Blog # 5

Teachers : Cost of Living Matters More

The chart on elementary teacher pay was very interesting. Beaumont, TX and Memphis, TN were the 2 cities that had raised their adjusted salary. The three other cities should have a much higher cost of living, so it really doesn't make sense why these teachers are paid so little. The article maes a very valid point in stating that by knowing what the teacher's dollar will buy locally is much more effective than knowing just the dollar amount. For example, the cost of living in Memphis is 11% below the national average, yet Memphis teachers are receiving 5,800 dollars more than the average annual salary. This doesn't really make sense.

My Own Thoughts and Opinions

Growing up I always heard people talk about the fact that teachers do not get paid well at all. As a High School student considering my college path, I was discouraged by this fact. I never understood (and still don't) why teachers didn't make tons of money. Everyone knows that teacher's play a crucial role in pretty much everyone's life. Without teachers, we could possibly be an illeterate, uneducated country. Yet, our athletes are the major bread winners of this country. Yes, they do have the opportunity to become great role models for today's youth, but I believe a teacher's role is much more important.

After reading this article, I realized that teachers should receive pay based on their cost of living (along with other factors, of course). This crucial factor shold be considered in salary. In my teaching experiences abroad, I remember having to consider my cost of living when I took a job. I was paid well when teaching in Tokyo, considering the cost of living. However, when I heard my salary for teaching in Mexico, I thought it sounded way too low. Once I researched the cost of living, it made sense . This is such an obvious thing, and I think the US should be on the same boat.

Multiculturalism in the Curriculum

As a young child in elementary school, I never thought about multiculturalism. I can remember learning about different countries and cultures across the world, but it was never something I thought about as a young learner. This article by Adam Waxler makes me reevaluate my past classroom curriculum. I completely agree with the views of Waxler in his article Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. All cultures must be included when teaching history, but like he says, it must do so in a way that does not require segregation. I agree with his point about not separating months for different cultures. This is more like segregation and sends the wrong message to learners of all ages. In my opinion, when a teacher incorporates everything into the curriculum, it is more like "real life". We shouldn't only respect and understand the history of African Americans once a month. We should do this on a daily basis. Life is not separated like that. I like all of Waxler's examples of each unit where he finds a way to incorporate diversity into the units.

"New Civil Rights Movement"

I feel like I am always hearing something on the news about the latest with the immigration laws. I am always skeptical of these laws because I personally feel like our laws are too strict on immigration. In blog number 3, we examined the views of certain groups that were worried about "losing all the whites" in this country. As I have stated before, I believe that the US is the melting pot and should continue to be known as such. Niko Kyriakou discusses the nationwide protests that mark the rise of a new American civil rights movement. The difference seems to be that now the US in not concerned with only one minority group, like the mid 1900's civil rights struggle, but now all minorities are involved. The US is expanding culturally everyday. I agree with Niko when she states that this issue is more than just about the immigrants. These issues concern all under-privileged people in the United States.



While I was teaching English in Mexico, I had many students complain about how difficult it was to get visa to the United States. They said it was really expensive and very complicated to receive a visa to do simple things such as shopping or visiting family on the other side of the border. I had no idea things like this took place. It made me ashamed of my country, because I felt like we were being "snobbish" to other countries. I also thought it was interesting when Kyriakou discusses the issue with immigrants needing to pay their back taxes, learn English, and follow a number of requirements. While living and teaching English in three countries abroad, I was never forced to learn their language. I was also never discriminated against due to my lack of fluency in the language of the country. I know it can be frustrating when people living in the US do not speak English, but if we all decided to move to another country, would we be discriminated against for not learning their language?



The Two Different Views



After reading this article about the two different types of multiculturalism in elementary school, I decided I was more on the side of the "cosmos". The view of the cosmos is more along the lines of "we are a world". Since I have traveled to other countries, I have had the mind set that we are all one. We have different opinions and views on life, but we are all human beings. Like the article says, ethnicity may be an important defining part of an individual's identity, but it doesn't mean there aren't any other determinants. Again, ethnicity is important, but it's not what completely defines a person.The "ethnos" view is that a person loses identity when accommodating to a larger cosmopolitan culture . I do not agree with this view because I think it is totally possible to appreciate other cultures while not losing your own identity. I hope that the current generation and the upcoming generation will realize that in order to receive respect for one's own ethnicity, the person must also give respect to others.



