Critical Pedagogy in an Urban High School

I really appreciated this read on Critical Pedagogy. It was a nice change to read something that was almost purely positive when it comes to reforming our educational system. I really enjoyed hearing the theory stated on the second page by Strauss and Corbin that was being drawn by their research. The fact that the two co-teachers didn’t agree on much when it came to ideas, but they both agreed on the fact that students now live in a world where no matter what the teacher wants to think, they will be expected to take and perform well on standardized tests that serve as a gatekeeper for post-secondary education. While I think this is still true, the main focus is that we as teachers need to also have them be able to understand, interpret, and produce products from this information and knowledge. Any teacher can work hard and make their students understand concepts, but do they really understand? Do they understand the relevance of it, the importance of it? I think that’s the next thought process in this idea of critical pedagogy. This also applies to English literacy. It is important students develop linguistic competencies and literacy skills for academic advancement, but it is crucial that they also understand the text and the power of language. Like the article said, it is impossible to be able to critique or refute a text that one does not understand, and critiquing is a huge prerequisite for English literacy. This idea really resonates with me, because in school I was also a stronger reader, but I was not always good at comprehending what I was reading. I really struggled with being able to retain, summarize, or explain what I just read because even though I was able to get through the material quickly, it was not efficient because my mind was not keeping up. This is super important that these problems be addressed in schools, to create not only better readers, but better contributors and interpreters of society through English literacy.

Pedagogy of the Opressed

This article was astonishing to me. Until reading this, I had never heard of the term "banking" in relation to teaching and education. Learning of this concept was very sad to me, because I think it is such poor teaching. When the article talked about teachers being the “depositors” and students being the “depositories”, it really opened up my eyes. I think when we think about teaching, a lot of the time we subconsciously picture this idea. Teachers can get so focused on just getting the information across to the students that sometimes (we) can forget to stress the importance of the information we are trying to teach. There is always a reason for why we are teaching what we are teaching, so it is crucial that students are aware of these reasons.  Students need to be taught what all this information actually means, and why it is relevant to their life.

The idea that students are “containers” and teachers are the ones who fill those containers, is so close minded.  Students are way more than a container that needs to be filled. They are sponges that can absorb endless amounts of water, if they are being taught by the right teacher.  Or, a better metaphor would be students are the plants, and teachers are the watering buckets. We water the plant, and they drink that water to grow stronger and healthier. This metaphor has  way more meaning. Also, students are not the only ones who can participate in the learning, contrary to what the “banking” concept says, teachers can also learn a great deal from the students! I hear my professors say all the time, “I learn so much from you guys.” I think that is one of the coolest parts about teaching. It is a two way street. This banking concept of education to me is mind-boggling, but I am so thankful we have evolved our mindset and are slowly but surely making the education system stronger, more fun, and more effective.

A Teacher's Guide to Standards-Based Grading and Reporting

I really found this article on standards-based grading to be helpful and relevant. I agreed with what the article was saying when it explained the benefits of using standard based grading. I believe that using these standards does help with consistency and accuracy when connecting what is being taught to what is being tested. I liked the point that was made when the article talked about how when students get meaningful feedback on their formative assessment, it directly boosts their motivation and achievement. I believe if students are being reminded that they are doing good work or are getting the correct help they need, they will continue to work hard and complete their assignments with meaningful intentions.
I also thought it was interesting how the article broke apart the importance of both grading and report cards and how they differ for the student. The grading is to communicate to all the stakeholders and to inspire achievement and impact change. The report card communicates separately and shows student achievement toward academic standards. I found these to be helpful to me for when I have my own classroom in the future, I can use both methods effectively and in different ways. I always knew both were important but now I can actually see the relevancy and detail behind both and how they impact students success.
The section on grading criteria and rubrics was really eye opening for me in terms of being relevant in your criteria and making sure you are grading on exactly what is being taught to the students, not on what you think they should know. Making sure there is a clear learning target is really helpful for students to focus on and have an early understanding on what is being taught that day can drastically improve their quality of learning each day. These articles continue to be helpful and eye opening for me as I learn more and more about becoming a teacher one day.

Assignment Template: California's CCSS

This article about California's Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy was perfect timing for me to read because I was just working on my Unit Objectives for my three-week unit plan. It was helpful for me to see the State Standards for what is expected of my students when reading literature and texts with them. I learned the essentials of what I need to prepare my students for as a teacher of ELA by discovering that it is important to assess your students both on the factual information being presented in the text and also key concepts that the text displays. For example, if the students are reading Huck Finn, it is important for them to be able to name the main characters, give a plot overview, as well as answer specific questions about the setting or moral context of the story. However, it is also important to assess them on things like "find a metaphor" and be able to give a description of what a metaphor is. Having the students identify certain language in the text and have them justify why that kind of language is used in that way, is also a good tool for them to grasp and retain what is being read. I learned that there is many ways to assess students on literature, and different teachers can go about it different ways. Before giving any sort of assessment on the material, it is also important that you make sure the students are actually understanding what they are reading. This can be done by having them annotate and analyze the text, jot down key points as they read, and write down questions and have a question/answer discussion after the reading. This sort of structure can allow them to draw helpful conclusions before they are assessed. All of these are new, enlightening ideas that I have learned since reading about CCSS in depth.