Coming from a first year teacher, I can honestly say I was never prepared for the jobs I took on when I signed my life away to the DOE on August 10th. What a birthday present I received 🙄 I say jobs rather than job because as a teacher, you're never solely a teacher. You're a mom, guidance counselor, therapist, you feed hungry children, and you provide a safe environment for them. Kids in low income areas deal with more issues than you could imagine. I could never tell my students I totally get where you're coming from. I can't, I have never experienced what they have. Aside from waiting for my parents next pay cycle to pay for a trip or to get a new toy, I never experienced the struggles my students face on a daily. Between transferring from shelter to shelter, dealing with drug addict/alcoholic parents, raising siblings, and being constantly hungry, I don't know how these kids can even focus being in class! In just 10 months, I've heard more tragic stories than I've heard in my 22 years of existence. While I started reading and article by Gloria Ladson-Billings, an quote that stuck was, "Although Shulman's work mentions the importance of both the knowledge of learners and their characteristics and knowledge of educational contexts, it generally minimizes the culturally based analyses of teaching that have preceded it. In this article, I attempt to build on the educational anthropological literature and suggest a new theoretical perspective to address the specific concerns of educating teachers for success with African- American students." No one told me these are the struggles I'd face. No one taught me how to deal with it. Teaching Fellows didn't provide us any skill building sessions or show us any video clips modeling how to support students in these areas or how to alter our teaching to fit certain populations. It's not to say that this population can't do what the others do, but the way information needs to be presented is very different. It takes different approaches to engage students who are suffering so much. Now with what's going on with African Americans often being targeted, it's not wonder why some don't handle authority well. But who teaches us that? Ladson-Billings mentions the term "culturally responsive". Again, it isn't that these students can't learn, but we as teacher need to bridge the gap. We need to bridge the gap between home and school in the sense that these kids go through so much at home and haven't had success in school, so they are less likely to be engaged or even want to be there. Also mentioned is the idea of leadership and belonging. Ladson-Billings mentions a classroom in which the teacher encouraged African American males to take academic leadership roles. They were also allowed to express their culture, dress, speak, and just be themselves. This then trickled down to the others who perhaps look up to these leaders and reassures them that yes, you too can be someone if you put your mind to it despite the color of your skin and your socioeconomic status. Academic achievement in this sense was seen as "cool" and encouraged by their peers, too. The way a teacher interacts with a student greatly impacts the achievement of that student. A teacher can't roll up to class and give commands and do so "because they can" or because "I'm the teacher, you're the student. You do as I say". Pulling the power card does not help in any way. African American students often deal with outside forces using the power card on them. They are often times put down so much, why do it more to them in school. What safe environment are we giving our students if we're making their struggles outside (which they have no control of) a part of their lives in school too. We need to teach them positive interactions so they can grow and try to surpass the struggle they are dealing with. As mentioned in the article, to help with student relations, a classroom environment should have the following: *maintain fluid student-teacher relationships, * demonstrate a connectedness with all of the students, * develop a community of learners, * encourage students to learn collaboratively and be responsible for another Having a relationship with the teacher is key. We at most times are their mentors, role models, moms/dads outside of home, counselors, and therapists. We need to create an environment where they feel comfortable enough to be themselves and know that no matter what they are going through, we have their backs and we are going to help them push through by educating and supporting them. They need to learn to stay connected and support each other as well. It takes a village to make changes and with what we are dealing with today, our only hope is to pull through together.
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