2022:
In April, Pope Francis addressed the role that the Catholic Church played in residential schools. The Catholic Church was responsible for two thirds of Canada’s residential schools that were made for indigenous people. Pope Francis said, “”I feel shame – sorrow and shame – for the role that a number of Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered and in the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values.” The Pope’s apology will never reconcile what has been done. Although this apology was long overdue, it was an important action that needed to be taken. The Catholic Church taking accountability for their actions is something that needs to be done more often for other atrocities they have contributed to.
2022:
The loss of lives and culture will never be brought back, but reparations may help. Canada paid the indigenous people 4.7 billion dollars. This included 9.2 million dollars from the Protestant churches. However the Catholic Church only paid 1.2 million even though they were supposed to pay 25 million dollars. The Church was responsible for 70% of the residential schools which are made up of more than 130 schools. The federal government had already challenged the millions of dollars in legal and administrative fees the Catholic Church had to count as part of its settlement payments. However, the lawyer for the church claims that the fundraising for this money totaled to 3.9 million dollars. But if the Church only paid about 1.2 million, where did the rest of the money go? Eventually the Church was excused from its obligations to pay part of the 25 million reparations. Even now it seems like the Catholic Church isn’t willing to put in the effort to heal the past.
2022:
Before the apology that Pope Francis made, leaders of the First Nations People met with him in the Vatican in March. In that meeting was First Nations national Chief, Phil Fontaine. Fontaine had previously met with Pope Benedict XVI, however, a formal apology was never made. In the meeting with Pope Francis, they asked that the Doctrine of Discovery be revoked. This doctrine stated control over land in the Americas and Africa during the 1400s. The 14 delegates found that this meeting with Pope Francis was successful and claimed that a formed apology would be made in the future. These delegates found it important to meet with those who needed a better understanding of what took place in residential schools.
2021:
In May of 2021, remains of children were found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. These remains were found while the school was being surveyed. The total number of children buried is 215. It is said that these deaths were undocumented and the causes of death are unknown. This is one of many mass graves linked to the residential schools. This school was the largest in the residential system. It was run by the Catholic church starting in 1890. It reached its largest numbers of 500 in the 1950s. This contributed to conversation within the Canadian government about acting on this discovery. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the discovery through its shamefulness. Although this event brought back a lot of pain, I think it also sparked a need for accountability and duty to carry on the childrens’ memory.
2021:
The history of residential schools is a painful one, but it is something that needs to be taught in schools instead of being covered up. In June, Joy Henderson, a teacher, discusses how the education children are receiving about residential schools has improved since her time as a student. However she does say that it is only “marginally better”. This is because teaching children about these traumatic events may cause them distress. I think it is important to know that conversation about this topic amongst educators can lead to an appropriate and educational way to teach this topic.
2021:
In July of 2021 protests in Ottawa, Canada were made up of hundreds of people. This march was called “The March for Truth and Justice”. This rally was led by legislators such as Charlie Angus and Mumilaaq Qaqqaq. This Protest was sparked by the mass graves discovered recently. Although actions and steps towards residential schools have been taken, I believe it is important to keep that momentum going. Many say to me that protests are ineffective and are meaningless, however, I disagree. Protests allow the government to see the support a movement has. Protests also how important a cause is to people because these people are taking time out of their day to speak out against injustice. The media and press also cover protests which allowed the word to be spread to those who are unaware.
2020:
This video interviews the indigenous people who grew up in Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces who were taken from their biological parents and later adopted. Events like this occurred between the 1950s and the 1980s. This is known as the “Sixties Scoop”. This was a part of a Canadian welfare agency. One of the victims, Elaine Kicknosway, shares how she was walking on the road when a car pulled over and took her away. These children were put into foster homes so that they could assimilate to the white Canadian culture. This occurred to about 34,000 children. When events like these are finally brought to light, only then does the government or establishment seem to act. This experience is parallel to the residential schools in the way the country has handled it. Countries need to face the atrocities they have committed in order to learn from the past, so that something like this never happens again.
2009:
Former Pope Benedict XVI offered sympathy to a delegation from Canada’s Assembly of First Nations. However, sympathy is not accountability. First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine says, “The fact that the word ‘apology’ was not used does not diminish this moment in any way.” When accountability is taken only then can there be change. Although a formal apology was made Fontaine hopes this will “close the book” on the issues of apologies to victims of residential schools. I feel that this event reflects the multiple times the Church has attempted to address their role in residential schools, but ultimately ends up missing the mark.
