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3 things that will stick with me

 Moo In’s- To be truthful, when we first started the semester I thought the moo in’s were a bit childish. I understood the goal however I felt it could be presented less awkwardly (I.e we have to say “moo in” and “moo out”). Now that the semester is over I feel strongly that nothing should change about our morning introductions. The playfulness allows everyone to get comfortable over time which causes us to share more than we normally would in other classes. I feel as though if they were made more comfortable from the beginning of the semester, students would be less inclines to step out of their boxes and probably would speed through something that helps us all connect. 

Lisa Delpit’s Silenced Dialogue- More specifically, when Delpit speaks on the culture of power. This was one of those “aha” moments where I found a term for something I’ve recognized for a while. Reading her thoughts on the culture of power has helped me think more deeply about this topic. In all honesty I have effortlessly been able to connect it to all of my other classes and reference it in one of my fina papers in my Literature and Identity class.

Leading With- This was another moment where I put a grade to a thought I ad already had. The emphasis on leading with has been super important in my learning journey, especially when I see it in both of my classes with Leslie. When first seeing the anchors I was confused on what leading with really meant and how it would play out. Leslie has showed us through letting us talk about topics past scheduled times, changing assignments due to what we deserve/prefer, having students lead ice breakers, picking where we work in groups. Etc. The lack of dictatorship and the amount of care in both classrooms gave me a real life visual while learning our criteria. 

queering our schools

 Reading “Queering Our Schools” really drives home how deeply education shapes the way young people learn to see both themselves and others. The article highlights that even as society becomes more accepting, schools still carry invisible walls that make it hard for queer students and teachers to feel safe or seen. What stood out most is how the writers connect community and empathy to real youth development—showing that when students are encouraged to express who they are, they grow not just academically but emotionally and socially. Queer studies plays a huge role in this because it asks us to question the systems that define what’s considered “normal” and whose stories get told. When teachers understand this, they can create classrooms that don’t just tolerate difference but celebrate it. It’s not only about protecting queer youth from harm, but also about teaching every student that diversity isn’t something to manage—it’s something to learn from. The same goes for teachers themselves, if educators can’t be open about their identities, how can they model authenticity and acceptance for their students? Making space for queer perspectives in schools is ultimately about shaping a generation that sees empathy, inclusion, and justice as everyday practices, not exceptions.

Reading “Queering Our Schools” really connects to what we’ve been doing in my queer studies class this semester. The class has taught me that queerness isn’t only about sexuality, it’s about identity, perception, and understanding how different experiences shape the way people see the world. The article talks about how schools should be spaces where every student and teacher can feel safe being their full selves, which ties directly into youth development and how identity forms early on. It made me think about my Mean Girls project, where I’m creating a “Turn Book” instead of a Burn Book to flip societal norms and look at the movie through a new lens. For me, queering Mean Girls doesn’t mean focusing just on sexuality, it means going beneath the surface and seeing how gender, power, and conformity affect each character differently. Both the article and this project make me realize that queering something is really about opening your perspective, understanding that not everything has one right answer, and learning to see through experiences beyond your own.

Troublemakers

 The way Shalabay approaches the word "troublemaker" really caught my attention. The way she argues is like a child who sings more and more loudly each time they are attempted to be silenced. Educators should all be aware this might mean they are missing a signal and should open their eyes to another possibility. Comparing "troublemakers" to miner canaries was a powerful comparison, imagining their "problematic" behavior as warning cries "...that there is poison in our shared air... that someone is reusing to hear their voice." When children act out, it’s easy for adults to label them as “bad,” “disruptive,” or “attention-seeking.” But most of the time, their behavior is not the real problem it’s a message. Kids rarely have the words or emotional awareness to explain what they’re feeling, especially when they’ve learned that their voices don’t matter. When a child feels ignored, misunderstood, or powerless, behavior becomes their language. What looks like defiance can actually be confusion, sadness, or a desperate attempt to be seen. "It seems impossible to blame a caged bird for its own death in a toxic mine, but we  nonetheless manage to do so. " So many quotes in the preface stuck out to me. This comparison is also so powerful because it symbolizes how adults constantly blame children for repetitive uncontrolled behavior, as if children do not learn from their surroundings and depend on the adults around them. This idea is so important for people to understand because, like Shalaby points out, if we never question what we were taught about children and behavior, we’ll just keep repeating the same mistakes. Many adults were raised in systems where obedience was valued more than understanding, so it feels normal to expect children to simply “behave.” But if we don’t stop and recognize that behavior is communication, we end up silencing kids instead of helping them grow. Shalaby reminds us that this kind of teaching, where control replaces care doesn’t just shape classrooms; it shapes how children see themselves. They learn that being “good” means being quiet, even when something feels unfair or confusing. Realizing this changes everything. It pushes us to unlearn the idea that authority equals power, and instead focus on connection, empathy, and listening. When adults take time to understand what a child’s behavior is saying, it creates space for trust and healing rather than punishment and fear. But that shift can only happen once people realize that what they were taught  to discipline first, to demand respect, to control isn’t the only way. This reminds me of one of the anchor values focused on in my YDEV class, Leading with. This anchor is about how educators should focus on leading with their studetns, rather than just aiming to control. This is something Leslie has voiced to be difficult many times, but she points out it is very important. The goal is not to control, but to lead with.

