Learners in Context Profile

8/6/2019 Learners in Context Profile

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Running Head: Learners in Context Profile 1

Learners in Context Profile: LEAD Part I

Kathleen L. Masten

Salem College



Learners in Context Profile 2

Introduction

In this profile, 2 nd grade students are examined in their learning context. First, the

state in which the learners’ school is located is examined. The state of North Carolina is

profiled, and a specific focus on the state’s geographic, demographic, economic, and

educational characteristics is provided. Secondly, the county in which the learners’

school exists, Nash County, is discussed, with a similar emphasis given to Nash County’s

geographic, demographic, economic, and educational characteristics. Thirdly, the school

system, Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, of which the learners’ school is a part, is

explored. This school district is also profiled with attention directed to Nash-Rocky

Mount Public School district’s geography, demographics, economics, and educational

characteristics. The 2 nd grade learners’ context is further examined from a profile of the

school in which their classroom exists. Primary characteristics of the learners’ school,

Winstead Avenue Elementary, are discussed. Lastly, based on a three-hour observation,

the classroom context for the 2 nd grade learners is examined in detail. Both positive and

negative examples of multicultural education observed during the classroom visit are also

highlighted in order to better understand the context of learning, which exists in one

North Carolina elementary public school.




State of North Carolina

Geographic Profile

North Carolina is located in the southeastern United States. It borders Virginia,

Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean. North Carolina covers

53,821 square miles. It is the 28 th largest of the 50 states (The Geography of North

Carolina, 2011). There are a total of 100 counties in the state of North Carolina (NC

Standard Course of Study, 2006).

(Image: NC Standard Course of Study, 2006).

The geography of North Carolina can be divided into three main regions: the Blue

Ridge/Appalachian Mountains in the western part of the state, the Piedmont Plateau in




the central part of the state, and the Coastal Plain in the eastern part of the state (NC

Standard Course of Study, 2006).

(Image: NC Standard Course of Study, 2006).

Demographic Profile

The total population of North Carolina is estimated to be 9,535, 483 according to

the 2010 U.S. census results. North Carolina’s population has grown 18.5% over the pastdecade according to the 2010 U.S. Census data. In 1990 the population of North Carolina

was about 6.6 million (Census Data, 2010). According to the United States Department of

Agriculture Economic Research Service, approximately 2,831,125 persons live in rural

areas and 6,704,358 live in urban areas (State Facts, 2011).




Data for the state of North Carolina based on 2010 U.S. census results show that

the five most populous places in North Carolina are Charlotte, N.C. with a population

estimated at 731, 424; Raleigh, N.C. with a population estimated at 403,892; Greensboro,

N.C. with a population estimated at 269,666; Winston-Salem, N.C. with a population

estimated at 229, 617; and Durham, N.C. with a population estimated at 228,330. The

largest county in North Carolina is Mecklenburg County with a population estimation of

919,628. The other top four largest counties in North Carolina are Wake County,Guilford County, Forsyth County, and Cumberland County (U.S. Census Bureau

Newsroom, 2011).

According to the 2009 U.S. census data, which stated the population of North

Carolina to be estimated at 9,380,884, Caucasians or white persons make up the largest

percentage of the population in North Carolina. The second largest percentage of the

population by race, are Black persons, followed by persons of Hispanic or Latino origin

(U.S. Census Bureau State & County Quick Facts, 2010).

* 2010 census data for percentage of population by race are not available as of May 10th

2011.










Other interesting statistics that reveal the demographic makeup of the state of

North Carolina are that of the 2009 U.S. Census population estimate of 9,380,884

persons, 4,580,153 are male and 4,800,731 are female. Also, the median age of North

Carolinians is 36.9 years (U.S. Census Bureau, Sex, Age & Race, 2010).

Additionally, according to 2000 census data, 8.0% of the population of North

Carolina speak a language other than English at home (U.S. Census Bureau State ad

County Quick Facts, 2010). *2010 census data indicating a more current percentage

have not been released as of May 10, 2011.

Economic Profile

The Employment Security Commission of North Carolina estimated for March

2011 that the labor force in the state of North Carolina is 4,474,031persons. Of this total,4,039,958 are employed and 434,073 are unemployed. The unemployment rate for N.C.

in March 2011 was 9.7%. The unemployment rate in 2010 for the state of North Carolina

was 10.6% (Civilian Labor Force Estimates for North Carolina, 2011).




