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Showing posts from February, 2018

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie was an interesting read for me. I read it this summer for work since Eastern chose it as the common read for freshman and Community Advisors are asked to program around the novel. Reading this book over the summer I was given a glimpse into community and world that I had no knowledge about. I grew up in a very white and upper-middle-class community, there were not a lot of signs or discussion about poverty in the world I grew up. There was also a lack of diversity in the community I grew up in also. Alexie’s novel gave me a look into the world of the Spokane reservation and the lack of wealth and lasting effects of history on the natives. I grew up reading and learning about what was done to Native Americans throughout American history but the continual impact has never really been obvious to me how much those effects still impact Native Americans. We always hear about how African Americans are still feeling the imp...

"The Education of Margot Sanchez" by Lillian Rivera

The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera was an interesting read, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. After hearing the first chapter read aloud in class I was curious as to how the book would turn out. I also initially thought that the book would be a little childish for my tastes. While the book was definitely aimed towards a younger reader, since Margot is only fifteen, and the cultural differences between Margot and myself, Margot being from the Bronx of Latinx decent while I am a white girl from the suburbs of Idaho, I found myself still being able to connect to Margot. I remember being fifteen and working hard to try and fit in with everyone around me and thinking that the fake façade I put together is what would get me friends. Margot creates this persona at Somerset that she thinks will get her accepted but really she isolates herself from the people that truly love her. Rivera has crafted a classic coming of age story that is based in a setting t...

"Readicide" by Kelly Gallagher

Readicide is something that even I, as a die-hard book lover and English major, experienced as a high school student. The constant chopping up of books and short stories and trying to break apart books to dissect each potential learning ability out of books was exhausting. Realizing and seeing how much standardized testing takes away from letting students enjoy reading is heartbreaking. I love reading and learning and experiencing new things from books that I would never get to experience otherwise. So much can be gained from books and teaching and pushing students away from a love of reading by overdoing books in class is terrifying. As a future teacher I have to find ways to encourage students to read and find even just a basic liking of reading. Gallagher presents ideas that would help alleviate readicide in the classroom itself but it would still happen in other classrooms and throughout other schools. Yes, I as one teacher can make a difference in the lives of my students by ...

"I Read it, But I Don't Get it" by Cris Tovani

Cris Tovani’s I Read it, But I Don’t Get it was a very interesting read for me. Reading and comprehension has always been a strong suit for me. I love reading and trying to figure out the meanings within the texts, or movies, or plays, or whatever type of entertainment I am consuming. But I also recognize that not everyone excels at these tasks and challenges the same way that I do, meaning that I will have students that struggle to comprehend and relate to texts in ways that I may never realize. Looking at the techniques that students have to be taught and how to help teach and reach these students was very helpful for me as a future educator. Before reading this text, I had no idea how to help and approach students who will be struggling with comprehension. By showing readers how she helps students Tovani gave me multiple ideas and approaches on how to help my future students in my classroom. As a good reader and teacher, it is my responsibility to model how to read and improve...

edTPA

My first thought while reading more about the edTPA is “holy crap, how am I going to pass this?” But then I had to slow myself down and remember that I will have help and I’ve been writing edTPA lesson plans for the last couple of quarters. I have a decent grasp on writing the lesson plans at this point and will soon have the handbook for English so that I will know the ELA specifics for the edTPA. But this doesn’t mean that I’m still not nervous about working on and passing the edTPA. I know a few people that have gone and passed the edTPA and the most common comment I’ve heard is that while it is the hardest thing they’ve done they made it through it and got to become a teacher. I know that I too will eventually become a teacher and pass the edTPA as well. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to become a teacher. Before starting college I had no idea what it took to become a teacher and after discovering all that it does take I appreciate the teachers that I’ve had even mo...

Social Justice

Social justice is a complex issue that prevails not only in the real world but also the bubble that often becomes school and the classroom. The issues that pertain to social justice can and often will impact students within the classroom, or students will find their inspiration in hearing about the problems in the world and wanting to help-out. The classroom is not a bubble, the outside world impacts the classroom and the students that are entering the classroom. The issues can also impact me as a person which in turn will impact my teaching and in turn possibly my composure within the classroom and with my students. As a new teacher working to find a way to encourage students to look into social justice issues without throwing myself into those issues as well, will be a challenge. I find myself still looking for what I am passionate about, besides literature and teaching, which leaves me trying to find the social movements that are happening within the nation. But my role as an e...

“Critical Pedagogy and Popular Culture in an Urban Secondary English Classroom”

One of the ideas that really stuck with my within in this reading is the acknowledgement of different forms of literature and how literacy can be applied to not just classic literature but also music, TV shows, movies, and magazine articles. Students are often written off as unable to read or comprehend texts but they will enter classes able to recite whole albums, quote movies and TV shows on the spot, and reading about clothes and celebrities obsessively. Students can read, but the ones who are not interested in classical literature or reading what is considered ‘literature’ are seen as students who do not like reading, but they do in their own ways. Literacy can be exhibited through vehicles other than classical literature. Literacy can be shown through the comparisons of classical literate to modern day vehicles of literacy. As a future educator I hope to remember that the students that seem like non-readers can and will have other types of vehicles for learning and hopefull...