March 23, 2015 - 22:48
"We get to know the kids intimately- what their strengths and weaknesses are- and we work with them individually [...]. Assessments leads to support." (pg.164)
The overall message Kirp entails in chapter 6 draws my attention to the importance of incorporating the identity of student's into the teaching curriculum. As educators it's important to connect with our students and reassure them that yes, we are here to teach and help them understand new material, but that we also care about their well being. Our students are everyday people as well, their lives don't center only in classrooms. In order to help strive our student's academic performance we need to be able to understand who they are and what community they belong to.
Angelina's approach in her teaching curriculum in tying the material to the student's roots is an effective approach for not only does it spark interest within the students, but also provides students and teachers the space to initiate conversation which can lead to both getting to know each other further. If we're always teaching the same mundane curriculum in which white old men are the heroes or the discoverers, the "intelligent ones"- It sends off this message that people of the same skin as as minority students don't have the ability to contribute anything to academia so why pursue it in the first place.