impacting family literacy fluency (race, class, etc.) How can the relationships between parents, teachers, and schools support literacy understanding and growth? How do family interactions
One thing that is omnipresent and pervasive in situations where one or minorities are present is the idea of feeling like one is excluded. The level of severity of this happenstance can vary quite a bit. However, it is very real when it happens. In many cases, race, class and even language can become something that is polarizing and problematic. Despite these challenges, the rules that hold true for children within the dominant culture hold just as true for those in a minority (or more than one). This is even truer, however, when it comes to children that are vulnerable to poverty, deviancy and so forth. Indeed, parental involvement in a child’s learning is important irrespective of the race, language or class of the child. However, this involvement is all the more imperative and vital when it comes to parents of children that are facing poverty, bigotry and the like. In many cases, they are facing more than one of those challenges. When these relationships are strong and fertile, the results tend to be much better for the children involved (NEA, 2016).
Part 2
Look at the data from your school’s state report card. What does it tell you about your students and families? What is the percentage of ELL’s in relationship to low income? Do you see a correlation? What do you need to do, instructionally, to in your community?
There is an obvious and strong correlation between those that are in ELL status (or parents of the same) and things like poverty and minority status. In other words, they all seem to intersect quite heavily and this is surely no accident. One way to bridge the gap and beat back the negative effects is to make lessons and teaching relatable to the minority students. Using icons and teachings that ELL students are more comfortable with will help them engage more than they normally would given the challenges and issues that exist (Mcgee, 2016).
Part 3
Write a short reflective paragraph about the viewing of “Chimamand Adichie: The danger of a Single Story.” What message did you take away? What have you learned?
The obvious lesson from the words of Adichie is that while gaining perspective from foreign cultures and countries is important, doing so on a “single serve” basis is less than wise. Indeed, just as the American or European cultures are multi-layered and multi-faceted, the same is true of other countries and cultures. Basing one’s cultural awareness and understanding on one microcosm of a foreign or culture that is unknown to a person is something that should truly be avoided (Adichie, 2016).
References
Adichie, C. (2016). The danger of a single story. Ted.com. Retrieved 15 September 2016, from https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en#t-355
McGee, K. (2016). For History Teachers, It’s Not Always Easy to Get Students of Color to Connect with Curriculum. kut.org. Retrieved 15 September 2016, from http://kut.org/post/history-teachers-its-not-always-easy-get-students-color-connect-curriculum
NEA. (2010). on Minority Parent Engagement – . NEA Today. Retrieved 15 September 2016, from http://neatoday.org/2010/12/17/new-report-focuses-on-minority-parent-engagement/
