Chapter 5 - Kathleen White

Creative Connector 

Page 81 - Mr. Michie learns his new teaching placement and decides to try team teaching instead of pulling small groups out of Bob's class.

First off when I read this section I did a mental whoop and fist pump! Yes! I like where this teacher's head is at. To add teacher power to a room, to create relevant units for student learning and to keep students of different abilities in the same room. This hits on the issue of inclusion, we are all for creating the LRE for students with special needs, we want inclusive classrooms that are designed for universal learning yet when we get into reading groups there's the red, yellow and green groups, or the squares, stars and circles. Whatever label is given to these smaller groups the students know which one they're in. Kids aren't stupid (just look at the 307 class in chapter 3) they understand that they're being segregated based on ability. It doesn't seem all bad, nor is it, this is how I learned in elementary school. I see the benefit of pulling kids out to give more concentrated and specialized help with reading and writing, I also see the good that can come out of clumping kids by ability (think back to the gifted and talented video we watched in class) but I can't help but wonder why we don't team teach for the large group more often. Not to say Bob and Mr. Michie are the best in the world. It makes me think that this would be a form of inclusion, but we choose against it. I'm not trained in literacy so if someone is and has specific reasoning for this I'd love to hear it!

Page - Students use the term "brazer" in a negative connotation for Mexican students. 

They say that every teacher has their "hot button" that if students cross a certain line or do something that they are very bothered and react strongly to it. This is mine. Name calling, derogatory remarks about a part of a person (race, religion, ability, sexual orientation etc), saying something is “gay” or “retarded” meant in a negative sense. I do not tolerate these. When you use these words you are devaluing everyone who falls into that group, you are causing harm to those who fall into the group, and anyone who hears it is subconsciously affected. If I say something is “retarded,” what I really mean is that I don’t like what ever it is, that it’s frustrating, that its dumb or stupid, that it doesn’t work right etc. I don’t understand why a medical diagnosis has to be dragged into things, why we need to devalue other humans just to describe something in contemporary terms. Many don’t understand why it’s so hurtful or why someone like me would take offense, I’m not gay, I don’t have a disability. The reason I do is because this is a human issue. Devaluing others, making them into something less than human through a joke or a phrase. This part in the book made me crazy because it’s Mexican American students saying this about other Mexican American students!!! One of the things I dreaded most happened this summer, I had a camper with a mild intellectual disability and in describing a situation she said that something was “so retarded.” I don’t think she really understood what she said, it was just used around her and she picked it up. She is devaluing herself without knowing it.

I have one more section [students commenting on what they thought American/Mexican/Mexican American meant] but I know someone else will cover it and that we’ll talk on this in our group, I think I’ve talked enough here!

Essence Extractor:

School isn’t just books, its discovering yourself in the context of the world.

Rigorous Researcher:

I wanted to do a little research into Mexican heritage, it feels weird reading this book and knowing nothing about the culture. I guess this is what Mr. Michie experienced. Two of the things that stuck out to me were Children’s Day and Rondalla.

Children’s Day –  Celebrated on April 30^th, this holiday is dedicated to celebrating kids! Students still go to school but are not in classes, instead they have an all day party, food, treats, games. It’s a day, like a lot of Mexican holidays, that celebrates life and family. We actually have a Children’s Day in the US (Second Sunday in June) but it has pretty much dissipated UNICEF has named quite a few days as Universal Children’s Days and there are International ones as well.

http://www.mexico-insights.com/judysblog/?tag=/Children's+Day

Rondalla – Coming from the word ronda meaning to serenade, this is an historical type of music originating in the middle ages in Spain, played by a group, all string instruments played by picks.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-rondalla.htm