Book Club for Teaching

(picture from amazon.com)

For insights into multicultural education and student experiences, I read Gregory Michie's Holler If You Hear Me.  It had been an option in my English 276 class, but that semester I opted for a different book that also happened to be about an inner-city classroom.  It think if I'd read this book then, I would have missed a lot of the insight it gave into forming a more culturally responsive pedagogy.

Disturbances

The book starts out with a conversation of students of mixed heritage making fun of "white people names."  I have to admit, that made me uncomfortable and I wondered that the teacher put so much effort into dispelling stereotypes about some races, but tolerated them for more dominant races. But of course,I noted that white people really aren't usually under much threat and typically experience greater privilege.  It was disturbing to see how huge of a influence the portrayal of people of minority races had on the way that the students in the books perceived themselves.  Several of the students spoke as though they felt trapped, that they had no other choice than to fall into stereotypical roles because society would continue to respond to them the same way no matter what.  Students of minorities and in poverty have a lot to deal with.  It's disturbing how difficult in can be for them to get out of their life situations.   It's disrupting to see how complacent teachers who see this over and over again become, or even to see that - despite our effort and influence - many students will still fall through the cracks.  It makes me feel stressed at what I can do and what influence I can be in the face of such unfavorable odds.

Issues

Racism
The book at one point tells the story of a kid named Reggie, who faced a lot of prejudice from his Mexican-American peers.  One day, he was attacked by a policeman just for being black in the wrong neighborhood.  This story was particularly disturbing.  Police are supposed to support justice and his actions against a young kid were outrageous. The action, however, that Mr. Michie and the other members of the school took against the policeman was inspiring.  Racism is a serious issue in schools and I hope to be the sort of teacher who offers students help in standing against it.  I also want to help them have a positive self image to defy the preconceived notions of others.  Despite their efforts, though, Reggie still struggled with feeling alone and discriminated against.

Poverty
One of the schools where the writer taught had a camping trip and there was a girl who couldn't go because her parents wouldn't buy her some of the items on the list.  Because she couldn't go, she came up with a terrible rumor about her teacher. I certainly was disturbed in realizing that was a thing that could happen, but also that something so small could keep her from sharing a valuable experience with her peers and effect her so much.  The book is full of stories of children in working class families who's opportunities in life are severely limited because of income, or the lack of it.  It is something that can have a huge impact on student performance in school and the paths that their lives take forever afterward.

Language and Culture
The cultures that are presented at the school include a variety of races and many of the students are from Hispanic backgrounds. Spanish words are used commonly and students take advantage of the teacher's lack of Spanish to make fun of him and others.  It also provides difficulties and barriers for them. The language is also associated with the identity and culture of the students.  It sets them apart. One of the activities that Mr. Michie implements to help in this area is to have his students read The House on Mango Street.  Because of some reading and language difficulties, he gets some girls to read the book and record it for other students to listen to.  The book offers a lot of cultural connection for the students and uses words that the students understand and are even surprised to find in print.  See their language and story helps validate who they are.  I want to offer such connections to my students through literature or other means so that they can recognize the value in their culture and language.

Gender
One of the students spend much of her middle school year arguing for the rights of women.  She thinks women should have all the opportunities they want, but when she has children at a young age she is hit with a reality that her society doesn't offer much opportunity to women with children.  She continues to argue for equality, but her voice seems to fade in the middle of circumstance.  Gender expectations are fairly prominent in the neighborhood are a part of what makes gang violence so prominent, as men are expected to be violent.  Gender equality is one of the issues that Michie has his students explore in class, but which many students find uninteresting and don't connect with.  It had me wondering, how do we get students motivated about things that are important?  How do we show them that these things effect their lives?

Responses

See Them
Michie tells the story of a gang in the first school he taught in that took a pretty firm grip of many of his students.  One of the teachers, called "Preacher,"  This teacher was firm against the concepts of gang and made it clear that he did not tolerate violence or gang activity in school.  However, he also would still see the students as people.  He saw their inner potential to succeed.  Mr. Michie tried to follow his example and saw his students as people first, even when they got themselves into terrible situations.  It think that is particularly important, that we see out students as humans, humans capable of many things no matter what they struggle with.

Listen
At one point in the story, a student writes a letter to a teacher which the teacher completely ignores.  You feel the frustration of the student who is trying to succeed, but isn't being listened to.  This reminds me of the article we read about the white teachers not listening to minority teachers on how to teach minority students.  Mr. Richie, throughout the book, takes a lot of time to listen to his students.  He listens to them as a group when he isn't sure how best to teach them and lets them have say in the way things are done in the classroom.  Even more important, when students are struggling, he doesn't brush them off, but instead takes time to listen to them and their needs.  One girl who performed very well in school suddenly started missing and her grades dropped.  He took her aside and talked to her and listened in a way no one else would.  He very possibly changed her life.  I want to be a teacher who listens. It seems the most important way that we can reach out students.

Talk About It
A class is formed in the book where the students analyse TV programs and other sources of media critically.  Michie uses this class as a way to bring important concepts to the students minds.  He has them so entire units on racism, sexism, and stereotypes.  The students in this class are able to look at what the world is portraying and discern it from reality.   Michie makes sure that his students have a clear understanding of their situation and the injustices around them.  Talking about the issues brings them to the students' awareness and is in small ways the first steps of trying to really change things and change people's perspectives, even when students still fall into the traps like drugs and gangs that haunt their neighborhood.

Act
I think that the school's response to Reggie's mistreatment was a good show of how a teacher actually took action.  It wasn't just then though that the teacher made clear moves for change.  Throughout the book, he encourages the students to write to figures of authority and do other things that he hopes will show them the power they have to act.  He follows through with his end of the deal and sent letters to the mayor at one time.  In one setting, they discuss how people can change the world and he is always encouraging them to try and act.  A teacher who really wants to make a difference has to be brave enough to act on behalf of their students and take a stance as we talked about in class.

Conclusion

From this book, I learned a lot about the work it takes as a teacher to have culturally aware teaching.  I learned that listening to students is of the utmost importance.  Students will face all kinds of struggles.  Some of these will be things that I might not want to deal with, but I need to be aware and help students where I can.  I need to show them that I am someone that can support them and whom they can trust.  I will never be able to help them if I don't know what they need help with, thus I need to take time to listen carefully to them.   I need to be careful to see my students for who they really are and not by quick labels that I might be tempted to throw on them based on slight actions or backgrounds.  I need to see them as human first.  I also witnessed the power a teacher has to take action and make lasting differences in student's lives. I need to be a brave teacher, not only in acting and listening, but also in talking about issues.  I can't be afraid to speak out against injustice or bullying.  I have to have the courage to face issues and get my students to think critically about the things that society tells them or the ideas others press on them. Another things that Mr. Michie demonstrated throughout the book was a particular way of reaching his students on their level with their culture.   I want to be a teacher who also goes to the measures it takes to help students learn by using what they know and catering to their interests and needs.  I think this book is a great one to read if anyone wants insights on how to be a more culturally aware teacher.