In North Carolina the three year median household income by state for 2007-2009

for the state of North Carolina according to the U.S. Census Bureau is $43,229 (U.S.

Census Bureau Income, 2011). Furthermore, according to the United States Department

of Agriculture Economic Research Service, the per capita income for the state of North

Carolina (in 2008) was $35,249. It is also reported that the poverty rate for the state of

N.C. is 16.2% (in 2009). The top five agricultural commodities in North Carolina in

2009 in descending order were: broilers/chickens, hogs, greenhouses/nurseries, tobacco,

and soybeans (State Facts Sheets: North Carolina, 2011).

Educational Profile

About 37% of North Carolina’s five million working adults (ages 25-64 years of

age) have obtained at least a two year degree according to 2008 U.S. census data. This is

similar to the national average of 38%. The projected trend is that by 2025, North

Carolinians will have a college attainment rate of 47.5%. However, North Carolina’s

economy is believed in the future, to need more college graduates. By 2018, it is

estimated that 59% of the jobs in North Carolina will require postsecondary education.

Out of the North Carolinians ages 25-64 for which data was collected, the largest

percentage 26.6%, hold only high school diplomas or the equivalent. Additionally, there

are significant attainment gaps for racial and ethnic groups in N.C., which have existed




for decades. Asians have the highest attainment rates in North Carolina with a rate of

58.6% (Lumina Foundation, 2008). Yet, according to the 2010 U.S. census data, Asians

in North Carolina make up only 2% of the population (U.S. Census Bureau State &

County Quick Facts, 2010).

Levels of Education for North Carolinians

Ages 25-64

Less than ninth grade- 4.7% 232,218

Ninth to 12 th grade, no diploma- 9.0%-443,628

High school graduate (or equivalency)-26.6%-1,315,307

Some college, no degree-22.8%-1,131,559

Associate degree-9.1%-452,050

Bachelor’s degree-18.8%-931,915

Graduate or professional degree-9.0%-445,529

(Graph: Lumina Foundation, 2008)




Attainment Rates for North CarolinaBy population Group Ages 25-64

White-41.4%Black-25.0%Hispanic-15.7%Asian-58.6%

Native American-18.2%

(Graph: Lumina Foundation, 2008)

Nash County, North Carolina

Geographic Profile

Nash County is a North-eastern coastal plain county in the state of North

Carolina. Nash County is bordered by Edgecombe, Wilson, Johnston, Franklin, andHalifax counties. It has a total area of 543 square miles (Nash County, North Carolina,

2011). According to the 2000 U.S. Census data, it was ranked as the 30 th largest county in

the state. The largest city in the county is Rocky Mount. According to U.S. census data

2006, the population of Rocky Mount was estimated at 57,057 (U.S. Census Bureau State

& County Quick Facts, 2010).






Additionally, 3.0% of the population in 2000, according to U.S. census data,

in Nash County are foreign born. 6.0% of persons in Nash County speak a language other






Educational Profile

In Nash County, for adults ages 25-64, 29.9% hold at least a two-year degree

according to 2008 census data. This is lower than the state percentage of 37% of adults

ages 25-64 in North Carolina who hold at least a two-year degree according to 2008

census data (Lumina Foundation, 2008).

The 2000 U.S. census showed 75.6% of adults ages 25 and older were high school

graduates in Nash County and 17.2% of adults ages 25 and older held Bachelor’s degrees.

10,884 females completed high school and 8,620 males completed high school in Nash

County out of 57,522 persons according to 2000 U.S. census data. (U.S. Census Bureau

Fact Finder, 2010).




Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools

Geographic Profile

The Nash-Rocky Mount Public school system covers a 591 square foot mile area

and serves all of Nash County and parts of Edgecombe County (Nash-Rocky Mount

Public Schools, 2011).

Demographic Profile

The schools system comprises twenty-eight schools and serves approximately

18,000 students. In 2010, the total number of students enrolled was 17,282 (Nash-Rocky

Mount Public Schools, 2011).

Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System /Number of

Students Enrolled By Grade Levels (2010)

The students population by race in 2010 was 36% white, 53% black or African-

American, 7% Hispanic, 1% Asian, and 3% American Indian or multi-racial (Nash-

Rocky Mount Public Schools, 2011).

