Urban School Lessons:
Reflections about Student Learning, Curriculum and Pedagogy
I. Readings
Lana M. Danielson’s Fostering Reflection
I appreciate the clarity provided by Danielson’s Four Modes of Thinking and will attempt to incorporate more “dialectical thinking” and deliberate reflecting into my work – reflecting that aims “to gain understanding” of situations and “generate solutions.” In terms of prompts and questions, I find it useful to re-write and re-think the questions so as to provide a platform for fuller reflection.
Taryn Sanders’ The Importance of Reflection
Among the standout points in Sanders’ article – clarifying questions, reflective conversations and the definition of meta-cognitive thinking as “having an awareness and self-regulation of one’s own thinking processes.” These ideas seem valuable, approachable and do-able.
Cheryl E. Matias’ Tears Worth Telling
This piece is exciting. Matias not only speaks a truth I completely agree with, she speaks it in a poetic manner I completely identify with. While I love the ideas in this article, I have to be honest about my gut reaction. I tried to incorporate some of this into my lessons. I was often left feeling like I was one drop of water in a vast ocean. While I can’t say that I had critical race objectives linked to content objectives like the wonderfully detailed plan in the article, I certainly tried to incorporate cultural and critical literacy in the classroom. It is not easy – and ultimately, it cannot be linked to most state standards. Class time is a major consideration. But, maybe these are just excuses. Matias’ poetic insights remind me of the larger, more important issues involving culture and schooling, and the boldness that is required to bring about even a little bit of change.
II. Two Lesson Plans
Looking back on the two months I spent at Green Central Park School in South Minneapolis, working as a long-term substitute for the 6th and 7th grade English classes, there were highs and lows. Happily, my retrospective review of the experience finds many more good experiences than bad, but it’s been useful to recall both – by considering two particular lesson plans of varying success, starting with a 6th grade unit that went quite well and ending with a 7th grade lesson plan that was less than successful.
GRADE 6
Description
Thinking back on one 6th grade lesson plan in particular makes me feel proud. I recall feeling fulfilled as a teacher. Many of the students were excited, interested, and inquisitive. I felt like the two days spent teaching the lesson plan were an effortless and energizing delight.
The lesson objective was to introduce and begin reading a new novel – Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech. The lesson’s key concept involves Multiple Perspectives. The plan has students examine art to discern multiple perspective and apply those ideas to Creech’s narrative.
Reflection
The key issue presented by this experience is how engaged and even enthusiastic students were during this lesson.
My teaching goal was to prepare students for the idea that the novel, Walk Two Moons, is one story told from many vantage points. I simply wanted students to understand that concept, but it turned out they saw something else in the lesson. I knew students might like seeing optical illusions. I figured using them would go well, but I did not anticipate just how engaging students would find them. I quickly created a few more lessons using more art pieces because the students were clamoring for it. Students liked playing the games involved. They got to interact with the concept. They had fun. As a result, students were able to identify – and enjoy finding – the multiple perspectives in the chapter.
At the time, I recall thinking of ways I could capitalize on these sorts of art-related activities in the future. Students truly understood their role as “text detectives.”
Learning
Why did things go so well? Students brought their own interests and ideas, transforming the routine lesson into something of interest and import. Also, the layout and order of the lesson was very clear. This experience was somewhat surprising, in that I had not anticipated the intense student reaction. I learned to use points of interest similar to this to engage these 6th graders in subsequent lessons. This success led to others.
GRADE 7
Description
One Green Central 7th grade lesson plan, which spanned about four class sessions, left me feeling angry, confused, and inadequate as a classroom manager. Many of the students were off-task or disruptive. I didn’t feel like I had control of the class, or control of the environment.
The lesson objective was to read and study the final chapters of the novel the class had been reading – The Breadwinner, by Deborah Ellis. In the initial week of the plan – covering two chapters (chapters 11 and 12) – students took turns reading aloud. This was followed by class discussions and reading comprehension activities. The week included vocabulary and comprehension homework. Reading could not be assigned as homework since books were not allowed to leave the building.
Reflection
The key issue presented by this experience is my approach to covering the material – the methods employed to complete the task – and student behavior.
Academically, I wanted students to not just be clear about significant events in the chapter, but to understand how those events related to main themes. I knew students would soon be asked to write a final essay citing evidence of the novel’s themes. However, things simply did not go well.