2009:
As I was finding events I kept seeing this organization popping up called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). I decided to delve deeper into this. TRC is founded in many other countries that aims to restore the past. The TRC in Canada specifically focuses on the indigenous people affected by residential schools. The Indian Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission began in October of 2009 with the help of Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean. Jean says, “When the present does not recognize the wrongs of the past, the future takes its revenge…” I couldn’t agree more with Jean’s words. This quote makes me think of the saying “history repeats itself” which in some cases is the sad truth. However, when we learn from our mistakes, we are able to stop history from repeating itself.
2008:
Apology from Prime Minister Stephan Harper came in June of 2008. He addresses that the policy assimilation was wrong and admits to the involvement of the Canadian government. In this statement he formally says “We are sorry” written in a variety Native languages. Not only does he recognize the harm in the past, but also addresses the plans for the future. He mentions the TRC’s hard work and deliberation as well as the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. I felt that I needed to include this event to show some of the efforts Canada made and will continue to make in the future.
2005:
As of 2005, there were about 90,000 living people who experienced being educated in residential schools. Canada was able to address this issue after years of not acknowledging it. An agreement to pay 2 billion dollars in reparations was established. Some indigenous people were offended by this offer. The executive director of National Residential School Society (NRSS) says, “ You can’t put a price tag on the lost cultural languages or the people being taken from their homes for years [at a time].” Personally, I would feel offended too. The government believes that money will solve every problem. Money will never fix the pain and suffering that occurred. Reparations to indigenous people is just the least they could do.
1975:
In the United States, the Congress enacted the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act that gave Native Americans the right to govern themselves. To me, it only makes sense that Native Americans should be able to have their own governments because they didn’t choose to be a part of the U.S. government, they were forced. This act also enables them to protect their established land and the resources in that land. This Act would later be modified in 1988 to include services to Native Americans in need. What struck me is that I thought once reservations were established that they were able to govern themselves. Reflecting on this act I think about how the land is protected. I can imagine people thinking that before this Act was established they would be able to possibly seize land for valuable resources like oils or minerals, breaking the reservation borders that are protected by laws.
1972:
The Woodland Cultural Centre opened in 1972. This institution was known formerly as the Mohawk Institute which was a residential school for indidenous people till the 1970s. This center includes relics and art from indigenous people. Their goal is to educate those about indigenous history and culture. Cultural centers like these can be used to educate young students. Teachers can take their students on field trips or families can visit them. To me, I find the way of repurposing this residential school to a cultural center beautiful. Taking something painful in the past and reclaiming it to educate others about that pain is resilient to me. I believe funding for these centers or development for new centers should be a part of the reparations the Canadian government owes. The more centers there are, the more accessible they can be. This leads to an increased understanding of indigenous history.
1930:
U.S. Senate confirms systematic kidnapping of Diné children for boarding schools. The Diné people are a part of the Navajo Native American tribe in the southwestern part of the United States. The existence of residential schools led to young children being stolen from their homes. When I learned about residential schools, I assumed the parents of these children didn’t want their children to go away, but knew where they were. However, this event shows that the agenda of erasing indigenous culture went as far as kidnapping children. Not only did these children suffer in the schools, but knowing that they were stolen from their families without their knowledge deeply upsets me.
1918:
During the influenza epidemic that took place in the United States many Americans died, however, some were affected more than others. There were Indian Health Services established that provided aid and funds for Native Americans, but these funds were diverted to contribute to WWI. Influenza devastated reservations as well as residential schools. This event shows how the government believes that a foreign war is more important than the people suffering in their own country. Many of the mass graves at residential schools that were discovered in the future were products of the lack of funds and treatment to these children during the epidemic.
1907:
Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce became the first Chief Medical Officer of the Department of the Interior in 1904. In 1907, he looked at health statistics at residential schools. He found that about a quarter of 1537 students died of tuberculosis. The possible cause he recorded was poor ventilation. He also noted, “that the health care funding granted to citizens in Ottawa alone was about three times higher than that allocated to First Nations people in all of Canada.” He reached out to the department about adopting his suggestions to improve conditions, but never heard back. I wanted to highlight this event because it speaks of the poor conditions and neglect the indigenous children faced. This event also shows that people were aware of the mistreat in the schools, but nothing was done
1896:
Lawmakers forced the English language on both public and private schools in Hawaii. This occurred at the Kamehameha Schools. Not only did this apply to the students, but also the teachers. Teachers were threatened with unemployment if they spoke the Native Hawaiian language. This was a threat to Hawaiian language and culture. I wanted to include this event because I feel that it is important to highlight that this oppression was not just in the continental United states, but also in U.S. owned territories. This law is one of many that suppressed Native languages which led to indigenous people being slowly forced into adopting the dominant culture in the United States.
