Over the break I was able to attend a Spanish speaking church service. I took Spanish for three years in high school, and was able to understand most basic conversations. I wanted to continue with Spanish throughout college in order to become fluent, but I wasn’t able to factor the classes into my schedule. I figured if I could continue with a second language, especially one that is spoken often in schools today, I would come out a well-rounded teacher, with a better degree. However, because I haven’t spoken Spanish, on a regular basis, since high school, the church service was very difficult to understand.
I attended a Christian church, and it was the typical service, including worship, pray, and the sermon. The service began with praise and worship which was the easier part for me to understand. Because they put words on a screen, it’s easier to follow along. I’m also able to understand Spanish when I read the language rather than listening to someone speaks Spanish, especially when it is spoken quickly. So I was able to read the words, and sing along. Also, because I know many praise and worship songs, I was able to recognize the tunes of the songs.
The sermon was a completely different story. I had a much harder time following along to the details of the pastor’s sermon. His overall idea was that we needed to work at spreading God’s Word in our community before we went to other places around the world. Other then that, I’m sure what he was saying. It was even harder for me to pay attention because I didn’t know what he was saying, and I would catch myself zoning out. When the pastor was praying, it was easier for me to focus because it doesn’t matter what language someone prays in, God still hears them. I was able to pray on my own, in English.
I was able to realize what my future student might experience in my classroom. When I have students that don’t speak English as their first language, they are going to have difficulties paying attention. I’m going to have to find ways to keep my students attention. Whether it is pairing them up with another student, having them take break, or continually asking them for confirmation on whether or not they understand. I also realized that my student might seem like they are paying attention, because they understood the beginning of the lesson, but they may actually be zoned out.
(This was 2 hours.)
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Multicultural Hours - America Reads
I have been worked for America Reads last year, and was able to continue my job this year. I haven’t had many multicultural experiences in my job because I’m usually working as a teacher’s aid or listening to students read. However, ever so often I get the opportunity to take students aside or in the hall, and help them with projects that need to get done. I’ve worked one-on-one and with small groups of students in subjects such as reading, writing, and literacy. I’ve never had any serious problems when it came to my authority over the student besides having students that didn’t want to do their work, which is always going to be an issue. However, in my last week of work this semester, I had an incident occur that resulted in my first abuse report.
After we had our class about reporting abuse, and what we should keep an eye out for, I was actually nervous about the first time I would have to make a report. Would I be able to recognize an abuse victim? Would I make the right call? Would I do what was best for my student? Well, I’m not even a teacher yet, and I’ve already had to make my first report.
With this class of students, they have two teachers, one to teach reading and writing, and another to teach math and science. Because they switch teachers half way through the day, they have two authority figures to keep an eye on their progress and behaviors. In order for student’s parents to know how their child is doing, each student gets a score out of three, from each teacher, for how well they did that day on homework and behavior. I was working with two students, on their descriptive essays, out in the hall one day when a student started telling me how he needed to get a good score that day. He said if he did not get a three, his father would hit him. When he first said this, I didn’t know how to respond. I told him to stop worrying about his score for now because we were working on their essays, but he kept bringing it up. Because it was still during the school day, and I had never had this happen before, I decided to wait to talk to the teacher until the end of the school day.
I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to go about this situation because I wasn’t actually a teacher, only an America Reads worker. Like, who was I supposed to tell? Or was I supposed to make the report on my own? I decided to tell the teacher after the students had gone home fore the day. I wasn’t sure if maybe this student would just say something like this to get attention, or if he was actually telling the truth. The teacher told me it didn’t matter if it was for attention, or not, a report still had to be made. She said she would make the report, and say the student told her America Reads worker.
I assumed the first time I would have to report abuse I would feel awkward and uncomfortable, and that is exactly how it felt. But I knew it had to be done. It’s sad that teacher have to make these kinds of report, and often, but it has to be done. I now know what has be done for the future times I’m going to have to make a report.
(I worked for three hours this day.)
After we had our class about reporting abuse, and what we should keep an eye out for, I was actually nervous about the first time I would have to make a report. Would I be able to recognize an abuse victim? Would I make the right call? Would I do what was best for my student? Well, I’m not even a teacher yet, and I’ve already had to make my first report.
