The Right to be Literate- Literacy, Education, and School to Prison Pipeline
I want you guys to take a moment, and think what it means to be literate?
The most common answer to the definition of the word literate would be to have the ability to read and write. Which is indeed is the literal definition , but teaching only the fundamentals of reading and writing will not be enough for our students to prosper in today's world. You may ask yourself, " how can we fix this?"
The article, The Right to be Literate- Literacy, Education, and School to Prison Pipeline, states
"Teaching basic literate skills that are not equally valued or even valid across countries needs to be replaced with literacy education that connects to the specific social realities and literate practices of culturally diverse communities." (pg. 151 ) In smaller words, we should apply literacy practices that apply to all types of cultures because people come from different backgrounds and experiences.
I want to connect this a personal experience. When I was a fourth grader, I had one particular book that stood out to me. It was Esperanza Rising by Pam Muños. I picked it out just because of the name, and I remember being excited because I never really stumbled across books that resembled my name or let alone had spanish words. I remember reading only a few pages, and then felt discouraged by so many pages. My parents migrated from Mexico, and did not have an education passing higher than a middle school or high school level. Therefore, my english literacy was purely based in the classroom setting, simply, because my parents did not know english. So, reading time at home was non existent,and it was only really encouraged when it was assigned as homework or for projects. I also remember my fourth grade teacher always reading chapter books out loud, but I don't recall one that was culturally diverse. Now, I am not blaming my parents or my fourth grade teacher for not finishing the book, but I want to mention how my background impacted my literacy. As a future teacher, I can learn from this experience.
Which leads us to our second question, what does a classroom look like when children have the right to literacy? The article defines it as "applying critical reading skills, learning to analyze and synthesize materials, making meaning in multiple text, and engaging in literacy reasoning" (Lee, 2001, pg. 151) I believe we can apply these strategies through books that contain material our students can relate to. Letting them speak up, and not judging or scolding them for not speaking standardized english. We can do it by encouraging children to talk about their background and struggles through reading and writing while at the same time helping them develop essential skills they need to progress in school and society.
Now, our last question,
What does it look like when children are stripped from that right?
The right to literacy is stripped from children when the school is low on money which limits resources which means less books which means less variety for the children . It is stripped from them when teachers refer to students as a behavior problem, learning disability, language issue and kicking them out the classroom instead of trying to find ways to suit their needs. It is stripped when teachers are not going beyond the basics of literacy.
I am sure it's easy for teachers and administrators to rule out punishments for students, but at what cost? and who is paying for it? This directs us to the school to prison pipeline. Black and latino Students are the ones who are more likely to be suspended are more likely to end up in jails or prisons coming out of school than white students.
For my freshman year of high school, I attended Arsenal Technical high school, which at the time had a strict uniform policy. I remember my shirt was not tucked in, and the principal walked by, and sent me directly to the office. I was wrote up, and suspended that day. I was suspended for not having my shirt tucked in, and till this day I have trouble accepting that. Instead of being in class that next day, I was at home because my shirt was not tucked in. What harm was I causing? Would a warning not have sufficed? Anyway, This falls under students being stripped from literacy through suspension. Suspension can not always be the answer. There has to be alternatives of punishment that won't harm students learning.
Extra Questions to think about:
Why do you guys think that black and latino males are the ones being targeted?
Do you guys believe this was created to keep our colored students from rising to high power?
As elementary school teachers, how can we stop this cycle in our classrooms?
What are better alternatives rather than suspension?