Pre-K Grades K-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12

471 students 8,031 students 3,889 students 4,891 students




Total Number of Schools in Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System:

28 Schools Total (2010)

Other interesting facts to note about the student population of Nash-Rocky Mount

Schools are that fifteen home languages are spoken (2010), twenty-six different countries

are represented (2010), 1,536 enrolled students speak English as a second language

(2010), 955 students are enrolled in ESL services (2010), 1% of the students are from

migrant families (2010), and 11% of students have an Individualized Educational Plan

Elementary

Schools

Middle

Schools

High

Schools

Alternative

Schools

Pre-K

Center

Middle

College

16 5 4 1 1 1




(2010). Out of the 16 elementary schools, 100% of them, for the 2009-2010 school year,

were designated as Title I schools. (These schools have at least 40% of students receiving

free or reduced price lunches). A Migrant Education Center is a part of the system, which

offers comprehensive programs for migrant families and students (Nash-Rocky Mount


Economic Profile

The operating budget for the Nash-Rocky Mount School system for 2010 was

$168,372,351. The estimated per student expenditure for 2010 was $8,397. In 2009, the

beginning teacher salary was $32,256. In 2010, the average certified teacher salary was

$55,048 (Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, 2011).

Educational Profile

In the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School system (NRMPS) in 2010, 833 teachers

were employed on a full-time basis. 382 teacher assistants were employed in 2010, in the

NRMPS system. The total number of teachers who held advanced degrees in 2010 was

480. The total number of teachers who had earned National Board Certification was 111

in 2010 (Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, 2011).




Information about the administrative structure for Nash-Rocky Mount Public

schools is not made public on the system’s website. The Nash-Rocky Mount School

system does operate under the direction of a school superintendent who is hired by the

county board of education, and these members serve in elected positions (Nash-Rocky

Mount Public Schools, 2011).

The total number of 2010 graduates in the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School

system was 1,087. Of those graduates, 929 enrolled in a program to continue their

education beyond high school. (4,891 students were enrolled in grades 9-12 in 2010). Nash-Rocky Mount Public School system ranks 431 out of 500 of the largest pubic

school districts ranked in 2008-2009 by the National Center for Educational Statistics

(The National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). In a comparison with other N.C.




school districts, the Nash-Rocky Mount School system ranks 131 st out of 179 (North

Carolina School District Rankings, 2011).

The mission of Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools (NRMPS) is to work in

partnership with families and communities to (N) nurture and educate every child; (R)

respect and value diversity; (M) maximize learning potential; and (P) produce globally

competitive students in a (S) safe and orderly environment. The Nash-Rocky Mount

Public School system’s vision is focused on continuous improvement for every child, in

every classroom, every day. The Nash-Rocky Mount Schools believe students come first;

education is hope -providing choices and expanding horizons, education is a shared

responsibility among schools, families, and communities; students need high expectations

for success; students learn best in a safe and nurturing environment; diversity is valued

when all people are treated with dignity; learning is a life-long journey for all (Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, 2011).

Winstead Avenue Elementary School

Aerial view of SchoolImage: (Nash-Rocky MountPublic Schools, 2011)




Geographic Profile

Winstead Avenue Elementary School is classified as a traditional school that

serves students in grades Kindergarten through second. It is located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina in Nash County, and it is a part of the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School

system. It is a school that transitions into a sister elementary school, located

approximately one mile away, that serves students in grades third through fifth. It is a

school that is less than ten years old and was built initially for use as a K-5 th grade year

round neighborhood school (Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, 2011).

Demographic Profile

Winstead Avenue Elementary School is located in a residential neighborhood and

students living in the neighborhood are eligible to attend the school. Students living in

nearby Edgecombe County are also permitted to attend the school and transportation is

provided for them via buses. The total student population in 2010 was 560 students.

Winstead Avenue Elementary School is a Title I school, meaning 40% or more of the

Front view of School




student population receives free and reduced lunches (Nash-Rocky Mount Public

Schools, 2011). (Per the school counselor, the exact number of students receiving free

and reduced lunches is not information shared with the public).

The population of the schools’ students by race is 55% Black, 38% White, not

Hispanic, 5% Hispanic, 2% Asian or Pacific Islander, <1% American Indian or Alaskan

Native (Winstead Avenue Elementary School, 2011).