1891:
In 1891, the government issued a “compulsory attendance” law. This law allowed federal officers to forcibly take Native American children from their homes and reservations. Parents of these families had no choice because the government would hold back rations and resources. Fathers were put into prison for refusing to send their children away and some were even sent to alcatraz. To try to keep their children safe, the parents on the reservation would tell their children to play hide and seek when officers would come by. This event connects to events in the future like the kidnapping of Dinè children.
1885:
The Mohawk Institute was a residential school in Brantford, Ontario in 1885. In 1840, the school burnt down, but the institute relocated and a new school was built. The school was destroyed again by a fire in 1903. Both fires were actually started by students. My first reaction to reading that students burned the school down I thought, “As they should, good for them!” However, as I thought more about this it upset me. I thought about how these children were so mistreated and abused that they felt the need to burn down their school. They hated the institution they were forced into and they wanted to destroy it. I thought about how thankful and privileged I am to be able to enjoy my education experience. I can’t imagine hating an institution so much as to set it on fire. The actions of the students at the school shows the pain they were suffering.
1884:
When the Organic Act was passed this led the government to collaborate with educators, missionaries, and the Church in order to suppress Alaska Native children. Their goal was to use this collaboration to have the children assimilate into the dominant culture. The government felt that an act like this was needed to help “educate” the children. Christian practices and beliefs were forced onto them as well as the English language. The head of the Bureau of Education, William T. Harris said, “We have no higher calling than to be missionaries of our idea to those people who have not yet reached the Anglo-Saxon frame of mind.” To me, this quote shows how many thought that it was their God given right to extinguish Native culture. I included this act because it discusses laws that affected the education of indigenous children.
1883:
In the United States, bans native dancing, ceremonies, and medicine man practices were started by the Religious Crimes Code. If these laws were violated Native Americans could be arrested. According to the article, the law was amended in 1933 to permit dances, but this law was not officially repealed till the 1970s. This law led to the Wounded Knee Massacre that killed around 300 Native Americans. I decided to include this law in the timeline because I believe it contributes to the progression of Native American rights being taken away. There are many similar laws to this that were passed to rid America of Native influence that weren’t repealed or amended till the late to mid 20th century.
1879:
A policy was put into place that allowed the United States Government to forcibly separate Native children from their parents and place them in residential schools. Like any other Native American residential schools, once taken from their families they were forced to speak English and adopt Christianity. This led General Richard Henry Pratt to establish the Carlisle Indian Industrial School at Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1879. This was a militaristic type school that Pratt believed would be effective towards the Native children because of his military background. The students’ hair was cut, hugging was prohibited, and their names were changed. He is quoted as saying, “Kill the Indian, save the man.” Like many others Pratt felt that he was doing a service to mankind by extending a hand in “helping” the Native people become more “civilized”.
1876:
The Indian Act was passed by the Canadian government to give the government rights to create legislation regarding indigenous land and people. This act was also used to determine who would be considered an “Indian”. According to the article, “These powers restricted Indigenous freedoms and allowed officials to determine Indigenous rights and benefits based on ‘good moral character.’” This would impact cultural practices, indigenous identity, and education. This act led to many more laws that oppressed the First Nations people. I wanted to include this act because it laid the foundation for many more unjust laws and gave the Canadian government more control over Native people.
1620:
I always thought residential schools were started in the 1700 to 1800s era, but history shows that schools for Native children were established as early as the 15th century. It was first established by Récollets which were a group in modern day French Canada. The reason this event stuck out to me is because of the Jesuits’ involvement. Later these schools were run by Jesuits. As a John Carroll student, I am taught about the Jesuits’ value of social justice and respect for life. However, based on reading about this event I can see that they didn’t always put their values first. The hypocrisy seen throughout history and treatment towards indigenous people is overwhelming.
1453:
The Doctrine of Discovery was asked to be revoked when indigenous people met with Pope Francis. I had never heard of this document, so I looked into what it entails. This doctrine used religions and political motives to justify colonization. This doctrine led to people being forced off their land. This doctrine was supported by the Church to “share” the faith. They authorized this doctrine the “European” way without consulting the indigenous people. It only makes sense with a document to be legitimized that both parties agree to it. The colonizers viewed themselves as “civilized” ones, but they just made up their own rules. Just because something is in writing doesn’t make it just. This doctrine led to other justifications of poor treatment towards indigenous people.
History of the Present Timeline: Introduction
Residential schools for Native Americans and First Nations people has been a topic that is rarely addressed in schools and the government. Recent events such as new laws, funds, and protests have shed light on this issue. This timeline stretches from present day to the 13th century. However, oppression to indigenous people has been happening even before then. Although we have come far, even in today’s age there is still a fight for justice.
