In order to answer this particular prompt, I must start
off by saying that in the classroom I have spent
the most time tutoring in (I've tutored several due to
my varying work schedule on Thursdays), there are no Caucasian
students. With that said, anyone can deduce that all the
students in the classroom (as well as in all the
others I tutored in, if I remember correctly) are of
a different ethnic and racial background than me. Ms. Mara
herself is African-American, so that makes me the only
Caucasian that the students encounter in this particular setting.
During my high school education, I took three years of Spanish. Both years I went to URI, I took a semester of Spanish. I'm mildly capable of picking out words and phrases from conversations I overhear at work and on the street and I am able to form basic sentences using the vocabulary I have learned, but after that, my multilingualism ends (aside from counting to ten in French, saying "hello" in Japanese, and various other one word quips in German and Polish).
Knowing this, I'm a bit apprehensive of teaching a diverse classroom because eventually, it will be parent-teacher conference night and I will be faced with the question, "Will I be able to communicate with my students' parents/guardians?" More than likely, this is an unfounded fear because I will somehow find a way to get my point across if they are not fluent in English. But, on the off- chance that I am unable to communicate with a student's parent/guardian, I will have to have some sort of backup plan. I may have to have their son or daughter translate, or have someone else who speaks both English and whatever language the conversation needs to be translated into translate for me.
I know that communication is a necessary part of the education of a student, and in the interaction between parents and the teacher. In my classroom, I will not let a student or their parent or guardian become a victim of the "silenced dialogue" described in Lisa Delpit's article. I will not just sit idly by and nod my head while pretending to listen to what my students and students' parents have to say. I will actively engage in conversations, whether
it be in my native language, or some combination of theirs and mine through a translator. Parents are an integral part of the education system because without their support, children have a tougher time at succeeding in school. Parents need to be involved in their children's education; they need to know what the students are learning about so that they, if possible, can help the student study outside of the classroom, engage them in conversations that make them think critically about things around them and situations that arise in their daily lives at home. Only by communicating with teachers can parents truly understand the help they can provide to their children's educations by being supportive. And that communication with teachers can never be a one-sided dialogue; the word "dialogue" itself denotes a two-way discussion.
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Hey Kait Wats up
ReplyDeleteBut going with your Blog I totally agree with you, with so many languages out there its hard to sometimes communicate with people especially parents. Communication is key to a childs education and if there is none how can a child advance through his/her educational career. Parents re above all the most important part of a childs education and it is really important that their be some kind of acknowledgment of the childs education. I love how you referenced Delpit, because what she said is right. Students and parents should not be the victim of "Silence Diologue" if hteir is your classroom will suffer from and you will get no where as a teacher. Seeing that I am glad to see that you are enjoying your time as a tutor at your school. I feel that through your blog entry you really care about teaching and truly want to pursue it asa career. Knowing that one has to actually put more of an effort to truly become a great teacher is always important. This is something that will always be tested in your teaching career. So on that note good luck.
I agree with what you said about parents and students being a victim of the silenced dialogue. In many cases we have no idea it’s happening but however if we keep our eyes open then perhaps we can stop it. We need to stop it at the student’s level first. Or no; We need to make the students aware of it before we can change it. Making people aware of their actions is probably the most powerful tool we have. If we can make the students understand what it is first then we can change at the parents level. Then if we ever get to that point, we need to finally change it in the teachers. Everyone comes into the classroom with a certain amount of bias, whether it be towards a certain ethnic group or towards a sex. People call it favoritism I believe. Or “a teachers pet” someone who can’t do wrong. I know it will be very difficult not to favor students over one or another. Im saying this just as the fact that some students are likeable and some may get on your nerves. My teacher has said this time and time again. But anywho, as a teacher, I pledge to not allow something like this to happen no matter how difficult it may become to be. As teachers we need to be equal to all our students.
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