Heir- AP

Reflection: My mother had a grade 4 Brain aneurysm and pulmonary embolism when I was 7 years old; this tragedy left my mom handicap and paralyzed on the left side of her body. In a vegetative state, my grandmother fought for my mom to live a somewhat normal life, trying to take her to the movies, to get her nails done, or go to day programs that benefit what she needs. Although my mom was not technically a student, the programs she attended were class like, to rebuild muscle and brain memory that was once lost. Throughout the program, we discovered, as stated in the text, "(a) world that has not been designed with the disabled in mind", she struggled in the bathroom... a bathroom! The entire set up was not handicap accessible and she ended up stuck in there, unable to pull up her drawers calling for help and no one heard. The building itself promoted growth, but was insensitive to her needs and several others as well. My grandma spoke up for my mother, and immediately pulled her out of the facility. "Therefore, as more adults with disabilities take on more powerful roles in society and seek to influence schooling, the attention to these issues will hopefully increase". This is absolutely true because the more disabled representatives speak up for themselves, the more likely change will happen to adapt to their needs. The problem, in my opinion is that no one knows where to start or who to go to. Disabled people can only represent themselves so much, and people such as Penny and my grandma are excellent advocates. Penny said that she was aghast that the social worker was surprised that she expected her son, Joe to get a job. By receiving support from an advocate, you can confidently navigate complex systems and advocate for your needs and those of your community. Disability Advocacy: 

Rodriguez- AP

Connection: The "American Dream" is about being coming here to find comfort and safety, but what comes with the freedom are the stereotypes and forcing American culture onto other people. We claim to accept all those of different languages, race, size, but judge people based on their "non-americas" home life. Richard Rodriguez shares about how much you miss out on by not being primary English-speaker and the way educators perceive you based on these differences. This article made me think about the amount of students that struggled in my school because the educators frowned upon them. As stated in the text, all it takes is "buenos dias" to make a student feel included and safe within their own classroom. Feeling like the outcast among a crowd of cliques because the teacher comes to your house, questioning your parents and how they raise you at home should not be a common theme found in education now or 7 years ago. Woonsocket High School was so segregated that we had an assembly about how those of the hispanic population at my school are dragging down graduation rates; but it is not about how they are bringing down our graduation rates because they aren't capable, it is because they are not given the same opportunity to succeed in the same way primary English speakers. I spoke to a young lady in my A.L.L.I.E.D. class I will not name, and she expressed how difficult it was to be a non primary English speaker, not only in school but outside of school specifically. She was expected to learn random English words that her family could not even help her with because they aren't familiar with it, and are held to such high standards.  Teaching Non-Native English Speakers (like a pro):

Literacy with an Attitude- AP

 Quote: "Teachers made every effort to control students movement". 

Explanation: In school, I always wondered why I felt as though I was in a prison; you have to ask to use the bathroom, single file line, certain times to eat lunch. The importance of this quote is the emphasis behind how teachers are the ones who are asserting these rules to control students. From student-tutoring experiences through Inspiring Minds, I have gotten personal insight about school "etiquette" that they disagree with, and from that a majority of students felt restricted to learn if their teacher demands so many rules from them. Many students within the text are held after their class time to finish their homework, which makes the students not want to learn even more. Kids dealing with a strict teacher are usually more likely to rebel, display changes in well-being, and are generally less likely to reveal they are facing a problem at school. The whole point of being an educator is to have your students feel comfortable in their environment to make them strive, not struggle. 

Quote: "The children were seemed to believe that there were rewards; good grades lead to college and a good job. Remember, these were fifth graders". 

Explanation: Somewhere within time, education became lost in over-the-top "standards" that are influenced in society. Children in the elementary school were expressing how little to no interest they have in their school work, but still are expected to succeed with no support. Giving a child work that has no interest to kids is like giving a 2-year-old a T-bone steak; it really does not make sense. The importance of this quote centers around how micromanaging your students is draining to not only the students, but the teacher as well. It is ineffective and lessons the students desire to learn. I see that a lot within my kindergarten class. The students have such a fixed schedule everyday, that it can be hard for them to enjoy what they are doing. Never mind the class is inclusion based, so the students already find the idea of school to be challenging for them.  Can a Boring Teacher be a Good Teacher?

Quote: "They were taught that knowledge in their textbooks is more valuable than their own experience".

Explanation: A repeated theme in societies teaching is how not useful what the students learn in school is. Granted, a majority of classes do provide solid information, but is the information that they are learning useful? Textbooks, with their dry prose and dense information, can sometimes fail to engage students, especially if they don't connect the material to students' lives and interests. The importance of this quote is to emphasize the upside of using actual experiences in the classroom. It allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life situations, promoting a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Practical teaching also encourages collaborative teamwork and the development of important skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving. All things that can recenter a students focus for the better. 

 

FNED Video Analysis Templates- AP