ytiger's Aeonity Blog - Reflections on Case Study

Reflections on Case Study	Nov 3rd, 2006 4:09:44 am - Subscribe
My thoughts about how my case study’s answers relate to what I have learned from Payne and Banks: • I saw a definite connection between my case study’s comments about the different groups at her high school and the presence of hidden rules (Payne) within a culture. Her comments reinforce the relationships within a culture and how other cultures do not understand the hidden rules outside their own group, i.e., the rich kids and the poor kids. This leads directly to Banks telling us to openly discuss the rules of a group/culture within a class. If we as educators honor diversity and encourage our students to learn more about others’ cultures, I believe that some of this new awareness will help break down the borders (Banks) that currently exist. • The aspect of language differences between the cultures that Payne talks about and the more formal languages of school that both Payne and Banks refer to is one of the most important delineators between groups. Each of the groups that my case study refers to that exists at her high school has clearly distinctive language patterns. Some of the more formal language that is most often the language of the classroom has more similarities to the language of the “rich kids”. I question if these are the kids that are the teacher favorites that the student refers to in her comments. This is a something for me to constantly be aware of as an educator. • Payne refers to the models that are so important in our students’ lives. My case study clearly indicates from her comments that the teacher of the class should be that model. She points out that when the teacher is not a consistent model, the class does not function as well. • Mediation is another missing link in students’ classes. Payne points out that mediation builds cognitive strategies. In the classes that my student describes there is little or no mediation initiated by the teacher. According to Payne this could greatly alter the level of cognitive performance in the classroom. • Banks refers to stereotypes (how someone is portrayed) and how stereotypical groups are treated differently in school. My case study has strong stereotypes in mind as she responds to the questions each time. • Banks discusses self-knowledge and Payne refers to self-governance as ways of moving past some of the stereotyping that we do. The student seems to still have strong stereotypes in her responses, and these seem to be reinforced through the “groups” she describes at her school. • I couldn’t help but wonder if the teachers that the student refers to in her comments are examples of what Banks calls “deficit thinkers”, those that interpret individual differences as deficits, dysfunctions and disadvantages. We as educators must be sure that we are not deficit thinkers. How my case study’s answers will help me to be a better educator: Understanding how important it is to students to have equity within the classrooms helps me to better understand how I might lay the groundwork in elementary school. We have a motto at my school that we repeat everyday, “In everything you do and say, be safe, kind and respectful. It’s the (school’s name) way.” Just making students aware of how to treat others is very important. Helping students through community circle to problem solve with their peers about specific problems/concerns empowers students to stand up for themselves in an acceptable way. As teachers we need to be constantly checking ourselves to make sure that we don’t have favorites and that expectations are fair and equitable for all students. Discussing our differences within the various aspects of our cultures with students openly in our classes helps everyone learn to honor our differences. It sets up a community of learners. All of these actions will set up an atmosphere where students feel honored, respected and safe.
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Case Study Final Week	Nov 3rd, 2006 4:07:41 am - Subscribe
What advice would you give to teachers about making sure students feel safe and respected in their classrooms? H.S. Student: Treat everyone equally…no, that wouldn’t work because you have to do something different with the bad kids. Do something with the bad kids that take away from our learning in our classroom…like take them to the side and talk to them. The teacher might have them taken out of the class so they know that it is not ok. I don’t feel safe because lots of kids right behind me in class talk about doing drugs and how to get them. I’m not sure the teacher knows what they are talking about. If she did, she should tell the principal or just talk to the kids about it. I would feel more respected if the teachers did not pick favorites in the classroom and let them do different things.
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Student Interview II	Oct 27th, 2006 2:15:14 am - Subscribe
1. What are the "groups" in your school? (e.g. - Gothics, Mexicans, Cowboys, Jocks, Preps, rich kids, etc.) H. S. student: The main groups are Mexicans, rich kids, poor kids, all the different sports groups...like tennis people are altogether or football people. 2. Are there any students or groups of students who are treated better in your school? How are they treated better? Who treats them better? H.S. Student: The 'rich kids' are treated better because the others wish they had their clothes. They will do whatever the 'rich kids' want them to do. They are nice to them because they want them (rich kids) to like them. The 'sports kids' are treated better by the coaches that are their teachers. The coaches for all sports do this for any kid in sports. This is like if there is something to do in class they (coaches/teachers) don't make them do it. If there is a game, like a football or basketball game, the players can turn in their work later. The 'poor kids' are treated badly by the 'rich kids'. They (rich kids) won't talk to them because they don't think that they are good enough. Other kids from other groups call the 'Mexicans' bad words. There are fights between the 'Mexicans' and the other people because they are saying mean things to the 'Mexicans' faces. 3. If you can't answer the first question (because every student and student group in your school is treated equally) tell why/how it has happened that everyone enjoys the same rights, attention and privileges in your school. Not applicable.
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Student Interview	Oct 12th, 2006 11:53:19 pm - Subscribe
Have you ever been treated differently at school because of the color of your skin, the amount of money your parents make, your gender, a disability you have or anything else? H. S. Student about situation 1: The only time that I can think of was in second grade when my P.E. coach told me that I wasn’t a good thrower because I was a girl. If you haven't been treated differently due to those items, do you know someone who has? H. S. Student about situation 2: One of my friends has a “lazy eye”. She gets made fun of a lot. Tell what happened when you or someone else was mistreated. H. S. Student about situation 1: When the coach told me I couldn’t throw because I was a girl, we were playing a baseball game. That upset me. I have never forgotten that. H. S. Student about situation 2: When my friend gets teased, it’s usually when we are in the hallways. She doesn’t do anything about it. She just ignores it. Once I remember a guy saying to her: “Open your eye a little wider.” I really haven’t done anything except to be her friend. What, if anything, did someone at the school do about the situation? H.S. Student about situation 1: My aunt was a teacher at the school and she talked to the coach and let him know how it upset me. He never did anything like that again to me. H. S. Student about situation 2: Nothing has ever been done about the teasing. I asked her once if she had ever told her mom, and she said, “No, my mom can’t do anything about it.” My friend doesn’t ever talk to anybody at school about it. I just try to be her friend.
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