The timeline starts with Pope Francis formally apologizing to the First Nations people of Canada. The Catholic Church is responsible for operating many residential schools. The Catholic Church within Canada has avoided payments to the Canadian government that would act as reparations to the victims of residential schools. Statements to the indigenous people in both America and Canada are also included as events in this timeline. However, some of these statements only discuss the sorrow and pain that the establishment or government inflicted on to indigenous people. It has taken years for these institutions to formally apologize. I discuss how taking accountability for the past is one step closer to a better future.
This timeline also addresses the lack of education about this topic. Even in today’s world there is still a struggle on how to educate school children about residential schools. This timeline includes how a former residential school was turned into a cultural education center. Centers like this need more funding to be able to educate more people on the history of all indigenous people. These centers can be used to educate students that may not have the opportunity to learn about indigenous culture and history due to the white washing of history.
When I first learned about residential schools, I assumed this occurred before the 20th century. However, many of the residential schools were open till the 1970s. These schools stayed open due to the United States and Canadian governments wanting to force the white dominant culture on to them. Many of the students who attended the schools were kidnapped from their families. How can a government do that? Attendance laws in the U.S. allowed federal officers to take Native children. In Canada, many were stolen as late as the 1960s. The conditions within these schools were atrocious. Many children were sexually and physically abused. At one school 25% of students reportedly died of tuberculosis. One school was visited by a doctor who recorded the conditions, but nothing was ever reported. The children were buried in mass graves that have been recently discovered which has sparked a movement for justice.
There are many laws and acts that enabled governments to seize control over indigenous people. For example, the Indian Act in Canada gave the government rights to create laws involving the First Nations people. The Religious Crimes Code in the United States gave the government the right to ban Native ceremonies and dances. Some of these laws weren’t repealed till much later. For example, the Doctrine of Discovery was created in the 13th century to seize land from indigenous people in Canada, but just recently in a meeting between the First Nations people and Pope Francis it was asked to be revoked.
The residential schools caused a pain that will never go away. So many young children were traumatized and killed because of this. In recent years, activists have been calling out the governments that allowed the schools to continue. Protests have allowed Native voices to be heard. Organizations like the Truth and Reconciliation Committee in Canada have reached settlements for survivors of residential schools. New acts that are being created for reparations and fund indigenous organizations.
When working on this project I found out so many details that I would not have known without doing this project. Some of the events I read shocked me. Although the past of the United States and Canada upset me, that only encouraged me to research more about this and share my knowledge on this issue. My goal for this timeline is to teach others about residential schools and the oppression of indigenous people in Canada and the United States. I feel that it is my moral obligation as a future educator to teach my students about topics that aren’t within the curriculum.
Sources:
https://upstanderproject.org/learn/guides-and-resources/first-light/doctrine-of-discovery
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/indian-act
https://collections.irshdc.ubc.ca/index.php/Detail/entities/1146
https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/9/E223
https://woodlandculturalcentre.ca/about/.
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/canada-arrives-controversial-reparations-agreement
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100015644/1571589171655
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pope-expresses-sorrow-for-abuse-at-residential-schools-1.778019
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-55269251
https://www.cbc.ca/news/education-residential-schools-1.6055684
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57291530
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/assembly-of-first-nations-meets-pope-francis-vatican-1.6402798
ED 253 Current Connections #3
My current connection was based on the reading, Community Schools: Bridging Educational Change Through Partnerships by Helen Malone. The reading explained what community schools are and what they stand for. I chose to emphasize a term mentioned in the reading, “holistic development.” Holistic development focuses on students’ development as a whole. This doesn’t not just focus on their academic development, but their mental and social development. Focusing on holistic development can improve the well-being of that child. Providing an environment that meets the needs of that child can improve them as a whole person. I also wanted to focus on these schools’ use of families and communities. The reading discusses how the community facilitates conditions. These conditions are “high-quality early childhood development, high standards and expectations within the instructional core, engagement of students in learning both in and out of school, support of students’ and families’ basic physiological and psychosocial needs.” I felt it was important to emphasize that community schools can level the playing field by giving students equal opportunities through their support.
The article I found was from brookings.edu which is an organization that highlights new ideas that can change the future. The article first discussed community schools being mentioned in President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in which he proposed $400 million to fund community schools. The reading discussed the roots of community schools which come from very influential figures in history like John Dewey and Jane Addams. The schools use Dewey’s idea for schools “as social centers” and Addams’ work of providing resources for those who need it. The reading discussed 3 ways that lead to improving community schools. The first is obviously funding.The second is legislation. Legislation like the Full-Service Community Schools Expansion Act ( FSCS) can provide more funding for community schools. The third is research. Research shows how the community schools are paving the way for schools. The more good things research finds about community schools, the more funding they can get.
