Functional vs Authentic Literacy

"They learn, on weekdays, such course works as may fit them for servants. I allow no writing for the poor. My object is to not make them fanatics, but to train up the lower classes in habits of industry and piety."

"...some minimal reading skill is necessary if you are to be a 'good citizen', but 'good citizen' here means one who can follow the instructions of those who govern him."

Although these are two different quotes, the first chapter is filled with this sentiment. Limited literacy can be used to oppress. I bought "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" at least a year ago but, unfortunately, have not read much of it (please assign some reading from it!). I think reading this text will stark my interest. I have some friends who teach at the college level and I think they all have read it but I do not think the teachers I know who teach at the K-12 level have read it.

Regarding functional literacy and its limitations, one thing I don't think the book addresses is the joy of reading for pleasure or hobby. It's hard for me not to believe (maybe since I haven't read Friere) that any literacy still has to be better than none!

I also wonder if the Sunday school teacher (author of the first quote) was somewhat untruthful about her intentions with her pupils. She too was being oppressed and had to say whatever it took for her to continue teaching.

"The process of transmitting literacy has at the same time been an invitation to a given view of the work and of the world and of human values. It is an invitation to scrutinize the world in a certain way and to consider how that world might be changed: changed in the direction of breaking down privilege, gross exploitation and oppression, and replacing these realities with the pursuit of social justice in a society where the voice of each person would be heard, and the equal right of each person to live with dignity and to fulfill their human potential honored."

Yes! How powerful and positive! This quote says, "Education is power! Education is justice for all!".

Too bad there is this:

"... just 5% completed elementary school..."

Out of all the horribly statistics (even infant mortality of 333/1000- ugh!) this caused a strong reaction for me. I suppose it shouldn't after all the statistics given about dirt floors, no sanitation, etc. but it did... and I can't say why.

One question that keeps coming to mind is, "Don't all governments want innovation, the best talent and the most efficiency? And can't they only get that by having educated citizens?" Apparently the book is saying the opposite. Limited education/literacy keeps people oppressed.

Sandra's Case

What would you have done if you were in Sandra's shoes?

If I was in Sandra's situation, I think I would have done something similar but different. 

I don't think I run a super 'tight ship'. I try to make my class like a workplace. If I am talking or we are having a 'class meeting', I want their full attention but if they are working they can occasionally check their phone, get some water (I do have a water machine in my classroom) and talk to their peers quietly.

And I must say, I have little experience with fourth grade aside from subbing (and I didn't like it very much as a sub).

I think I might have let the lesson go a little longer. If they kids ended up having recess instead of science for a day, so be it. I also wondered as a read the case about the word 'terminated'. Did the supervising teacher really say, 'you should terminate your lesson'? I think that word has a very negative connotation. I know, even if I did want to terminate the lesson, I would be more tactful with the new teacher by saying something like, "I think the kids are getting a little wild and this lesson may take more time that we thought. Let's wrap it up for today and finish it tomorrow." It could be a way to work out a compromise. The student teacher would not feel as rejected and might say, "I see what you mean. Can I finish up this section before we finish for today?" and I think I would open up a conversation. I could then say, "I'm sorry with lunch coming up, we can't risk them being late." or "Sure, lets give it a try." If that section doesn't end up getting finished, is that really a problem? I don't think so, it could be made up. And the student teacher would learn about how & what makes lessons go off course. 

In the end though, the supervising teacher is in charge. Michelle learned that. She may understand Sandra when she is someone else's supervising teacher someday.

Who do you think was at fault?

No one was at fault. Again, I do think the supervising teacher could have been slightly more sensitive. Although, when someone is new they do not have a full view of what is going on. Michelle was required to work under the supervision of Sandra and Sandra made a judgement call based on experience.

I was reprimanded once for something I said to a client when I was a new loan officer. I was offended at the time and was told that they knew my intentions were good but I was in the wrong. I realized later that I was wrong. I have seen others who were new to a job think they know more than they do- it happens to the best of us. It can be hard for us to swallow our pride or not get offended.

What do you think teachers can learn from Sandra's case?

I know I do not like confrontation and I have offended a newer employee unintentionally while trying to show them the ropes and I have been offended as the new employee.

I think new teachers can learn they may not agree with their supervising teachers but they are in charge. Hopefully a new teacher will learn from this case that lessons do go wrong for all new teachers and for more experienced teachers teaching new lessons.

That being said, I hope teachers don't feel defeated by it. The students will survive on occasional less than ideal lesson!

Week 4: Cases

This was a neat case that illustrated the butterflies felt by new teachers any time they try something new. A teacher-in-training, or a university teacher, did a science activity with young children and realized how easy it is to lose their focus. Luckily the seasoned teacher, who, in fairness, knows the students best, swooped in and got the students under control for a meaningful discussion.

Wow, that case sounded like it was going to have a happy ending then turned into teachers pitting against each other. 

A science teacher desperate for supplies figures out alternate funding methods. She shares these methods with another teacher and the science program is starting to blossom! Then, other teachers ask to borrow the new equipment to because they also want to do fun science activities with their students. Unfortunately, they do not return them in their original condition. The teacher is so concerned with preserving her equipment, she no longer lends it out to her colleagues. Now there is tension among teachers. What can be done? 

