FINAL REFLECTION

My Inquiry Project Journey

   


     This inquiry project started out as way to bring art and literature into the classroom that was reflective of the students I teach. It ended up being an inquiry project on how to create a classroom that represents the students I teach. I think I ended up going this course because regardless of what I bring into the classroom when it comes to art and literature I have to first understand who the students are that I am teaching. A student who is hispanic will get more out of reading Bless Me Ultima and a student who is Native may understand something like Sherman Alexie's novel. If I can cover both of these in a classroom and use projects to enhance the literature (like an art project to go along with it) not only am I respecting my students and their cultures, I am also introducing them to ones they may not know a lot about.
     I have learned that students are more engaged in a lesson when they can see themselves reflected back in it and will get more out of it if it is presented in a way that represents them. I think it is also important to remember that as a teacher, I am not here to force knowledge on my students so they can pass tests, I am here to facilitate their learning so they can continue in their education with passion about what they are learning.
     My next step is to continue accumulating curriculum that can support my students in the classroom. This include projects, lessons, and literature that help me create curriculum based on my students. I have to also take the time to get to know my students at the beginning of each year and continue to get to know them throughout the time they are with me. We all grow and change everyday and it is important to keep up with the changes they are going through as they grow. I also want to come up with projects that are based on interaction with my students such as socratic seminars and small group projects.
     I hope I continue to learn and grow throughout the years as a teacher. With everything being online (at least for the present) and so many unknowns, I think it is even more important to listen to our students and figure out what they need from us as teachers. It is a crazy world we live in but by listening and helping each other we can make it a better place. It is my goal to create a classroom, whether it is online or in person, the respects all my students and facilitates a type of learning that they want to come back to day after day.

DIGITAL PRESENTATION

MY PASSION INQUIRY PROJECT 

Additional Resources

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Literacy Instruction in Multicultural Settings by Katherine H. Au

This is a good read when researching how it is important to create classrooms that have cultural relevant curriculums. It is helpful because it gives a lot of theory and examples of how and why this is the best way to build a classroom that works for the students.

Au, K. H. (1993). Literacy instruction in multicultural settings. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College.

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And Then I Went to School: Memories of a Pueblo Childhood by: Joe Suina

This is a short story written by Joe Suina and his experience going to school. He is Native American and when he went to school he had difficulty adapting. He was taught that it was not ok to be Native and it really affected who he was. 

Reprinted from the New Mexico Journal of Reading, Winter 1985, Vol. V, No.2.

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Literacy Research in Community and Classrooms: A Sociocultural Approach By: Luis C. Moll

This paper is based on Moll's Funds Of Knowledge theory. He believes that all children come into the classroom with their own funds of knowledge and it is important for teachers to use these funds to create curriculum that resonates with the students. 

Moll, L. C. (2005). Literacy Research in Community and Classrooms: A Sociocultural Approach. In R. Beach (Author), Multidisciplinary perspectives on literacy research (pp. 211-244). Cresskill, NJ, NJ: Hampton Press.

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Critical Culturally Sustaining/Revitalizing Pedagogy and Indigenous Education Sovereignty By: Teresa L. McCarty and Tiffany S. Lee

This article presents culturally sustaining pedagogy as a way to guide better educational practices for Native Americans within the school setting. It talks about how to create curriculum based on Native American culture and the importance of this in the classroom setting.

Mccarty, T., & Lee, T. (2014). Critical Culturally Sustaining/Revitalizing Pedagogy and Indigenous Education Sovereignty. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 101-124. doi:10.17763/haer.84.1.q83746nl5pj34216

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Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning By: Sharroky Hollie

This books covers the idea of culturally responsive teaching and provides strategies for the classroom. It has different tips and activities that can be used. 

