Michie-See You When We Get There

Michie- "See You When We Get There"

Anyone can teach, but only a few teachers can teach in a way that relates back to a child's life. That kind of teacher works for change in her classroom and community. Michie's article describes how one young black teacher, Liz Kirby, works for change in her classroom, because she strives to be that special teacher. Kirby introduced the book Malcolm X to her students. She didn't try and lie to them that this was easy reading or cover up the fact that this book would require time, she was honest. Her honesty had struck the students to "get with the program". (p.41) Having connected with her students on the basic level that they had to read to pass the class, she then left the rest of the work to the book. She used the book to connect to their personal lives and their community. It wasn't just reading the book that Kirby wanted her students to accomplish, it was the deeper meaning.
"I really hope that in my teaching I can encourage kids to look at their lives and their roles differently.
I want kids to feel- empowered is not the best word, but- connected to their lives and connected to their communities. I don't want them to feel like things kind of happen around them and there's nothing they can do about it. I want them to understand that each decision they make, like it or not, is a decision and it has an impact. And I want them to take responsibility for it." (pp.40-41)

I think connecting the students to their own personal lives and community is an important thing. A teacher should incorporate their lessons to help students figure out who they are, and what they need to become as much as possible. Without learning about themselves or their community, a student can't connect everything together and open up opportunities to their future. "I want them to be able to remember something we read or talked about. It will make them think twice about wearing violet contacts or making a black joke."
(p.42)

Connecting your lesson to a students community and incorporating a book that relates to them as a growing young adult will have more of an impact than a book or lesson that does not. Not every student wants to learn about the Le Dynasty, the Egyptian Pyramids or read Malcolm X and may ask you, "Why do we have to learn this? This won't benefit me in the long run." That's when you know as an instructor, you have failed to make that connection to their environment as well as the teacher has neglected to have their students make that connection between the subject matter and the student's own lives. That's when you make those hard lessons such as the Le Dynasty, Egyptian Pyramids or reading Malcolm X more interesting because they care to learn about it. When you establish a care for what you are learning, you will get more of a positive reaction out of your students. "Teachers these days are expected to induce a desire to learn in all students. But all students already want to learn; it is a question of what they want to learn." (Reed & Johnson, 1998, 251)

Kirby established that care in her students as they read and analyzed Malcolm X. I tried to do the same and instill care amongst the material subject when I was teaching preschool a few years ago. Instead of just showing pictures of the Pilgrims and Native Americans, I divided the class in half and had them make hats depending on if they were a Pilgrim or Indian. That night they went home and as a family made or brought in their favorite food that they were thankful for to give in our lunch feast the following day. As a class we set up the lunch tables in a long line, and ate with our hats on. Sitting at the table, we looked around and saw the mixture of Indians and Pilgrims, and that's my lesson came to life on their culture and how they became united. I kept the lesson simple by not using facts or any complex ideas since the children were only three years of age. I related it to their lives by asking them how they can incorporate their activities with everyone on the playground. Also, I then pushed the conversation into how we are all the same no matter what color skin is of culture we have and how we can be friends with everyone instead of just a selective group. I also ventured into the idea on how they should include the children who are singled out with their friends like the more is merrier concept. Thanksgiving dinner was a difficult lesson for the age bracket I had, but tying all the concepts into their daily lives allowed me to make the lesson understandable and easier to connect with. Not only did it include a teaching on cultural diversity but it also allowed me to reinforce the basic skills of friendship. They may not look back and remember the exact dates of when the Pilgrims arrived but the idea will be in their minds, because they will forever connect it with the fun Thanksgiving feast we had in class.