the 2010-2011 academic year the Turnaround Model as defined by the Maryland Department of Education was implemented at Benjamin Stoddert. That is, because our school had been failing state standards for several years, it was decided that our school needed to be “turned around.” To do this, all administrators were fired and all but five teaching staff members were fired and new and administrative teaching staff was brought on for the 2010-2011 school year. In the 2010 school year, that meant that 36% of the teaching staff was part of a resident teacher program, most likely meaning it was the first year of teaching for this group. Furthermore, 24.4% of the teachers possessed a standard professional certificate and 27% possessed an advanced professional certificate, as defined by the Maryland State Department of Education.
An average day at Benjamin Stoddert begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 3:10 PM. Students cycle through five mods which last 68 minutes each with a 30 minute lunch period in the middle of the day. In each classroom, challenges present themselves throughout the day. Students come without appropriate school supplies, without having complete homework and without a positive attitude towards learning. These challenges create even further problems when teachers punish students for not having these necessary learning tools. Giving a verbal warning or a 10 minute detention can often escalate to a student display of disrespect and attempt to have the last word over the teacher. Additionally, it could lead to the teacher shouting back at the student in attempt to win control of the situation and classroom. Ultimately, these interruptions are a disruption of learning time for all students and many times it takes several minutes for students to get back on track. This may take place several times in one class period.
Walking down the hallways of Benjamin Stoddert, students are frequently seen standing outside classrooms, waiting to be taken to In-School Suspension (ISS) or “Alternative Instructional Area” (AIA) or to be welcomed back in the classroom after a causing a disruption in the classroom. It is common to see administrators yelling at children, and children yelling back at administrators. Every once and again, a parent will come to the school to reprimand his or her child for showing disrespect to a teacher or for the child getting into some sort of trouble, as defined by a teacher or administrator. At times, this admonishment will be verbal and other times it will be physical.
Speaking with individual students about their family and home situations, there seems to be much instability. It is rare that a child has both a birth mother and father at home, as has been the case in about four or five households of my 300 students over the last two years (as far as I know). It more common that children live in single parent households with several siblings, some half- and some full-blood related. The parent at home is the mother and many times she is alone in raising the child because the father is incarcerated. From conversations with 11-14 year old students, their lives already include many more negative experiences than their higher income peers. Students have told me about having experienced situations of physical, verbal and sexual abuse, rape, moving across state and national borders, loss of shelter, loss of family members, violence, fights, knife and firearm use, drugs, early sexual encounters, suicidal thoughts, hunger, lack of appropriate clothing, and the like.
This multitude of attitudes, mindsets and experiences all impact different students and staff in different ways. Though on the whole, what students and teachers lack and experience at the most basic and individual level at some point will filter into other aspects of their lives and impact the relationships that they have in other, non-domestic environments, like school. When a student cannot access his ADHD medication because his mother does not have adequate funds, his lack of focus and incendiary attitude impacts the learning and mood of students, teachers and administrators who must interact with him. When a young man has no successful and articulate male role model in his life and believes that the only career path for him relates to a the hip hop industry or NBA, it is difficult to convince him to take his head off his desk during a grammar lesson. When students have more acquaintances incarcerated than in college, it is difficult to assure them of the benefits of working hard in school.
Learning is all about questioning, problem solving, demonstrating creativity and discussing issues of science and morality. These abilities, as postulated by Maslow, are considered tasks of “self-actualization.” As laid out by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, these items can only be carried out when all other, more basic human needs such as safety, love, self-esteem and physiological needs are satisfied. It of course is possible for children, and people in general, to overcome “deficiency needs” such as of hunger, love and family and health to be able to realize higher level capacities such as creativity and problem solving, but in my personal opinion this is rare. From my observations at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, students first need to be loved, fed, accepted and respected before any meaningful learning can take place. Yet when there are so many children who have these basic needs and so few adults and other positive to provide love, respect, acceptance, attention, etc. to them, everyone begins to feel down downtrodden. This is not to mention that the adults in the building are also humans and have these very same needs. When students show a general lack of respect and esteem towards the adults and when fights are breaking out left and right, causing a questionable state of security in the building, it is difficult for the adults to focus on teaching.
