Reading L.J. Dance’s article about ideal types of urban teens made me think twice about how I would approach teaching in an urban environment. Coming from a middle class suburban upbringing, I would have to put in a lot of effort to try to understand the neighborhoods my students come from. I always imagined that I would have a lot of trouble (or would have to work really hard) to be the boss of my students, to make them know that I’m the leader and they have to respect me as I respect them. However, after reading about some of the types of urban “gangster” personas ( p. 52) that Dance researched, I think I might approach an urban classroom in less of a power-struggle way.
What I didn’t understand before is that many students act “gangster” in order to have a certain reputation in their neighborhoods, or even just to stay safe. I think that, if I were to truly care for my students, I would have to try to allow them to maintain their reputations. I think it would be a really difficult balance to be in control of my classroom, but to also not make my students appear weak to their peers who may be ready to fight them or who may be trying to prove themselves to dangerous members of the community. While I don’t approve of crime and deviant behavior and would certainly intervene if I thought any student’s life was in jeopardy, I would have to try to understand the community my students come from in order to help them lead safe lives. Since I did not come from an urban background, I think it would be really important to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for my students, and to perhaps have recurring 1-on-1 meetings with my students to check in with them in a no-pressure atmosphere, just to make sure that they are on the right track and they know that I am here to help them.
I think my analysis of Dance’s article correlates directly to Valenzuela’s article, particularly regarding the teacher’s duty to care for their students or to “know many of their students in a personal way” (p. 63). One of the most important things I can do is to really get to know my students; if they feel a level of caring on my part and on the school’s part, students will be more likely to see school as a tool for upward mobility and less likely to drop out. They need to feel that someone believes in them , otherwise, why should they continue working at it they don’t think it will get them anywhere in the long run? It is my responsibility to never assume anything about my students, and I’ll need to get to know them personally and understand where they come from and what they want for themselves in order to best help them succeed. Yes, teaching content is important, but learning can only occur once students are comfortable and willing to participate.
Hi Katie,
ReplyDeleteLike you, I imagined contending with "difficult" and/or "disruptive" students, but perhaps not those in such severe circumstances.
Like you too, I would try to engage, make contact, "be an ear," and do as much as I can/could to help.
Profanity, I've found, becomes a difficult issue with me, though. Caught between the "no tolerance" policy and these fundamental postures (that are necessary for the students' survival), our position, as teachers, becomes problematic, here.
I reckon that it will be a matter of guidance rather than "no tolerance" consequences. And, of course, try to explain the "why."
I think it is really important that you realized that these students need to maintain a reputation for safety. Like you said you didn't experience anything like the students in the article but being able to admit that and try to learn about them is so important. Some teachers just say they can't relate to the students so there is nothing they can do about it, but trying to learn about each student really does make a difference. I also agree that building such a relationship is part of the learning process. Most students do much better in classes where they are comfotable with their teachers and have built some kind of relationship. How can students get extra help or ask questions if they are intimidated or uncomfortable with their teachers?
ReplyDeleteWe all have experienced some sort of particular peer pressure regarding fitting in. Although, many of our experiences differ from those in the article ours still stung and maybe took us down a wrong path.I know personally that educators can make a difference in students choosing a path. When I was in middle school I was heading towards a path that wasn't desirable and a teacher helped me understand the importance of being myself.Without this particular teacher who knows where I'd be today. Its important as educators we assure our students there is an alternative to trying to fit in. Once again caring in the classroom can make a significant difference.
ReplyDeleteI think you hit on a really important thread of the articles. Without caring about our students as a person, it's impossible to truly help them succeed. We need to understand where they are coming from and why they act the way that they do in order to allow ourselves to connect with them. We can't solely focus on the student's academic performance. We aren't programming robots, we are helping people.
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