Monthly Archives: September 2018

MVP-2 Mexicans are like thieves and bad people, and we’re not really like that

Urban Adolescents

“Angelito shared that Mexican immigrant families like his were not in the U.S. to cause trouble, but to improve their own chances at education, future work, and happiness.”

I was very sad when I was reading this passage. I believe there is no doubt that people move to a new place for a better life, but for what reason do the newcomers have to explain that? I think it is distrust and fear of the “old residents”. It is also understandable that they are scared that the resources they have are being taken away. I like the idea of photovoice project because in this platform, people with different background can share a same belief, that human beings are selfish and we have to admit it; but in the meanwhile human beings are capable to consider from someone else’s view and have empathy on others.

Be patient & support the difference

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe, Urban Adolescents

Theme 3: The Need for More Support from School Counselors (Roxas, Gabriel & Becker, 2017, pp. 20-22)

It was emotional reading the perspectives of ESL students on how the staff and school can help them in their learning experience. Emotional because I know for a fact that they’re not getting the specialized support they need, even from the first day of my student teaching. The common denominator shared through the comments by these students is their need for the school to be more welcoming, accepting, and patient. You would think that since the children don’t understand the language that they won’t know what’s going on at school, for example, not understand the homework, but they don’t need to know the language to feel the difference that exists between them and the other students. A difference that they consider racist and makes it a challenge for them to fit in.

Taking into consideration the student’s suggestions on what could help them during their transition, I want to use it as motivation for me to one day be able to educate or make aware to students and colleagues that we are a part of an ESL student’s school experience, not just the English lessons. It’s important for all staff and non-ESL students to accept, be patient, be comfortable, and support immigrant students during their move from a different country or school. Now, what is too much support?, is there such a thing as too much support?, and how do we help? are all questions of boundaries. When an ESL student suggested that another student could help them read a book, I thought: is that asking too much of a student? should that be their responsibility? For me, that would be so thoughtful, but I’m not sure if there’s a student that would do that. Sometimes I think I’m doubting the next generation’s capability and desire to help others, but I believe I can help that desire grow, it’s one of many reasons why I wanted to become a teacher in the first place, to make global citizens out of any and all students.

“It doesn’t sound like my kid at all”

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe

“Children and adults are never solitary individuals, immune to the social and cultural forces around them.”

I have worked in a few private schools back home with different age groups and different types of families. However, at least in three of these schools, I’ve had a conversation with parents about their kid, where the title of this post will come up: “That doesn’t sound like my kid at all”; “I’m speechless. It’s the first time I hear such behaviors”. Later on (guilty of charge) teachers in the meeting gather to give feedback from the meaning, to exchange how impossible this sounds. One may argue that it is impossible that the kid, as center of a discussion, has never shown a particular behavior that seems common in school. Continue reading “It doesn’t sound like my kid at all” →

Pass the mic

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe

So often we hear commentary on giving a voice to the voiceless but I think this passage so eloquently emphasizes the true meaning of the photo voice project while also reminding us of a daily practice we should be enacting. The idea of “passing the microphone” is one of the best ways to hear the plethora of voices yearning to not only tell their story but be heard as well. There is always something we can do to metaphorically pass the mic to someone who isn’t being heard enough and get the larger group to hear them out. It’s not about us telling their story and speaking for them, but recognizing that they themselves have voices and can speak their own truth sincerely and better than we ever could.

We as educators and global citizens moving about in this world can either “take away the noise and other obstacles that impede the environment in which students are trying to use their voices…” or amplify their voice by simply passing them the mic.

Immigrant Youth Use Photovoice to Counter Racism and Discrimination (2017) Roxas et. al. p.27-28

How Do We Present Our Students? MVP #2

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe, Urban Adolescents

 

Knoester, 2008, pg 149-150

 

I found this passage relevant because as a future teacher of high school, it is very important to keep in mind and constantly reflect that our students are not just students, but also full human beings. Knoester (2008) pointed out the importance of assessing our students not only as students of our class, but by looking at the whole picture through different assessment methods. There are presentation protocols that help teachers describe a student in different contexts and his or her connections with different adults. According to Knoester, these protocols can help remove any general stereotypes and preconceived notions that teachers have of students. But Knoester argues that is pretty time-consuming and challenging to assess a child with these protocols. Even though it can be difficult to do it for every student we encounter, I wonder how, as teachers, can we collaborate more strategically with other teachers to create a more effective and well-rounded profile of our students? What things can we do in the classroom to prevent these generalizations and help students have equal opportunities to succeed?