Dr. J's Education Blog

What is a Reflective Learning Journal?

A reflective learning journal is a means of recording ideas, personal thoughts and experiences, as well as reflections and insights candidates experience during during their Touro TESOL/Bilingual journey. Reflective journal writing requires candidates to think more deeply, confront their values and beliefs, and encourages them to pose questions.

Assignment:

In your reflective journal, you will be required to critically analyze and synthesize the information you are learning into your personal thoughts and philosophy, integrate what the learning may mean to you as a teacher, and to guide you to identify your future professional development needs.

The reflective learning journal also provides faculty with insights regarding your learning so that they may respond to questions and explore topics that need further clarification. Lastly, the journal provides you take charge of your own learning and to develop the habits of a reflective, lifelong educator (adapted from Assessment Resources, HUK, 2012).

Touro TESOL/Bilingual teacher candidate Elias Y. Taveras submitted a deeply thoughtful reflection. It is a priviledge and honor to read such submissions as they help me grow both professionally and personally.

Mr. Taveras embodies : “Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together.” ― Scott Hayden

Mr. Taveras currently serves as a teacher in the Bronx, NY. He migrated from the Dominican Republic when he was in middle school and grew up in the city ever since. Mr. Taveras received a Bachelor of Art in Journalism from SUNY Buffalo State and later completed his master’s in Bilingual Education at The City College of New York. Mr. Taveras wrote that “…above everything else, I am a single father and a teacher of kindness.”