With this class of students, they have two teachers, one to teach reading and writing, and another to teach math and science. Because they switch teachers half way through the day, they have two authority figures to keep an eye on their progress and behaviors. In order for student’s parents to know how their child is doing, each student gets a score out of three, from each teacher, for how well they did that day on homework and behavior. I was working with two students, on their descriptive essays, out in the hall one day when a student started telling me how he needed to get a good score that day. He said if he did not get a three, his father would hit him. When he first said this, I didn’t know how to respond. I told him to stop worrying about his score for now because we were working on their essays, but he kept bringing it up. Because it was still during the school day, and I had never had this happen before, I decided to wait to talk to the teacher until the end of the school day.
I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to go about this situation because I wasn’t actually a teacher, only an America Reads worker. Like, who was I supposed to tell? Or was I supposed to make the report on my own? I decided to tell the teacher after the students had gone home fore the day. I wasn’t sure if maybe this student would just say something like this to get attention, or if he was actually telling the truth. The teacher told me it didn’t matter if it was for attention, or not, a report still had to be made. She said she would make the report, and say the student told her America Reads worker.
I assumed the first time I would have to report abuse I would feel awkward and uncomfortable, and that is exactly how it felt. But I knew it had to be done. It’s sad that teacher have to make these kinds of report, and often, but it has to be done. I now know what has be done for the future times I’m going to have to make a report.
(I worked for three hours this day.)
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Multicultural Hours - Soup Kitchen
This past weekend Tori and I volunteered at a breakfast soup kitchen on Saturday morning. We worked there for three hours, and were able to talk with people of many different socioeconomic statuses. When we first got there, we were put to work setting up a table with food on it that any of the families could take with them. They get the food from YCAP and any other donations and organizations. With in an hour of breakfast starting, almost all of the food was taken. By being in charge of this station, it gave me the appreciation for the food I have, and made me realize that when you don’t have anything, you’ll take what you can get. Also, I realized that donations are the only way for kitchen like this to operate, and we should be giving as much as we can to support our community members in need.
Before breakfast started, I was in charge of mixing the fruit and placing it in bowls. That morning Tori and I were working in the dishes area. We were in charge of going to and from the tubs in the dining room, and bringing the dirty dishes to the dish washer. We weren’t given much opportunity to take to anyone, besides the other kitchen staff, and I was concerned that I wouldn’t get the chance to talk to any of the customers. However, at this soup kitchen, all the staff gets to eat breakfast after their shift, and we were able to sit amongst the homeless people. We sat at a table with three older men who were very entertaining and insightful. One man was very funny, he had a joke or come back for everything.
I was able to talk with one of the men quite a bit, and he gave me some very interesting advice. First of all, he noticed my curly hair, and told me if I ever was in his situation, I should put my hair into dreadlocks, just like his. It would be more manageable. However, according to him, I am not supposed to get myself in the same situation as he did. Also, he told me not to drink or do drugs because drugs were the reason he was homeless. He said he drinks now, but in moderation, and I should do the same. I have always known those this, but when it comes from someone going that has really hit rock bottom, it can be more influential. I will personally always remember what that man told me while I was working at this soup kitchen.
Even though we weren’t able to directly talk with that many of the customers, we could see the dining room, and who was coming and going, while we were working. I noticed that there were quite a few families with young children eating that morning. It made me realized that I could potentially have student that went without food on a regular basis, and I need to recognize that. I will have student that only get there food from the school, and once they’re at home, they may not know when their next meal will be. It’s a sad topic, but its reality, and we just need to work to help our community as best as we can.
(This was three hours.)
Before breakfast started, I was in charge of mixing the fruit and placing it in bowls. That morning Tori and I were working in the dishes area. We were in charge of going to and from the tubs in the dining room, and bringing the dirty dishes to the dish washer. We weren’t given much opportunity to take to anyone, besides the other kitchen staff, and I was concerned that I wouldn’t get the chance to talk to any of the customers. However, at this soup kitchen, all the staff gets to eat breakfast after their shift, and we were able to sit amongst the homeless people. We sat at a table with three older men who were very entertaining and insightful. One man was very funny, he had a joke or come back for everything.
