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.
mood:	(0) comments