Interviews with Students about Collage

 

After doing the lesson about the online collage, I sat down with two students and asked them what they thought. The first question I asked was, "What did you learn about a collage?" The high performing student (Student A) answered that they learned that it was layering of a bunch of stuff. They also stated that you overlap things to create the layers and so you can see the background and what is in the foreground. I was very surprised with the answer. It is pretty spot on. The struggling student (Student B) was asked the same thing. They said that it was a bunch of stuff thrown together on paper or whatever you want the bottom layer to be. Student B tried, but didn't quite get the skill of layering to show depth. After the online collage, they were asked which one they liked better. Both students said they liked the online collage. Student A said it was because they had more pictures and shapes to choose from and could flip them or change if they are see through or not. Student B said they liked it because it was like a video game. I wasn't surprised that they liked the online collage because more art is going electronic these days. I was, however, surprised that their answers showed what they saw important. Student A got the concept of using collage online to create the same thing as before with the paper. To Student B, video games and playing are important. They didn't think of using the online collage as a learning tool.

                          Student A                                                                         Student B



                          

Future Lesson?

The site below is about altered images and how to alter images with different effects and various software. Not only would this help with a technology lesson, but could incorporate an instruction on copyright. This would teach students that many companies use the programs and you can't always believe what you see in a photo anymore.

Altered Images

More Than Just a Motto: Nobody Eats Alone at Harborside

More Than Just a Motto: Nobody Eats Alone at Harborside

 

 

The community of Harborside has created an opportunity to a project based classroom. The grades are given a chance to go to a three day camp. In this setting students are building bridges between home and school experiences by creating a better understanding of their community. They are allowed to take photographs of their area and are able to focus on work habits for school. The groups help rebuild parks and rundown areas in their community while also celebrating veterans and senior citizens.

The lessons taught at the camps by the Harborside teachers help bring students together to foster collaborative learning. The students are also given opportunities to discuss with each other what is going on and share their experiences while they are getting to know one another and listening to their peers. 

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Reflection

After reading the articles on language and how it affects the students, I realized that many teachers go about teaching their students the wrong way. Because there are many stereotypes of the Appalachian English and its people, many teachers set out to correct the dialect and the way the children speak.  However, at home and in their surroundings, they continue to use their English instead of Proper English. This is known as the Culture Deficit Theory. I believe that children first learning experiences could shape the way they learn language later in life. Purcell-Gates had a similar thought in her anthropology.

"First, and most obvious, teachers and schools must accept, believe and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, and are ready to learn at any time, and will learn" (Purcell-Gates, 2002).

Many teachers believe children will only succeed if they use Proper English. The instructors have a cultural deficit perspective of the children. In many situations, that’s what children know and have been taught since and early age. Instead of forcing a student to learn Standard English, embrace a cultural difference perspective and help them write down their ideas in their language and translate into Proper English.

“When teachers ‘correct’ a child’s English, they must be aware that the correction goes deeper than just the child’s speech.” (Rowland & Marrow, 2010)

Once a teacher embraces the student’s background and where they come from, success will come easier. To overcome cultural deficit perspectives of students, include the community and build on the knowledge of the people. This will allow students to gain a better understanding of the materials and prove that they can overcome the cultural deficit and exceed the goals set.

“When teachers and schools seek out and use these funds of knowledge, Moll expects there will be rewards; They will have a better chance of helping bilingual and minority children achieve authentic literacy; they will foster a sense of community; and they will bestow a much richer education than most working-class kids enjoy” (Gonzalez, Greenberg & Velex, 1994).

There are some strategies that can be used to help students succeed. To improve literacy instruction for speakers of non-standard English, allow the children to use their informal speech or first language in the classroom and know that it is who they are and not wrong. The funds of knowledge of the students help the classroom be more inclusive. The teacher can embrace their knowledge and allow the students to gain cultural capital. Allowing students to write or speak in their language and then translate to Proper English is another strategy. In this instance, students are able to make more sense of what is being taught. 

