Standardized Testing

The beginning of chapter 32 summarized my feelings about standardized testing: "standardization reduces the quality and quantity of what is taught and learned in schools"....and "over the long term, standardization creates inequalities, widening the gap between the quality of education for poor and minority youth and that of more priveledged students" (505). These two quotes not only grabbed by immediate attention, but I believe them to be extremely true. I'm sure we all can agree, as pre-service teachers, that standardized tests are not only unfair, but truly do limits the content delieved from the curriculum. I can't even count the number of times teachers have skipped over great lessons, or minimized other creative lessons, just to make sure they teach what will be on the test. From the teacher's point of view, I can understand wanting to prepare your students as best as possible for the dreaded test...but really? what does it test?

Do these standardized test really test our student's knoweldge/abilities? I remember when I took the Praxis I, my lowest score was the writing section -an English student. I was shocked, because my math score was the highest. I've always been horrible at math during high school and college, and always excelled in my English classes. This really opened my eyes as to how unaccurate these tests can be.....

Teaching for Social Justice

Chapter 29 talks a lot about social justice, and the different approaches teachers can take while teaching this to students. The quote that really struck me was on page 441: "[students] need to understand more deeply the conditions of their lives and the sociopolitical dynamics of their world. Thus, teachers could pose questions to students to help them address and understand these issues. For example: Why are there so many gangs in your neighborhood, and why are so many bright and talented students dropping out and joining them?"

When I read the above statement, I instantly thought of my 8th graders, in my current placement. The students are VERY aware of the things going on outside their school, on the street, and in their homes. I read about the fear students have about gangs, robberies, and drug dealers. Just today, a journal prompt was for students to write 7-10 sentences about what college they wanted to go to, and why. My students had a really hard time with this, because a large majority of them really believe they will never have a chance in higher education. I used this resistance, as a "teachable moment." I asked students why they think this way, when I know as their teacher, that they are all capable of graduating and doing amazing things. One student responded, "I'm just going to sell drugs and make money that way, because I don't want to do any work." I was speechless for a second, and then turned the conversation to discuss how every student has the ability to succeed. I want to talk about these kind of things with my students, but at the same time, I can't relate. I don't know what it's like to have to fear gangs, or turn to drug dealing as a "career." What to do?

English Only in the Classroom

Chapter 25 was much more relevant to me, now, as I am finishing up my student teaching in MPS, than it would have been five years ago. I graduated from a predominately white, suburban high school, and diversity wasn't much an issue for me (that I was aware of anyways). However, after having experience with teaching English language learners, I was glad to have this read clear up a few things for me. At the beginning of my placement there was a student who had recently (within about 2 weeks) moved to American from China. With that said, he didn't know any English, yet sat in the English class every day. I felt sorry for the student, because I would see him look at his fellow classmates' work and copy their answers to the best of his ability. My co-op had no clue what she was supposed to do with him, except try to teach him in English.

Eventually he was transferred to a different school where he would be able to learn the English language, and my co-op was extremely relieved; but after reading chapter 25, my perspective of this issue has greatly changed. I really wonder -considering the school I'm currently teaching in had these type of resources -if it would have benefited the student to be taught the content we were learning in his native language. I strongly think he would have picked up on the content. I do believe that it is important for students or anyone for that matter to learn English at some point, but when? I'm not entirely sure. Overall, I know that this chapter made me see the whole "English learning" issue from a different angle. It's definitely complicated.

Becoming Aware

Page 339 in chapter 22 writes, "whatever the experiences that lead to growing personal awareness of their homosexuality, most gay and lesbian adolescents can vividly recall a period of intense anxiety when they first realized that they suddenly belonged to a group of people that is often vehemently dispised. For the adolescent, an identity crises occurs." In my opinion, teachers need to be educated in issues such as homosexuality, as we may have several students throughout our career who experience such things. My best friend in high school was gay, although nobody had any idea until a few years after he graduated. Through his experience, I can vouch for how hard it can be for an individual to be dealing with these type of feelings, and not having a safe enough atmosphere to express them. My high school was not extremely tolerant of homosexuals, and I know that is one of the many reasons my friend didn't show his true self.

As teachers, we need to not only inform our students about the differences that exist in this world, but we need to also model repsectful behavior to enhance a safe learning environment. After all, if, as teacher we do not provide a safe environment for ALL our students, than we're not fully doing our job. By educating ourselves, and therefore, our students about such issues as homosexuality, than hopefully a better, more tolerant learning environment was exist.