Mr. Taveras’ Reflective Journal on Affirming Diversity

1. Description of Highlight(s) – chapter, article or event that pertains to ___________course. (20 pts.)
   For this reflection, I have chosen to write about chapter two of Affirming Diversity. The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education by Sonia Nieto. Chapter two is titled Defining Multicultural Education for School Reform. The chapter begins with Sonia Nieto explaining that for many years she has heard through conversation with educators that multicultural education is a “done deal” that is not needed. Such a statement reflects on how misunderstood diversity is in our country. Furthermore, when people begin to have conversations about diversity it is usually about sensitivity training, units about ethnic holidays, food festivals. When schools take this approach to multicultural education the potential for lasting change is decimated. The chapter breaks down the definition of multicultural education as an essential tool for school reform by analyzing seven primary characteristics. The definition highlights the lack of achievement on students of diverse backgrounds and promotes the content and process of education. It is also mentioned that multicultural education will not serve as the solution for the achievement gap, put an end to boring curriculums, or stop vandalism in the communities. Nonetheless, multicultural education can provide change and reform to the educational system. The chapter breaks the definition of multicultural education into seven characteristics meant to detain us from developing one way of understanding multicultural education. Instead, they are meant to entice us into thinking about the interplay between societal and school structure and context and how those factors affect learning. Sonia Nieto defines multicultural education on a social-political basis: “Multicultural education is a process of comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students. It challenges and rejects racism and other forms of discrimination in society and accepts and affirms the pluralism (ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic, gender, and sexual orientation, amongst others) that students, their communities, and teachers reflect. Multicultural education permeates the school’s curriculum and intuitional strategies as well as the interactions amongst teachers, students, and families and the very way that schools conceptualized the nature of teaching and learning,” (p. 32). The chapter continues to die peeper into multicultural education.
2. Initial Emotional Response (surprised, embarrassed, sad, inspired, excited, puzzled, etc.) (5 pts.)
   Reading about the highlighted brought a mix of emotions and it forced me to reflect on my past experiences as an educator and professional. Specially because some of the examples in the chapter had to do with topics and lessons that I had already thought about in the past. Moreover, if I could select an emotion that overwhelmed all the others after reading about the topic it would have to be an embarrassment. I felt embarrassed at different levels because there were numerous aspects of multicultural education that I had no idea about and there were many realizations about my behavior and that of my colleagues that were indeed embarrassing. Reading the chapter I first felt embarrassed when Sonia Nieto mentions: “unfortunately when multicultural education is mentioned, many people think of lessons in human relations and sensitivity training, units about ethnic holidays, education in inner-city schools, or food festivals. If multicultural education is limited to these issues, the potential of substantive change in school is severally diminished,” (p. 32). This let me feeling embarrassed because at my school and specifically in my classroom we have celebrated many events about a different culture. For black history month, we would briefly go over historical figures and their impact on history. For Ramadan, we would read a book about Islam and have the kids discuss it. However, the worst of the worst was when Cinco de Mayo would roll around, and all across the school, we would be celebrating Mexican culture with a holiday that real Mexicans do not even celebrate. After doing these food/cultural events we would feel proud and we would check the box for multicultural education in our heads.
   Learning Process
3. Prior Assumptions or Opinions about the described highlight (10 pts.)
   One major assumption I had before reading chapter two of Affirming Diversity was about the way I was teaching history and historical figures of the black community was a sufficient method of teaching using multicultural education. One major example of my pedagogy that was also reflected in this reading was the teaching of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Whenever the time of the year came for this holiday we simply rolled out the tapes and recording of I had a dream. I would make the students watch the speech and discussing the importance of the events that led to the speech. I would later introduce the language objective in which students had to think of ways they could make the world better through their dreams. This was achieved using the infamous and famous starter words of I had a dream. Students would first think of ways the world needed to be changed and then they would use the sentence starter to initiate their solution or their ideal world. I was assuming that it was relevant for me to stop there and move on from teaching them anything more about Martin Luther King Jr.
4. Source of Assumption or Opinion What made you have such an assumption? (5 pts.)
   The source of my assumption that sanitizing historical figures was a way to teach multicultural learning is unknown to me. There could be many different reasons why I had this assumption. On the other hand, the best answer to this question could be the ignorance. Before reading this chapter I was not aware of the term sanitizing the curriculum. Moreover, I grew up in the Bronx in the mix of a dance Black and Latino population. There were no white students ever around me until I got to university. The teachers that gave me my education in middle school and high school were mostly white but even the few teachers of color that I had all taught these topics the same way or similar to me. It is possible that because I grew up watching the educators of color teach about prominent historical figures by only touching the surface of the topic. There was no deeper connection to us or our experience as individuals of color in the United States. We were also never though the negative actions of these figures so part of my assumption could have been a result of always merely scratching the surface.
5. Assumption/Opinion Check – Validation/Invalidation (20 pts.)
   Reading this chapter was shocking, embarrassing, and eye-opening at the same time. This was because it allowed me to humble myself and learn about a practice or assumption that I had in the past. My assumption that teaching about rich colorful and deep historical characters by merely mentioning them or scratching the surface of what they are known for was invalidated. Often time I avoided talking about racism and speaking openly about the problem with many historical figures and events. This was invalidated when Sonia Nieto said: “Too many schools avoid confronting, honestly and directly, the negative effects of history, the arts, and sciences. Michael Fine has called this the “fear of Learning,” and it is part of the system of silencing public schools,” (p. 33). At this instant, my previous opinion was checked. Avoiding diving deeper into history and inclosing the negative sides of what happened to us was wrong. Avoiding to speak to my students about the racism that their ancestors faced was not doing them any favors or improving the deep of conversation they could have with each other. In order to protect their feelings I rejected talking about people and experiences that were crucial and similar to theirs. Maybe I did not want to remind them of something that they experience every day but it was the wrong choice because instead I sanitized or clean up the topics my students could embark on.
6. Realization/Aha Moment or Epiphany (20 pts.)
   Chapter two provided me with many realizations or aha moments. The most significant one that I can think of because I teach it every year to my students was when Sonia Nieto used Dr. Martin Luther King Jr as an example of sanitizing characters. It was a perfect example of what it is like to only scratch the surface with a topic to fulfill a requirement in the curriculum. Sonia Nieto states: “The only thing children know about him is that he kept “having a dream.” School bulletin boards are full of ethereal pictures of Dr. King surrounded by clouds. If children get to hear or read any of his speeches at all, it is his “I Have a Dream” speech. As inspirational as this speech is, it is only one piece of his notable accomplishments. (p.33). Nieto continues to explain that educators barely explore more of the life of Dr. King: “Rare indeed are allusions to his early and consistent oppositions to the Vietnam War; his strong criticism of unbridled capitalism; and the connection he made near the end of his life among racism, capitalism, and war. This sanitation of Martin Luther King, a man full of passion and life, renders him an oversimplified, lifeless figure, in the process making him a “safe hero,” (p.33). reading this hit home because I am certain that if I ask any of my students from this past year about Dr. King all they would say is I have a dream. They would not even possess the knowledge or the academic language to further explains the accomplishments of such an important person in our history. Furthermore, that is why I am extremely thankful to have gotten the opportunity to read Affirming Diversity. I would not have thought about how my students are affected by the lack of real colorful and truthful teaching. I now understand that it is extremely important to push past discomfort to have conversations that are uncomfortable but challenging to students. Without this kind of work, students will walk out of my class without the ability to properly discuss the world around them.
7. Implications for future teaching practice (20 pts.)
   Due to the realization that my prior assumption was invalidated, I have now realized that there can be many changes made in my teaching. I have to begin to plan out units to identify the topics that are going to be impactful for them. I want to allow students to have an impact on some of the material that we study in class. I want to allow students to be surveyed and to share their opinions as to what they should learn. Subsequently, also allowing them to bring in their own experiences through inquiry questions. I plan to have questioners at the beginning and end of every unit. In this way, I could use their prior knowledge to guide the direction of the unit. I can also use these questions to find out if any of the students have possible real-life connections to the topic. For instance, if we are learning about ending slavery and Abraham Lincoln and through inquiry I find out that one of the students has a relative that has a connection or history with slavery or the ending of. It could be possible to contact that person to come in to speak to the students. To have the students prepare questions and make their experiences and the ones of their family members validated and appreciated by all. Another major step I must take after my realization is planning how I am going to teach my third graders stronger academic language that will help them understand the complexities of history and politics. If we plan to research Dr. King beyond “I Have a Dream,” my students need to understand ideas like communism and capitalism. In the end, there is much work to be done that will be active and heavily involving of the student’s opinions, experiences, and expectations. The reason why it will be difficult but rewarding is that antiracism education is not done inactively. As Sonia Nieto stated in chapter two: “To be anti-racist is not a passive act; it proposes working actively to combat racism…it means making anti-discrimination explicit parts of the curriculum and teaching young people skills in confronting racism.” (p. 33).
   Bibliography
8. 
   Nieto, Sonia & Bode, Patty (2018). Affirming Diversity. The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education. Seventh Edition, Pearson, New York

