I really enjoyed reading the article by Silin, titled Reading, writing, and the wrath of my father. I found it interesting mostly because it talked about something other than what we've been reading about for the past five weeks. I feel as though a lot of the articles are repetitive, but this one had new and interesting information. The quote that stuck with me was "I did not imagine that in learning a new way of being in the world, a child might also give up an old way, one that had worked for her in the past-- the physical intimacy that occurs when an adult cares for her clothing or the social connection she experiences when accompanied by a caregiver on the walk home from school" (p 38).
I have never thought of this before! It definitely makes sense now that I think about it, that some children may resist change, and make it seem as though they aren't learning or don't want to learn. Many children and adults have trouble with change, and it makes sense that some children may have a hard time giving up old ways. When learning to read on their own, they are giving up a lot of the support and attention that they received as a non-reader. For this reason, I feel that it is so important to let your students know that they will still be receiving attention and support, even after they become more independent.
I think that this article has forced me to think in new ways and has ultimately made me a better teacher. Just by understanding that some children may be resistant to change, it increases the chances that I will be able to reach more students.
2 comments:
Hi Erica,
I too read and enjoyed the Silin article. I liked it so much I took notes on it because I thought it presented us with a powerful message. I agree that the most powerful one in the giving up of something when we gain another. As teachers we must remember that the child had a life before us that was based on how he behaved (or didnpt behave). He may not be willing to give up that "known" identity, even if it is a negative one. The idea that behavior (both personal and academic) can be changed needs to embrace the idea that the self-concept will change with it. And that may be too frightening for some or our kids to try.
The idea of leaving something behind in order to make room for something new, is not an idea that is foreign to adults. Adults have a way of being able to express their fears and how the change in life made them feel. For children, sometimes it is only possible for them to act out because they do not have the language to use their words. I see it everyday in daycare as well as my first student teaching placement. Students have life outside of us, and we are the ones that have to know it as well as it address the best way we possibly can. :-)
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