The classroom environment was not positive and respectful, so things were not successful and there was limited learning. Right from the top of class, students entered the room in a loud, disruptive way, so that even getting started was difficult. I began to dread having to face the class the next day, which certainly then affected my attitude. There were side-conversations, constant interruptions, and since the school provided a student snack during that class period, there were also food fights. The students who were trying to stay on-task, follow the rules and learn – could not, due to the disruptive environment. Generally, students were not getting an opportunity to prepare for an important assessment.
This experience was frustrating, because I knew why certain students were behaving in certain ways. The most disruptive students were also some of the most likeable kids in the room! I could relate to the students as individuals, but as a class, we could not move forward. Students seemed disconnected from the novel – treating the reading and comprehension question assignments as pointless and uninteresting.
Learning
Why did things go so wrong? Primarily, I point to the fact that – ‘I put the horse before the cart.’ That is to say, I put the content before the connection. The following week, I backed up and restarted my lesson on Chapters 11 and 12. I began with quick-writes, videos and discussions. I created a sense of community. I devised activities that would limit my instruction and invite participation from learners.
I also blame the lack of explicit connections to learning targets. In the following weeks, students were put in pairs and trios to read and review text, finding examples of two specific themes. Students knew their written notes would become the basis for their final essay.
In retrospect, this experience was difficult, but ultimately instructive and rewarding. It reminded me that I have to be creative and inventive about how I plan student experiences and use class time. I have to maximize student involvement to maximize student ownership of the work.
III. Comparing Curricula
For the purposes of reflection, I am comparing my own curriculum plans to a unit from the Minneapolis District’s Focused Instruction guide. The district’s Grade 6, ELA lesson plan – entitled, Perspective and Perception – is described as a unit using “a broad range of readings to explore the relationship between our perspectives and perceptions.” Within the unit, students focus on one novel (suggested text: Sharon Creech’s – Walk Two Moons). Students also study about and write a Response to Literature.
I found the district curriculum to be safe, boring, and though tied to important standards, I found its learning goals to be unclear. Students responded well to the basic unit structure and activities, but generally, they did not relate to the novel or seem to enjoy it. The novel, while very well-written, is told from the perspective of a young American Indian girl but is actually written by a White woman. My response was to look at the book critically, which revealed some of the author’s clunky cultural missteps.
The district curriculum expects much of teacher and learners. It presumes students are already proficient in basic literacy skills, as there is no time reserved for skill building. The unit expects that students have a firm grasp of academic language and an appreciation for the language and concepts used in academic standards. Students are expected to relate to a fairly esoteric main idea – posed as an Essential Question: “What do we learn from these texts about the relationship between our perceptions and perspectives?” In the district curriculum, teachers are expected to use particular strategies, such as Socratic Seminars and Reader/Writer notebooks. Teachers are expected to move along fairly quickly – considering the depth and sheer size of the novel.
My own curriculum expects many students to need instruction and practice on basic writing skills. It assumes students need the prompting of background knowledge and connections to the content and concepts. It expects that a certain number of students will be absent from classes which affects scheduling. My curriculum expects students to need explicit instruction. Also in terms of instruction, my curriculum anticipates that many different strategies may be needed, depending on how things go. The teacher is expected to monitor students and make adjustments. My main strategy was the use of Literature Circles.
There are three intended “hidden curriculum” lessons students may be learning here. Students are subtly learning that visual art relates to writing and novels, that there are many different cultures and social perspectives, and that a text can be analyzed critically – seen in a social context.
Two unintended “hidden curriculum” lessons students may be learning: it is important to read and discuss fiction; and, certain types of books should be of interest to most 6th graders.
IV. Learning and Teaching
I believe meaningful learning includes the following:
Learning that impresses the learner as useful in his/her “real” life.
Learning that leads to new ideas and concepts – not just an ability to repeat facts.
Learning that is tied to culture and identity.
Learning that provides a deepened understanding of self.
Learning that energizes the learner.
Learning that prompts connections to classes in other content areas.
I believe effective teaching includes the following:
Teaching that connects students to the subject.
Teaching that makes school seem fun – or at least, interesting, pleasant and worthwhile.
Teaching that enlightens.
Teaching that empowers students personally.
Teaching that is well-planned and organized.
