LLED 449 Blog

Before this program, I was volunteering with my old high school teacher. She introduces her students to “The Communication Model” (I’ve linked it below!) as a tool to introduce them to a system and language to unpack/ deal with tense moments or miscommunication both  in class and in their own lives.  She knew she would be bringing in topics that would challenge students thinking, spark debate, and she wanted to have a proactive way to handle these sorts of situations.

Both she and I, through the course of the semester, saw how the model gave students a way to process other classmates perspectives and explain why they may be feeling one thing or why they may have said/ reacted to something..

My teacher, Lizanne Foster,  had mats in her classroom with the words context, perception, interpretation, feeling, intention, and action written on it. Students would take her or each other to the mats to walk through and deal with conflict and to practice using the model. After a while they would know the steps and be able to think through the steps when speaking to one another, be kinder and be able to build bridges and grasp for understanding.

I have used this model in my own life, and have repaired relationships with my family and often think through the steps when there’s conflict in my own life. It is a way to be sympathetic to another person and try to understand why they may think the things they do. I got the opportunity to lead a workshop on this model with Lizanne and Cathy (who co-created the model with her late partner), and was so excited to see other teachers reach for it.

I was thinking of this model during our discussion in Friday’s class. I can see how we as literature teachers who will bring in challenging topics, could use a tool such as this to give students language to deal with more tougher ideas. Often times, these types of words seem simple and are over looked but they can really help students slowly think through moments of internal and external conflict with more clarity.

Communication Model

Pro D Workshop 

Stemming from our conversations this week about LGBTQ2+ material and recognition, I wanted to keep reflecting on ways to avoid tokenism when bringing this to your class. Part of this relates to Page’s article and maintaining visibility by incorporating theory and the practice of deconstruction.

Most of my research/understandings relate to disability studies and with this, I have come across several connections drawn to gender and queer theory, most recently, the comparisons made between Crip/Queer theory regarding reclaiming language as well as  examining body politics, social norms, and literary representation. I was thinking that bringing in units about these two topics would be a way to provide slight continuity in material (theory), and using this knowledge to expand on other ways bodies (and beings) are treated in society could potentially help to avoid making either of these topics a ‘one-off’ lesson. Or do you think that there would be too much to unpack here at the secondary school level?

I think using young adult literature in the English classroom is a great way of discussing current, and relevant issues young people are experiencing. Many canonical texts are difficult to unpack and students seem to start showing disinterest early on. I would love to include YA lit in my classes and then slowly introduce more classical texts later on. Some would argue the classics are not even needed!

I have heard  “Wow, you’re really good at English” and “You’re really different from other Asians” throughout my life and to me these comments were always flattering. I never thought of it as an insult or micro aggression because it meant that the person thought my second language to be on par with people who have English as their first language.

Also, I found it strange that the Asian student felt micro-aggressed (is this a term?) when the teacher marked the student’s essay more lenient. This too would be something I am thankful for because it means the teacher knows my situation and is empathetic towards what I am going through. Furthermore, we learn many different strategies to cater toward ELLs in our classes such as LLED. Shouldn’t those count as micro-aggressions too then?

Pulling together some threads from our class discussion on microagressions. I find it very interesting that a number of us come from conservative religious backgrounds. I also taught in a religious school for 14 years and had a father who was a Baptist minister. So I’m very interested in exploring what causes people like myself to shift their thought process and progress from the binary thinking that our culture seems to gravitate towards (left/right, black/white, liberal/conservative).  We know that adolescents are also prone to binary thinking. My hope is to open up space for third way thinking—creative solutions inspired by story. One framework involves hearing stories and withholding judgment. This is the framework used by Pro Voice. They’re a reproductive rights group that tries to pull together opponents by having people just commit to hearing each other’s stories related to abortion, sans judgment. A creative approach. What might our polarized classrooms look like if students could commit to being pro-voice?

Here’s a few other resources I’ve enjoyed:

Keep it Weird by (comedian) Pete Holmes. This one is for us. Holmes identifies as a post-conservative Christian and opens up this discussion regularly with guests. I especially love his interview with Franciscan priest Richard Rohr and former megachurch pastor Kent Dobson–each are worth the 2 hours if you have a long drive this summer! Honestly. These conversations give me hope for the future, and are a great window into the right that brings hope, rather than frustration (e.g. Brietbart and Fox News!).

Now, for the classroom… I recently had a brave grade 11 student produce her own podcast on microaggressions where she called out a common practice among teachers in the high school context. Here’s Zoe Balbosa on her experience. Love that kid!

I posted this one earlier. It’s so good. Snap Judgment’s Davey Kim tells his grade 8 experience of microagressions during a spelling bee, including his brave response.

Finally, my kids and I just discovered a new CBC podcast called Micdrop which gives teens a voice on their own issues. It’s pretty powerful and brave–geared at middle schoolers. It’s worth airing in class.