I have never had an issue with diversity in the classroom while teaching ESL. There was an extremely diverse group of students in my classroom. The material that was used at the school also promoted diverse learning. The reading materials included stories about different cultures and actually taught diversity while promoting reading. The students wanted to learn more about American culture, so we would often discuss different traditions and trends, but we would always compare them to the traditions and trends in their home country as well. This would always seem to spark interesting conversation.

It is the year 2010, and I think it's about time we all do our best to accept everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender.

Multiculturalism SPSE 6810

PITHISSIPPI BURNING

This article was quite disturbing to me. It's starts out talking about the imagination of white separatists and their idea to move the "mud people" out and have only "aryans" in this location. The mud people are the non whites and the aryans are the whites. I think it's crazy that there is even a flag for this movement.

The fear from these people is that in about fifty years, white culture will have ceased. Covington and those who run with him are afraid of "the end of white America". It made me wonder why do these people think that America has to be white? After all, we are known as the melting pot. I think it is really unfortunate considering as much ground as the US has covered since segregation, that there are still these prejudice thoughts. The comments and views from the people that commented on this blog were also disturbing.

During my teaching experiences, I have met so many students that could not be more excited to be living in the US and learning English. I wonder what those students would say if they read about some of the views on this website? People migrate on a daily basis to the United States to hopefully start a better life. This is what the country has been built on and I think it's ridiculous that some people think we need to remain a "white only country".

WHY MULTICULTURALISM IS WRONG

This article discusses the definition and meaning of "multiculturalism". The author talks about how this word cannot be defined as "equality". It does seem to be a term, that in my opinion, is "old school". It displays a thinking that was common in the 1900's. We are a diverse culture and it's too bad that it's not really seen like this.

I can relate to this when I worked at a head start program for children. The article talks about migrants that leave their culture and are obligated to rejoin it in their new country they live in. Obviously, certain cultures want to be among friends, family, and acquaintances from their own country, but hopefully in the future, the US will really be "diverse" and have neighbors from other cultures on either side of their homes.

THE CHALLENGE OF MULTICULTURALISM

This article discusses the US adopting many national identities. The problem seems to be that the history is more separation then inclusion. It does seem difficult, as the article states, to write a single American history that would satisfy all races and cultures that now live in the United States.
The quote by John Quincy Adams about Europeans forgetting about where they came from and basically "becoming white" is crazy to me. Although it would be hard to find a history that covers everyone here in the US, it seems that there must be a way to incorporate other aspects of world history into the curriculum.
Looking back, I realize that although I had to study a lot of American history, I also had history classes that covered many cultures. I hope that all of this old school thinking will vanish with the older generations. I also hope that the current and upcoming generation will be much more open and excited to not only welcome, but also learn about other cultures, traditions, and customs.

What is Standard English?

This is a very interesting question that I have actually been faced with quite a lot in my teaching experiences.

I was working with a business man from China when I first encountered this question. His Chinese accent was pretty strong, but his knowledge of English and his grammar were flawless. I quickly tried to think of a region that spoke "standard English". After contemplating this decision and asking my friends and family, I came to the conclusion that "standard English" is a personal opinion. About.com defines the phrase "standard English" by stating that what is considered standard English in one region may not be considered standard in another region. I agree that this "standard English" is a personal opinion.

What is Grammar? Descriptive? Prescriptive?

I like the quote from William Somerset Maugham the best when it comes to defining grammar: grammar is common speech formulated. I have read that we all know grammar or else we wouldn't be able to communicate. Descriptive and prescriptive grammar are two very different types of grammar. In my classroom, I would sometimes refer to descriptive grammar as "street grammar" and prescriptive grammar as "proper grammar". It seems to me that there are situations where prescriptive grammar is completely necessary or even demanded. Some examples could be an interview, certain jobs, public broadcasting, etc. For the most part, however, most people probably rely on descriptive grammar on a day to day basis. I have found that many students that have learned English abroad, or in their home countries, speak very formal English. This can cause problems sometimes when these students come to the United States and realize most people in the states speak "street English".

What is the value of studying English?

