Is It Fair?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary one of the definitions of FAIR is to be  marked by impartiality and honesty : free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism.

As a teacher, I have always been told that I must treat my students the same if I want to be fair.  With controversial issues such as English-Only vs Dual Immersion or other EL programs, assessment by the previous statements becomes a problem.  How can I treat all my students the same if one of them has a lower reading level, lower CELDT score, or even a higher IQ?

My Health instructor said this statement at the end of our final on Monday:

“If you want to be fair then you have to treat students different.”

Huh?  He continued his lecture by reminding us that requiring a student to perform just like the rest of the students even when it is not physically possible for him or her is unfair (prejudice).  However, we do ask students to successfully produce quality academic writing and reading assignments when they don not have the knowledge, the foundation, or even the language.  I’m still reflecting on my stance on this statement.  I’m trying to clarify what is truly means and what it encompasses.

What do you think about the above statement?

A Final Wink

I’d like to end today’s portion of my final for my EDMS 4100 class with a few quotes.

“There is, nevertheless, the most important reason to stay: Every year you have a chance to fall in love again – with your students and with teaching. To remember why you decided that the classroom was where you belonged. To remember how much that one special teacher influenced your life. To remember the magic in your classroom when your students could do it with out you. Every day for a teacher is one of infinite challenge. No day is the same as the one before. No class is the same as the one that just left. You are not always a model of perfection and rarely everyone’s favorite teacher; however, you have the time and opportunity to try to be one of the best.” By Linda Kovaric.

“Not Everything that Matters is Measurable and Not Everything that is Measurable Matters.”

Book title by Ian Bache

“Education is Radically about Love.” By Paulo Freire

“We will all have a fear of power at some point of our lives.” Joan Wink in Elluminate discussion of Buttercup

“The bent given by education will determine all that follows.” Socrates, The Republic, Book IV

“For he who would learn to command well must, as men say, first of all learn to obey.” Aristotle, Politics, Book VII

“To possess all the world of knowledge and lose one’s own self is as awful a fate in education as in religion.” John Dewey, The Child and the Curriculum

“What children can do with the assistance of others might be in some sense even more indicative of their mental development than what they can do alone.” L. S. Vygotsky, Mind in Society

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” cited byPastor Susan Young (quote from Harry Truman)

“Literacy is dangerous and has always been so regarded.  It naturally breaks down barriers of time, space, and culture.  It threatens one’s original identity by broadening it through vicarious experiencing and the incorporation of somebody else’s heart and ethos.” Joan Wink in ALER, Nov. 2009

This was my final wink at Dr. Wink’s assignments, but I assure you that it will not be the end of this project.  I will not shut my eyes to the unfamiliar.  I will learn, unlearn and relearn with eyes wide open.  You see, the Cyberspace Yellow Folder Project started with an assignment, developed as  reflective cycle, and will continue as a personal pursue to document learning in the area of education. Dr. Wink has turned my world upside down as she bombarded my life in these 5 weeks with so many resources and strategies.  She said to us, “Critical Pedagogy is not something we do.  We live Critical Pedagogy.”  This is true.  I see it in her eyes as they sparkle when talking about Vygotsky and her personal stories in education.  I hear it in the words of my colleagues as we shared on Blackboard the progress of our learning.  And I read it in her writing as it provokes me to reflect (the Reflective Cycle manner).  I am not swayed by what surrounds me or by all that I read.  All this makes me stronger as I develop my stance in this world as an educator, a learner, and an agent of change.  Thanks!

Are you learning with eyes wide opened?

One of Those People

We were asked to filled the following statement for the end of our EDMS 4100 course:

First, completing my Spiral of Literacy was my best moment in class because it unfolded one of my lifelong desires, to ignite my heart in finding the joy of reading. I helped make it my best moment by not giving up even when I felt I was just not meant to be “one of those people” who read for pleasure.  It was my exposure to others’ spirals of literacy that allowed me to understand that some are born into the beautiful world of word and others create their world at different ages.  I’ve started one for me and for my niece and nephews.

Second, the first few days after our first class meeting was my worst moment in class because I felt I had made a mistake by taking three courses in a winter session and because I felt a surge of information overload. I could have made it better by structuring my schedule to allow moments of rest.  I could have done several things, but that feeling made me reflect and evolve my old way of facing such feeling.  Before, I would have stressed till the end.  This time around, at the end of the course, I learned to own my learning at my own pace.

I am still not “one of those people” who is an avid reader.  I am one of the many people who discovered the power of education in their late years and have taken action to pursue it for the rest of their life.

What about you?