A kindergarten teacher decides to 'go rogue' by teaching about spiders while her fellow teachers stick to the plan. The students enjoy this activity in a variety of different ways and she feels very rewarded. She is a little off track but still wants to try to keep it going by incorporating it into already planned activities. (I thought this was a funny image to incorporate spiders, teaching and teachers who are not quite on track.)

Chapter 1

Structural issues have come up for me the past two years because both years I have been new to the teaching position. I have rules and plans I think will work but then sometimes I realize they do not work very well or they work mostly well but could be improved. So then I have to have a class meeting and tell them from this date on we will be doing x differently. This can throw them off temporarily but I tell them the reasoning and, whether they like the change or not, they understand why I felt it was necessary.

I can relate to the text saying new teachers are too concerned with creating interesting lessons and meeting demands to notice individual student needs. There are students I wish I could give more time and attention to but I get busy trying my best/not to fail. 

I have had a major issue in the political perspective- I just lost my job due to a failed levy and lower enrollment (not in my classes, but in the county)! I fought for the levy as a parent. I did not think my job was in jeopardy. Now I don't know what to say to students interested in taking 'my' classes next year. Also, I don't know how much of my personal resources, time and money, I should invest in making my classes the best they can be, i.e. paying for & participating in extra training & grading after hours, for the remainder of the year when I should be exploring my options. (This constant RIF'ing of teachers and school personnel and what it does them and the upheaval it causes in schools year in and year out should be considered by legislators- or somebody!)
My dad always told me stories or narratives (or analogies) to help me understand an idea. The one that stands out most to me is about homelessness. He said it very lightheartedly (he thinks he is an amateur comedian:) so to this day I do not know the extent of truth to it. It may just be primarily a story he created from his experiences.
He and my mom sometimes worked to serve meals to the homeless. He used to say how if he would mention to the people who came for the meals about how fed up he was with he job he was they would say, "You have a job?!" or if he complained about our leaky roof they would say, "You have a roof?!" and so on.
My fourth grade teacher used to read to us after lunch. The book I remember her reading to us most was "James and the Giant Peach". I read that out loud to my three young children every night as well as 5 other Roald Dahl books when they were approx. 8, 6 & 2.
I would be very apprehensive about teaching science although I teach computer science- go figure!

The Fourth Way

'Stopping to think, gather others' opinions and making midcourse adjustments are viewed as reprehensible failures...'

I have to admit, I do this a lot. I will have a plan for a lesson and wonder if there is a better way to do it, talk to a collegue and change courses. I am new at teaching the subjects I am teaching so I am learning what works best as I go. When teachers are implementing new technology there are going to be times when you have to stop, think and talk to others about the best way to implement it. I do believe some teacher and administrators could view this as a failure so people become afraid of change.

'Got cancer? Had a baby? Lost your dad? Took on a difficult student? Risked making a big change to learn how to teach a new cirriculum? Congrats-- We'll pay you less! And no complaining, because we've got a new data driven decision making system backing us up!' 

Clearly the author is trying to give his reader a strong reaction and if you are trying to implement new technology, you are going to be very apprehensive if you are up against this.

After working in a variety of different fields related to sales (what isn't, really?), I often felt that teachers should be paid, hired and fired based on performance and merit and not based primarity on seniority. People are constantly complaining about 'bad' teachers who never are let go because of their seniority. I also know, life isn't a track meet- it's a marathon. After working just a short time longer in the teaching profession, I know high people have high expectations of teachers. And I know I have high expectations of myself as a teacher. Putting forth extraordinary effort over long periods of time with no pay-out can make you (me!) feel like you're about to crash and burn. But if teachers were paid for their extra ordinary teaching skills (like salespeople make commissions or other professionals are given bonuses for their output), they could likely sustain a much greater effort.

'The distraction of the Path of Effervescence are appealing and entertaining.'

This section kind of makes me laugh because it reminds me of something a WV Career and Technical Education (CTE) leader said about CTE classes. I did not realize initially that if you teach CTE classes (i.e. Welding, Carpentry, Game Design, ProStart Culinary, Accounting, etc.) your program depends on how many students take your classes. If students don't like you or your classes, you have a good chance of losing your job. This can be tricky if you really want to prepare high school students for a career in that field- it may not be a 'fluff class'. If may be challenging for them. It may not be an easy A. You are not like a math teacher- every student has to take math. So, this state leader said they were working on revamping program names to make them sound 'sexy' so students would take them. I don't know how I feel about that.

'Too often, schools and school systems use data and research evidence much less intellegently and flexibly than this. For instance, they... prioritize increased state test scores above everything else. This is true even when the resulting test preparation leads to declines in the more sophisticated performances and achievements required by college entrance exams."

This quote is just sad!

This is a screenshot of me I took while being interviewed by WBOY news station for an Hour of Code workshop I arranged for Computer Science Education week. I invited Midland Elementary School 5th grade students to learn about coding from my Game Design I students. It was a success!