I found Toohey's article, "'Breaking Them Up, Then Taking Them Away': ESL Students in Grade 1," to be very interesting. I thought her perspective and examination of rules and classroom layout to be very unique and engaging. I thought her discussion of the rules creating stratification (Do your own work, sit in your own seat, etc.) was interesting. It got me wondering about what a classroom would look like if these types of rules weren't included. With the nation's emphasis on standardized testing, doing your own work is expected and encouraged. At the same time, many people learn best in groups and other collaborative learning situations. I'm not sure if there is a way to please everyone. Perhaps the assessment procedures should be reevaluated to accommodate for cooperative learning environments. When I think back to my block and student teaching experiences, I remember my supervisors explaining that my objectives must be measurable and observable in every student and group objectives weren't sufficient to complete the requirements for my courses.
Perhaps rules like "Be honest about the work you do" might help remove the stratification? I'm not entirely sure what else would be effective. Does anyone else have any thoughts or suggestions for rules that don't stratify the class?
I also really liked Wong's second chapter. I found it particularly interesting how she discusses the dialogic pedagogy and how it's used. I found the pairing of Socrates' and Confucius' theories to be particularly interesting. Socrates' method reminds me of Vygotsky's ZPD in that he gradually works with them to come to the final conclusion/objective.
The classroom will always be stratified in one sense or another and there really isn't any way to deconstruct that. What we can do as teachers is break down the power related behind certain stratifications and groups that occur in the classroom. By stripping some groups of their dominate power and creating an environment where the oppressed have a way out of oppression, teachers have the power to level the classroom stratification to allow for the creation of a strong classroom community. Unfortunately in the case of cultural mistakes and mismatches, a lot of educators don't take into account what it truly means to be or live in a diverse community. These misunderstandings and over-generalizations often lead to breakdowns that empower sociopolitical groups within the community of the school.
ReplyDeleteI think you make a great point when you mention that there isn't a way to please everybody. Although, Ms. Jones' classroom seemed too structured for me, it might have simply been what worked best for her class. I think it's important that we as educators go into a classroom with the mindset of adapting to the students-- perhaps a idea might sound great in theory (such as a highly collaborative classroom), but the outcome of that idea will be unknown unless tested. We have to get to know our students and figure out what it is that we need to do in order for them to receive the utmost intellectual intake, while still experience an enjoyable educational experience!
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