School to prison pipeline summarized (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Wyc85x38o
You say, “we should apply literacy practices that apply to all types of cultures because people come from different backgrounds and experiences.” Agreed, but we should also consider differing learning styles, not everybody learns the same, so integrating methods that cater to all learning abilities would be beneficial to us as educators as well as our students. Like you, I had a similar upbringing where my mother didn’t speak English and even though my dad did, he only spoke to us in Spanish to not leave my mom out of conversations. Literacy was just about non-existent in my home, it was only really practiced in school. We should take our students experiences, as you said, into account when trying to identify the best techniques for all learners. I appreciate you making your post relatable thus allowing me to make connections with the reading, which always makes things more interesting. Isn’t that what we want to do for our students while on the topic of literacy? I believe the reading does a great job of answering one of your concluding questions “As elementary school teachers, how can we stop this cycle in our classrooms?” The reading states, “Schooling is political, and teaching students from diverse backgrounds the language of power while valuing students’ cultures (Delpit, 1995) is an important part of dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline because this form of instruction increases students’ abilities to question, criticize, and create” (p. 151). What stood out the most to me, was the part that said, “valuing students’ cultures” because being centered in the experiences of students’ backgrounds is essential in helping develop competency in both language and literacy.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right! Thank you for bringing that up. Taking into consideration each students learning style is very important. I am sure it can be very easy for teachers to point the finger at the student and say something is wrong with him or her, when in reality it is the teaching style and/or strategies impacting the child's inability to learn. And thank you for sharing your similar experience with me. Unfortunately this is the reality for many students with immigrant parents, but as we both stated, as aspiring teachers we can both learn from this.
DeleteI really enjoyed this post because when I thought of literacy of course I thought of reading and writing but there's different ways to approach it to meet students needs which I agree with. I can relate to this because when I was in elementary school I had a hard time with reading and my parents at home did not really sit down with me to help the issue therefore I was set up with a tutor. Which approached me in a different way to help me engage and actually enjoy the books I was reading then my reading level finally caught up with my peers. I believe that the cycles we see in the classroom has been passed down due to America’s history the oppression, segregation, and etc. Even though slavery happened centuries ago and segregation just ended decades ago it still is effecting the present. Black and latino students are targeted because the teachers do not understand them and simply do not want to. Keep in mind people are raised a certain way and stay uneducated about things when it comes to race.There was an instance where my teacher did not understand my way of learning so she showed up to my house telling my parents I should be put on ADHD medication instead of trying to teach me what I was struggling with at the time. To end this cycle future teachers whether they are educated when it comes to these things or not need a lot of exposure because it is the reality of what is going on and it will not go away until it is confronted. Students have different ways of learning subjects and it needs to be approached in an open manner in order to reach everyone to stay interested and feel inspired.
ReplyDeleteI am really happy you answered one of my questions. You said "Even though slavery happened centuries ago and segregation just ended decades ago it still is affecting the present", and I couldn't agree more. Honestly I am a firm believer that America has not changed since slavery. Slavery still exist through incarceration, and it starts with the school to prison pipeline targeting black and latino students. You also said teachers do not understand them, and I agree. Most of the time the teacher is a middle class white woman, and can't relate or resemble the struggles of a minority. It is easier to say they are a behavior or language problem. Also, I am sorry you went through that uneasy experience with you teacher. You made a good personal connection, and it a reality that happens way too often, and I hope we can change that in our classrooms.
DeleteI thought it was interesting that you talked about how punishments and suspensions can affect a child's learning. I remember when I was in high school, I got in trouble for walking down the hallway with my shirt not tucked in. The Dean was trying to send me to in-school. I thought it was bizarre that they would want me to miss instruction and learning in the classroom because of a silly shirt. This really helps point out that schools that have majority minority populations value discipline and rules more than giving students the education they come to school for. So, when you asked the question "What are better alternatives rather than suspension?", it made me think. Maybe instead of looking at alternatives for suspension, we should be seeing if what the child did calls for discipline at all. Maybe a warning, or a sit-down conversation with the principle would work better than taking the student away from their classroom and their education.
ReplyDeleteI also, love the fact you included Dickerson's poem. I love this poem and refer to it on many occasions. It helps highlight how teachers and administration sometimes forget or overlook the struggles students go through before they walk through the school doors. I believe focusing on discipline and overlooking students’ personal lives can take a toll on students, affect their learning and affect how they view school.
DeleteJamine, I agree one hundred percent with you on your option for an alternative to suspension. Sometimes a student acting out can be a cry for help, and what they need is one on one conversation with a caring adult. As for petty reasons like wrong uniform. They could give a fair warning first, and then talk it out with them, if all else fails then major consequences should take place, but it should never be the first option! Thank you! I also love this poem very much because we never know the student's home struggles, and confuse it with a behavioral issue or think they don't care about school.
