Blog Post 4

With this in mind, respond to the follow quote from this week’s reading, also from Lisa Delpit:

[Teachers] should recognize that the linguistic form a student brings to school is intimately connected with loved one’s community, and personal identity. To suggest that this form is “wrong” or, even worse, ignorant, is to suggest that something is wrong with the student and his or her family. (p.33)

I completely agree with what Lisa Delpit is saying. I do not think it is right to tell the child that what they grew up around, and the way their family speaks is wrong. But, I do think that there is a time and a place to speak in certain ways. The language, in which Lisa is talking about, is Ebonics. I do not think it is racist to say that that form of language is just an informal dialect of English. Many people in a formal workplace would not hire one who speaks in Ebonics, and I believe that to be factual. Sadly, it is looked down upon and people who speak that way are looked at as incapable to hold a higher level job. That is why I believe we need to teach children to code speak. It is one thing to speak that way at home, and another to speak it at school or at a job. If we teach children to code switch, it is the best of both worlds. They can communicate with everyone in the way that best fits the situation they are in. They will never feel out of place, or undermined in any way, if they can speak Ebonics as well as formal English.

Blog #3: People Watching

Target

Observations:

·             Mom and two daughters walking through the food aisle (one in cart, one walking beside; both very young). Mom is dressed up in dress pants, blouse, and cute flats.

·             Two people (young man and young woman) walking past giggling to each other

·             Older girl and younger boy walking to the register with some type of electronic.

·             Father and son going up the escalator together. Both dressed casually, son in football jersey, dad in a t-shirt.

·             Group of girls come in wearing their uniforms (all matching)

·             Two older women walk in, both dressed up in dress pants and blouse. One has a jacket on the other doesn’t. Ones in heels but the others in flat type shoes.

·             Older woman walking with older man.

·             Woman walking alone, in jean shorts and a casual shirt, toward the pharmacy part

·             Man pushing a cart filled with groceries. He has work clothes on, but also has earbuds in his ears. He seems to be alone.

Interpretations:

·             Must be running errands for home, and just getting home from work

·             Just newly dating (couple)

·             She’s his babysitter, or maybe even older sister

·             The group probably goes to private school around the area

·             Married, retired couple running errands

·             Picking up prescriptions for her family (possibly kids)

·             Grabbing groceries for his family before he goes home, either listening to music or an audio book.

Parking Lot:

·             Maybe she picked up her kids from school and came straight here

·             Father should be at work

·             Maybe work friends who decided to grab a few things before heading home

·             She’s a stay at home mom

·             Doesn’t want to be bothered by anyone

Reflection: 
I am typically someone who finds myself staring at people, not intentionally though. I find people watching very amusing, so this assignment felt tailored to me. When watching people, I usually try to form a background story in my head. I think I do this in order to make sense of what some people are doing around me. You could say that I really like to rationalize things. I do it so that things can make more sense to me. I felt myself trying to figure out situations more than just observing from the outside. The first thing I would try to figure out would be peoples relationships to each other, being if they were in groups. After that, I found myself trying to figure out their reasoning behind being at Target; what aisles were they shopping in or where did it look like they were headed. I also paid a lot of attention to things like what the different people were wearing. I then made interpretations, and even a few assumptions, about where they were coming from, or even what they were doing. It makes me wonder if some of my interpretations were correct. I have always been a very curious and nosy person, so this exercise seemed to enhance my curiosity.

Blog #2: Lisa Delpit Quote

Lisa Delpit's quote, “We do not really see with our eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs,” is something I believe teachers need to ponder. What I think she means by this quote, is that our beliefs really depend on perceptions and our experiences in the world. Everyone’s view of the world will be different because everyone’s experiences in the world have been different. Just a few experiences such as social class, home life, and education could all be factors that affect people’s perceptions and therefore their beliefs. People from two different social classes will view situations in different ways. I think this is significant because it means that every student will learn and see things in different ways. Knowing this will help a teacher to know how to cater to their student’s different needs. All children's needs are different, so it is essential to know where they come from and how they think or perceive things. A teacher’s goal should be to get to know their students right off the bat, in order to ensure the best year possible for their students. I believe Lisa Delpit’s quote is relevant to Bill Ayers book as well because Bill Ayers also says in his book, To Teach, that it is important to get to know your students. This is one of the main points that he makes, as well as the point that you need to know yourself in order to teach your students the best. Your perceptions will be different than your students, and you need to know how to relate to them to the best of your ability. 

Blog #1: Class Survey

Personal Information

1. I like to be called Julia.
2. I am from Aurora, Ohio
3. I think I either want to teach 4th or 5th grade, but I am not sure what subject!
4. I am very close with my whole family, and am also the oldest and only girl in my family. My mom is a teacher, so you could say she's the reason I'd like to become one as well! In high school, I was involved in volleyball, Student Council, Key Club, and National Honors Society. So far, at John Carroll, I hope to get involved in CSSA tutoring, We The People, and Seeds of Hope!
5. Ever since I was young, my mom has always taught me to think positively. Positive energy will cause positive outcomes and breed positivity, and negative energy will do the opposite. The article I found, talks about the exact points that my mom would always tell me. If you are positive and optimistic, you will live a happier, more fulfilled, and successful life. In situations where it is hard to see the good, I always have to remind myself to just think positive, because things can only get better.

• Article: Why Positivity Breeds Success- http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/positivity-breeds-success/ 

Learning Style and more

1. I have to have a good connection with my teacher, or professor. I work better if I know that I can turn to them when I'm struggling and need help. I also must feel comfortable with my peers in the classroom. 

Education Past and Present

1. Senior year, at my high school, seniors are given the opportunity to go on internship. For my project, I was able to intern with the fifth grade teachers at Hathaway Brown. This opened my eyes to not only what a private, all girls school was like, but it made me want to pursue a career in education.
2. The way common core is being implemented concerns me. I do not disagree with common core standards, just the way it has been implemented. 

To Ask Dr. Shutkin

1. Will we be getting to interact with students during this course?