Before this reading I had never heard of community schools. I just assumed it was schools being involved in the community. I learned about the importance of providing resources and accessibilities to students which gives them a fair chance. Community schools create an environment that is conducive to learning. I like the idea of “holistic development.” It is the first thing that stuck with me when reading. The idea of caring and educating the whole person is very important to me and it is something I hope I can do as an educator. This topic became of new importance to me and I will continue to research more about it.
ED 253 Learning Experience #3
This learning experience was based on the reading, “But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy” by Gloria Ladson-Billings. We wanted to focus on the key points and examples that Ladson-Billings touched on. We wanted our classmates to learn about academic success, cultural competence, critical consciousness, and the importance of community. This article made an excellent point of not only including culture into education, but taking it a step further and including education into culture. An example of this is teaching in a student’s foreign language. All students are expected and encouraged to succeed. The classroom needs to be a place that it can allow academic success. An example the reading mentioned was Ann Lewis using students that had influence on the rest of their class negatively to promote leadership. It is important for the teacher to take notice of who influences the classroom to see what changes can be made. The reading also discusses cultural competence. It is important to be able to use culture to help students learn. This helps the students relate more to what is being taught and can help them stay engaged. Another idea that Ladson-Billings discusses is critical consciousness which is the idea to critique cultural norms. It is important to not accept everything that is given and to question what is taught. This inspires students to reach out to the community in order to change it. I wanted to focus on the importance of community. The study mentioned in the reading discussed that all the teachers had one thing is common which was seeing themselves as a part of the community. They encouraged their students to reach out to the community.
The activity Patricia Hilliard did with her students inspired us to try this activity with our class. She used rap music to teach her second graders about poetry. I did a similar activity when I was in high school and it was more profound in ways I don’t think my teacher realized. I thought it would be a great activity to bring the class together and share what speaks to us. We wanted them to choose a song not just because of the music artist, melody, or beat but because of what the lyrics meant to them. Music speaks to all people in different ways and through its different forms. We had them write on whiteboards. Some chose lyrics that were about the fear or change and other chose lyrics that reminisced about simpler times. It was interesting to read the lyrics that spoke to them
The examples of teachers trying to include these aspects into teaching gave me a lot of ideas that I can use in my classroom. The idea of incorporating education into culture interests me and gives me a lot to think about how I can do this in my classroom. This reading brought up some interesting points that focus on bringing in culture and other influences to create a perfect learning environment.
ED 253 Current Connections #2
My current connection was based on the article, The Testing Charade: Pretending to Make Schools Better by Daniel Koretz. In this reading Koretz discussed the problem of test prep in schools. I chose to emphasize how this affects the classroom. Koretz talks about the bad types of test prep, such as the reallocation of subjects which focuses on math and reading or how coaching teaches students how to take tests, not learn the knowledge. The article discusses the problems associated with test prep being seen as more important than actual learning. He explains how some teachers don’t know what their students would learn without test prep. Their whole curriculum is centered around preparing students for standardized tests. He also discusses how test prep undermines quality teaching which takes away from the classroom experience.
This connects to my article, When Testing Take Over because it includes an interview with Koretz discussing standardized testing. In the interview he discusses how standardized testing is not the problem, but the misuse of them are. If used correctly they can help teachers see where their students are struggling. Koretz says, “In some cases, score gains have been three to six times as large as real gains in achievement. These inflated scores don’t provide an honest and useful indication of student performance.” This quote explains how real learning and development is not being assessed in standardized tests. He explains that if we truly want to change test prep, we need to change incentives and constraints that teachers face. Meaning, if students are expected to reach certain scores, teachers need to be given support and resources to reach those scores. Also, these scores/goals need to be reasonable for the teacher to reach. When students are tested, their results should be used to see what they need help with. These changes can help improve a school system that is built around standardized testing.
The discussion questions at the end of my presentation led to interesting conversations. My one discussion question was, “What was your experience with standardized testing/ test prep?” The majority of my classmates reacted immediately saying how much they hated it. They felt that test prep induced anxiety and made them more stressed while taking the test. They expressed that even with test prep they still weren’t prepared for the exam. All of them expressed that standardized testing does not accurately show the intelligence of a person. A few said how thankful they were that a lot of schools were test optional due to covid. My other discussion question was, “Do you think we should do away with standardized testing or try to find a middle ground?” Most of my classmates said that it is possible to find a way to completely get rid of standardized tests. Some said to keep options like the SAT or ACT for people who want to take those tests, but colleges should not require it. It was interesting to me to see how many of my classmates had negative feelings towards standardized tests.