Mccarty, T., & Lee, T. (2014). Critical Culturally Sustaining/Revitalizing Pedagogy and Indigenous Education Sovereignty. Harvard Educational Review, 84(1), 101-124. doi:10.17763/haer.84.1.q83746nl5pj34216

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Visualizing Understanding

https://youtu.be/nRLZALe1AdM

I decided to create a video using power point and post it on youtube. I recently did the same for an auto-ethnography I created and I really liked the style and ease of use. I researched information on how to create a culturally responsive classroom and made slides according to the information I found. The visualization helped me understand in ways text could not because I had to put the information in my own voice and record the presentation using the information I found. I think visual learning is very important. Some students learn better using this form of media and it is important that we create classrooms that all students can learn in. 

Disciplinary Text-Sets

Disciplinary Text-Sets

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: A Needed Change in Stance, Terminology, and Practice

Paris, D. (2012). Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy. Educational Researcher, 41(3), 93-97. doi:10.3102/0013189x12441244

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: A Needed Change in Stance, Terminology, and Practice is the idea that student's cultures need to be recognized to create curriculum that students feel they can get involved in. If we create curriculum created using student's discourses, they are more likely to get involved and become a part of their own education. 

This text is exceedingly complex. It was written with teachers and educators in mind and the language is such that one has to have a basic understanding of cultural relevance in the classroom to understand some of it. There is a lot of complex and generally unfamiliar vocabulary unless you are an educator or someone who knows educational theories. 

This text is exceedingly complex. It was written for college students and educators who are interested in educational theories and ways to create change in their classrooms.

This text would be important for education students who are interested in learning more about creating culturally relevant classrooms. A question to pose with this essay would be "How do you use the information in the text to create a classroom that helps students see themselves in their education rather than just being told what to learn and how to learn it?"

Increasing Engagement by Using Culturally Responsive Curriculum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CoV2pPmTCQ

This video is a short introduction to the idea of creating a Culturally Responsive Curriculum. It talks about what it means to create a curriculum that is focused on who the students are and what it means to bring their heritages into the classroom. It is important to create projects and lessons based on student's discourses because they are often more interested in learning when they can see themselves in what they are learning.

This text is only moderately complex. The idea of the text is easy to understand and there is not a lot of vocabulary that is complicated unfamiliar. The purpose of the text is informing educators what Culturally Responsive Curriculum is and how it helps the students.

The task complexity is also moderately complex. It is not hard to understand but is focused more towards educators interested in the information about curriculum in the classroom.

When using this resource a good question to ask would be, "What are some ways for you as an educator to bring culture into your daily lessons and curriculum?" 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian By: Sherman Alexie

Alexie, S. (2009). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. Berlin: Cornelsen.

This book is about a Native American cartoonist who leaves his reservation to attend an all white school to try and make it outside his reservation. 

This book is only Slightly Complex. It is a good book to read in an 8th/9th grade classroom. The language is easily understood and the sentence structure is simple. 

This is a good text for students to use because it creates a classroom that is Culturally Responsive. It brings in a Native American perspective and helps students in the classroom see through the lens of their peers and classmates. It also helps the students who are Native American to feel respected and seen. 

A question to ask the students is "Would you recommend this story to other readers?"

Sage on The Stage to Guide on the Side By: Alison King

Seeing Color, Seeing Culture By: Ladson-Billings

Just Mercy By: Bryan Stevenson 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=just+mercy+bryan+stevenson&crid=BPQUFDS93O34&sprefix=Just+Mercy%2Caps%2C225&ref=nb_sb_ss_organic-diversity_3_10

All these texts can help create a good idea of how to make a classroom that is culturally relevant. There are also two examples of novels that can be used in the classroom that would relate to student's cultures. The informational texts are based on theories that tell an educator why culturally relevant classrooms are important as well as how they can be created. 

