Holler If You Hear Me

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Literature Review: Holler If You Hear Me by Gregory Michie
Assignment Requirements

Syllabus: See syllabus for general format instructions, paper heading and student class number requirements.
Length requirement: a maximum of four (4) pages, (single spaced, .5 inch margins)
Format requirements: Use the format below to complete this assignment. Type a response for each section.
Failure to follow the above stated requirements will result in automatic point deduction.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:
Examine culturally responsive teaching practices.

(ILLINOIS PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS):
Primary Standard:
Teaching Diverse Students – The competent teacher understands the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within the context of their social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student learning.

Knowledge Indicators – The competent teacher:
a) understands the spectrum of student diversity (e.g., race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, special education, gifted, English language learners (ELL), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity) and the assets that each student brings to learning across the curriculum (Introduced)
f) understands his or her personal perspectives and biases and their effects on one’s teaching (Introduced)

Additional Standards:
Collaborative Relationships – The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.

Knowledge Indicators – The competent teacher:
a) understands schools as organizations within the larger community context (Introduced)

Instructional Delivery – The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning. This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student.

Knowledge Indicators – The competent teacher:
a) understands the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning (Introduced)

Learning Environment – The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting.

Knowledge Indicators – The competent teacher:
a) understands principles of and strategies for effective classroom and behavior management (Introduced)

Academic Dishonesty Reminder:
As stated in Rock Valley College’s Academic Honesty Standards and Procedures Policy, accessible on the College’s website and referenced in the EDU 224: Introduction to Education course syllabus, plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s intellectual property (words, ideas or data) as one’s own. Plagiarism is a very serious academic violation and undermines the educational process. As stated in Rock Valley College’s Academic Honesty Statement, the faculty and administration expect that all RVC students are serious, honorable scholars who do original work. Students who commit any form of academic dishonesty are subject to the penalties and sanctions agreed upon by the Faculty and Administration of Rock Valley College. ANY ACTS OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A FAILING GRADE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT AND/OR THE ENTIRE COURSE.

SUBMIT YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW USING THIS FORMAT

Literature Title & Author: Holler If You Hear Me by Gregory Michie
Publishing Information: Teachers College Press, 2009

Section I: Literature Summary

Holler If You Hear Me is a book about a teacher who wants to teach inner city students in Chicago. He has to adapt to life in Chicago compared to life in North Carolina. His first class that he experiences in Illinois was an eye opener to Gregory Michie. He realized that his students here know more about violence and the bad in the world than even himself. Throughout his story, he explains his teaching styles and even the students that impacted him. Three students in particular share their unique stories with him. Each story has such pain and knowledge in them. The entire book was made to help people realize that there are students that are willing to work hard as long as you put effort into them and show that you care. Sometimes you have to change your style of teaching to relate to each students stories.

Section II: PEDAGOGY:
Reference the following Illinois Professional Teaching Standard (IPTS): Teaching Diverse Students Referencing the culturally responsive teaching principles/practices from chapter three (3) of your textbook, expound upon how Mr. Michie developed into a culturally responsive teacher. Provide specific examples from the literature selection. Mr Michie developed into a culturally responsive teacher by learning from other teachers, responding to students, and fighting the status quo. Mr Michie spoke with the other teachers in his school to learn how the y dealt with problems very specific to their school. Those teachers taught him that teaching at their school was more about helping the students and giving them the tools to succeed in a world where odds were against him. He responded to the students by understanding and dealing with their problems. He also broke the status quo set by previous inhabitants of the school by giving his kids the ability to succeed in the world after high school.

B. Reference the following Illinois Professional Teaching Standard (IPTS): Collaborative Relationships
How does Mr. Michie build and maintain collaborative relationships with his students? Provide specific examples from the literature selection. Mr. Michie builds collaborative relationships with students by listening to them and talking with them. All students really want is to be heard and Mr. Michie does an excellent job communicating with them. He gets to know his students on a more personal level so he can relate to them when teaching. He ties in a lot of the outside world situations into his classroom lessons.

C. Reference the following Illinois Professional Teaching Standard (IPTS): Instructional Delivery
What are the strategies that Mr. Michie uses to support critical thinking, problem-solving and promote continuous growth and learning for his students? How did Mr. Michie modify (make changes) in his teaching style to promote learning for his students? Provide specific examples from the literature selection. Mr Michie made changes by getting know the students strengths and weaknesses. He related to them on a personal level which allowed him to teach them thoroughly.

D. Reference the following Illinois Professional Teaching Standard (IPTS): Learning Environment
How did Mr. Michie create a safe and healthy learning environment that promoted emotional well-being, self-value, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation and/or personal goal setting? Provide specific examples from the literature selection. The way he would present himself would allow the students to open up. When they are not feeling like they are being attacked, they are more willing to express their feelings. A teacher needs to be both an educator but also another type of therapist. They need to be another ear for the students to vent to and open up to. It will make the students trust you and listen to what you have to teach them. Mr. Michie would also respect the students as long as he received the respect in return. At times it was hard for the teacher-student relationship to develop, but overall Mr. Michie is a great role model of the type of teacher I would want to be. He relates to the students, which makes the environment a strong and healthy one.

Section III: Character Analysis Which individual(s) stood out to you the most? Why? Explain. Analyze the individual’s strengths/weaknesses, outlook on life, family life, school life, personality, peer interactions/relationships and actions. You must be specific and cite passages and/or events that support your response. Your opinions should be thought provoking, yet supported. Be specific.
Armando: He was the class clown you could day. He was more of the bad student of the group. He had no motivation when Mr. Michie first met him. He did not want to try and he did not really care much. When Mr. Michie talked to him about a year later he was actually doing really well for himself; saving money and was a hard working young man. He was working to get an actual education and make something of himself. He used his father as a model of the type of job that he did not want to have. I thought it was interesting that because of the experience with one teacher he completely changed his ways and became a good student.

Hector: Hector was the type of student who wanted all of the attention on him. He was the young “gang banger” type on student, but unconsciously wanted to be helped and noticed. Teachers viewed him as a criminal, even though he was only in sixth grade. I could not believe that teachers would basically turn their backs on him just because some of the thing he had done. When people do those things, many just want to be noticed and have someone to fall back on. Some students just don’t take the advice that you give to them and the help that you offer. Hector was a great example of one of those students. He ended up becoming a big gang banger. He did not do anything positive with his life and continued down the wrong path. I thought it was overwhelming to read about this student who you just could not help. I think it would be extremely difficult to teach a student like Hector who could have so much potential if he would try to better is life.

Section IV: Rating & Final Thoughts and Recommendation A. Using the star rating below, indicate your like/dislike of the literature selection. *** = Great book, thought provoking, eye-opening, inspiring. I would definitely recommend. **= Somewhat appealing, kept my interest. I may recommend. * = Ok. I would not recommend this book.
B. In your opinion, is the book helpful to aspiring teachers? Explain your response. End your review with your final recommendation. This is book is a great help to aspiring teachers. The book will help me personally in the future to deal with students with different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. I will learn to understand my students in a personal way and to help in ways that may transfer to outside of the classroom. I have learned ways to help inspire students and when just a little extra push is necessary to help a student succeed. This book is definitely three stars in my opinion and all people hoping to enter the teaching profession should read it.