"We have been taught to think in terms of curriculum, not children." (Dozier et al, p. 78). When reading and reflecting on Critical Literacy, Critical Thought, I constantly came back to that thought. Often times we lose sight of why we became teachers. It was not to raise test scores, become rich, or even to have the summers off. We became teachers to change the lives of the children we work with. Our focus has shifted from the students to the curriculum in order to produce the test scores needed. This book reminded me of the importance of not only good teaching, but what is needed to allow students to become life long learners. Literacy should be something that is an adventure. An adventure that truly never ends. Although in the past we have taught our students to be literate, we have not taught them literacy. Literacy entails becoming a community based on reading and writing. In that literacy community, trust and conversation are promoted to ensure critical thinking, reflection, and response. Our literacy community involves not only the school, but the home, and the outside world. Literacy should and can be found everywhere. Critical Literacy, Critical Thought believes and promotes this community aspect of literacy and challenges students and teachers to participate and get involved.
Critical Literacy, Critical Thought focuses on individualized student instruction. Cherri Collisson states, "The mot important lesson I learned in the Literacy Lab was the power of individualized instruction and the move to independence" (Dozier et al, p. 78). While making the instruction individualized and personalized, students will be on the track for independent learning. Scaffolding becomes key in this type of instruction. You must support your students understanding, without enabling them. When students become independent learners and thinkers, that is when critical reflection is able to take place.
In the teaching profession, we often attend staff developments, read books, and further our education, but we do not always use what we learn in our classrooms. It is essential that educators devote themselves to become lifelong learners. When you expect that type of learning from your students, you must be able to model what that means so they are able to see and understand the value in that statement. Critical Literacy, Critical Thought is extremely important in our profession. I do think that teaching critical texts and reflecting on them is valuable to every student regardless of the socioeconomic status, race, culture, etc., however, when overused and overdone, it will lack the critical thought and reflection that we value. I believe that critical thought and literacy can be incorporated throughout the curriculum, not only in a reading classroom and this essentially will promote students to become lifelong learners in a community of learning.
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2 comments:
Lauren, you mention the importance of weaving rich texts into the curriculum and having critical conversations about them. Your post, as well as reading the book, gave me cause to reflect on a divide I've seen between different teachers regarding "how much" you should discuss with students in a classroom context. For instance, my first year of teaching was 2001, and on September 11 we were faced with the question of how to discuss what had happened with students. My view, along with some others in the school, was to drop normal lesson plans and discuss some details of what happened, why a group might do such a thing on purpose, and how the students (and myself) were feeling. Other teachers in the school were adamant that the day carry on as normal, and that we leave the explaining to parents.
Well, I just can't jive with that way of thinking. School isn't, and shouldn't be, a bubble where "real life" issues should be left behind. Critical literacy makes that same statement with an emphasis on examining texts with students that contain themes about racial and economic injustice, and explore the whole of society (not just the pretty parts). During the year I taught at a charter school in SE Atlanta I was reading a collection of poetry about Harriet Tubman with my reading class. A student raised her hand (fourth grade) and asked, "Ms. Jones, why did all the slaves have to be black?" My first internal reaction was, "Yikes!" but I also realized that I was the first white teacher that most of these students had had, and that I knew enough about slavery to help them understand how the horrible system was started in the first place. I jumped at the chance, and noticed that all eyes were on me with rapt attention, which I guarantee you was not always the case.
Which brings me to the point that, when we focus on and read about "real-life" issues with students, most of them will be engaged in a way that won't necessarily happen otherwise. If we can take that attention and focus and apply it toward meaningful reading, writing, and discussion, then I think it is possible to hit different standards and not compromise instruction.
Kathleen,
I think you bring up a very important part of teaching when you mention that vague line in regards to how much is too much when discussing issues with your students. While I agree that part of being a teacher is taking advantage of “teachable moments” I must also point out my belief in the possible dangers in discussing these real life issues. Am I supporting the academic bubble that many schools take to the extreme? Absolutely not. I have thought on this topic in the past and have felt the same as you. As teachers, we cannot pretend that we have no opinion about the real issues surrounding us on a daily basis. I think the important part to remember is that we must communicate that the words we share are just that, our opinion. While I may believe that everything I discuss with my students comes from a place within me that is just, true, and noble, it is still my opinion about the matter. My point of view. I ask myself if I would be okay, as a parent, with my children’s teachers presenting their opinion to students in a way that doesn’t allow for other opinions to be taken into account. I would not feel comfortable with that.
However, this discussion brings me right back to the theme of this book, critical literacy. I feel whole heartedly that without real issue discussion there is little room to encourage critical thinking and reflection. It is by discussing personal views, different perspectives, and questioning your own beliefs through which this critical thinking becomes reality. Creating a classroom environment that encourages students to think critically about real issues, based on the example we model for them, is only beneficial if we are careful to not present our opinion as fact, but as our opinion based on our personal experiences and beliefs.
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