Memo Blog Post # 3

September 15, 2018
Memo Blog Post # 3

“You just got to keep on trying”

Making Waves by Recognizing and Responding to Small Moments

Written by Stephanie Jones (Chapter 2) 

The story display on chapter two tell a story of a young boy name Mack. Mack is a kindergarten student whose connection with his teacher and teacher’s aide seemed to far away. “The gap between us seems difficult to navigate” stated the teacher (Jones page 15). I immediately became curious to find out how his teacher was going to bring Mack back to join them. The teacher tried hard to connect with the student. We all can relate to this situation since we all have one of few Mack’s in our classrooms. Mack’s story also reminded my own story as a newcomer 28 years ago. I came to a new country and I brought my rich cultural background, which I thought would be on my side until I got immersed into the new culture. Just like Mack, I felt distant, lost, not connected since I was being thrown into a place where I did not understand the language nor the way people interacted with others. It took me sometime to adjust to the new system. I wanted to share my family story, but was not able to do so. I This quote “ Their and their families have important stories to tell, and I must hear them, using these experiences to strengthening, improve and even reinvent existing school curriculum” (Jones Page 18). 

I truly believe that teachers who allow their students and families share their story really helps both student and teacher create a strong connecting that will promote active engagement and will provide students with opportunity to strengthening the connection between home and school. 

Unfortunately, many of the students we have in our classroom do not come to school with an “abundance of economic or cultural capital” Mac’s story tells the readers that the system wanted him to “get it together”. I ask myself, how is a student supposed to get it together when they have much bigger problems than just learning the new curriculum. Student’s life experience and unique background knowledge will always positioned them at a disadvantage since it does not conform to the new curriculum or culture. This results in students being disconnected from their current reality. In FNED 502 I learned that student(s) who are not allow to express their feelings, tell their own story will certainly make them feel they do not have voice. They feel that they do not matter. They lose confidence, faith, trust in the system and people who are supposed to help them succeed. They feel trapped.

I believe Mack felt trapped, isolated and powerless. An educator who care and want to help their student become successful learner not only is focused on education the child, but it goes above and beyond to make sure they feel welcome and valued. For many educators making connections) with the student’s family can be a daunting and scaring task, especially when the families speak a language other than the target language (in this case English). 

Undoubtedly, schools, parents, and the community which work together certainly welcomes and promotes the health, well being, and learning of all students. Family and community involvements foster partnerships among schools, family and community groups, and individuals. These partnerships result in sharing and maximizing the home and school connection; which allows the exhibition of children and youth healthy behaviors and active learning. Collaborative learning happens when all members are closely connected and engaged with a goal of children’s academic and social process. I loved how Ms. MCCreight went above and beyond to create a home and school connection in order to help Mack become part of her classroom family. Mack’s teacher wanted him to share his home stories, which could be weaved into the school environment. This fact deepen her willingness to pay attention to the “small moments we shared” (page 18). Student stories became the bridge that connected home and school. 

The authors continue to remind the reader(show student and family stories connect the classroom with school and the community. Creating and building up healthy connection does not happen by itself. All members involved must work together in order to create this healthy, safe learning environment. After reading this chapter I will commit to take time to listen to my student’s stories. Middle School Educators, find it a little harder to sit back and listen to and pay attention to our students since unlike Elementary students, Middle School students se 6 or 7 different teachers every other day. This year We actually started to get to know our students by creating/building connection to their families and to what they know. All students have an interesting story to tell. Making connections from home to school helps us not only to get to know our students, but it helps us build on student’s prior knowledge. This technique promotes acceptance and it allows students to engage more in class discussion(s). Students will engaged and fully participate in meaningful learning.

Wonderings to be done “Finding Your Question”

Written by Beverly Falk and Megan Blumenreich (Chapter 3)

Both Megan Blumenreich and Beverly Falk wanted to inform its readers about the steps to take in order to find and identify the appropriate research question to be explored in a research project. We also learned in last class that developing a good research question is one of the first critical steps in the research process. The research question, when appropriately written, will guide the researcher as he/she is looking for a logical argument in the construction of the project. The research question should be a clear, focused question. One that summarizes the issue that the researcher will investigate. 

The chapter provided couple of examples which will become handy when is time to formulate our own research question(s) for this class. Reading this chapter made me realized how much time we spend preparing ourselves “to answer other people’s questions” (Falk and Blumenreich page 21). Both authors understand that it can take a while for people to understand how research can be for their practice. 

I am hopeful that while thinking of what I will like to focus my research on, I will get a better understanding on how to formulate a question or questions which will add purpose and meaning to me and to what I will be exploring. Both authors remind their readers that, “an important characteristic of inquiry-oriented questions for teacher research is that they are particular, not universal” (Falk and Blumenreich page 24). When conducting research, teachers need to keep in mind that inquiries will be individualized according to what is going on in the classroom.

Educators need to focus on one or couple of issues/concerns to be addressed. The chapter provide suggestions and examples of how to formulate the essential question and subsequent questions which will be vital when determining what we are going to explore and examine. I hope I can take advantage of the chapter suggestions and examples and I certainly hope I am able to gain a deeper understanding at creating new outcomes, ideas, and arguments as I engage in the experiment concerning the realities associated with my teaching practice.