Where I am, and Where I Want to Go

Where I am, and Where I Want to Go

            In my inquiry project I want to explore the idea of art and literature in the classroom that reflects my students. I want to make sure my student’s education is reflected back at them instead of just being told what to learn. It is my hope to create a classroom in which my students are seeing themselves in their education and taking part in their educational experience. I know how important it is for students to see themselves in their own education. There have been studies that show just how important it is to create a classroom curriculum that includes funds of knowledge and the student’s experiences and cultures. This way of teaching not only creates a classroom that is socially just, but also creates a setting where students are free to be themselves and learn based on their knowledge and experience. I would like to figure out how to do this. How do I, as a teacher, create a classroom based on so many different influences as well as conform to the testing and structure set forth by the education system we currently have in the United States. I want to know how to create a classroom that is respectful of my student’s funds of knowledge while still making sure they are learning everything they need to fit into the discourses and systems that are currently in place.

Information on Funds of Knowledge:

https://modules.nceln.fpg.unc.edu/sites/modules.nceln.fpg.unc.edu/files/foundations/handouts/Mod%204%20Funds%20of%20knowledge.pdf

http://blog.tesol.org/tap-into-funds-of-knowledge/

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1051078.pdf

https://www.csun.edu/~sb4310/Lessondesigncourse/funds%20of%20knowledge.pdf

Culturally Relevant Texts:

Just Mercy by: Bryan Stevenson

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Mercy-Story-Justice-Redemption/dp/081298496X/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Just+Mercy&qid=1595280702&sr=8-2

Warriors Don't Cry By: Melba Pattillo Beals

https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Dont-Cry-Searing-Integrate/dp/1416948821/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AY6AE7NIN5BB&dchild=1&keywords=warriors+dont+cry+by+melba+pattillo+beals&qid=1595280741&sprefix=Warriors+don%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-1

While these texts are geared towards High Schoolers, there are many more out there to study. In my first post I posted a link to a blog that has a lot of information on culturally relevant literature for all ages as well as teaching resources. These two books are just a couple of examples of what is out there for teachers resource wise. 

Sage on the Stage vs. Guide on the Side

Sage on the Stage vs. Guide on the Side

The three strategies I would use in King's article are:

1. Think-Pair-Share

2. Concept Mapping

3. Predicting

Think-Pair-Share is a strategy in which the students are allowed a moment during the lesson to think about the concept or what is being read. They then link up with a student next to/across from/ close by them to talk about what their thoughts are on the lesson. I think this is very helpful because it not only gives a break in the lesson, it gives the students time to think about what is happening during the lesson and absorb the knowledge not only from the teacher but from their peers as well when they share their ideas. 

Concept Mapping is where students create a graphic representation of relationships about the aspects of a concept or principle. I think this is also especially helpful in literary lessons to get deeper into the plot of a book or story and connect all the characters and themes that are going on. It's especially helpful in digging deeper into the story and if the students work in groups, helps them see the story from another point of view that may be different than their own.

Predicting is when students write their own predictions of what may happen in a given lesson. Again, for reading, this could be fun for students to do. Once a piece of literature has begun and there is a general concept and idea in the story, predicting what may happen not only gets the students involved in the process of how a story may be written, but in my experience gets them to want to continue reading to see if their predictions come true. 

Pre-Reading, During, and After reading strategies I could use based on my content area are:

Pre-Reading

     -Learning Walls and Word Walls

     -Book/Chapter/Section Walk

During

     -Learning Logs/Journals

     -Pause during class reading to have students predict

After

     -Collaborate

     -Extend the lesson through writing, projects, or some other enrichment activity

Learning walls and word walls could help with any vocabulary or content I know is coming up in a lesson and it would make it available for all the students as they needed to reference it. Book/chapter/section walks would be helpful during time reading because it could give students a great background on whatever it is they are reading so when they read the text they already have an idea of what it may entail. 

Learning logs and journals throughout a lesson is great because it can really help the students take time to go over what they're learning in their own words and thoughts and solidify what they are learning in their heads. Pauses during class to have students predict is also great because it can be fun for the students to make predictions and see if they turn out to be right. It's also a great way to get them involved in the lesson itself. 

After collaborations can take form not only in discussions amongst peers but also in projects they can do about the material in the lesson. One of my favorite memories of High School English class was having to do an art project based on Dante's Inferno. It actually made me want to read the entire book once class was over and I really remember getting involved in the book more because I liked doing art.