<1 % American Indian or Alaskan Native




Educational Profile

On the school’s N.C. (2009-2010) report card, the schools’ designation is a school

of progress; expected growth. The school’s motto is “We Always Value Excellence.” The

school also has a mission statement on display near the main office (Nash-Rocky Mount


There are thirty-four general classrooms in the school and nine resource

classrooms, including an ESL classroom. Some of the school’s features are that every

classroom has internet access, the school has a media center, a computer lab, an art room,




a music room, a gym, and a cafeteria. The school has two administrators, a principal

(male, Caucasian) and a vice principal (female, African-American). There are a total of

thirty-six full-time employed lead classroom teachers at Winstead Avenue Elementary

School. The student teacher ratio is approximately 15:1. There are also 26 teacher

assistants employed (full and part-time) in grades Kindergarten through second, many

who float between classrooms during the school day (Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools,

2011).

Average Class Size in 2009-2010

Kindergarten 1 st Grade 2 nd Grade

20 22 19

100% of the teachers at Winstead Avenue Elementary School are fully licensed.

22% of the teachers hold advanced degrees.

Teachers WithoutAdvanced Degrees

TeachersWithAdvancedDegrees




Eight of the teachers have earned National Board Certification. The teacher

turnover rate is 5% (Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, 2011).

Years of Teaching Experience in 2009-2010

A Second Grade Classroom at Winstead Avenue Elementary School

Classroom Appearance and Set-up

The arrangement of this 2 nd grade classroom is to encourage small group work,

discussion amongst students, and collaboration. Desks are arranged in small groups of

four, five or six. The small groups of desks are set up in a circular pattern in the front half

of the classroom. Students sit beside each other as well as face each other in this seating

arrangement. Students share materials such as pencils and crayons that are in portable

caddies, which students place on top of the desks or on the floor at their feet. There is an

apparent front of the classroom, to which the groupings of desks are angled so all

students can see the Promethean ActivBoard, which sits at the front of the classroom, the

teacher’s rocking chair placed beside the ActivBoard, as well as the white board and a

bulletin board. In the front of the classroom is also a T.V., which hangs to the right of the

ActivBoard. There is a white board on one side of the classroom, as well as bulletin

boards. The back half of the classroom is arranged with three desks and three computers

facing away from the front of the classroom. There is a teacher’s desk in the rear of the

classroom as well as a small circular table, which I observed is used primarily by the

teacher and teacher assistant. Mainly, teacher materials are placed on the circular table.

0-3 years Teaching

Experience

4-10 years Teaching

Experience

10+ years Teaching

Experience

8% 6% 86%




Front of theClassroom




Students’ Desk Arrangement




Materials on Display for Student Use and to ViewThe classroom materials hung on the walls and bulletin boards promote writing

and the displays are rich in words, print, and vocabulary. There are thinking maps hung,

which the students use in their process of writing as well as posters that cover the

windows all with writing suggestions and aids. (The teacher commented to me twice, that

Computer Center inBack of the Classroom

Teacher’s Desk in back of classroom




second grade is the grade in which to learn how to write). There is a word wall in the

back of the room above the desks with computers. The white board on the side

classroom wall is used to communicate assignments with students and is also used as a

space to display charts with vocabulary and spelling words with definitions the students

are learning. The commercially made posters displayed mainly promote being smart,

being a star student, or being responsible such as bringing homework to school. There

was a poster indicating classroom helpers and the jobs each student would rotate doing in

the class. There was one bookshelf full of literature, but none of the titles were visible.

Artwork created by the students displayed in the classroom were self-portraits of the

students’ heads. Other work completed by students consisted of bunnies they had colored

and these were hung on the two white boards. Writings and thinking maps students had

completed were hung in the hallway outside of the classroom.

Thinking Maps and

White Board Used for Assignments andVocabulary Charts




Classroom Bookshelf

Classroom HelpersBoard




Students’ self portraits

Students’ art work-Easter bunnies




Word Wall




Displays that are PrintRich and Foster Writing Skills









twenty-four students were identified as a ‘high-ability group.’ Another 2 nd grade teacher

combined her students with this teacher’s classroom at the beginning of the year. The

students from both of the classes were then divided into what the teachers called a ‘low

ability group’ and a ‘high ability group’ based on 3D testing scores from 1 st grade. The

teachers also tested the children three times during the 2 nd grade year on reading as well

as kept track of students’ academic gains on classroom work as well as observing

whether or not if they were struggling or were having difficulty ‘keeping up.’ Students

could be moved between the groups if the two teachers assessed it to be necessary. The

teacher I observed provides instruction for reading and writing/literacy and social studies.

