Transcript A Pilot Study: Understanding Teachers’ Lived Experiences

A Pilot Study:
Understanding Teachers’ Lived Experiences
with Diverse Learners: Narrative
Perspectives of a Novice, Experienced, and
Veteran Teacher
Romy M. Allen, Doctoral Candidate
Winston Salem State University
Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the
National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems
February 8, 2007
Allen, 2007
Changing Schools in NC
• (Veteran Teacher)
I watched the children in my classroom change over the
decades. Suddenly, I look up and children from all
backgrounds were sitting in front of me and for the first
time I was unsure how to teach.
• (Novice Teacher)
Why didn’t someone in my courses prepare me for the
diversity I would be facing in my classroom? How was I
suppose to teach students from such different
backgrounds?
Allen, 2007
Focus of Pilot Study
• Does the mainstream approach to curriculum
and instruction for pre-k children work for
diverse young learners?
• What pedagogy would be beneficial to young
diverse learners in preparation for kindergarten?
• How can teachers become more culturally
competent?
– Understand home and community of students
– Develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions of
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Allen, 2007
North Carolina in Context
• 65-70% of working moms have children under the age of
six. (Census Bureau, 2002)
• NC childcare industry generates $1.5 billion annually and
provides 46,000 jobs. (National Economic Development
and Law Center, 2004)
• The NC Department of Public Instruction recently
directed its attention to school readiness issues and
initiatives. (NC Schools Improvement Panel, 2000)
• Immigration rates in NC almost tripled between 19902000 (274%), has the largest growing immigration rate in
the South, and the largest growing Latino population in
the US. (Cooper & Allen, 2006)
Allen, 2007
Research Design & Methods
• Qualitative Paradigm
• Narrative Inquiry Methodology
– Three Central Piedmont Region teachers of diverse
learners:
• Novice, Experienced, Veteran
• Data Source
– One Question:”Tell me the story of your life
experiences with diverse learners”
– Intertextuality comparison of authentic lived
experiences
– NC statistics from Southern Center on Immigrant
Realities, 2005, UNCG
Allen, 2007
Conceptual Framework
• Cultural Difference Theory
– Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
• Cross-Cultural Inquiries:
– Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate
Praxis
• Black Feminist Thought
– Addresses Social Justice Issues
• Gives voice to the forgotten
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My Findings
• Importance of Home-School Partnerships
– Cultural continuity
• Belief in Children’s Abilities
– Pro-active, strengths approach
• Meaningful, Respectful Instruction
– Culturally responsive practices
• Commitment and Ethic of Care
– Going the extra mile so students will succeed
• Continuing as Lifelong Learners
– Loving to learn
Allen, 2007
Some Data:
1. IMPORTANCE OF HOME-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS:
•
(Novice Teacher)
•
“And, some of what popped into my mind, as far as ideas, as far
as strategies – I can only describe as God-given talent. I mean
there would be times where I would try different strategies and I
would have no idea where I was getting it from, you know, like just
calling a parent out of the blue or popping up at a parent’s house.”
2. BELIEF IN CHILDREN’S ABILITIES:
•
(Experienced Teacher)
•
“We had open-topic chats each day so I could get to know them
[the children] and their interpretation of their families, traditions,
and celebrations. This method allowed me to gaze into their
backgrounds unobtrusively and gave the children a chance to
express themselves while I observed and assessed their
strengths naturally. I needed to see how each child held their own
ground so I could determine where to begin their concept
lessons.”
Allen, 2007
More Data
3. MEANINGFUL, RESPECTFUL LESSONS:
•
(Novice Teacher)
•
“It’s about being a good listener; it’s about having a plan; it’s about
meeting the kids where they are on their terms, you know, once
you get them on board, it’s about respecting their boundaries.”
•
(Experienced Teacher)
•
“Ms. CCC [name change for research] forced the pre-packaged
curriculum down my throat but I just stuck it in the closet and let it
gather dust. I’m not a pre-packaged, universal, standardized kindof-person. I’m more of an eclectic type that adjusts concepts and
teaching methodology according to the needs of the children.”
4. ETHIC OF CARE:
•
(Veteran Teacher)
•
At least I cared enough about the kids as individuals that I think
that they picked up that I cared about them whether I knew what I
was doing or not.
Allen, 2007
Continued Data
5. BECOMING LIFELONG LEARNERS:
•
(Veteran Teacher)
•
“…what I find is most people who do this and do it well are – have
been on a journey and I see myself as definitely having traveled a
journey. And I’m still not there. I’m still, like I say, I feel like I’ve
read and read and read and continue to read on diverse learners,
but now I’m really concentrating on this poverty piece because I
think it’s a key piece to our understanding what we need to do.”
CONCLUDING THOUGHT:
•
(Novice Teacher)
•
“You can’t be an effective teacher if the parents are not on board
because you borrow these kids…So you get these kids for a year
and that’s it. Their parents get them for their whole life – so, who’s
gonna have more influence? You? – who is in their life for a year
or their parents or extended family who is in their life forever? So,
you better get the parents on board – they have to respect you,
they have to trust you; they have to believe you want the best for
their kid…”
Allen, 2007
Eight Practical Components for Educators
Working with Diverse Young Learners:
• Connect with families – children in context with their
home culture provides a plethora of relevant information
to assist in designing meaningful, engaging curriculum
• Celebrate all differences – provide stories, materials,
games, and adventures that reflect the lives of each child
in the classroom and around the world
• Nurture the parent relationship – families are your
greatest asset so partner with the parents and provide
frequent updates on their child’s progress
• Utilize parents as resources – parents can provide an
extensive array of resources from home, work, and
community
Allen, 2007
Components Continued
• Validate the families’ perspective – request that parents
provide suggestions for classroom concepts then
interweave those ideas into lesson plans
• Create a community of learners – embrace each child’s
developmental abilities and design learning activities that
provide entry according to each child’s interests and
strengths
• Familiarize self with community – learn about children’s
communities of support in concert with the immediate
community of place; then, utilize the resources
• Embrace lifelong learning – continue with your own
learning and development while familiarizing yourself
with current and diverse issues through reading,
reflection, and even more coursework if needed
Allen, 2007
Implications for Frameworks
• Schools, curriculums, and instruction lack
alignment with the influences of children’s
diverse learning and development
• Teacher preparatory programs need redesigning
of course of study philosophies to better prepare
pre-service students for diverse learning
environments
• Schools must connect to home/community to
engage in cultural continuity
Allen, 2007
Implications for Practice
• Educational systems must become culturally
competent for diverse student success
• Teachers need to be familiar with and engage in
socio-cultural consciousness through selfreflection
• Seven practical components can be utilized to
guide educational leaders in becoming cultural
agents in promoting quality and equitable
learning environments
Allen, 2007
Contact Information
Romy M. Allen, Director
102 Child Development Center & Lab School
Winston Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC 27110
[email protected]
(336) 750-2227w, (336) 750-2364fax
Faculty: Birth-Kindergarten Teacher Education
Program
Allen, 2007