Although Koretz thinks that there should be a middle ground with standardized testing, I think we can find a way to completely do away with this type of testing. There are some tests that determine school funding and I believe there needs to be another way to distribute funding. The way schools get funding from high stakes tests is completely unfair. Test prep for standardized tests not only affects the classroom dynamic but induces anxiety among students. Many students are more focused on getting a good score than learning valuable material. This is prompted by test prep. The SAT and ACT do not need to be as important to colleges as they are today. Tests like these make me think of the unfair advantage they give to certain students. These are tests you have to pay for if you want to take it multiple times. It gives students who are well off an advantage. Students with money can also pay for tutoring which can help improve their scores. It’s completely unfair. The way the school system incorporates test prep and standardized testing needs to change, so that everyone can have an equal and valuable education.
Service Learning Reflection
Questioning Your Experience
I go to service at Gearity Elementary every Tuesday to tutor 5th graders in math. I attend service with a great group of people. It’s a mix of both education majors and non-education majors. It’s interesting to see a group of different majors in an elementary school environment. When I first signed up for this service activity I found it ironic because I performed horribly in 5th grade math. However, it reminded me of how far I’ve come. I remembered my 5th grade self being frustrated with math homework, not being able to focus, and not being a great test taker. I thought I could be a person to these 5th graders that could make math less painful.
Gearity Elementary is close to John Carroll, so I like to walk everytime I go to service. On those walks, I think about what the service experience is going to be like. I ask myself questions like, “What concepts will I be going over?” or “What will the students be like today?” I do think it is important to ask myself why I am doing this service. Most people would think, “Well, I have to do service for this course.” Not going to lie, sometimes I think that way. However, my intentions will reflect my actions. That’s why it’s important for me to realize the importance of my service and why I am really doing it. It is important for me to do service, so I can gain experience in a school setting. However, I think it is important to make a difference in these students’ lives. It sounds dramatic, but I wish I had someone who could relate or at least make math more bearable when I was struggling. I want to make math not seem like a scary concept. I want to praise them for the hard work that they put in and see their mistakes as a learning experience. I want to be a positive influence in their education experience whether they have had one or not.
Questioning the People
At Gearity, I am usually tutoring the same kids. While I would love to get to know them all, I think it is better this way. I spend half an hour with the 5 graders. I think it is important to work with the same students. This makes it easier to build connections and form a safe learning environment. I’ve gotten to know the students I work with pretty well. I always ask them how their day is going or just small icebreaker questions like what their favorite class is.
I noticed that the students I tutor work hard and are very attentive. They stay focused even when they make mistakes. I always make sure to praise them for their hard work and not for their intelligence versus the supervisor of our sessions who praises them for their intelligence by telling them how smart they are. In psychology, I learned about a study conducted by Carol Dweck. The study found that students would try more difficult questions and not feel discouraged about getting an answer wrong when praised for their hard work versus students who were praised for their intelligence.
I usually work with two students at a time. The students I work with are so sweet and alway ask me questions about my life and school. One interaction I’ll never forget was with one of the students on the third week of service. The other tutors and I waited for the students to get back from their last class. I saw one of the girls I tutor run up to me. She was so excited to see me and gave me the biggest hug. Honestly, I almost started to cry because it was so sweet. Even though it was only the third week of service, it made me think of the impact I am making.
Questioning Yourself and Your World
Through this service, I have learned how much I want to be an educator. I genuinely love helping these students with their school work. It brings me so much joy. I never thought I would enjoy tutoring math, but I’m currently considering math to be one of my concentrations. I want to be the math teacher that I never had. I want to show kids how with hard work, they can accomplish anything. In the article Traditional vs. Critical Service Learning, Tania Mitchell quotes Neururer & Rhoads when discussing community service learning, “serves as a vehicle for connecting students and institutions to their communities and the larger social good, while at the same time instilling in students the values of community and social responsibility.” This quote stuck out to me because it emphasizes the importance of community. I like how John Carroll puts an emphasis on reaching out to the community surrounding JCU. It is important to constantly reach out and try to improve the community round us. This article also discusses the difference between traditional and critical service learning. They provide a diagram that shows the difference. I notice that critical service includes a social change orientation, redistribution of power, and relationship development. These factors are not found in traditional service learning. The importance of those factors lead to more effective change within the community and makes an impact on individual’s lives.