Though the parent’s comment on the school review website did not go into great detail about why “this school is horrible,” and was probably forming an opinion based on one short trip to the school, her statement describes an environment which overall, is quite true about the current state of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School. Taking the time to put on paper the observations that I have gathered over the last year and a half has, sadly, allowed me to see this. Individually, my colleagues and students are thoughtful, intelligent, kind, and caring people, but given the lack of human and capital resources in so many senses and on so many levels, the negatives rather than the positives compound into an environment where unfortunately, no one really wants or likes to be. Words cannot express my grief in admitting this, yet as a second year teacher and as a single human being, there is little I can do with the talent and time I have to turn this around. Only sweeping changes in societal mindsets and economic opportunities over years and years will begin to address the challenges that Benjamin Stoddert Middle School experiences.
References:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/certification/certification_branch/certification_inf/types/overview
http://msp.msde.state.md.us/AypIntro.aspx?AypPV=14%7C0%7C16%7C0615%7C3%7C000000
http://schools.pgcps.org/index.asp?code=6515&Submit=GO
http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/maryland/temple-hills/benjamin-stoddert-middle/#students-and-teachers
“The school is horrible. While I was walking in one day the kids were running around (uncontrolled). Kids were hanging out the window. I would recommend your child not attending here. I am currently taking my child out.”
It is unfortunate to see that after all of the effort that my colleagues and I put in on a daily basis, this is how our school is viewed from the outside. Nevertheless, I cannot blame this parent for commenting in this way. It is completely true. The transition times before and after lunch are comparable to a stampede on the Serengeti, as students rush from class to the cafeteria, jumping, screaming, hitting one another and running back and forth in the hallway. There have been instances of students throwing teacher’s belongings out the window and instances of students throwing textbooks out of windows and breaking windows of cars in the parking lot below. In my own classroom, a student decided that she was done with Spanish class for the day and because I was standing guard at the door, ran to the open first story window, jumped out and walked home.
It is easy to blame the individual students and say that they should know better. But in reality, one must look at the multitude of factors which influence each and every student’s life outside of the school walls, and then consider how this translates to a student’s behavior and attitude within the school. Additionally, it is important to look at the changes that have taken place and policies in place at our school to contemplate their impact on the school environment and students’ mindsets upon entering it.
Benjamin Stoddert Middle School (BSMS) is a 6-8th grade school located in Temple Hills, Maryland. It is about one mile outside of Washington, D.C. Many students who attend BSMS were born in D.C., but because of the gentrification process which has begun in many of the traditionally Black neighborhoods, Black populations have been pushed out of D.C. and now reside inside outside of the District of Columbia, yet inside of the Capitol Beltway, a more affordable living area over which Prince George’s County Schools such as BSMS have jurisdiction. For this reason, Benjamin Stoddert’s ethnic population has changed over the years. According to the building engineer who has been working at the school for a decade and living in the area his whole life (48 years), a once all White school in the early 1980s, Benjamin Stoddert is now a majority Black school with 95.3% Black students. Beyond that, the student population’s ethnic background is as follows: Multi-Racial (2.64%), American Indian (1.02%), Asian (.44%), and White (.44%). 68% of these students receive Free and Reduced Meals and 12% receive special education services.
In terms of the staff, there have been many changes in the last two years. in the 2010-2011 academic year the Turnaround Model as defined by the Maryland Department of Education was implemented at Benjamin Stoddert. That is, because our school had been failing state standards for several years, it was decided that our school needed to be “turned around.” To do this, all administrators were fired and all but five teaching staff members were fired and new and administrative teaching staff was brought on for the 2010-2011 school year. In the 2010 school year, that meant that 36% of the teaching staff was part of a resident teacher program, most likely meaning it was the first year of teaching for this group. Furthermore, 24.4% of the teachers possessed a standard professional certificate and 27% possessed an advanced professional certificate, as defined by the Maryland State Department of Education.
An average day at Benjamin Stoddert begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 3:10 PM. Students cycle through five mods which last 68 minutes each with a 30 minute lunch period in the middle of the day. In each classroom, challenges present themselves throughout the day. Students come without appropriate school supplies, without having complete homework and without a positive attitude towards learning. These challenges create even further problems when teachers punish students for not having these necessary learning tools. Giving a verbal warning or a 10 minute detention can often escalate to a student display of disrespect and attempt to have the last word over the teacher. Additionally, it could lead to the teacher shouting back at the student in attempt to win control of the situation and classroom. Ultimately, these interruptions are a disruption of learning time for all students and many times it takes several minutes for students to get back on track. This may take place several times in one class period.
Walking down the hallways of Benjamin Stoddert, students are frequently seen standing outside classrooms, waiting to be taken to In-School Suspension (ISS) or “Alternative Instructional Area” (AIA) or to be welcomed back in the classroom after a causing a disruption in the classroom. It is common to see administrators yelling at children, and children yelling back at administrators. Every once and again, a parent will come to the school to reprimand his or her child for showing disrespect to a teacher or for the child getting into some sort of trouble, as defined by a teacher or administrator. At times, this admonishment will be verbal and other times it will be physical.