Skilled Skim Reader

As I was re-writing my Spiral of Literacy assignment, the title of this post popped into my head when I was confessing that I had a difficult time finishing an entire book.  I read enough to make it through and get an A in the class.  This happened all the way through college.  I loved school.  I loved learning.  I just did not value my own learning.  I missed out on all those other details I was not tested on. I missed out on the personal “aha” moments we tend to have when we embrace the unfamiliar and all of a sudden Vygotsky’s ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) becomes a reality in the midst of capturing words.  Vygotsky’s ZPD shares the reality of many children in schools who are asked to make connections in another language without the links.  Those of us who are not physic savvy may feel lost in the Quantum Theory and the numerical attributes associated with the physics electricity formula for Equivalent Resistance:

Req =

R1R2R3 R1 + R2 + R3

How could we not understand?  It has all the symbols in our language.  I mean EVERYONE knows the symbols (the letter R, the + sign, the numbers, etc).  Still, to decode the combination of these familiar symbols, we need to have some fundamental knowledge.  Someone needs to help us understand what each symbol represents and how the combination applies in the world of physics.  R= the amount of resistance, and the numbers represent each added variant resistance.

Vygotsky’s ZPD states that optimal learning occurs when the students are offered new information that is approximately close to their zone of learning (new but close enough to stretch and reach out for it to connect).  Steve Krashen shares this concept with his comprehensible input and i+1 idea.  We learn using our past experiences and connecting with the unfamiliar to make interlocking chains of information that helps us connect to the next level.  It’s not a horizontal or vertical chain, but a central and extend out in all directions.  Learning is not up or down, left or right.  Learning is holistic whether we like it or not.  I understand I cannot skim through life because I will miss out on precious links that interconnect me with the unfamiliar.

How about you?  Have you gone through life skim reading what surrounds you and missing out in your personal “aha” moments?

Req =

R1R2R3 R1 + R2 + R3

Real or Fake?

“Tia Cruz, where are you?”

“At school still” (8 pm)

“Oh…are you at you real class or fake class?”

“Huh, what do you mean Deborah…? I’m at the university…in class.”

“I know…but are you on the computer class or the real one.”

“I’m at the school you visit with me.”

“Oooooh (chuckle) I thought you at home on your computer…I want to go over.”

Truth being said, life is full of real classes.  Teachers, learners, community members and the environment are all agents of learning and share that very role.  There are no “fake” classes as all of our experiences can be viewed in a transformative way.  Those surreal situations can still teach us something if we reflect on them.  AFA’s creative dialogue demonstrates that learning in school settings can have a powerful impact at home.  Some lessons in life are easier than others.  Some teach us.  Some, we teach and learn how to teach.  Other lessons serve as platforms for future information we will need and they are stored in our head waiting to serve as a resource.

What have you learned lately?

The Beach, A Camera, & No Pictures

Over three years without a vacation.  How did that happen?  Hmm…I love what happened today though.  I saw my husband in need of a friend, and I needed more time to finish school work, office work, and ministry work.   We are going through the Love Dare at our church right now and last week’s dare called for a candlelight dinner and all, but we had to skip ours.  It bugged me that so many times I overwhelmed myself with secondary things and put my priority in my relationship on the side.  Not today.  I did not second guess my gut feeling and quickly made arrangements to put EVERYTHING and EVERYONE aside to spend the late afternoon with my husband.  I told him to get ready because I was taking him out of the storm into Monterrey Bay.  He asked about what I had to do (my class, etc); I said, “It’s you babe!” We drove out of town around 1 pm.  It was pouring but that’s okay because all he needed was me.  We drove quietly as we listened to a CD I recorded for him earlier that morning.  I held his right hand all the way pass Casa De Fruta and into Hollister.  I stared at him from the corner of my left eye, and thought, “No one but God knows this man.  I love that he has integrity.  Others murmur and he keeps quiet.  Others do him wrong and he still holds on.  Behind close doors he justifies while I analyze.  He feels betrayed and I feel happy that we are in it together. I Love Him So.”

We did not take a picture of each other to remember this day, but it doesn’t matter because our hearts made a memory that will not be erased.

I could have told him with words.  I could have written a card.   I could given him a gift.  I could have said how much he means to me and how his integrity inspires me.  But as Vygotsky said, “Action according to rules begins to be determined by ideas, not by objects.”  So it is the thought that counts, but in this case…my thoughts are only mine, kept inside of me.  Internalization of language will lead to action.  My love for him led me to demonstrate it in a tangible way and most importantly in a language HE understood.

Enseignez-vous

Enseignez-vous translates to “teach each other”.   Global Learning Network (GLN) of De Orilla a Orilla shares how communities have taken the “pen pal” idea and incorporated into their schools as students, families, and community members become active agents in learning.  This educational networking model was developed by Celestin and Elise Freinet in 1924 (French educators).  The focus of De Orilla a Orilla, which means “from shore to shore” (meaning their projects are global), is to design a collaborate class-to-class partnership to do grade level critical inquiry and share their findings with each other.

Freinet believed that education is the main driving force in changing humanity.  He was a passionate supporter of the concept of  “free experimental schools” that implement the idea of being able to get out of the classroom to connect with the real world to gain knowledge, perspective, and experiences (Transformative Model). Freinet built a school for underpriviledged children.  He died in 1966, and his wife Elise, kept his dream alive.