DeleteIn your post, you brought up a great example of getting suspended just because your shirt was not tucked in. When we talk about these subjects, I think it can be hard to picture that it is happening, but in reality they are happening all the time in schools. Black and Latino mans are being targeted, because some teachers are not doing enough to get through to them. There is discrimination in classrooms, and I read a book about it last semester in class. It talked about how we stereotype African Americans, instead of embracing their culture, and seeing that in their culture there might be another way for them to learn in a classroom. You bring up a great question, "As elementary school teachers, how can we stop this cycle in our classrooms?". The best answer i can think of for this is to constantly educate yourself on what is happening in the news, and what is happening in the community.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes, indeed such things are happening in schools across america, and the only way we can stop it is by learning about it, and then taking action starting in our classrooms. We have to be the ones who don't fall under the trap of believing in stereotypes, and embraces all cultures in our classrooms. Getting familiar with the community in which you are teaching in is very important because you can find resources for the classroom and students.
DeleteI agree with Hayley, when she said it is hard to picture certain situations that we are told or informed about. But we all know that it happens daily in the education system. For as small as a t shirt not being tucked in which is ridiculous. To another point Hayley brought up about the black and latino men... I remember fall semester last year I was in a class, and we watched a TED Talk and talked about how black men are perceived. Often, mean or as the bad guy. When we know that is not the case for all of African American men. Embracing the culture is a great way to share a truer meaning of any race. How can we stop this cycle? Going out to the neighborhoods I think is a good idea... to get a glimpse of their lively hood. Try to do some projects that allow students to share about their household and their family which will get the students to know that you care academically and personally!
DeleteI like how you put in their how the students are stripped of their literacy when they have a disability. I think this is a big problem in schools today, kids being stripped of their education because of a disability they have. I believe that as future educators we need to find a way to break this cycle, and help all of our students.
ReplyDelete-Taylor Hall
DeleteLearning from experience is exactly what I would like to do in my future class! You mentioned that your literacy was affected by your background, this can go for any student with any culture, race, disability, etc. Us as teachers need to realize that and then we need to take it upon ourselves to do research on the topic the student is faced with because if they can't learn the way we are teaching, then we need to learn a different way to teach them. Every student learns differently and some need a little more help than others, we need to know how to get them this help without them getting discouraged or being embarrassed. If we can't help a student and if we see that they aren't learning, then we need to continue finding alternative ways to help them. Do research, ask other teachers for help, ask the principle if you can get extra help, because usually if there is one student struggling, there are usually multiple kids struggling.
ReplyDeleteI love that you brought up the fact that it's the teachers responsibility to find other ways to teach the child because at least society thinks that if the child doesn't understand something or is falling behind then it's their problem and either they or their parents need to get a tutor or figure out a way at home to learn the material. I personally think that a certain student isn't getting the material for some reason then it is the teachers responsibility to be able to find an alternate way to teach them but without calling them out in front of the whole class. Speaking from personal experience my teacher in 5th grade had to alternate the material a little bit for me. He would sit next to me and my friend and asked if I had any questions and helped me clarify anything that I was struggling on. He did it in such a discrete way that it didn't make me feel embarrassed.
DeleteI'm happy that you shared your experience with us. It really helped me understand better what students of color may be feeling/going through with school. I do want to answer the questions you posed... I think that black and Latino males are being targeted more than white because, unfortunately, there have been terrible stereotypes placed on these boys and men that they are violent and always committing crime. I do believe this was put in place to keep colored students from rising to power. During the Civil Rights Movement, the majority of people did not want people of color in their workplaces or schools. I like to think now that mindset is changing. As elementary teachers, we can stop stereotyping people of color and not punishing them over the smallest of things (like your shirt not being tucked in). A student shouldn't be suspended and taken away from the classroom unless it's absolutely necessary (like they are a legit risk to themselves or others).
