Week 10

What Is Neurodiversity?

 Caroline Miller

Reflection

 After reading this article, it really changed the way I think about how our brains work. The basic idea is simple but powerful — there isn’t just one “right” way for a brain to be wired. We all process the world in a slightly different way, and that’s not something to fix or hide. It’s something to understand, appreciate, and even celebrate.

    What stood out to me most was that the concept of neurodiversity started as a social justice movement. Judy Singer, who’s autistic herself, came up with the term in the 1990s. She didn’t just want people with autism to be accepted — she wanted society to realize that neurological differences are part of natural human variation, just like diversity in race, gender, or culture. That idea feels both revolutionary and, at the same time, so obvious. Why should we expect everyone’s brain to work the same way?

The section about identity also stood out to me. I thought it was beautiful how some teens find comfort in identifying as neurodiverse — like it gives them a way to make sense of their struggles and find community. I remember feeling out of place when I was younger, like I was “too much” or “not enough” in certain ways. I can see how powerful it would be for a young person to have a word that helps them understand themselves better, finally, and to know they’re not alone.

 I asked ChatGPT to create an image of different ways people view neurodiversity. I really liked this photo because it shows that just because people think differently, they are not all assumed to be "dumb."

Week #9

 Troublemakers

Carla Shalaby

Reflection

    When I started reading Troublemakers, I thought I knew what “trouble-maker” meant in school: the kid who disrupts class, won’t sit still, interrupts, maybe gets sent out of the room. But Shalaby flipped that idea on its head. She shows these four young kids (Zora, Lucas, Sean, Marcus) who’ve been labeled “problem children,” and she invites us to see them differently.

    I was struck by the line that disruption isn’t just “bad behavior”; it can be a message about what the classroom or school is doing to a child. Shalaby writes that these children “sing freedom” in their own way, challenging systems. I felt a bit guilty, too, thinking “What role did I play in that?” Maybe I was a good student who simply followed rules; maybe I sometimes judged peers who didn’t. Shalaby forces you to reflect on that. This reading also challenged me to think about “compliance” vs. “freedom” in schools: Are children being asked to obey first and learn second? Or are they being invited to learn with freedom? It’s a different mindset. Also, the fact that these are very young children (first/second grade) already facing labels, meds, and exclusion. 

    Something I took away from this piece is that I want to carry the idea that when someone disrupts, perhaps they’re not being a “troublemaker” in the negative sense but are responding to something. Maybe they’re not heard, maybe they’re bored, maybe the structure isn’t working for them. I’ll try to lean into “What strengths does this child have that I’m missing?” instead of immediately focusing on the “problem behavior.” Shalaby shows how kids like Zora, Lucas, etc, have creativity, imagination, and curiosity traits that get shut down.

       There were moments when I winced, thinking of kids I knew who got labeled early, pushed out. There were moments when I nodded, remembering how I sometimes got restless in class and maybe felt like I couldn’t just be. It made me hope for a kind of classroom where kids like Zora or Lucas don’t feel like they have to quiet their weirdness or shut down their spark to belong. It made me want to be someone who asks: ‘What’s going on for you?’ rather than ‘Why aren’t you doing what I asked?’”

Week #8

 Literacy with an Attitude 

Patrick J. Finn

Reflection

   After reading Patrick Finn’s Literacy with an Attitude really made me rethink what it means to be “educated.” Previously, I had assumed that literacy was primarily about learning to read and write effectively. But Finn makes it clear that literacy is actually about power and who gets it, what kind they get, and what they’re allowed to do with it. That idea hit me because it explains a lot about how school can look so different for different people, even within the same city or district.

    Finn talks about the difference between “domesticating” literacy and “liberating” literacy. Domesticating literacy teaches people enough to function in society, follow rules, and do what they’re told. Liberating literacy, on the other hand, helps people question things and challenge unfair systems. When I read that, I started thinking about my own school experiences. In some classes, it really did feel like we were just learning how to follow directions and not make trouble, while other times, teachers encouraged us to think for ourselves and have opinions.

    The way he describes working-class schools versus wealthy schools is honestly frustrating but not surprising. In working-class schools, students are taught to obey rules, complete tasks, and focus on the basics. In upper-class schools, students are taught to think critically, lead discussions, and take control of their learning.

This movie and Finn's readings have a very similar message. This is a documentary about education inequality in the U.S., examining how, despite desegregation progress, many schools still reproduce segregation and unequal opportunities. Very much in line with Finn’s concern about how literacy/education systems serve working‐class students less “liberating” literacies.

Week #7

 Article: What to Look for in a Classroom - By Alfie Kohn

Video: Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy - By Learning for Justice

Reflection:

Article:

      This article was one of my favorites that we have read this semester because it really challenged my ideas about what an effective classroom looks like. Kohn’s main argument is that students deserve to learn in environments that help them grow into smarter, more thoughtful, and engaged individuals—not just robots trained to memorize information. He makes a compelling case that genuine learning often happens in a “messy” way, where students are actively questioning, exploring, and collaborating, rather than quietly following directions.     Kohn encourages educators to look beyond surface-level indicators of a “good” classroom, such as silence or strict order, and instead ask deeper questions: Are students engaged? Are they thinking critically? Are they making meaningful choices about their learning? These questions remind us that teaching should be about fostering curiosity and critical thinking, not just compliance. He also emphasizes that the curriculum should be meaningful and connected to students’ real lives, rather than simply a list of skills to be memorized for tests. As future educators, this perspective pushes us to focus on creating dynamic, student-centered classrooms where learning is authentic and empowering.

