“Other parents explained that their work schedules made it impossible to spend time at their children’s schools…Furthermore, Donna wondered whether her limited proficiency in English caused teachers to perceive her as less savvy, even though they treated her politely…An unintended consequence of the distance parents maintained was that they lacked the insider knowledge necessary to navigate the complex, and often oppositional, waters of public education.” Doucet, (Re) Constructing Home and School: Immigrant Parents, Agency, and the (Un) Desirability of Bridging Multiple Worlds Continue reading Parents Speaking Up
All posts by Mariya Pugacheva
Snapchat: Platform for Cultural Learning and Flexible Identity Development
I think people are quick to point out the inadequacies of Snapchat. It is dangerous because while we think the images disappear after 10 seconds, there are ways of keeping them. There are ways for children and adolescents to become enmeshed in accusations of child pornography with disappearing nude pictures. All of these things are true. But they can also be true about other social medias. That is why it is important to encourage using Snapchat for learning and friendly communication. Continue reading Snapchat: Platform for Cultural Learning and Flexible Identity Development
The more options, the more fun
“Finally, English educators need to consider moving toward multimedia theme-based units that incorporate poems, film, music, and the Internet and allow students to express their ideas through essays, emails, Websites, videos, and drama…Also unfeasible is the assumption that each secondary unit should culminate with a five to seven page expository essay. Secondary students need opportunities to write songs, brochures, newsletters, and petitions. They also need the space to make blogs, Websites, digital videos, perform dramatic interpretations, post images to the Internet, etc.”
Article: Critical Approaches to Media in Urban English Language Arts Teacher Development
By: Ernest Morrell
Watch what you say!
There was a part in Raible and Nieto’s piece where the student, Rebecca, was describing her health class: the teachers did not hate on LGBT issues or people but they did not necessarily cover those sexuality topics in a positive way. They played it off with a joke about dental damn. Then, I was reading the “Who Am I?” piece and there was one sentence that made me go “aha – here it is that hetero-normative attitude and they probably didn’t even notice” — “Although interest in the opposite sex emerges, often in the form of puppy love, same-sex affiliation remains dominant and is preferred by middle school students.” (p. 43). Continue reading Watch what you say!
The Body Changes and the Brain Can’t Keep Up
“Earlier developing females may be at greater risk of developing mental health issues because they are not prepared for the physical, psychological, and social challenges brought on by puberty. For instance, girls who are early maturers “are more likely than other girls to exhibit depressive, eating, and delinquent symptoms as well as general behavioral problems.” Understanding the Young Adolescent’s Physical and Cognitive Growth
This is an issue that I think is/will be becoming more prevalent in today’s society seeing as how the statistics seem to be showing a decrease in the average age of menstruation for females. I was one of those who was ignorant of the developmental stages of young girls at this age. I recently had off-hand experience, or at least knowledge, of a young lady who had started puberty much earlier than her peers. Continue reading The Body Changes and the Brain Can’t Keep Up