Sources:
ED 253 Learning Experience #2
The reading we based our Learning Experience on was Dismantling the Wall Between Church and State by Tine Cheuk and Randy Quinn. This reading discussed the threat of vouchers and other ways of encouragement to private schools. This reading also discussed how public schools receive less funding due to the government funding private schools. Public schools are the backbone of education in the United States. Majority of students in the United States are educated through public schools. We wanted to emphasize what happens to public schools when the government funds private schools. This reading discussed topics that most students might be unaware of such as the Zelman vs Simmons-Harris case and the former Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. We thought it was important to discuss what has happened with the government by explaining Betsy DeVos and the decision of Zelman vs Simmons-Harris which has affected public education.
We wanted our classmates to reflect on their own education experience. We conducted a small activity that started a conversation. We asked the class to divide into two sides, those who went to public schools and those who went to private schools. We asked them questions like, “If your school fostered a certain religion, what was it? If not, would you prefer if they would have?”, “What differences do you see between public and private schools?”, and “Why did you and your family choose either public or private schooling for your education?” These questions promoted an engaging discussion. Those who went to public schools shared that they liked how religion was not involved in their education. It is important for those who don’t practice religion, not to have one forced onto them. Those who went to private schools said that their schools were inclusive for the most part about other religions, however, Catholicism was the school’s main focus. The last question was important to include because we felt that it would prompt a diverse discussion because of many people’s different experiences on why they went to certain schools.
Last semester in ED100 there was a discussion about this topic. I was glad to read further into this topic because I have gone to private school all my life. I’ve learned about vouchers and private school funding previously. This reading made it apparent how important this threat is to public schools. I wanted to educate others about vouchers and how funding affects public schools. Within this reading, I was unaware of who Betsy DeVos is. I learned that Betsy DeVos was the Secretary of Education during the Trump administration and pushed for vouchers for private schools. While her argument was probably providing “better” education to people who couldn’t afford private schools, it took away funding from public schools. There was a conversation in class about how some adults view private schools “better” than public schools which leads them to send their children to private schools. During the learning experience some have never come across people saying this. I thought this was interesting because where I’m from I have heard adults say this and have this determine where their child goes for school. This made me wonder how other adults with school age children view public and private schools. I believe that it is very important to not just educate my classmates on this, but others as well. If people were educated on vouchers, government funding to private schools, and the importance of funding for public schools, I think public education would be able to receive more funding and continue to build a place of learning for all students.
ED 253 Current Connections #1
My current connection was based on an article titled, A People’s History, A People Pedagogy by Bill Bigelow. In this reading, Bigelow touched on Howard Zinn’s teachings. This reading also discussed how history is taught in schools, how history is centered around a false reality, and how history does not include a people’s history. A quote that I found interesting was “A people’s history requires a people’s pedagogy to match.” In the United States, the tragic past of how this country was built is not taught in most schools or represented in textbooks. This glorifies historical figures or movements that actually harmed many people and places. An example that Bigelow uses is Christopher Columbus who is known for “discovering” America. When he educated his students on what Columbus actually did, he asked his students to critique a textbook on how it depicts Columbus. Many came up with a similar answer that Columbus is glorified and the textbooks erase the violence that actually occurred.
This connects to my article because of the way America glorifies historical figures and refuses to teach a people’s history creates a misconception of American history. The article I found was from the Harvard Gazette. It was an interview conducted with Donald Yacovone who works at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. He talks about the founding fathers being white supremacists and owners of enslaved people. The founding fathers, like Columbus, are painted in a positive light. Children are taught that they fought for democracy and sacrificed so much for America. A quote that I pointed out during my current connection was, “We need to acknowledge that white supremacy remains an integral part of American society and we need to understand how we got to where we are…The older history textbooks were like syringes that injected the toxin of white supremacy into the mind of many generations of Americans.” I feel that’s why it is important to not change or erase history, but change the material that is taught.
At the end of explaining my connection, I had a few discussion questions. The first one was, “What was your experience learning about topics such as the finding of America, or slavery and racism in the U.S.?” A lot of my classmates said the same thing. They said that these topics weren’t explored in depth. They also explained that they didn’t learn about certain sensitive topics like the Native American schools. I asked two more questions which tied together, “What should schools or teachers do to incorporate these teachings into their curriculum?” and “How should sensitive topics be taught to younger students?” My classmates said it is important when teaching these topics to stray away from the textbook. This helps include people’s history. However, many of them weren’t sure how to teach sensitive material to younger students. That’s why I feel that it is important to discuss this topic and continue these discussions for the future of education.