Finn

Reading Finn was a little challenging for me, solely based on the fact that at some points when they were switching back and forth from the kinds of schools they were talking about, I would get a little confused. But I do believe I grasped the main idea for the most part, especially with the help of the breakdown towards the end of the reading. The more I read, the more interesting the breakdown of Anyon's experiment became. The relation between teachers' attitudes, students' grades, criteria taught, and opinions on what is important. All of this reflects how your class affects everything in your life, especially education. In the lower working class and middle class, students are taught to obey the rules, stick to the book, and not to go against the grain. They are basically being trained to work their lives away; resistance was punished. The middle class, however, did seem to prioritize the teacher's knowledge more; that would be attributed to their "rewards" for going by the book and following rules (good grades, good school, good job). The teachers talked down more on their students, especially the lower-class teachers. They had almost no hope for their students' education and could see the social class difference. In affluent schools, students were more creative and focused on their individual education but also pertained to the community. Students would speak out to "the rich" while their parents were part of the 10%. Students were more encouraged to think outside the box and prioritize education. Finn said that the executive elite students were "learning to be masters of the universe." Education was prioritized, and creativity was more of a mockery. They didn't believe in individualism in the sense that they could create their own knowledge; everything had a right answer, and there were most definitely wrong ones. More responsibility and a harder curriculum were provided; teachers had a lot more faith in their students to move toward the right direction. 

Although not straight on topic, I wanted to share a video I recently watched where parents and teachers (some who are also parents) discuss what children truly need. In this video class is brought up when it comes to having to give up a job to become a mom or being a single parent with only one income and one person to do the work. One of the teachers stresses the problem of social inequity and how it has played a role in him struggling to help teach a student. He shares how difficult and overwhelming it can be for him to try and steer students on the right path, partially because he didn't grow up that way. While another teacher's background has helped her help children. It is a really beautiful video because everyone seems very vulnerable and honestly discussing real issues. They also take accountability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZGgRt5-ig 

checklist worksheets

 

Kohn/Intro Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

 Kohn- While reviewing the list of what a classroom shoud or shouldnt look like, I found many ascpects to be "givens", like students faces, teachers voices, around the school, ect. However there are things on the list that I am pleasently surprised to see. When looking at class discussion it was common in my elementary school days to only speak when talken to, but it is extremely important students feel comportable to use their voices. Same with the location of the teacher in the classroom, I remember the teacher to always be sitting at their desk infront of the room or standing infront of the board. When reading this list all I could think about was how these rules have affected my education, even in college. While at CCRI I found a lot of my classrooms to have students work surrounding the walls rather than rules or teacher chosen posters. In these cases I felt the vibe to be more comfoting and I was actually interested in reading the wall decor. Also it is common in college courses to not sit in rows and I have found this to envoke a lot more class discussion. Not to mention all of the professors I have had that enforce these classroom positives, tend to be my favorite and the classes I have learned the most in.

When watching the youtube video it stuck out to me when they said" Students do not learn as blank slates". This is such a beautiful way to explain in simple terms why culturally relevant pegagogy is important in childrens success. Children live for years in their cultures at home before they go to school it is bizzare to expect that all of these learnt behaviors, beliefs, emotions, just go out of the window. This video did a good job of explaining how children learn better and are more involved when their cultyres are taken into consideration. Building on students prior knowledge will help them understand new concepts and make connections to their culture with a possibly new learnt culture. Although we talked about it not too long ago, this immedietly made me think of the Tuscon High School students. When their MAS program was in affect some students whole lives were changed. Suddenly they had hope for their future after they were deemed devient, their families all saw a change in their drive. There was proof in grades, attdendance, and attitude that these students were positively affected by RAS and nobody was negetively affected. White students were still allowed to take this class, everyone was welcome. Yet state officials turned the racist card on this program claiming it to promote segregation. To me and most people in their right mind, this was a manipulative and victimizing tactic to accuse such a positive program of. Their situation and trial proved to me that those people didnt truly care about the well being of those latino students and they wanted their whiteness to show dominance. 

