Week 1 Reflection

Before reading these various texts, I had a very narrow view of what critical literacy was and how to incorporate that into my daily instruction. I believed that critical literacy was mostly incorporating texts that included different cultures or providing students with texts that focused on tough issues such as homelessness or bullying. I am happy to say that I now have a broader sense of critical literacy and how it can become a way of doing things in our classrooms. There were many interesting and thought provoking ideas and themes across the different resources that were provided this week. Some specific points that stood out to me include allowing students to have more say in what is learned, the importance of multiple ways of knowing, and creating justice-oriented citizens.

I love the idea of building curriculum around student questions, interests, and passions (Vasquez, Tate, & Harste, 2013). I think students would be so much more engaged in their learning if the curriculum was focused around their inquiries and based off of questions that they would like to explore as opposed to the curriculum being centered around preselected information for each subject area (Leland & Harste, 1994). In a resolution on teacher expertise and the common core standards, the NCTE (2012) encouraged policymakers, school leaders, and legislators to respect the teachers’ expertise as they provide students with choices that will cultivate motivation and engagement and choose materials centered around students’ interests in order to provide a deeper understanding of various critical issues.

 While I love this idea and truly believe it would keep students more engaged, I do have a difficult time wrapping my head around how to make this type of meaningful learning happen. There is so much expected of educators today and so many skills they are expected to teach their students to the extent of mastery. With all of these expectations, teachers feel pressured to stick to the curriculum, therefore not giving much time to areas of interest because those areas of interest are not what the government deemed important. I am not sure how classroom teachers can find the balance of following what is expected of them while still doing what is best for students and giving them time to explore topics that are of interest to them. I do not have the answers to finding this balance, but it is definitely something worth looking into.

A second idea that stood out to me throughout the readings was that of multiple ways of knowing. I have always told my students that as long as they can show me or prove to me in some way that they know something, I will accept other ways of knowing other than whatever way we may have focused on in class. After reading this week through, I found myself reflecting on the times I told student that and wondering if I truly allowed them to show me multiple ways of knowing. When I think about how I have taught literacy, it has always focused around reading and writing. After reading, I have realized that reading, writing, and language are not the only ways to show that a student knows something. I have always thought that I have given my students equal access to his/her education, but now that I reflect, I am not sure if that is entirely true. What about the students that struggle with language, ELL students, or students that cannot communicate through language at all?  Did I provide them opportunity to use the other ways of knowing?

The sign systems of art, music, mathematics, drama, and language were created to express meaning. When educators only allow students to express their understanding through language, many different perspectives and understandings will be left out. Allowing students to show what they know through these different signs provides them with the opportunity to share new perspectives that can now be understood and valued. Utilizing the different signs allows all students’ educations to be broadened.  (Leland & Harste, 1994).

Finally, through the readings this week, I feel that I gained a much better understanding of critical literacy and that it means much more than reading texts that deal with critical issues. I understand now the importance of teachers creating justice-oriented students. These types of students engage in efforts that could change and benefit their communities and the lives of the people that live there. These types of students challenge common ways of thinking and things that have been accepted the way they are for many years. Incorporating critical literacy into the classroom means looking more closely at an important problem or issue and making others aware of it. It means taking that issue and acting on it to make a positive change (Vasquez, Tate, & Harste, 2012). Teachers might read several texts that focus on an important issue and the students may do research of their own, but the work doesn’t stop there. The students collaborate together to actively improve the problem or issue.

Allowing students more choice to improve engagement, multiple ways of knowing, and creating justice-oriented students were three important takeaways I had from this week’s readings. These readings have allowed me to do some deeper reflecting on my previous teaching practices as well as given me new perspectives and understandings on how to incorporate critical literacy into a curriculum that is engaging and meaningful to students. 

Resources

Leland, C. & Harste, J. (1994). Multiple ways of knowing: Curriculum in a new key. Language Arts 

71(5), 337-345.

NCTE (2012). Resolution on teacher expertise and the common core state standards. http://www2.ncte.org/resources/position-statements/all/#Curriculum/185

Vasquez, V., Tate, S., & Harste, J. (2013). Negotiating critical literacies with teachers. New York, NY: Routledge.