Blog Post 4

"[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." I think this quote from Lisa Delpit is correct in saying that you cannot judge a student or their family based on their linguistics. Every individual has their own way of speaking and communicating with one another, and that communication might not make sense to anyone outside of that particular family. The family may speak a whole other language all together, or they may have phrases or expressions that have a special meaning to their family. If the language is not "proper" that does not mean that they are wrong or ignorant; it should be respected by the teacher of the student. If a teacher has a student who's family has their own type of language, the teacher should take it as an opportunity to get to know the student and their background better. When a teacher understands where their students are coming from it will help the classroom to flow better. If a teacher respects the students, the students will be more willing to learn from and cooperate with the teacher, which will lead to a better education for the student. Accepting and understanding the way a family talks can seem like a small thing, but in the long run it can have many benefits.

Description                                                           Interpretation
-little girl following mom                                   -going to get ice cream
-2 people going in to get ice cream                    -could be on a date
-teen girl eating with dad                                    -college student catching up with parent
-guy walking out of ice cream shop empty-       -could have dropped off a job application
handed
-sweaty guy walking with earphones                 -just getting done with a run
-dad and son walking                                         -dad rewarding good behavior with ice cream
-two people carrying coffee and walking          -on a date
together
-two old ladies walking together                       -two old friends catching up
-mixture of old and young people coming        -family dinner  
out of restaurant together
-lady walking dog                                             -cares about her dog's and her own health
-girl cam out of ice cream place in a                - got ice cream after a game
sports uniform

While doing this activity, I discovered that often when I see a certain type of person or group of people, I make assumptions about who they are and what they're doing without even thinking about it or considering that I could be wrong. I realize that these assumptions are very ignorant on my part, because I really don't know anything about that person or their life. I think I make these assumptions based on my own experiences and what I am used to. For example, when I saw a parent and child together I assumed they were out for a treat, because that's something me and my parent's did together when I was younger. However, it's impossible to recognize someone's whole life story by observing them for thirty seconds as they pass by. When I am a teacher someday I will make sure that I do not make automatic assumptions about  my students based on obvious factors. You need to really know and understand somebody before you can even start to judge them or their lifestyle. Not only can I apply this to the classroom, but to all areas of my life. Each student will come from a different kind of home life and will have their own personal struggles that will affect how they act in the classroom.  After doing this activity, I hope to keep a more open mind when I see certain types of people in public, and to not make automatic assumptions as I did during this experiment.

Blog Post 2

“We do not really see with our eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs.” (Curtis and Carter, 2000, p. 9). I think this is a very accurate statement. Often times, we are blind to what is actually happening around us because we are so caught up in what we already believe that we don't want to see anything different. It is important, especially in the field of education, to keep an open mind in order to work well with your students and to understand where they are coming from. In teaching, pushing aside what you already think will force you to think in new and creative ways, which will be good for you as well as set a great example for your students. When you push aside what you already know and believe in, you open yourself up to more knowledge and understanding. In my experience, when I have pushed aside my opinions and beliefs when I am experiencing something new, I am able to fully experience and enjoy whatever it is I am doing to the fullest, because I have let go of what I already thought. In the field of education it is especially important not to hold on to preconceived ideas about students based on their backgrounds or behavior, because if you already believe something to be true about them then students will never have a chance to improve. Beliefs are an important part of who a person is, but they should not be so powerful that they blind us from seeing anything else.                                                                                                                                  

1. I prefer to be called Allison
2.  Hometown: Lakewood, OH
3. I want to work with children between Pre-K- 3rd grade, preferably preschool.
4. I want to try and get involved in some of the many service activities the school offers. I like to workout so I want to get involved with the exercise classes offered, and possibly and intramural team. I want to have as many new experiences as possible.
5. I like working with children and helping others and think it is important to do so as much as possible. I also want to travel as much as I can since I haven't done much of it yet. This article talks about going across the country and working with children in and out of school. This ties my interests together and would be a great opportunity to see the world with a new perspective, I would definitely consider doing this at some point in my life.
http://matadornetwork.com/change/to-be-a-kid-again-my-first-volunteer-experience-abroad/
6. In order for me to feel comfortable in the classroom, I need to have a supportive and understanding professor, as well as classmates, so that I can feel comfortable participating and asking questions in class.
7. A formative memory I have from high school is my junior year biology class. My teacher was so enthusiastic about the subject it made me excited to learn. She engaged the class so much every class period and made it way more interesting than if she would have just lectured the whole time. She would sometimes have groups of us teach the class a section of the chapter, and had us do fun projects and labs to make the subject more interesting, and to give us real life examples. Her enthusiasm further inspired me to pursue a career in teaching so that I could make a difference in kids' lives.
8. Some concerns I have in facing the field of education are being able to find a job with so few positions available, and finding a job in the type of school that I want.
9. What made you want to become a professor?