I was able to talk with one of the men quite a bit, and he gave me some very interesting advice. First of all, he noticed my curly hair, and told me if I ever was in his situation, I should put my hair into dreadlocks, just like his. It would be more manageable. However, according to him, I am not supposed to get myself in the same situation as he did. Also, he told me not to drink or do drugs because drugs were the reason he was homeless. He said he drinks now, but in moderation, and I should do the same. I have always known those this, but when it comes from someone going that has really hit rock bottom, it can be more influential. I will personally always remember what that man told me while I was working at this soup kitchen.
Even though we weren’t able to directly talk with that many of the customers, we could see the dining room, and who was coming and going, while we were working. I noticed that there were quite a few families with young children eating that morning. It made me realized that I could potentially have student that went without food on a regular basis, and I need to recognize that. I will have student that only get there food from the school, and once they’re at home, they may not know when their next meal will be. It’s a sad topic, but its reality, and we just need to work to help our community as best as we can.
(This was three hours.)
Multicultural Hours - Milk
I thought I was okay with LGBTQ people. I grew up in a Christian home my whole life, and I was taught, through church, that being gay was a sin, and that we should love the person, but not the action. However, as I grew up my family wasn’t influenced as much by church, and I started to be more open to others. I wasn’t exactly sure how I was supposed to act toward gay people, but I knew that they had their rights. As I’ve been in college, I have become friends with more openly gay men. Including one of my closest friends that just recently told me he was gay, and there’s now way I would ever abandon him, especially when he really needs people for support.
However, as I began watching this movie, I realized how uncomfortable it made me feel and that was only in the first few minutes. I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am partially homophobic. I don’t agree with their choices, simply because as a Christian, God says it is a sin. On the other hand, I do believe they have their rights. They should be allowed the same opportunities as any other person, and they should not be judged based on their life choice. My issue is that I can’t handle intimate scenes that were in this movie. I’m fine seeing two men holding hands, but once it goes beyond that, I start to get uncomfortable, and I know that I shouldn’t act this way.
Harvey Milk worked toward a very important cause. When gay members of the community were attacked by the police, and fourteen people were sent to jail, Harvey decided that if they were to have someone in office to stand up for their rights, then at least they would have some protection. As he decided to run, many people in his community disapproved of this, and the community, including the police, would show their hatred by physically and emotionally harassing him. By being the first openly gay man to run for a political position, he opened doors for many others.
I think this movement gave opportunities for other LGBTQ people to feel safe, and be able to live their life with the choice they so choose. This movie made me more aware of how huge this issue really is in our world. As a teacher, I’m going to have to be aware that my students will come from many different families, and they are going to have many different views. I am going to have to make sure all my students feel comfortable in my classroom, and that they know that my classroom is a safe zone for anyone, of any background. Even though I will be an elementary teacher, I have to be conscious to the idea that I may even have a student that is gay or confused. The best thing of me to do is make sure that I have prepared myself for any situation that may arise.
(This movie was two hours long.)
However, as I began watching this movie, I realized how uncomfortable it made me feel and that was only in the first few minutes. I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am partially homophobic. I don’t agree with their choices, simply because as a Christian, God says it is a sin. On the other hand, I do believe they have their rights. They should be allowed the same opportunities as any other person, and they should not be judged based on their life choice. My issue is that I can’t handle intimate scenes that were in this movie. I’m fine seeing two men holding hands, but once it goes beyond that, I start to get uncomfortable, and I know that I shouldn’t act this way.
Harvey Milk worked toward a very important cause. When gay members of the community were attacked by the police, and fourteen people were sent to jail, Harvey decided that if they were to have someone in office to stand up for their rights, then at least they would have some protection. As he decided to run, many people in his community disapproved of this, and the community, including the police, would show their hatred by physically and emotionally harassing him. By being the first openly gay man to run for a political position, he opened doors for many others.
I think this movement gave opportunities for other LGBTQ people to feel safe, and be able to live their life with the choice they so choose. This movie made me more aware of how huge this issue really is in our world. As a teacher, I’m going to have to be aware that my students will come from many different families, and they are going to have many different views. I am going to have to make sure all my students feel comfortable in my classroom, and that they know that my classroom is a safe zone for anyone, of any background. Even though I will be an elementary teacher, I have to be conscious to the idea that I may even have a student that is gay or confused. The best thing of me to do is make sure that I have prepared myself for any situation that may arise.
(This movie was two hours long.)
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