I noticed a difference between the level of interactions and the amount of people frequenting each location throughout our visit to the grocery store, restaurant, and YMCA. I was surprised to see several students from Wadsworth at YMCA immediately after school. Many of them were still in their school uniforms and already engaging in structured activities throughout the facility. I was also surprised that the grocery store was extremely small and lacked several primary sections such as a deli. However, I was not surprised that the activity in the restaurant was very minimal. By this I mean there were few customers at the time we frequented the restaurant (about 4:00pm). This was most likely due to several parents/guardians still working as well as a lack of excess money to spend on leisure-like activities.
By going and visiting some key locations throughout my community I feel that I have gained a better sense of who my students are and where they come from. This has transferred over to my perception of their learning environment outside of the classroom. Lisa Delpit’s article “Lessons From Teachers” suggests that we should teach within context that provide meaning (2). I feel that I can better make connections, in literacy and mathematics, to things in their everyday lives which will allow the students to better relate to the lesson I am presenting. I have also become aware of the effects of the school day on the children. Other than the YMCA and the minimal after school programs at Wadsworth, it was evident just by driving throughout the surrounding community, that there is a lack of resources to involve the children in productive, safe, and educational after school environments.
Chelsea, I think it is so great that you got to see some of our students at the YMCA. It is great for them to know that we are interesting in their community and that it is now becoming part of our new community. I agree that it was different not seeing a deli section, I am not sure if I have ever been in a grocery store without one. I think it is important for us to continue being part of their community and investigate if there is something we could do to improve on the last part of your entry: helping create a more productive, safe and education place for our students to go!
ReplyDeleteChelsea,
ReplyDeleteI wonder why it is that the grocery store was lacking a deli department - it makes me wonder if it is because many people in the area are on LINK cards and possibly shop for convenience or if pre-packaged food is what the prefer. There must be some intention to the set-up of this store.
I agree 100% that this experience will help us when GLT and LT - we can take what we learned and saw in the community and integrate it into our lessons so that our students can see that we care about them. This will them help us with class participation and classroom talk because they will know what we are talking about and relating math problems to - the will feel a connection and a sense of pride.