 

The Silenced Dialogue

 One thing that stood out to me in Delpit’s article is the role teachers play in shaping not just what kids learn, but how they see themselves in the classroom. Teachers really do hold a lot of power, whether it’s through the curriculum they choose, the way they set expectations, or even how they talk to students. Delpit makes the point that kids, especially those who aren’t already part of the “culture of power,” need clear, direct guidance. They need to be taught the skills that will help them succeed in the larger world, while also being encouraged to hold onto and value their own cultural knowledge. A good teacher knows how to balance both—being a guide and an authority, but also someone who listens and respects what their students bring with them.The “Silenced Dialogue” part hit me hard, because it shows how often teachers and parents of color get left out of the conversation about what’s best for their own kids. White educators tend to dominate the decisions, and that means only one perspective gets carried into the classroom. You can still see this happening today. Kids learn about their culture mostly through stories of oppression—like slavery or colonization—but rarely see the achievements or leadership of people who look like them. That silence sends a message: your experience doesn’t count here. It ties directly into what Sleeter talked about last week—how the curriculum itself often erases or minimizes the contributions of people of color. Both articles show how this lack of representation hurts students, not just academically but in how they view their place in society. To me, breaking that silence starts with teachers being willing to really listen, even when it’s uncomfortable, and letting multiple voices shape what happens in the classroom. Without that, schools keep teaching kids more than academics—they teach them whose voices matter.

The #ShutDownSTEM and #StrikeForBlackLives protests line up really closely with Delpit’s idea of the “silenced dialogue.” In her article, she talks about how teachers of color often feel ignored or dismissed when they share their perspectives, especially about how best to teach students of color. The protests were academics and educators finally being pushed to pause, reflect, and admit that institutions have been complicit in that same silencing. By asking people to stop normal work for a day, organizers wanted educators and researchers to confront how they’ve been part of upholding racism in classrooms and curriculum, even if unintentionally. Just like Delpit explains, ignoring or dismissing the voices of people of color in education causes harm and disconnect for students. The protests were a way of forcing open that dialogue, demanding that schools and academic spaces not only listen but also take real steps toward anti-racism.

 This reading is very important for future educators or youth development majors to take seriously. Children need to learn about diverse backgrounds because they need to see representation of themselves in what they are being taught. When students see themselves in history, literature, or social studies, it sparks their interest and makes them feel seen in a way that standard, Eurocentric curricula often fail to do.The story about the man who rejected school until he started learning about his own background later in life is a perfect example. It shows that it’s not a lack of intelligence or ability that causes some students to disengage, but a lack of connection. When students don’t see their identities reflected in the classroom, education feels like it belongs to someone else. But when they do read about their own history and culture, it can completely shift their perspective. Suddenly, learning becomes meaningful and personal, which can inspire them to keep pursuing education.For those preparing to work with children, this is a powerful reminder: representation is not just about fairness—it’s about motivation, belonging, and opening doors. If students only ever hear one narrative, they learn to distrust school knowledge and turn elsewhere for answers. But if schools commit to teaching a broader, more accurate story that includes all voices, students of color will know their stories matter too.Future educators and youth development professionals have the opportunity to make learning spaces where every child feels valued. That means intentionally including diverse histories, voices, and cultural contributions in the curriculum. When children feel proud of who they are and what their communities have contributed, they don’t just become better students—they become more confident, curious, and empowered people.

Representation in education isn’t just about checking a box or sprinkling in a few diverse names. It’s about kids being able to see themselves, their families, and their cultures reflected in what they’re learning. Movies like Coco and Moana show exactly why this matters. Coco brings Mexican traditions and Día de los Muertos to life, giving kids from that background a chance to feel proud of who they are, while also teaching others to appreciate a culture they might not know much about. Moana does something similar by highlighting Polynesian history and traditions, proving that these stories are powerful and worth celebrating.Then there’s Black Panther, which completely shifted what superhero movies could look like. For so many kids, it was the first time they saw a hero who looked like them on such a big stage—and the pride and excitement that came with it was huge. These movies show what the research says over and over again: when students see their culture represented, they don’t just learn the material, they connect with it. They feel seen, valued, and inspired.That’s why representation in education isn’t just a nice extra—it’s something we need to take seriously if we want kids to stay engaged and believe their stories matter.