The other teacher provides instruction for math and science. The two groups change

classes during the day in order to receive instruction in all subjects. When I asked about

the differences in instruction for the two groups, the teacher explained that the ‘low-ability group’ receives more guided practice whereas the ‘high ability group’ is permitted

to do more work independently. The ‘low ability group’ is also smaller in size with fewer

than twenty children. She said the main benefit to the two groups, is that she has more

time for one-on-one instruction with the smaller size of the low ability group. She said

the content taught was primarily the same for both groups, but the instructional strategies

used were not.

Observation of Teaching

After a time was allotted for students to settle in during their morning

arrival (such as hanging up back-packs, coats, sharpening pencils, placing lunch orders,

etc.), the teacher began the morning with reading aloud, using whole class instruction, a

picture story book by Patricia Polacco titled Rechenka’s Eggs . The students all sat on the

floor in the middle front of the classroom and the teacher sat in a rocking chair in front of

the class. As the teacher read, she paused to ask some comprehension questions such as

what a kulich was in the story and she also encouraged the use of reading strategies suchas what did the students predict would happen to Rechenka the goose. She followed the

story with a showing of a film on the ActivBoard, a Discovery Education video from the

Reading Rainbow children’s television program. The film discussed and explored the

science of eggs such as eggs’ shape and strength, the book was read aloud again during




the video, and Patricia Polacco demonstrated how to make the decorative pysanky eggs in

the Ukranian-style in the video, which were illustrated in her book. Students were then

asked to move to their desks and were given a large Easter basket to color and a sheet of

blank eggs, which they were asked to color to resemble pysanky eggs. Three students at a

time were also asked to go to the computer station in the back of the classroom to take an

Accelerated Reader quiz on the book, Rechenka’s Eggs , and then to return to their desks

to work on their art. Students who finished their art, were permitted to work on brain

teasers worksheets, independent reading, or pull their book project folder which

contained a book the teacher had selected for each student with activity sheets to

complete such as a character comparison sheet.

After the lesson, students had to leave for a special in another classroom. The

teacher and her assistant who also works in an adjacent 2 nd grade classroom, worked on preparations at the circle table for an Easter ‘Eggstravaganza’ the class was having the

next day while the students were gone. Parents were invited to attend the event, and the

class was going to have an Easter egg hunt, a jumping contest in which students would

measure the length of their ‘bunny’ jumps, and other Easter-themed learning activities.

The teacher assistant had been present for the lesson. She remained seated though at the

circle table busy cutting and organizing materials for the students for the next day’s

events. Her interaction with the students in the class was minimal. She only interacted

twice with students in the back of the classroom at the computer station in an effort to

discourage behaviors she saw as inappropriate.

Following the return of the students to the classroom, the teacher had what she

called “News Bleep” time. The students again were invited to sit on the floor in the front

half of the class and the teacher sat in the rocking chair. Children who were quiet, were

called on first by the teacher, and she reminded the class of this. The students were

permitted to share aloud a ‘news-worthy’ event in their own lives. For example, students

shared about their extracurricular activities, their families, and their home. Students were

permitted authentic expression and they could speak in their own dialect and use informal

language during this time. The teacher did not correct any student’s informal grammar or

syntax. Almost every child’s hand was raised to share something and there was almost

100% participation. For example, one student said, “I had a baseball game last night. We




beat ‘em, we beat ‘em good. Wanna hear the score?” Another child said, “My auntie had

her a baby. I forget his name. He was so tiny. You’s don’t believe me?” Another child

shared, ”My papa says he gonna sign me up for swimming at the Boys & Girls Club cuz I

don’t even know how to swim.” Another shared,” My grandpa, he’s real sick. He’s been

in the hospital for six days. Ya’ll pray for him.”

The primary classroom management technique used that day was a negative

reinforcement strategy of no homework for students if they behaved appropriately. On

the white board used for assignment the teacher had written under assignments “ No

homework- I hope not!” Students were permitted to talk amongst themselves during the

art portion of the lesson. If students were talking too loudly though or were moving

around too much and not staying focused on coloring, the teacher would say for instance,

“ Tommy, I hope you don’t have homework tonight...please stay in your seat.” Studentswere discouraged from talking with one another during the reading of the story and while

watching the video by the teacher’s use of “shhh.” The teacher also played classical

musical while the students worked to decorate their baskets and eggs. Students for the

most part were very engaged, especially while being read aloud to and during Polacco’s

portion of the video. Students talking did increase during the second time the story was

read on the video, perhaps because it was repetitive.




