Nancy's Blogs

 The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies A Research Review by Christine E. Sleeter argues that ethnic studies should be incorporated into our students learning to better connect our students. When I read this article, I could not help but connect it to my own learning think back to when I was a student. It reminded me of learning about Christopher Columbus and how until only a couple of years ago, has the narrative changed even just a little bit. Since elementary school, I have heard of Christopher Columbus. “The great explorer who found this new land… He came and found this land” and so on and so forth. As a child you are not given the choice to look into different narratives. You are just told to sit and listen, and this is what happens. I believe Sleeter would call this “Bais's history” and in whose favor is this too? The mainstream look of “correct” as has been proved by our own history and society. This version of history resonates most with those in power. While elimi...

Shannon Renkly and Katherine Bertolini are the authors to  Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit  Oriented Schools to Asset Based  Models: Why Leaders Need to  Promote an Asset Orientation in our  Schools . They argue the importance of switched techniques when teaching. “Positive development emphasizes strengths  over weaknesses, resilience over risk, and assets over deficits” This quote stood out to me the most because I personally tend to be gentler and look at the bright side of things. Not in a "sugar coating" sort of way but more of looking at the picture. Many times, in school a student can feel as though they are not good at something and lose interest or even momentum. The student would rather step away and push away because they do not want to be "bad" a something. In that case what learning happens? a student should know that it is okay if they're not quite yet there. All students do have asset they just may not all look the same. If school can creat...

In this week's reading we read 'What “Counts” as Educational Policy? Notes toward a New Paradigm' by Jean Anyon. This author, Jean Anyon explains that throughout the past years educators have tried to help fix school performances by constantly changing educational policies inside of the school, she argues that we have been looking at issues symptoms and not the complex roots. The problem is not in the school, but on the outside. Therefore, educational policies include economic, transportation, income, neighborhoods, community. "Rules and regulations regarding  teaching, curriculum, and assessment certainly are important, but policies to  eliminate poverty-wage work and housing segregation should  be part of the educational policy panoply as well." This quote states the importance of both, but it does explain that one lacks attention that it needs. When I read this, it really spoke to me and the experience I had in high school. I went to Central falls High School. ...

 In Chapter two of the broken Model written by Khan he argues as a society we should be questions why we do things the way we do. More specifically he talks about how our school system came to be. He raises many questions that make me think of my own experiences in the school as a child. As well as someone who wants to go back to schools to be a teacher.  One of my strongest reasons to be a teacher is because of my experience as a student. When I was in fifth grade, I had to be in a specific reading group. The group was based on a reading test we had taken prior. Where the counted how fast. how many words per minute and also the way you pronounce the words etc.  I remember the whole class was reading a book that was very interesting at the time. It was called Ezperanza rising. I wanted to read that book with them, but I was told no. I was not at the level to read it. I was so upset, and I remember crying because while everyone was reading that book, I had to read a differ...