I’ve recently added a fantastic Canadian play to my classroom, Kim’s Convenience (yes, the one that’s now a CBC TV series… the play is better!). It explores issues of race, the immigrant experience, and stereotypes in a satirical way that exposes bias through humour. My students have loved this (very short) play. I think it would be incredible if paired with Nanette to open a discussion of whether or not comedy is effective at addressing heavy issues. Also, in terms of teaching methods, I’ve recently become excited about reviving the Harkness Method, which puts all students/instructors around an oval table in an effort to level the power imbalance and empower discussion-based learning. So good! Joyce Kim from Southridge School (they are 100% Harkness) is an expert–she conducted pro-d for our English department this June.

LLED 449 Sketch Quote (better quality)

Attached above is my sketch notes from the article by Tracey, Menickelli and Scales. There was a section that discussed the shift from teacher-led, single-text based instruction to a student led, multiple-text learning approach. I really loved this as I am constantly searching for ways to implement multimodal and differentiated texts and activities in an ELA classroom (while keeping in tune with the new curriculum)

I thoroughly enjoyed the video about microaggressions that Amber showed in class. I was trying to reflect on instances in my life where I personally experienced a microaggression that was directed towards me. Thinking long and hard, I don’t know if anyone has said anything or even done anything that can be considered to be a microaggression. Growing up, I was always part of the dominating ethnicity in the schools that I have attended (excluding post-secondary). Also, in being Filipino, I have not really encountered any micro aggressions in regards to Asian culture.

Even though I feel as if no one has “inflicted” me with a comment resembling a micro aggression, I know that I am guilty of making microaggressive comments. Prior to the program, I worked many retail jobs and one of my favourite questions to ask customers would be, “Where are you from”? At the time I was unaware that this is a comment that indirectly makes people feel “othered” as my main goal was to just stir up a mini conversation, so apologies to those customers! My question to others (if you’re comfortable sharing) is what are some microaggressions you have heard of or were directed to you? How did you feel?

There are as many ways of looking at SOGI education protests as there are people. Mine, for what it’s worth:

The pendulum swings back and forth – progressive to conservative; conservative to progressive; progressive to conservative. Sometimes there’s a good deal of alignment between society at large and its institutions. Sometimes there’s not. In the 1960s, society was quite progressive and its institutions – including schools – were relatively conservative…lagging behind, to many. This gap caused unrest and this unrest caused protest, esp. on the progressive left. Today, as evidenced by the localisms and protectionisms of Brexit and Trump, society’s in a fairly conservative mood and its institutions – including schools – are in a relatively progressive mood…jumping ahead, to many. This gap has caused unrest and this unrest has caused protest, this time on the conservative right. We’ll find a new normal, as we always do. The pendulum will swing again, as it always does. And no matter what the new normal is or in which direction the pendulum points, misalignment between where society’s at and where its institutions are at (socially; economically; culturally; politically) will cause unrest and protest. It’s a healthy thing, protest – it stops us going too far or not far enough in one direction or another; it stops us going too quickly or not quickly enough for one sensibility or another. It gets society bloody talking to itself!

That said…

I’m a teacher, and a teacher isn’t an activist. Mine’s a classroom, and a classroom isn’t a pulpit. To the best of my ability, I teach ideas, competencies, and content that draws upon and is relevant to everybody in the room. I’m happy to bring in SOGI-123 to represent a progressive perspective. I’m also happy to bring in a faith-based advocacy organization to represent a conservative perspective. I’m happy to use and genuinely explore a text centered on an LGBTQ2+ story. I’m also happy to use and genuinely explore a text centered on an evangelical Christian story. The world’s full of everything, so my curriculum needs to be full of everything. No progressive censorship; no conservative censorship – I present options and I teach students to navigate them themselves. To the best of my ability, I set a classroom climate that’s safe, supportive, and inspiring for everybody in the room. I’ll defend to the teeth the kid who’s out. I’ll also defend to the teeth the kid who believes that homosexuality is a path to eternal damnation. I’ll give an A+ to a well-argued, well-written progressive position. I’ll also give an A+ to a well-argued, well-written conservative position. The world’s full of perspectives and voices, so my classroom needs to be full of perspectives and voices. As long as there’s love and acceptance, of our ohana and of each other.

If I deviate from this – if I’m willing to bring in SOGI-123 and not its conservative counterpart; if I’m willing to build a safe, supportive, inspiring space for an LGBTQ2+ student and not for their flat-earther classmate – then conservative parents would be quite right to protest me. Every bit as much as progressive parents would be quite right to protest me if the situation were reversed. I’m in loco parentis for all students…not just the ones who happen to share my values and worldview.

If I don’t, then I think the pendulum will swing past their protests.