I'm sure there are few people that would not prefer to be "grammatically correct". According to about.com , grammar is important because it is the language that makes it possible for us to talk, I believe that there is a certain level of grammar knowledge necessary to communicate effectively. Obviously, the more grammar one knows, the better off they will be in many areas in life. It does seem, however, that not a lot of people have a perfect grasp on grammar. While teaching I would hear my students complain about the fact that most people in the US do not have perfect grammar and they do not see the value in studying grammar. I like to share with them that since they are studying English, they should study it correctly. Once they know and understand the rules of grammar, they may realize that there are certain times when most people in the US do not stick to the strict rules of grammar. It's one thing to not stick to the grammar rules one hundred percent of the time, but without a general understanding, they will not be able to effectively communicate in English.

Which English is best?

The article on about.com about which English is best, was very valid to my current thoughts on this topic. Language is very often related to social class. I have encountered this personally, with my own English. I was born in Michigan, but basically raised in the south. All of my family members have a strong northern accent. Myself, on the other hand, very quickly picked up the twang of the south. My family member would jokingly tease me about my southern accent. To them, it often made me sound very uneducated. This is a common stigma that comes with a southern accent. On the other hand, many people associate a northern accent with someone that is "snobish". There is a stigma with pretty much all accents.

I like to have my students listen to different accents and see if they can understand the different areas of English. It is difficult for them when they learn English in a certain area and then travel to find that they do not easily understand a different accent. Standard English and the "best English" go hand in hand in way, in that they are both based on personal opinion.

Teaching grammar in an ESL Classroom

In my experiences, there seems to be a "happy balance" between grammar and what I call "street English". While teaching adults, most of the students have had a great handle on their grammar. The students were more interested in learning things like slang, idioms, humor, etc. Grammar is like the back bone of learning English. Once a student has a good handle on grammar, I think it's important to branch out and focus on vocabulary, comprehension, and other forms of casual English.

Grammar is very necessary in the ESL classroom, but I think a good teacher can find ways to sneak in grammar while also including the other fun aspects of learning ESL.

Principled Eclecticism

The use of utilizing different teaching styles in the classroom seems to be something that more and more teachers are focusing on these days. Although it can often be challenging to cater to individual students, it is unproductive to teach in a way that does not reach out to students. I have had many students tell me about their learning experiences in their home countries. I have heard from many of them that they learned mostly by lecture and note taking. This type of learning may be successful for some students, but many students prefer to learn with hands on, and visual type activities.

I think a dedicated and motivated teacher will survey the ESL classroom to discover the different types of learning styles present in the class and try to cater the agenda accordingly.

SPSE 6810 - Multicultural Education

Multicultural Education

My own working definition ......

Multicultural Education is a style of teaching that requires a wide range of complex and different teaching strategies, ideas, outsourcing and supplemental material. It requires each child to be given the ideal learning situation regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or background. The educator must focus on other cultures beside the mainstream culture in order to eliminate prejudice. This method of teaching must also continually change, improve, and be updated on a frequent basis.

My initial, personal, and reflective thoughts regarding the challenge of defining multicultural education ....

Initially, the term "multicultural education" makes me think solely of different races. I think this type of thinking could be a major challenge when defining multicultural education. Although multicultural education should include the traditions, ideas, and culture of other races, it is not limited to just this aspect of different races.

After taking the equity quiz, my eyes were opened to many other aspects of multicultural education. Although I figured I would be surprised by some of the correct answers to the quiz, I had no idea just how many of them I would miss! A couple of examples I'd like to share:

*SAT scores were highly based on family income

* The massive size of the US military budget

* There is no educational difference when a child is raised by a single parent or both parents

* The high percentage of homophobic remarks from teachers

* 2% of the world assesses the Internet

The above examples are also main points that make up the definition of multicultural education. After reading the material provided on this topic, I also found that the definition may also include teaching styles, different materials used inside of the classroom, different perspectives, and the implementation of outside resources such as counseling, therapy, and interpreters.

Challenges facing classroom teachers as they strive to implement multicultural practices in their classroom...