Negative Examples of Multicultural Education Observed in the

2 nd Grade Classroom

One of the two main examples I observed of multicultural education or

rather, an absence of multicultural education, was in the teacher’s choice to tie in Patricia

Polacco’s book, Rechenka’s Eggs , to the celebration of Easter. Easter is a Christian

celebration of the resurrection of Christ and the secular components of the Easter Bunny

Activity- decorating Easter baskets and eggs pysankystyle




and dyed eggs both associated with Easter, do not represent all students’ religious

backgrounds and cultures. The lesson I observed being taught, was clearly an example of

how schools can be a place for the teaching of the dominant culture based on Caucasian,

Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant beliefs and history. The teacher identified one student as

Muslim in her class, and Muslims do not celebrate Easter as persons of the Christian faith

do. As Gollnick and Chinn (2009) stated, “Schools have traditionally served as the

transmitter of the dominant culture to all students regardless of their cultural

backgrounds”(p. 36). Gollnick and Chinn (2009) also pointed out that, “ Although

schools should be secular, they are greatly influenced by the predominant values of the

community” (p. 275). Students in this particular class were taught that Easter should be

celebrated! This lesson was even followed by an “Eggstravaganza” the next day to which

parents were invited for Easter-themed learning activities and an Easter egg hunt.Students, like the Muslim girl in the class, learn that their religious practices are not

deemed as important as the dominant culture’s Christian religious celebrations in lessons

such as this one. This teacher could have still conducted the lesson on Patricia Polacco’s

book, which is a multicultural book that teaches about the Ukraine. (The pysanky egg

dying is a Ukranian tradition more than likely not familiar to many students in this

context). Yet, tying this lesson into Easter caused it to lose its multicultural emphasis. As

Gollinck and Chinn point out (2009) “ It is the responsibility of educators to be aware of

the religious diversity and the influence of religion in the community in which they

work” (p. 281). I did not ask the teacher if she has an understanding of the Muslim faith

or if she has constructed any lessons around the diverse faiths of the students in her

classroom, including contact with the parents of her students as resources. (I was told

there were many Muslims in the school). In the article by Stephen Prothero (2005) he

discusses how Americans are more religious than many Europeans, yet know far less

about religions. This particular lesson I observed continues the unfortunate legacy of

many schools - students learning about the importance of one religion, yet never, being

exposed to the diversity and importance of other religions and discovering that in

America- even students’ own classroom- there is religious diversity.

The second main example of negative multicultural education I observed was in

the two 2 nd grade teachers’ decision to combine their classrooms, and to create one ‘high-




ability’ group and one ‘low-ability’ group. In essence, this practice is a type of tracking.

Just the fact that the groups were referred to as ‘low’ and ‘high’ ability, suggests that the

teachers’ expectations for the two groups differs widely. As Gollnick and Chinn (2009)

stated, “To a large degree, students learn to behave in the manner that is expected of the

group in which they are placed” (p. 384). Additionally, the creation of the two learning

groups impacts the learning outcomes for these students. Gollnick and Chinn (2009)

stated, “Teachers may use different instructional strategies in these groups and have

different expectations for learning outcomes” (p. 113). I found this to be true as the

teacher I observed explained that she uses different instructional approaches with the two

groups. Furthermore, the students in the ‘high-ability’ group are encouraged to do

independent learning tasks such as the book project folders she creates for these students.

This type of activity promotes the development of critical thinking skills, necessary for all learners, especially as part of a 21 st century multicultural curriculum. As Gollnick and

Chinn (2009) stated, “ Critical thinking tasks are reserved for the high-ability groups.

Oral recitation and structured written work are common in low-ability groups” (p. 113).