This reading made me think about my experiences as a student. When talking about Columbus, I thought back to a 3rd grade art project. My class made the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria out of milk cartons. We then were taught about Columbus. We were told he did not find America, but the islands in the Caribbean instead. However, nothing about the mistreatment of the indigenous people was discussed. Before reading, I didn’t know who Howard Zinn was. Now I want to learn more about what he had to say. I feel that he contributed a lot to the field of education. As a future history teacher I want to educate my students on people’s history. I want to have discussions on what this country should’ve done better and how we can improve today. This is important to me because when more students aren’t taught about a people’s history, society can not grow and learn from past mistakes.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qsoOdVUCf9V7POVCNK1PLO3deNAwxXJGy6qK5zKeDfs/edit#slide=id.p
ED 253 Learning Experience #1
I was very excited about this learning experience because this reading was very interesting to me. I never knew the impact progressivism had on schools today. This reading talked about progressivism, as well as, the people who were staples of the progressive movement. My learning circle chose to emphasize the importance of educators learning about their students and making the classroom more individualized. We also chose to focus on making the classroom about hands-on learning. We wanted our classmates to take away the importance of these topics. Without the progressivism movement, educators would not be well connected to their students and their classroom experience would be dull.
To stay true to progressivism, we had our classmates learn about one another. We felt that this exemplified the progressive movement because it made the classroom a safe environment for everyone to share and keep them engaged. We asked them questions like, “What brings you joy?”, “What are you passionate about?”, and “What are your values?” We felt that these questions could really show who that person is rather than surface level questions like, “What’s your major?” or “Where are you from?” The lasting effects of this activity was to create a safe environment for our classmates as well as a new way to get to know each other. We also asked why they think it is important to learn about their students and what they would do as teachers to make this possible. We felt that this was an important collaboration because educators are always learning from one another. It also got them thinking about what kind of teacher they want to be.
I feel like I learned more about what the progressivism movement did for schools today. This topic is extremely important because without this movement we wouldn’t see the fun interactive classrooms we see today or see connections between teachers and students. My contribution to the lesson was thinking of a way to get others to know more about each other and show them why it’s important. I believe after the “icebreaker” activity, I accomplished my goal of showing students why it’s important. I felt that it was my responsibility to convey the importance of teacher and student connections.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XwjLu7JZtwG62L9Nsm1S1FiIfAnG_zJ4NWFRv-KbCkM/edit#slide=id.p
Introduction: ED 253
Hi again, my name is Julia! My pronouns are she/her. I’m from Pittsburgh, PA. I would love to teach middle school students. I feel that with that age group I can form a close bond with the students and relate to them more. I have always loved history. Even as a kid I would love to learn about a country’s history and culture. I used to have a toy globe that I played with for hours. I would also love to teach science, specifically biology. Science was my favorite subject growing up and I loved taking biology in high school. Part of me wanting to be a teacher is the social aspect. I consider myself to be a social person. I like to go out with my friends and two sisters back in Pittsburgh. I also like to spend a lot of time outside. I go hiking a lot with my family. It the winter we like to go skiing together. Even though I like to spend a lot of time outside, I really enjoy watching movies and TV shows. This semester I have an internship that allows me to watch movies before they are released. I’m really excited about it! This summer I worked at a summer camp. I worked at this camp previously and it was an amazing experience. It really opened my eyes to what I want to do with my life. I loved teaching them new things and encouraging them to be curious. I’m also involved with activities on campus such as being a tour guide and retreat leader. This semester I hope to make a difference in peoples’ lives through my involvement on campus.
What matters to me most is the planet we live on. Why wouldn’t we care for the place where we live? Climate change is something I’ve always tried to educate myself and others on for as long as I can remember. It is a serious issue that requires us to act now. Here’s a link to an organization that understands the impact of climate change: https://www.nrdc.org/issues/climate-change
A classroom has always been a relatively safe space for me. However, I do feel a lot safer when the class is supportive and listens to what I have to say. I feel safe to share my opinions when others are respectful and open minded. A memory that sticks out to me happened while I was a junior in high school. The school I attended, Vincentian Academy, announced that it would be closing permanently after the school year was over. All of the teachers and classmates were devastated. The school I attended was very small, so these people felt like my family. Later that week my religion teacher Miss. Apple led our class into the gymnasium for some unexpected self-expression. She brought her CD player and cranked up David Bowie, Queen, and Bruce Springsteen. My friends and I started dancing to the music, as did Miss Apple! It was a moment that brought our class together and reassured us that everything was going to be fine. It’s moments like these that make me want to be a teacher.
In the field of education today, it frustrates me how society takes teachers for granted. Especially during Covid-19, I felt that teachers were not appreciated as they could’ve been. The pandemic altered many people’s lives, however, teachers were working around the clock to make online learning the best experience it could be. I felt that communities could’ve shown more appreciation towards educators. Educators do so much for our communities. They deserve our thanks and appreciation for their hard work.
Julia's ED 253 Blog 