Teaching that is differentiated and considers various learning styles.
These beliefs are reflected in certain assumptions:
I assume students want to learn – and are natural learners.
I assume students come to school with their own knowledge and “ways of knowing.”
I assume students (adolescents) are intensely curious about themselves and finding their place in the world.
I assume educators have a responsibility to find ways to engage and motivate students.
I assume educators can have a long-lasting impression and effect on students.
I assume quality educators want every student in the class to succeed.
These beliefs are reflected in some of my experiences:
I have often extended parts of a lesson or changed whole lessons to capitalize on student response.
I have been in classrooms that were disorganized.
I have spoken with many students about what types of teachers they prefer.
I have found that students love games. They don’t mind the idea of learning through games.
I have seen students rise to the challenge once they had taken ownership of a project.
Certain experiences and needs of urban learners are served by these beliefs:
Students are often given choices within assignments.
Students are given longer projects.
Learners have a PowerPoint every day.
Learners may turn in late work and re-test.
Learners experience (my notions of) structure and order.
Learners experience use of videos, movies and music.
Young people have a need to find personal and social identity.
Students need their cultural identity to be explicitly included.
Students need to feel school work is relevant to their lives.
Students need to experience success in school.
V. Pre-flection on Action
While I have yet to define the subject of my Reflections-on-Action assignment – my general “pre-flection” takes the form of several questions about the legal system that significant numbers of urban youth encounter.
I have learned that Hennepin County’s Juvenile Detention Center – located in downtown Minneapolis has a high school called, Stadium View School. Classes are taught by teachers from the Minneapolis Public Schools.
Since the average stay at the detention center is very short, I wonder how the teachers are able to plan curriculum.
What percentage of students will experience a stay at the JDC or a similar facility? How do those numbers breakdown by gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status?
What level of support and resources are dedicated to schooling in the juvenile justice system?
Do assumptions about students involved in the system lead to educational practices, such as, lowering expectations, labeling, tracking and so forth?
What are student attitudes toward schooling in general? Is school seen as valuable?
How do teachers view students who have been detained by the system?
How does the culture of a detention center conflict/coincide/ connect with the school’s culture?
What are the classroom expectations? And how are classroom rules handled?
What sorts of obstacles to matriculation and graduation are encountered by students?
Are there common student complaints about the system, as it relates to curriculum or schooling?
What common attitudes do urban youth have towards the justice system?
What are some common academic needs of students who have short and long-term stays in detention centers?
What are some known strengths?
Are there existing groups or programs dedicated to researching and compiling lessons and strategies specifically designed for juveniles in detention centers?
What kind of person elects to teach within the justice system? What have their experiences been?
What are their perspectives on urban learners – and the personal/social needs of those students?
VI. Standard Practices
Of the 52 components on the Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers (SEPT) chart, I chose “strongly agreed” in 38 areas. My highest scores were in Standards 5, 9 and 10. The opportunities for growth were in Standards 1 – 3. The four broad organizing elements of the state's SEPT are as follows: Learners and Learning; Content; Instructional Practice; and Professional Responsibility. My focus on improvement should be in the first area – Learners and Learning. This tool is a good way to review and re-think priorities. When going back to re-do the assignment, I found that I scored lowest in the areas where I seemed less sure of the definitions of the abilities being described. Also I noticed that I gave myself the benefit of the doubt in areas that used subjective language (e.g., “I respect” . . . “I value”).
The results of this self-evaluation make me wonder how others would rate me, and if the ratings would be similar. These results likely reflect my personal and biased beliefs and assumptions about what makes a “good” teacher. I perceive myself as inadequately prepared to handle differentiation to effectively teach students with different needs and strengths. The results suggest that I see “learning how students learn” as the most important consideration in teaching.
Speaking to the SEPT generally, it provokes certain negative views and opinions.
I worry that these standards can be used as a tool to falsely measure my work and value as a teacher. It’s all well and good to establish standards of effective practice for teacher – but doesn’t that demand standards for effective system support?
For example, in observations, I was often given low marks on engagement because students were using cell phones. Despite my repeated attempts to address the problem, and the school and school district’s failure to deal with the issue – I was finally blamed for not meeting a teaching standard. The fact is, when you’re up against a set of bad choices, you pick your battles and do your best. You solve the problems you can and avoid creating new ones.