Social Interaction <----> Learning Development

Christina Trovato  - Discussion Director & Creative Connector
Week 2 - Chapter 1

* Steels's conclusion was that something else depresses the academic achievement of Blacks at every level of preperation. The "something else," Steele claims, is the inability to identify with school, which leads to their not being treated as valuable members of the school community (p.44).
This was something that jumped out to me as I had been reading. Before this passage Sonia Nieto explains that many students of color had been given many opportunities to enhance their learning.  Learning orientation nor socioeconomic disadvantage had anything to do with this, it is the idea of identification and acceptance. I have seen this throughout my education. And she went on to say, dis-identification can spread like the common cold. As I had spent many hours observing schools in the city of Buffalo, this concept of dis-identification is a common fall back from learning. Students develop an attitude of "not caring" which is actually a shield to protect them from feelings one would feel as a vulnerable outsider. It is important to develop a trusting community within a classroom and school, in order to promote positive learning.

 

*  It is especially significant that teachers grasp the influence that social and political context may have on learning beacuse this realization can alter how they percieve their students  and, consequently what and how they teach them (p. 43).
A teacher cannot just meet with their new group of students in September and check off premade plans throughout each day. A large part of teaching is getting to know student's on a personal level, understanding their interests, experiences, strengths, weaknesses, developmental, cognitive level etc. A student's background plays a huge role in how to lay out a lesson and execute it. I can remember some teachers who had taken the time to get to know me and developed strategies to help me understand difficult concepts such as math. I also remember teachers in elementary and middle school who covered the topic and that was that. I was lost and felt stupid to ask for help after all...the teacher only looked bothered when someone did.
      Also, digging to the root of the problem is part of understanding each students and seeing them a certain way. For example, a student's behavior may be caused from past experiences or life at home.

* That is, virtually all children develop many cognitive abilities before even setting foot in a school building, and these include at least one language, among numerous other skills. children come to school as thinkers and learners, aptitudes that usually are acknowledged as important building blocks for learning (p.39).
A huge part of learning is building off what students already understand. Setting the bar slightly higher to absorb a new package of knowledge. In the beginning of one of my graduate classes we had many different "ice breaking" or "getting to know each other" activities which reminded me of this concept. In order to teach towards a goal of new learning...instructors must understand student's capabilities. This not only sets a framework for rich lesson plans but also builds a sense of community and attribution to the classroom. Giving students the opportunity to see what they can contribute as an individual and as a whole in the classroom can bring a sense of purpose and power to grow as a learner.