ReplyDeleteI think your self experience with a book that you could relate to is very important. When I was in school, as a white female, I never thought about how the books I had access to didn't relate to me, because most of them did. Already in my educational experience at IUPUI, this is something that has really stood out to me in some of my classes, and I want to make sure my classroom library is diverse, so that all of my students can relate and feel welcome and connected in my classroom. In regards to the question about an alternate to suspension, I think an in-school detention room is a good idea because it gives the student a break away from the classroom, where they cans still receive their education and instruction. I also think counseling being offered to students who are struggling with their school work or with behavior, could be a good resource as well.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, you talked about how schools and teachers should teach literacy in and of other cultures and I think this is very important to do when teaching young children. When incorporating diverse lessons and texts into a classroom, I feel like more of the students would feel included in what is being taught rather than being taught about the "norm" in America. It also lets the students experience what other culture is like which could very much interest them to read more about it. When I become a teacher, I will make sure my classroom is very diverse of all culture which would be incorporated in my lessons, classroom decorations, and classroom library because I feel that is essential.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to irrational punishments in the classroom, I have definitely experienced what you have gone through. Not to the extent to where I was suspended from school but I would get kicked out of the classroom for asking my classmate next to me if she understood the content or something as simple as that. Instead of the teacher asking if I needed help, she stripped me away from my academics and that will always stick to me as well for when I do become a teacher.
Sarina Gates^
DeleteEstefani, when I saw that you incorporated the poem "Cause I Ain't Got A Pencil" by Joshua Dickerson, I was excited because I have read this poem multiple times before and it never ceases to make me wonder. Students go through so much in their personal lives and some kids view school as a safe place. So when an educator jumps down their back for not having something as simple as a pencil or for not having their shirt tucked in, as in you and Jasmine's case, it can negatively impact the way students view educators and their importance in the school system. Why would a student want to learn anything let alone literacy from someone who doesn't value their presence. I know that from a personal stand point I enjoyed learning from people who I respected and in turn respected me. They cared whether I understood the material or not. Sure all children have the right to be literate but how can learning occur when students are shown that they and their personal lives don't matter?
ReplyDeleteI relate to your personal experience because I went through a similar experience. I moved to the U.S. when I was in 5th grade, right when literacy and comprehension was a really big thing and we got taken out to read a passage and then without referencing it you had to write a summary. My English at the time was not good at all; even though I went to a bilingual school in Costa Rica my comprehension wasn't the greatest. Those tests really brought my self esteem down because I could never remember what the passage was about and that made me dislike reading and literacy a lot. To this day I still don't really like it. So I agree with you that teachers should modify literacy practices because students come from different places and they also learn at different paces than other students and doing it all the same way discourages other children.
ReplyDeleteAs a future educator I would modify teaching literacy for different students and encourage them to go at their own pace and make sure they know that different students learn differently. I would also bring in more readings that have minorities in them and not readings that portray minorities in a bad way. This way the students can see people like them in a professional way.
Many times in a school setting, minorities don't feel connected to the material that is being taught in class due to the examples not being relatable to their daily lives, not seeing people that look like them in textbooks, etc. Most, but not all, of minorities come from a low/middle class income family which results in their parents working more than usual. This results in their parents not being available for parent-teacher conferences which are important in order to know how their child is doing. Some teachers interpret this as a lack of interest from the parents part and get the idea that the parents are not interested in their childs education. As teachers, it should be our job to get to know our students on a personal level. I can relate to the unreasonable punishments in a school system. I remember in middle school boys would get suspended for sagging. To me, that does not make sense. If we are trying to help kids learn and better themselves, what good are we doing in sending them home for that? That is giving them the impression that them sagging is more important than their education. I think Black and Latino males are being targeted due to their lack of understanding of their backgrounds. Teachers are quick in sending a student out if they are being disruptive but never think that maybe they had a rough morning at home and that's why they're acting out of hand. In order to help a student become engaged in learning, we must help them feel like school is a safe place and their personal lives matter.
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic that I've thought a lot about in the past couple months. The issue of students being denied literacy on the basis of skin color is not really so surprising when you think about it (at least in the sense of how many examples I can think of of this happening). I do have one example that I'll point out. My freshman year, we were put into classrooms to observe the teachers, ask questions, etc. I was put into a classroom of a teacher that was retiring that next year. I've never disliked someone so immediately. She had the room separated into quadrants, but there were four desks sitting almost in opposite corners. Surprise, surprise- the students sitting at them were black. More importantly in this case- they were black males. Now this classroom had no shortage of diversity. In fact, I think I was in the minority in this classroom. What bothered me the most about this situation is that she labeled these four students "problem students". She stuck me with one of the them with the instructions to "Keep him on task". Funny thing is, he didn't need anyone to keep him on task. He was perfectly capable of staying on task. He just had a little extra energy. I didn't understand why the sweet little Hispanic girl in the front row got a gentle reprimand, and this other student I was dealing with would get screamed at for doing the exact same thing. He would get sent out of the class for something as little as dropping his eraser. During popcorn reading, she would purposely skip over these four students, two of which really could've used the extra reading practice.