In synchronous online courses discussion boards are an integral part of student analysis and peer cross-pollination. Touro TESOL Candidate Jason Madrick submitted a thoughtful, reflective, exemplary discussion board contribution for the course Theory and Practice of Bilingual and Multicultural Education EDPN-671. This course reviews the impact of historical, legal, sociological, and political issues in relationship to the education of culturally and linguistically diverse students. It is designed to prepare bilingual and ESOL teachers to work successfully with language minority students, in the context of bilingual ESL programs. It includes the study of the historical, psychological, social, cultural, political, theoretical and legal foundations of bilingual education programs in the United States. Students will examine and analyze different bilingual program models so that they may apply such knowledge to the implementation of pedagogically effective practices for second language learners using both the L1 and the L2 in curriculum implementation. Communication with parents and families concerning students’ academic and social outcomes will be highlighted. The course supports Touro College’s commitment to preparing educational professionals to work in diverse urban and suburban settings. Students explore the evolution of attitudes regarding bilingualism and multiculturalism in the United States. Emphasis is placed on developing multicultural competence as educators, with areas of focus including cross-cultural communication in the classroom and with parents; how the language and culture of the home and the community impact student learning; cultural factors in the relationships between the school and the community. Models of multicultural and bilingual education will be presented and analyzed. Includes 10 hours of fieldwork.

Jason Madrick was born and raised in Queens, NY. He has been an illustrator, musician, and overall creative person. Mr. Madrick is graduate of Syracuse University with BA degrees in Biology and Anthropology and minors in Sociology and Education. He has taught as a substitute teacher in public elementary schools in Queens, and then in the UPK program for more than a decade combined. Jason Madrick wrote: “I look forward to embarking on the next stage of my career in education being employed by the NYC DOE this coming fall and using my artistic and musical talents, love of reading, nature, science and more to convey and hopefully instill a love of learning in my future students.”

The Discussion Board prompts are in Italic

In your own words, provide a brief summary (4-6 sentences) of one of the major concepts presented in Chapter 1: Affirming Diversity, The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education. Seventh Edition, Pearson, New York (Nieto, Sonia & Bode, Patty,2018). You may select any concept within the chapter. Choose one that you find unique, interesting, and/or worthy of intellectual discussion.