Video:

    Watching this video helped me better understand how culturally relevant pedagogy is both a mindset and a practice. It made me reflect on how often classrooms expect students to conform to dominant cultural norms, rather than allowing them to bring their full selves into learning. The video emphasizes that culturally relevant teaching is not an add-on or superficial gesture. True implementation means reshaping how teachers think about content, assessment, relationships, and classroom culture so that students feel seen, understood, and empowered.

This is the photo I chose because Kohn makes a point that students need more than just words going in one ear and out another to be successful in their future. This image of a classroom perfectly reflects his point here. Students have more to look at and use as tools to help them learn further while the educator is teaching. 

Week #6

 Other People’s Children 

 Lisa Delpit

 Reflection: 

    My reflection on this reading is something I thought I was going to struggle with when first reading her argument. I may have struggled reading this, but from what I can gather, Delpit's central argument is that cultural misunderstandings between teachers can create serious barriers to learning. Reading her work made me reflect on how easily well-intentioned educators can misinterpret behaviors, communication styles, or learning needs when they view everything through their own cultural lens. Delpit’s discussion of the “culture of power” stood out to me most. Teachers may interpret students’ behaviors, language, or ways of participating through their own cultural lens, leading to misjudgments about ability, attitude, or discipline. Something we have been taught as future educators is to fully block out our biases, no matter what we were taught growing up.

  

 Delpit argues that teachers must both respect students’ home cultures and explicitly teach the “rules of power”, such as language forms or behavior expected in schools, so that students can navigate both their home communities and academic settings successfully. She also points out that when teachers avoid correcting or instructing students out of a desire to be “non-imposing,” they may unintentionally withhold crucial knowledge that helps students succeed. Real equity, she says, comes from acknowledging differences, addressing power directly, and valuing students’ cultural backgrounds.

    From personal experience, teachers in my school have always favored students from the first day of class. This proved to me that there was no winning them over because there's something about those specific students that they are biased towards for a reason.

I chose this photo because I thought it had a good representation of what to pay attention to when teaching. Sometimes we don't understand we have certain biases til we are constructively criticized.

To share with the class:

Sharing these ideas can help future educators reflect critically on their own practices and biases. It challenges us to think beyond surface-level “diversity” and really examine the structures and expectations we uphold in our classrooms. Delpit’s work is a call to action for teachers to be both culturally responsive and academically rigorous. It reminds us that equity is not achieved by pretending differences don’t exist, but by recognizing and addressing them directly, with care and respect.

Week #5

Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review 

Christine E. Sleeter 

Reflection:

After reading "Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review" by Christine E. Sleeter, it had me reflecting on how not only my school system, but a majority of school systems, teaching curriculum itself is never neutral, and it either reinforces dominant narratives or opens space for more truthful, inclusive ones. Sleeter’s synthesis makes a compelling case that ethnic studies is not an “extra,” but an essential part of making education relevant, accurate, and socially justified. What I found especially important is the reminder that ethnic studies is not just for students of color. White students, too, benefit from engaging with histories and perspectives outside the Eurocentric frame, because it challenges the myth of linear progress and exposes the systemic nature of racism. Sleeter demonstrates that children and adolescents compare what they learn in school with what they already know from their families and communities. When those perspectives clash or when textbooks erase or minimize racism, or when people of color appear only as side notes, it erodes trust in school knowledge.

I chose this photo because this film has a strong connection with the reading. While fictional, this film tackles issues of race, identity, and power among college students in a predominantly White institution. It shows how students respond to, resist, and push back against dominant narratives — much like the dynamics Sleeter describes.

Overall, my takeaway from this reading is that as educators, we need to be more mindful of students of all backgrounds, including White students, to benefit from exposure to diverse perspectives. Ethnic studies fosters critical thinking about race, identity, and justice, preparing young people to engage constructively in a multicultural democracy. It is also important to make sure to have a variety of teaching methods because mainstream curricula often frame racism as something of the past or the work of “bad individuals.” Educators need to push back against this sanitized narrative so students understand systemic oppression and collective struggles for justice — a more accurate and useful framework for understanding society today.

Week #4

 "Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit-Oriented Schools to Asset-Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in Our Schools"

Shannon Renkly & Katherine Bertolini

 Reflection:

    After reading this article, I really dedicated my research to the deficit and asset models. The deficit model, which assumes failure results from lack of effort, leads to reactive practices that often obscure student abilities. In contrast, the asset model emphasizes resilience, collaboration, and proactive strategies to foster growth.     I asked ChatGPT to highlight some of the important parts of this article and the one I found most beneficial was that "the article highlights the research of the Search Institute, which identifies 40 developmental assets—both internal (e.g., positive values, social skills, commitment to learning) and external (e.g., supportive relationships, empowerment, constructive time use)—that predict thriving behaviors and reduce risky ones. Students with more assets are more likely to succeed academically and socially." 

I chose this photo because I thought it was an easy way to differentiate the Asset Model and the Deficit Model. 

   I thought this article challenged the traditional ways many schools approach student success by shifting the focus from “fixing problems” to cultivating strengths. I find the asset-based model more effective because it reframes how educators, families, and communities see children—not as deficits to be repaired but as individuals with potential waiting to be nurtured. Strategies such as mentoring, strong teacher-student relationships, personalized learning, high expectations, and community-school partnerships are emphasized as critical for building resilience and success

    The emphasis on middle school students stood out to me, as this period is often overlooked despite being a pivotal stage for future academic and personal success. The research also highlights the importance of supportive adults and community involvement, reminding us that education cannot exist in isolation. Reflecting on this, I believe adopting an asset-based approach not only builds stronger students but also fosters healthier, more hopeful school cultures where every child is seen for what they can become, rather than what they lack.