ReplyDeleteEnd point: I guess my answer is yes, black and latino males are definitely targeted. What I don't understand is why.
This is Paige Boatright, again. ^^^^
DeleteI really connected with your paragraph where you mention the book, Esperanza Rising and how your parents came from Mexico. My parents came from Mexico and didn't know English. With all my homework from school, I didn't have anyone to help me at home because my parents couldn't help me. Many teachers don't see that many of their student's parents migrated from different countries, and English may not be their first language. As future teachers, I would offer tutors for those students that I noticed need help with homework or ask students questions about the homework maybe on a one-on-one level with my students that way if they have questions we can address them. As much as we see this in many schools I think it's absurd to suspend a student for not having their shirt tucked in. In my high school, I saw this a lot mostly on Latino or black students where they were sent to the office for not having a belt on, having the wrong color blue shirt as their uniform or even for being 2 mins late to class. Many of these students were sent to the office where they would be sent home if their parents couldn't bring them a different color shirt. Many parents work and can't take the time to bring them a shirt so these students were usually in detention for the rest of the school day. I believe what good are we doing to better that student's education by letting them sit in detention either on their phones all day or sleeping just for the wrong color shirt.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this article and your thoughts. As I was reading I had so many thoughts of my own. My first thought occurred after I read this sentence, "In smaller words, we should apply literacy practices that apply to all types of cultures because people come from different backgrounds and experiences." This made me think of my grandma on my moms side. My moms mom, knows very little English. Her first and only language is Spanish. So even basic literacy she doesn't fully understand.
ReplyDeleteWhen you talked about the book you read when you were younger and after I read, "I believe we can apply these strategies through books that contain material our students can relate to." This made me think of this book I read in high school called the house on mango street by Sandra Cisneros. My mom has told me so many stories of her childhood and the book was so much like her life experiences. Having books that students can relate to is so great for class discussions, papers, and reflection.
I really enjoyed reading this blog, because it really got me thinking on how things were done in my high school compared to yours. It wasn't as strict, we didn't have uniforms to follow, but we had a dress code which no one really followed for the most part. In connection with that I could wearing a crop top with shorts and most likely get away with it for the whole day. On the other hand, if a black or Hispanic male would be walking down the hall sagging or not wearing an school "appropriate" shirt, they were automatically sent to ISS or to the nurses off to get zip ties on there pants so they don't fall. I believe they took this more serious or into consideration, because they saw sagging as a form of being "bad" or just simply that student being a problem without them actually doing anything, but simply based on their clothes. I couldn't relate a lot to the example you gave with your parents not knowing much English due to the fact my parents had already known English so I often heard it at home. But, when it came to my family members and some cousins this happened to them and they were the ones being held back a grade, because their English wasn't entirely perfect. Instead of helping them with it, they decided to hold them back a year as if that was going to make much of a difference.
ReplyDeleteFirst I would like to thank you for writing this blog and sharing your experience. I had never really considered the fact that some families that speak other languages are sometimes unable to help their children learning English due to the fact that they themselves don't speak, read, or understand it. Often times we think we acknowledge or understand the struggles that children from different backgrounds and ethnicity go through, but sadly we only "understand" what is visible. Due to many of their struggles happening away from prying eyes and behind close doors we only scratch the surface of what they may need from their school community. But with children of color being targeted in schools and branded as trouble makers we will not be able to help them until reach their goals if they aren't in school. Your story and experience of being sent home for an un-tucked shirt is all too common in these recent years of education. It seems as if the newer schools have no interest in fostering relationships with students to help them succeed outside of school. I hope one day future generations of teachers can change that narrative when it come to students (especially of color).
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that the stigmas of the “problem student”, “the student with a disability”, and “the student that cannot speak English” takes away from all of those student’s ability to learn. Pulling students from class or keeping them from learning in anyway as punishment is not the right way to discipline at all. If students are given after school suspension as discipline, then they are at least staying in the classroom for the rest of the day and learning. Discipline is definitely needed but not when focused only on students of color.
ReplyDelete- Deja Shelton