Speaking with individual students about their family and home situations, there seems to be much instability. It is rare that a child has both a birth mother and father at home, as has been the case in about four or five households of my 300 students over the last two years (as far as I know). It more common that children live in single parent households with several siblings, some half- and some full-blood related. The parent at home is the mother and many times she is alone in raising the child because the father is incarcerated. From conversations with 11-14 year old students, their lives already include many more negative experiences than their higher income peers. Students have told me about having experienced situations of physical, verbal and sexual abuse, rape, moving across state and national borders, loss of shelter, loss of family members, violence, fights, knife and firearm use, drugs, early sexual encounters, suicidal thoughts, hunger, lack of appropriate clothing, and the like.
This multitude of attitudes, mindsets and experiences all impact different students and staff in different ways. Though on the whole, what students and teachers lack and experience at the most basic and individual level at some point will filter into other aspects of their lives and impact the relationships that they have in other, non-domestic environments, like school. When a student cannot access his ADHD medication because his mother does not have adequate funds, his lack of focus and incendiary attitude impacts the learning and mood of students, teachers and administrators who must interact with him. When a young man has no successful and articulate male role model in his life and believes that the only career path for him relates to a the hip hop industry or NBA, it is difficult to convince him to take his head off his desk during a grammar lesson. When students have more acquaintances incarcerated than in college, it is difficult to assure them of the benefits of working hard in school.
Learning is all about questioning, problem solving, demonstrating creativity and discussing issues of science and morality. These abilities, as postulated by Maslow, are considered tasks of “self-actualization.” As laid out by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, these items can only be carried out when all other, more basic human needs such as safety, love, self-esteem and physiological needs are satisfied. It of course is possible for children, and people in general, to overcome “deficiency needs” such as of hunger, love and family and health to be able to realize higher level capacities such as creativity and problem solving, but in my personal opinion this is rare. From my observations at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, students first need to be loved, fed, accepted and respected before any meaningful learning can take place. Yet when there are so many children who have these basic needs and so few adults and other positive to provide love, respect, acceptance, attention, etc. to them, everyone begins to feel down downtrodden. This is not to mention that the adults in the building are also humans and have these very same needs. When students show a general lack of respect and esteem towards the adults and when fights are breaking out left and right, causing a questionable state of security in the building, it is difficult for the adults to focus on teaching.
Though the parent’s comment on the school review website did not go into great detail about why “this school is horrible,” and was probably forming an opinion based on one short trip to the school, her statement describes an environment which overall, is quite true about the current state of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School. Taking the time to put on paper the observations that I have gathered over the last year and a half has, sadly, allowed me to see this. Individually, my colleagues and students are thoughtful, intelligent, kind, and caring people, but given the lack of human and capital resources in so many senses and on so many levels, the negatives rather than the positives compound into an environment where unfortunately, no one really wants or likes to be. Words cannot express my grief in admitting this, yet as a second year teacher and as a single human being, there is little I can do with the talent and time I have to turn this around. Only sweeping changes in societal mindsets and economic opportunities over years and years will begin to address the challenges that Benjamin Stoddert Middle School experiences.
References:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/certification/certification_branch/certification_inf/types/overview
http://msp.msde.state.md.us/AypIntro.aspx?AypPV=14%7C0%7C16%7C0615%7C3%7C000000
http://schools.pgcps.org/index.asp?code=6515&Submit=GO
http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/maryland/temple-hills/benjamin-stoddert-middle/#students-and-teachers
Sunday, February 26, 2012
More on education
Balance between teaching a set curriculum with allowing students to form independent connections with knowledge
Delivering a curriculum in a way which allows students to make connections to knowledge in a meaningful way, above all, requires incredible time and thought on the part of the educator. The more diverse life experiences and deep content knowledge the educator possesses, the better chance he or she has to be able to deliver the curriculum in a way that students can compartmentalize and be certain as to how and why it is useful to each individual student. A teacher being "one chapter ahead" can work for in a classroom where students simply love the idea of attaining knowledge, but unless the teacher can contextualize the information, it is difficult for any student to understand its importance.