In our diverse world, critical thinking skills are essential for students to develop;

especially for students to be able to challenge the dominant culture and inequalities which

persist in our country. The fact that the students are grouped based primarily on reading

tests does not adequately justify the groupings, as the students are also separated for math

and science learning. Furthermore, the focus on the instructional method of guided

practice does not promote students to use their own voice to build on their prior

knowledge, especially the knowledge gained from their cultures. This type of learning

places the teacher’s life experiences as the center and the guiding force in the classroom,

not the students’ own diverse lives. Learning in the ‘low-ability’ group is not democratic

and the students are not permitted to be active participants and to be as engaged as the

students are able to do in the ‘high-ability’ group. Worse, grouping students can

perpetuate stereotypes of students who are in different socio-economic classes. As

Gollnick and Chinn (2009) stated, “Even when students have no differences in ability,

academic tracks reflect race, gender, and class differences” (p. 384). Although the

students in the ‘high-ability’ group I observed were equally represented by race, the few

students who the teacher mentioned were from middle-class homes, were all placed in the




‘high-ability’ group. It seems a difficult task to be a culturally responsive teacher to all

learners and to create the conditions for learning when students are divided into

“intellectual ability” groups of ‘high’ versus ‘low.’

A third observation worthy of mention is that the bulletin boards and displays in

the classroom did not reflect the diversity of our country or of the world. The

commercially made posters promoted positive behaviors and academic achievements in

terms of being “smart.” Yet, given the mixture of African-American and Caucasian

students in the class as well as a predominance of boys, the posters could have included

images of African-American authors and female writers in this literacy based

instructional classroom. The bookshelf may have contained literature that teaches

diversity, but I found it to be so over-filled it was not user- friendly.

Positive Examples of Multicultural Education Observed in the

2 nd Grade Classroom

I observed two primary examples of positive multicultural education in the 2 nd

grade classroom I visited. First, the room arrangement fostered cooperative learning in

the classroom. The desks were arranged in small groups and students were mixed by race,

ethnicity, and gender. The arrangement encouraged the sharing of materials and ideas,

which I observed the students doing. The students were able to support one another in

their learning tasks and I noted the students freely and comfortably sharing their

decorated pysanky eggs with each other. When the students were talking with each other

at their desks, their conversations were not shared with the whole class, but opportunities

for informal cross-cultural communication was evident. As Gollnick and Chinn (2009)

stated, “ The learning communities with members from different cultural groups can also

promote cross-cultural interactions and understandings” (p. 387). As the students share

in small groups collectively they are also developing appreciation for and tolerance of

each other’s diversity. The classroom I observed did not promote an authoritarian rule by

the teacher; rather, it was a noisy place with movement and dialogue, a place where an

understanding and appreciation for diversity among students could be developed as a

sense of community existed in part because of the teacher’s choice of room arrangement.

Education in this type of classroom set-up could be as Freire described it in the latter part

of his quote, “ the means by which mean and women deal critically and creatively with




reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of the world” (“Paulo

Freire,” 2011). The room arrangement encouraged participation on the part of the

students in their own learning.

The other main example I observed of positive multicultural education in the 2 nd

grade classroom in which I visited, was the time allotted for “News Bleeps.” As

discussed in the article by Gullingsrud (1998), he stated, “I learn about my students’

culture and give it authentic standing and respect” (p. 32). I think the daily practice of

“News Bleeps” is a step in this direction; it is a practice on the teacher’s part, of

validating what students find as important in their own lives and also promotes students’

own development of a positive self image for themselves. It also fosters students’ own

awareness of the diversity of the lives and cultures of their peers. Furthermore, because

the sharing of the news by the students is done in an informal manner, the students are permitted to speak in their own dialect, perhaps with slang, and without being required to

use standard proper English. They speak as they do at home in their own cultural

communities. As Wheeler and Swords (2004) stated “ When we bring the child’s

language and culture into the classroom, we invite the whole child” (p. 479). I am not

aware if this teacher I observed teaches “codeswitching,” as Wheeler and Swords

discussed (2004), but given the fact that the students write extensively in her class, this

would be a valuable skill for her students to master.

Lastly, although only mentioned briefly here, the students’ self- portraits were an

example of positive multicultural education I observed. Although it is not sufficient,

completing and displaying student self-portraits in the classroom is a positive step in the

right direction to encourage all students to see themselves as valuable and integral

members of their diverse school community within the context of their diverse world.




References

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Wheeler, R. & Swords, R. (2004). Codeswitching: tools of language and culturetransform the dialectally diverse classroom. Language Arts, 81 (6), 470-480.

Winstead Avenue Elementary School (2011). Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.Org/cgi-bin/nc/other/1406#students

Documents

Learners in Context Profile