Jason Madrick : In the last section of Chapter One of our text “Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education” by Sonia Nieto and Paddy Bode, one of the concepts that caught my attention was the influence of private industry in public schools, and the heavy focus on high stakes standardized testing. These testing practices had grown out of the policies and curriculum changes that can be linked back to the publication of the “A Nation at Risk” in 1983. (Nieto & Bode, 2018). From there, the No Child Left Behind Act or NCLB continued this trend of focusing on high stakes testing, and the links between private industries and charter schools in particular is alarming in the enormous influence they have on our public education system in the United States. The “testing industrial complex” (Nieto & Bode, 2018) is a term I had not heard before reading this chapter, but it seems incredibly accurate to me based on my own observations and experiences with the company who has published every text book I have used so far in graduate school, Pearson. Pearson is also the same company I had to gather and input data for during my recent teaching experiences in the UPK program. Described in this chapter as a “monstrous carnivore” that devours public school funding, (Nieto & Bode, 2018) Pearson, I think is just one example of the many private companies whose quest for profits is in direct conflict with the noble goals of public education.

Provide a brief discussion/introduction/explanation of the sociopolitical context of your school environment. If you don’t currently work in a school, you may choose to discuss your workplace or school that you attended. Provide some background information so that others can build an understanding of your specific environment.

Jason Madrick: I am currently not teaching during this school year, but I would like to discuss the sociopolitical context of the two schools I worked at through the UPK program. The first of these schools was located in Whitestone, Queens, and the second location was in Jamaica, Queens. I think my familiarity with those schools is more up to date than my own elementary school experiences, though the memories and details of those years are still very much intact. The first school where I taught in the UPK program was located in Whitestone, Queens in what I would classify as a middle class to upper middle class, to wealthy in terms of economic resources for the area and families of students who attended this school. There was even a golf course and country club located within walking distance of the school. The population of the school included students from several different cultural backgrounds including White, African-America, Latino, and Asian students. Religious faiths represented among the student and family populations included Christianity, Judaism, Muslim, and Athiest/Agnostics. The languages spoken by students included English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. The majority of the teaching and administrative staff at this school was predominantly White and from a middle to upper middle class background. There were four general education UPK classrooms at this school.

The second school location that I was teaching in UPK was located in Jamaica, Queens. This school was predominantly a 4410 program, with a dozen special education classrooms, but had created four to five integrated UPK classrooms in their basement. These integrated classes were meant to be populated by half general education students, and half special education students. The cultural and religious backgrounds of the students and families at this school was predominantly Latino, Southeast Asian, and African-Americans. There were also White and Asian students present in the program as well. The economic background of many of the families based on my limited observations as well as limits of communication due to language differences at this school I think definitely represented a larger proportion of lower income families, including those who were on public assistance and/or homeless. Religious faiths at this school included Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindu, and Atheist/Agnostics. There were multiple languages spoken by students at home including English, Spanish, Chinese, Bangali, Punjabi, and Urdu. Among the staff including lead teacher and teaching assistants there are a number of languages spoken besides English including Spanish, Arabic, Bangali, Punjabi, Urdo, Chinese, and Russian. One observation and big difference I noticed between these two schools I taught at was the huge increase in absences and habitual lateness of students at this second location compared to the school in Whitestone. I had some students from the two classes I taught at this school that had missed more than a third of the total scheduled days of class.

Comment on one of the videos presented in this week’s readings. This is slightly flexible, but have fun with it. Choose something within the video to discuss here in this board. It could be something you enjoyed learning, something you disagree with, or something that sparked curiosity.

Jason Madrick: I enjoyed watching the Ted Talk video featuring Elijah Jones on Diverse Education for a student in the Education System, TEDxYouth@Wilmington. Elijah is a student at a private school and spends much of his talk discussing how socioeconomic matters have a significant impact on the resources, both materials and instructional talent that are available to students depending on where the live and their economic means. Ultimately he speaks about how our public school system has become increasingly segregated along racial and socioeconomic lines. At one point he mentions that at his private school, there weren’t any “teachers of color” and that he felt like he was “definitely not in Kansas anymore”. His private school had given him access to top level resources, teachers and extracurricular activities. He laments that what it does not provide him with is a substantial level of diversity among his peers, and that this is not going to be helpful for his future. This future he discusses is the one in which the population of students in the USA is rapidly changing both along cultural and ethnic lines, but also along economic ones. He states at one point that recently, and for the first time, more than half of all school age children are from low income families. Elijah continues to speak towards the ideal that to live in an increasingly multicultural society, he, and other students need and should be exposed to a diverse student population, as well as being able to have access to proper learning resources and instructors. He also says that for race relations and divisions among the people of this country to improve, that discussions and opportunities to talk about these relations and problems need to continue.

References

Nieto, Sonia & Bode, Patty (2018). Affirming Diversity. The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education. Seventh Edition, Pearson, New York