Experiential Knowledge
I believe experiential knowledge is absolutely critical to students' learning. In my own experience, I know I would never have completely understood the tenets of Islam from the textbook chapter from which I read them if I had not lived with a Muslim host family in the Middle East. I would have never truly understood the importance of trade and communication via the Mediterranean if it I had not witnessed its physical vestiges with my own eyes in Greece, Italy, Turkey and Egypt. That said, I do not believe it is the job of the teacher to provide the student with these experiences. A class environment is a great place to break apart an issue or idea and discuss its components and implications. However in my opinion, it is the responsibility of the student to take these ideas and apply them in ways above and beyond what was presented in the classroom. In my classroom, I attempt to incorporate situations in which my students use their knowledge in real life scenarios. But at the same time, my greatest goal is to inspire them to go and seek these experiences themselves.
Implications of Education Reform
Today's educational reforms impact experiential learning so much! I think this is something that is greatly misunderstood by the public. Whereas people hear the idea of "no child left behind" and "all students held to the same standard" and associate it with positive learning outcomes, they are largely unaware of the learning sacrifices students are making to achieve these so-called "rigorous standards." In my middle school, students could choose to take Band, French, Spanish, German, Graphic Arts, Home Economics, etc in addition to a requirement of Science, Math, Language Arts and History not to mention the extracurriculars after school. This created an environment where something exciting was always taking place, whether it was a project, exposition, concert, sporting event, etc. At the middle school where I teach, 4 of 5 modules are filled with "core academic classes" with one module saved for one elective class. After school clubs are limited, with most resources going towards "Extended Learning Opportunity," or an extended hour and a half where students reinforce test taking strategies and math and reading skills. Consequently, this push for standardized testing in education reform has caused a great reduction in experiential learning opportunities.
Delivering a curriculum in a way which allows students to make connections to knowledge in a meaningful way, above all, requires incredible time and thought on the part of the educator. The more diverse life experiences and deep content knowledge the educator possesses, the better chance he or she has to be able to deliver the curriculum in a way that students can compartmentalize and be certain as to how and why it is useful to each individual student. A teacher being "one chapter ahead" can work for in a classroom where students simply love the idea of attaining knowledge, but unless the teacher can contextualize the information, it is difficult for any student to understand its importance.
Experiential Knowledge
I believe experiential knowledge is absolutely critical to students' learning. In my own experience, I know I would never have completely understood the tenets of Islam from the textbook chapter from which I read them if I had not lived with a Muslim host family in the Middle East. I would have never truly understood the importance of trade and communication via the Mediterranean if it I had not witnessed its physical vestiges with my own eyes in Greece, Italy, Turkey and Egypt. That said, I do not believe it is the job of the teacher to provide the student with these experiences. A class environment is a great place to break apart an issue or idea and discuss its components and implications. However in my opinion, it is the responsibility of the student to take these ideas and apply them in ways above and beyond what was presented in the classroom. In my classroom, I attempt to incorporate situations in which my students use their knowledge in real life scenarios. But at the same time, my greatest goal is to inspire them to go and seek these experiences themselves.
Implications of Education Reform
Today's educational reforms impact experiential learning so much! I think this is something that is greatly misunderstood by the public. Whereas people hear the idea of "no child left behind" and "all students held to the same standard" and associate it with positive learning outcomes, they are largely unaware of the learning sacrifices students are making to achieve these so-called "rigorous standards." In my middle school, students could choose to take Band, French, Spanish, German, Graphic Arts, Home Economics, etc in addition to a requirement of Science, Math, Language Arts and History not to mention the extracurriculars after school. This created an environment where something exciting was always taking place, whether it was a project, exposition, concert, sporting event, etc. At the middle school where I teach, 4 of 5 modules are filled with "core academic classes" with one module saved for one elective class. After school clubs are limited, with most resources going towards "Extended Learning Opportunity," or an extended hour and a half where students reinforce test taking strategies and math and reading skills. Consequently, this push for standardized testing in education reform has caused a great reduction in experiential learning opportunities.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Socialization at School
from a post for one of my grad school classes:
Most times when I consider the phrase "socialization at school," I consider it a negative association. When I think of "socialization," I think of students talking through instruction, putting their hands all over one another in the hallway and screaming at each other at the top of their lungs in the lunch room. Herein lies the difference between socialization as a social skill and a tool to promote education versus socialization as a detriment to one's learning environment. Socialization could be considered one of the keys to learning and personal development, as it allow us to create relationships with others in which we not only learn about our ability to make connections and sustain friendships, but also in which we learn about another person's world view and life experience. For this reason, socialization is incredibly important to the human experience. No matter what we know empirically, we will never be able to navigate society as independent creatures.