There are numerous challenges teachers must face when dealing with this topic. According to Paul C. Gorski's website, most curricula are necessarily built around textbooks and standardized tests. This obviously makes it difficult for a teacher to incorporate multicultural education. It will require a teacher to do additional work and research to try to "fit in" multicultural education. There is also a lack of training and preparation for developing multicultural curricula. A quick example I read about was the fact that there is not much material available on the Muslim culture. This leaves most students with the only information they have heard, which would be from the terrorist attack on 9-11.
A language barrier can also be a major hurdle a teacher may need to overcome. The blog posting from Louise Rocha McCarthy is a prime example. She discusses a situation where a student was "translating" to his mother that he was on the honor roll, when he was actually failing.
Kelly Wickham also blogged that teachers must become students themselves in order to become more educated on multiculturalism. I know this will be a challenge, because not all teachers are self motivated enough to go out and educate themselves.
I believe this topic will always be under debate and the definition will constantly be changing. It is important for educators to be researching and evaluating multicultural education on a regular basis.
I know in my personal teaching experiences, I have always done my best to bring outside sources into the classroom. I have taught abroad in three different countries, and while I try not to limit my knowledge to these three cultures, I always share my stories and travels with my students.After all, most teachers became teachers to educate young minds and to do so in the best manner possible. It might take extra work to fully understand and implement multicultural education, but it seems like something that is crucial to the educational world.

Michelle Samoray

YOED Reflections

Looking back over this course, I believe that there are many useful things I will be able to use with my students. Although it is always interesting and useful to be taught concepts through reading and discussion, I really enjoy the production of lesson plans, and other tools that will be helpful in the classroom.

The wiki obviously continues to be useful and will be a great tool full of so many resources upon completion. The newcomer brochure, blog entries, group lesson plan, choral reading, writing prompt and anticipatory guide are all examples of useful tools for the classroom.

I will use the information from YOED 6020 directly with my students. I will also take the methods and strategies discussed and keep them in mind when working with ESL students and their families. I will also be able to consider all factors affecting these students and remember that each student has a different background story and that will affect how they learn and progress.

I have had a lot of experience working with and teaching ESL students. However, I am fairly new to the program and I'm not sure how much advice I have to offer! I will say, that I honestly believe that teaching is a rewarding experience, but teaching ESL can be even more rewarding. Make sure that it is something that you find personally fulfilling because if you're not happy with your job, it will directly affect the students. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the various cultures that you will come into contact with.

Finally, something I always tell myself : The classes fly by and although they require a lot of work, you'll be making progress before you know it! Sometimes starting is the hardest part :)

Literacy in ESL students

Everyone knows that it is more than important for students to read. It is pounded into our heads, as young children ,to READ! READ! READ! We are told that if you read, you will automatically become smarter. We are told that if you cannot read, you really cannot succeed in this world. We all know it is important.

ESL students are especially encouraged to READ! Being able to read a foreign language, is extremely necessary during second language acquisition. Reading opens the door for advancement in SLA, and also allows for many other activities that will promote an overall improvement in learning English.

Although all literature will help improve literacy, it is helpful for the ESL teacher to pick out reading materials that will really assist in SLA. There are many factors to consider.

Of course, the material should be at an appropriate level for the student. The material should be challenging enough to allow the student to advance, but not so challenging that the student becomes frustrated with the difficulties. The material should allow for extended activities that will promote comprehension, vocabulary, writing and discussions, as well as the ability to draw on personal experiences.

In order to promote literacy in second language learners, the book shouldn't be closed after it is read. The book should be the basis for many activities and learning extensions. The book should also be interesting, and should spark questions and learning in the student. It is also an added bonus if the book touches on multicultural issues or customs. A great teacher has the ability to get his or her students interested in a book, this could be with pre-reading, activities, discussions, or positive reinforcement. Making a unit out of a book is a great way to promote literacy. It is also helpful to reach out to the families of the students to encourage reading at home.

In my own experiences, I have found that reading to promote literacy is a great way for students to excel. I found, while teaching abroad, that many young students enjoyed reading and acting out books while using their imagination. With the older students, it was great to let them chose a book that they were interested in. This way it is something they have chosen to do, instead of just another assignment.

According to Karen Ellis (2010), 73% of 4th grade ELL students scored below basic in reading. That percentage is obviously way to high, and could be changed through proper reading materials, activities, and motivation!

Ellis, K. Educational Cyber Playground. Retrieved from: http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/