One of my EDMS 4100 colleagues suggested a simple project for students to teach each other.  She suggested a cook book.  This can be done with classes ont he other side of the globe to enrich each culture.  The students would work with their family members and community to gather traditional recipes and how to obtain each ingredient.  Then they come to their classroom to combine their findings.  The participating students of the second classroom do the same.  There after, these findings are shared with each other via email or online website educational rooms such WIKI.  The final part of the project is coming up with an idea to publish both school’s findings and establishing a way for students, families, and communities to celebrate this collaborate work.

http://www.orillas.org/math/tour/tour/tourframework.html

Enseignez-vous…What ideas can you share for a GLN project?

Creative Dialogue Lesson

This week we had to make a lesson using Alma Flor Ada’s Creative Dialogue. There are 4 phases.

Descriptive Phase

Questions to ascertain the comprehension of the lesson and its concepts. (making connections with the content)

Personal Interpret. Phase

Questions to invite sharing personal experiences, feelings, and emotions. (making connections with themselves)

Critical Analysis Phase

Questions to promote critical reflection and anti-bias awareness. (making connections with the world as a whole)

Creative Action Phase

Questions to promote transformative attitudes. (making connections with their world- home, family, community)

If you pay close attention, AFA’s creative dialogue phases are scaffold to its pinnacle phase which is taking what they learned and making use of it at home or in the environment where the student can implement the information and validate it personally.

Check Me Out!

I sat in the multi-colored chairs by the children’s book area.  There was a huge colorful carpet, a white with pastel design rocking chair in the corner, and several stacks of individual sitting rugs.  The three bookshelves behind me had bilingual signs (Chapter books: English/Español/Português; Children Books: English/Español; and Picture Books: English/Español).   The walls were painted a light teal blue with wood board trimmings and blocks of tan.  The white wood window shutters were shut, but the lighting was a nice bright color.  There were 3 large nylon dragon flies hanging from the ceiling above the other two kindergarten size round tables and chairs.  I wanted to ask about the library’s Spanish literature, but it seemed that the librarian was busy with a Middle Eastern man who could not understand what she was telling him.  So I decided to search for myself.  The library is not that big (I think it is only 3 times bigger than my small 2 car garage).  There were 13 large bookshelves in total, including the 4 short children’s books shelves.  I went to the chapter book section and found nothing in Spanish!  I moved over to the next shelf and found 140 books in Spanish.  The only problem is that they all of them were pre-k to kindergarten level.  They were old.  I stood in line and asked to get a library card.  I asked how children could get a library card.  The librarian said that their rules for that were that anyone under the age of 18 had to bring a parent or guardian and their card would be under that adult’s ID.  How in the world can a 10 year old kid whose parents do not have a valid CA ID get a library card?

What could I really check out?  I checked out two picture books for my niece about folktales and bunnies.  My mind boggled with infinite thoughts.  Once a month  where members of the community come read to children.  “That’s it?” I thought.  I left sad that the biggest crowd at out public library was not to go check out books to read but to make us of the free internet provide.  I was sad that many of the books were old.  My first step out the door was to do some research on this.  I found out that our library had to close two extra hours a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because the grant that kept them open finished this past December.  I am volunteering in their Friends of the Library organization to go read once a month.  My project right now is finding a way to get new books to the library.  What can I do to help?  Who can I get involved?  Where do I begin?  How can YOU help?

Los Banos Library

I had a new assignment today:  ride the local transportation to the library and check out the quality/quantity of books in my native language (Spanish) through the lens of 10 year old immigrant.  The City of Los Banos has a population of about 36,211 and is Merced County’s second largest city.  It was established in 1890, and it is historically known as “The City of the Spring Baths”.  It had been years since I had rode the city bus.  We are a small community and our only transportation is our county’s intra-city small bus transportation.  I called city town to ask for the number of “The Bus”.  When I finally got a hold of them and told them where I wanted to go I found out I needed to take Route 14.  It is easy to locate the most impoverished side of our town.  It is known as Illinois.  It is by the local hospital and the cross roads are West I and Illinois Street.  The majority of the area is populated with apartments, low income housing, and crowded streets of parked cars and a substantial number of young kids walking around.  Today was different because it was not just raining but pouring, and the streets were bare of walking bodies.  I parked my car and walked to the 3’x5’ iron-blue crowded bus stop.  Timidly, I stood close to the covered bench, but I had not umbrella and my books and bag were getting wet.  The three others that were also waiting did not bother to make some room.  A lady took a phone call and stood from afar which gave me a chance to take cover from the rain for a bit.

At 11:08 a.m. I hear the screeching sound of a bus approaching the sidewalk; I was nervous.  I had a crumbled dollar in my hand and my bag on the other as I stretched to board the bus and avoid the huge puddle that separated us.  The bus was small painted blue, white and yellow.  A Hispanic lady driver pointed to the ticket machine for me to deposit my dollar.  I was holding back the line because it would not accept it.  She asked where I was going and to give her the money.  She smiled when I replied, “to the library.”