In today's schools, promoting the important skills of socialization is a difficult question. In the day and age of high stakes testing, a quiet and controlled environment is best for students to study, read, and learn independently: the skills necessary for success on state tests. It almost seems like there is no time to discuss the important life skills that are necessary for "real" success outside of the classroom. This is an especially pressing matter when the majority of the student population believes the best way to solve a problem is physical fighting.
I highly disagree with this type of learning style, as it does not promote positive socialization. I do believe it important to teach social skills both in and outside of the context of school at all levels. While it is important to make sure children are exposed to group settings at an early age to jump start their social development, this need does not decrease as the child grows older.
The idea of project based learning in the classroom would bring about a more realistic social environment in which students would be able to gain the cognitive skills required of them by state standards while also learning how to relate to others in a positive and productive capacity. Even without project based learning, simple strategies for positive socialization can be practiced in the classroom setting. For example, when a student greets me with "sup?" or calls me "girl" or "mo," I stop them in their tracks to simply tell them that that word is not appropriate in this scenario and ask them to correct themselves before they move on. Additionally, before setting students to work in groups, we review situations that may arise and talk about how to deal with them. For example, if a student is not engaged in the group work, we could ask them “ Is there something you don't understand?” or “Could you please help us with x?” before tattling on them or yelling at them for being lazy.
Unfortunately, the assessment of socialization is difficult. Many times, we realize only when students fail to socialize appropriately- when they end up in court or jail. Additionally it is difficult to assess socialization given the varying cultural definitions of what it means. Specific standards could never be created because “working well with others” in one context could mean something completely different in another. Additionally, the school may have different standards than what is practiced at home and this instability would cause great confusion in the child. For example, when I tell my students that physical and verbal threats are not the appropriate way to solve a disagreement, they many times respond that “my mom says that I always have the right to fight back and should always defend myself.” Thus, it is difficult to push one way of socialization and conflict management when students are presented with another when they go home and also because it would consequently be impossible for a teach to tell a parent that their student is failing in “socialization” when they believe appropriate socialization to be something completely different.
Most times when I consider the phrase "socialization at school," I consider it a negative association. When I think of "socialization," I think of students talking through instruction, putting their hands all over one another in the hallway and screaming at each other at the top of their lungs in the lunch room. Herein lies the difference between socialization as a social skill and a tool to promote education versus socialization as a detriment to one's learning environment. Socialization could be considered one of the keys to learning and personal development, as it allow us to create relationships with others in which we not only learn about our ability to make connections and sustain friendships, but also in which we learn about another person's world view and life experience. For this reason, socialization is incredibly important to the human experience. No matter what we know empirically, we will never be able to navigate society as independent creatures.
In today's schools, promoting the important skills of socialization is a difficult question. In the day and age of high stakes testing, a quiet and controlled environment is best for students to study, read, and learn independently: the skills necessary for success on state tests. It almost seems like there is no time to discuss the important life skills that are necessary for "real" success outside of the classroom. This is an especially pressing matter when the majority of the student population believes the best way to solve a problem is physical fighting.
I highly disagree with this type of learning style, as it does not promote positive socialization. I do believe it important to teach social skills both in and outside of the context of school at all levels. While it is important to make sure children are exposed to group settings at an early age to jump start their social development, this need does not decrease as the child grows older.
The idea of project based learning in the classroom would bring about a more realistic social environment in which students would be able to gain the cognitive skills required of them by state standards while also learning how to relate to others in a positive and productive capacity. Even without project based learning, simple strategies for positive socialization can be practiced in the classroom setting. For example, when a student greets me with "sup?" or calls me "girl" or "mo," I stop them in their tracks to simply tell them that that word is not appropriate in this scenario and ask them to correct themselves before they move on. Additionally, before setting students to work in groups, we review situations that may arise and talk about how to deal with them. For example, if a student is not engaged in the group work, we could ask them “ Is there something you don't understand?” or “Could you please help us with x?” before tattling on them or yelling at them for being lazy.
Unfortunately, the assessment of socialization is difficult. Many times, we realize only when students fail to socialize appropriately- when they end up in court or jail. Additionally it is difficult to assess socialization given the varying cultural definitions of what it means. Specific standards could never be created because “working well with others” in one context could mean something completely different in another. Additionally, the school may have different standards than what is practiced at home and this instability would cause great confusion in the child. For example, when I tell my students that physical and verbal threats are not the appropriate way to solve a disagreement, they many times respond that “my mom says that I always have the right to fight back and should always defend myself.” Thus, it is difficult to push one way of socialization and conflict management when students are presented with another when they go home and also because it would consequently be impossible for a teach to tell a parent that their student is failing in “socialization” when they believe appropriate socialization to be something completely different.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)