 

Shifting the Paradigm Blog

 Hello, everybody! This week's reading was super light but also very thought-provoking. The whole point is that students need to be taught with an asset model approach, focusing on students' strengths and emphasizing what they're good at; the goal is to build students up. This is in comparison to the deficit model, a model most schools in the US currently practice. The deficit model focused more on what issues students have with learning and how to fix them. The asset model isn't to say that deficit training shouldn't be incorporated at all, but to say it shouldn't be the main focus. Now, although I wish this piece were more detailed in the sense that the writer gave specific examples on how to perform this, not just broad, repetitive examples. I felt like I kept being told, "We can do this by..." and the following would be a rephrased way of saying we should focus on achievements, but not expressing how. It would've been helpful to be given examples of the deficit model to see what specifically we can change in classrooms. That being said, I do very much agree with the point being made, and this reading helped me make a connection to a theory I learned about earlier in college. The labeling theory is a perfect example of why we cannot put a spotlight on what is "wrong" or "bad" behavior by children. In this theory, it is expressed how the more you tell a kid they are deviant, the more the rest of the world and the child themselves will permanently believe it. When a negative trait about a child is drilled into their heads, it is likely that they will internalize this behavior. This can lead to secondary deviance, when a person acts out more deviant roles in order to confirm the label and fulfill that role. On the contrary, the more you tell someone, or even yourself, affirming thoughts, the more likely we are to believe those, too. I believe this from personal experience, as lately I have been practicing affirmations and reminding myself I am exactly who I think I am, not who others tell me I am. This applies to children, especially due to how much they are at a young age. 

Here is a short 5-minute video explaining the labeling theory if anyone wants to get more familiar! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHSvZZ1pnm0 😁

 When I hear the words "education policy," I usually think about things like standardized testing, new curriculum mandates, or teacher evaluations. Basically, all the stuff that happens inside a school building. But after reading Jean Anyon’s essay "What Counts as Educational Policy?", I realized I might’ve been looking in the wrong direction. She makes this really sharp point: education policy isn’t just about schools—it’s about the world kids live in when they walk out the school doors. Take wages. The federal minimum wage has been stuck in place for years. Plenty of parents are working full-time and still not making enough to cover rent or keep food in the fridge. Their kids don’t leave those struggles at home; they carry them straight into the classroom. And no amount of new textbooks or testing reforms is going to erase the stress of hunger or eviction. That’s what Anyon is getting at. If families had stable jobs, fair wages, and access to affordable housing, kids would show up to school with a totally different set of possibilities. She points to research showing that even small bumps in family income improve children’s test scores. Moving families to safer, better-resourced neighborhoods? Graduation rates go up. Suddenly, it’s not just about what’s being taught in math class—it’s about whether kids are even in a position to learn. And honestly, once you see it, you can’t unsee it. We keep treating schools like they’re isolated islands: change the curriculum here, test differently there, and hire better teachers over here. But schools are more like mirrors. They reflect the neighborhoods, the jobs, the housing policies, and the opportunities (or lack of them) surrounding kids. If those are broken, the schools will keep struggling no matter how many reforms we pile on. So here’s the question that stuck with me: why don’t we treat things like raising the minimum wage or building better public transit as education policies? Because if kids can’t get to class ready to learn, then those economic “side issues” are actually the main event. That’s the shift Anyon is asking us to make—and honestly, it feels overdue. If we want real school reform, maybe the place to start isn’t with another round of standardized tests, but with making sure families can afford groceries and rent.

After reading Anyon, I decided to dig into whether any school districts are actually trying to put her ideas into practice—treating poverty, housing, and family support as part of education policy. Here’s what I came across: One example is Union Public Schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has built what they call a “community school village.” Instead of just focusing on academics, their schools provide things like mental health services, nutrition programs, medical clinics, and even adult education. The idea is to meet families where they are and remove the outside barriers that often spill into the classroom. Another example is the Independence School District in Missouri, where every school has a family service liaison. These liaisons connect families with resources both inside and outside the school—from housing and food assistance to home-based support. The results have been impressive: even among at-risk students, graduation rates have climbed significantly. Both districts show how schools can widen their role beyond textbooks and tests, echoing Anyon’s argument that real educational reform has to include the economic and social realities students live with every day.

