The last one! I didn't think it was possible, but I am almost out of things to write and say! This class has taught me so much and validated so much I am already doing. I am excited for the fall and scared all at the same time (FYI, I still get butterflies at the beginning of each school year!). I am planning on using the monologues activity with Invisible Man and Montana 1948. Critical lenses will be something else I will tackle for the first time in my teaching. While I think my district has a good start on using multicultural lit in our curriculum, I am already thinking about what new novels we can add to our list and what one's we should drop. I am also thinking of better ways to incorporate discussion in my classroom. Discussion is really something I am always working to make better. Aside from theoretical concepts, I have also been reminded of some great summarization and critical thinking strategies that I can use in my classroom: save the last word activity, one sentence summaries, tableaus, interviewing and hotseating to name a few.
So many ideas swirling in my head, but I liked the quote at the end of the Pirie article about taking small and purposeful steps towards making a more culturally relevant classroom. Again, teaching is such a complex occupation. I look back on my first years of teaching and it was all about surviving the year. Now that I am about to enter the second decade of my career, I feel I am hitting my stride and enjoy finding ways to fine tune my craft. What I love about teaching is that is ever changing in terms of the fresh ideas I get from fellow teachers, but steadfast in our purpose: to educate our students to be compassionate and empathizing global citizens who are willing to climb into the skins of other's and walk around in it for a while.
I know! Can you believe we are done as of today?! I can't!
I agree with you that this class has really provided me with a lot of concrete examples of how to get my students to think through different perspectives. I appreciate this because I just found out last night that the woman I am subbing for a Northfield asks that I teach "Huck Finn" and "The Crucible"...not exactly what I would call multicultural literature, but definitely literature that can be challenged with critical lenses and perspective taking activites. I think before this class I knew that perspective taking was the key to getting students to thinkk about a text wtih fresh eyes; however, I needed this class to show me how to facilitate this perspective taking. Now I feel more prepared!
I really like what you said in you blog about our goal being to "educate our students to be compassionate and empathizing global citizens who are willing to climb into the skins of others and walk around in it for a while." It's amazing how I have improved in this skill in the last couple of weeks while taking this class. For example? My friend called me last night with boy trouble. To which I said, "well let's put ourselves in his shoes for a minute and think from his perspective." Or, the other day I was talking to my sister who was mad at her boss and I said, "Well, from his perspective his actions probably seem justified. Put yourself in his shoes..." My point is, I think that these perspective taking activites really rub off. They really DO get you to think--even if it's maybe at a more subconscious level--about another perspective.
It was wonderful blogging with you Caroline! Have a great school year!