“By using their own words to describe these patterns, students move from what they intuitively know about language to an understanding of language variation and how it works in different settings and with different audiences." (Epstien & Herring-Harris, 2011)

Having done the Where I Am From project helped support culturally responsive teaching. Many teachers do not know much about the background their students come from. The videos help teachers, students, and peers acknowledge their own and each others’ cultural heritage. You might not know that a student grew up on a farm, or is adopted, all making up a person’s personality. This also helps build bridges of meaningfulness between home and school experiences.

I believe that I can incorporate culturally responsive teaching in my classroom. Instead of having a cultural deficit, I will view my student’s cultural differences and cultural capital. I will include the community in the classroom by looking at a student’s background and their funds of knowledge. I will accept their language and lifestyles instead of correcting them and making them feel as if they are wrong. Each student is different and should be treated as so.

 

Works Cited:

Purcell-Gates,V. (2002). “…As soon as she opened her mouth!” In L. Delpit and J.K. Dowdy (Eds.), The skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language, culture and power.

Rowland, J. $ Marrow, D. (2010). Dialect Awareness Education: The Importance of Watching Our Words. USC Undergraduate Research Journal vol 3.

Gonzalez, N.,  Greenberg, J. & Velez, C. Thanks Funds of Knowledge: A Look at Luis Moll's Research Into Hidden Family Resources. CITYSCHOOLS, 1 (1), 19-21, 1994.

Epstein, P. &  Herring-Harris, L (2011).Honoring Dialect and increasing Student Performance in Standard English. Retrieved October 12, 2012: http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3655

 

Where I'm From final cut

Where I’m From

I am from berry picking baskets and Ford trucks,

From John Deere tractors and dogs running free.

I am from backwoods, deep snow, and warm sunrises coming over the mountain.

I am from the rustic barn fences and cows in the fields.

I am from inspiring sisters, summer camping trips, and fishing with dad

From “Wait until your father gets home!” and “What are you girls doing?”

I am from Christian faith where I was taught anything is possible if you follow the Lord, our God.

I am from the home of the Blackwater Falls that reminded me to be quiet and just listen,

And Irish heritage that gave me my red hair and temper.

From Moores and McDowells, hard workers yet even softer hearts.

From the scary baby doll stories told by cousins, women’s weekends where we can act silly, and the beach vacations that always have mishaps.

I am from winding roads that always lead me back home, and a great family, that no matter where I go in life, they will always be there for me.

Where I'm From

Where I’m From

I am from berry picking baskets and Ford trucks,

From John Deere tractors and dogs running free.

I am from backwoods, deep snow, and warm sunrises coming over the mountain.

I am from the rustic barn fences and cows in the fields.

I am from family gatherings that turn into reunions, summer camping trips, and fishing with dad

From “Wait until your father gets home!” and “What are you girls doing?”

I am from holiday dinners spent at the grandparent’s house, and red headed stubbornness that gets us in trouble.

I am from Christian faith where I was taught anything is possible if you follow the Lord, our God, with guidance from the Bible.

I am from embracement and love, from hope and destination.

From Moores and McDowells, Grandpa Lowell and Grandpa Ken- hard workers yet even softer hearts.

From the scary baby doll stories told by cousins, women’s weekends where we can act silly, and the beach vacations that always have mishaps.

I am from winding roads that always lead me back home, home of the Blackwater Falls that reminded me to be quiet and just listen, and a great family, that no matter how far I go, they will always be there for me.

Cultural Deficit/Cultural Difference

After watching the two different videos, "What Matters-Code Switching: Communication that Matters" and "Fox News and Black English-Ebonics," I feel that the Fox News video reflects cultural deficit. Many of the students that were saying "AX" instead of "ASK" were stating that they didn't know better because nobody has ever corrected them. In their community, that is the way they speak and weren't told any different. The Code Switching video reflects cultural difference because the children in the communities know better and have been taught to change the way they speak when in different situations. However, many of the students are choosing not to code switch. Many of the people surrounding them are used to hearing their "slang" that they don't correct them so they continue to use it.