Links to articles with school district information^ :

https://www.k12dive.com/news/community-models-rise-continues-as-schools-embrace-wraparound-services/546444/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://jacksoncountykids.org/news/independence-school-district-delivering-mental-health-support-to-students-families/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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The Broken Model and A Short History of Public Schooling Review

This reading introduced me to a new opinion on the education system and, more specifically, public schools. Public schools and the way they function are worth attention, especially since it is the “standard” schooling. Public school is what is available to everyone and is used by most, and its system builds the way we function in society. I have always thought about “what” we learn about in school needs to be reevaluated. Just because it is what we learned in elementary school doesn't mean it's what is to be true today, or even at the time of learning. First, it is important to think about “who” is setting up these systems. If it is an old, straight, white man with selfish views, it is very possible that said man would force those beliefs upon us. Not that the answer is as simple as that, but as an example. Just like if I taught a class on colors, the rule of thumb would be that green is the best, but that isn't everyone's opinion. A lot of times in school, we are being taught things from one perspective and made to believe it is a stone-cold fact. This reading put into perspective that the systems set up to teach us also matter, not just what they teach us. It really tripped me out to think about the fact that breakfast, lunch, and dinner are just old concepts and not just the scientific ways of fueling our bodies. And then to realize that everything in our day is constructed around these meal times. That is definitely something I have never thought about. I also felt when reading the section “Test and Testing” a list was being created of all the things tests do NOT prove, and I just kept thinking all these points are what tests should be all about. It is a little overwhelming to think about how deeply rooted our education system is and that changing it would require so much change around the world. I truly never realized this. 

I thought it would be interesting to ask ChatGPT to "create a cartoon but also detailed image of what schools should look like in 2025 if the pure well being of children was prioritized" and this is what it came up with... 

Now, what ChatGPT came up with was not the most advanced piece of work, but it does touch on the comparison of what ChatGPT views schools as now (on the left) and how they should be (on the right). Notice how on the right, students are outside, smiling, and educating their bodies, not just their minds; the environment they are learning in makes them more likely to feel calm. 

 

Priv. Power and Diff.

 

Reading Alan G. Johnson’s Privilege, Power, and Difference was both captivating and affirming. From the start, I found it easy to connect with because many of Johnson’s points echoed thoughts I already had about privilege and inequality. Rather than introducing me to an entirely new way of thinking, the book helped put into words and examples what I already recognized and agreed with. It was less about changing my mind and more about giving me a clearer framework to understand these issues and talk about them.

One part that stood out to me was Johnson’s point about the paradox of humanity. He reminds us of all the incredible things people have accomplished—we’ve created art, built societies, discovered cures, and we’re even the only species that laughs—yet we still struggle to treat people who look different from us with basic respect. That contradiction hit home for me because it shows how irrational and unnecessary racism and prejudice really are.

I also connected with Johnson’s insistence that we can’t avoid using words like “white” or “racism” if we want to truly face the issue. Too often people shy away from those terms because they’re uncomfortable, but if we don’t name the problem, we can’t begin to solve it. I’ve always believed that privilege isn’t about blaming individuals—it’s about recognizing larger systems. Johnson explained this well by showing that privilege is not personal or intentional, but something inherited by groups. His perspective helped reinforce the idea that privilege doesn’t erase personal struggle, but it does mean certain barriers aren’t stacked against you in the same way they are for others.

Several of his quotes stuck with me. For example, “her misfortune is connected to my fortune” captures the reality that privilege often exists because someone else is being denied opportunities. Another that resonated was “we may not realize how routinely we form such impressions until we run into someone who doesn’t fit neatly into one of our categories…” This reminded me how stereotypes break down so easily when we actually get to know people as individuals.

The long list of examples of privilege was also powerful. I’ve always believed privilege shows up in the small, everyday ways people are treated, but Johnson put it into clear, undeniable terms—things like being taken seriously, being respected, or not constantly having your identity questioned. His examples made me reflect more deeply on how privilege shapes daily life in ways that often go unnoticed by those who have it.

Finally, I appreciated his reference to James Baldwin and the idea that racism has no real meaning outside of privilege and oppression. It’s a powerful reminder that racism isn’t natural or inevitable—it’s something created and maintained by social systems.

Overall, I found Privilege, Power, and Difference to be an engaging and validating read. For me, it didn’t feel like being told something new, but rather having my own perspectives confirmed and expanded on. Johnson’s ability to explain privilege from his position as a white man makes the reading especially valuable for readers who may resist the topic, but for me, it was reassuring to see my own views reflected so clearly. This reading was both insightful and encouraging, and it’s the kind of book that helps turn awareness into action.

A link to the reading: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uMSd-j8Uqvm3T0HW0EdUoUUpXNSvE2zZ/view