Final Project FNED 502

 Link to project

Teaching Emergent Bilingual Students

Teaching children who speak more than one language means seeing their different languages as a strength, not a problem. According to Virginia Collier, kids learn a second language in the same natural way they learned their first one, by listening, noticing patterns, trying things out, and learning from what’s around them. Teachers should focus on helping students understand and use language, not just correct their grammar. Like when parents talk to young children, teachers can use short, clear sentences and repeat ideas in different ways to help students understand.

It’s also very important to make students feel safe, welcome, and confident. When students feel good about themselves, they’re more likely to try using English, even if they make mistakes. Teachers should encourage effort and focus on what students are trying to say, instead of pointing out every error. I always encourage my students to participate and read out loud. I find working with vocabulary is the easiest way to get students to speak out in class. My students are asked to put words in “Big, beefy sentences.” The sillier the better. They love reading them out loud to make everyone laugh. While students may learn how to have conversations in English in two or three years, learning the kind of English used in school for reading, writing, and thinking takes much longer, about five to seven years (129). Teachers should help by giving students tools like sentence starters, pictures, and word walls, and by teaching school words step by step.

Teachers should respect and include students’ home languages and ways of speaking. These are not wrong or bad, they’re important parts of who the students are. Students should be allowed to speak their first language in the classroom and use both languages to help them learn. Teachers can show how different ways of speaking are used in different places, like home and school, and help students feel proud of their language and culture.

Students may switch between languages or mix them sometimes. It’s called code-switching, and it shows they know how to use both languages. Teachers can talk about this with students and show that it’s normal and smart to use language in flexible ways. When I started teaching, the district had a strict  “English only policy,” and I didn’t agree with it. I would hate to stop a student from expressing themselves or participating in class, just because of a language barrier. 

Good teachers also understand and talk about different kinds of English. They know that not everyone speaks the same way and that this is something to respect, not fix. Students can learn the formal English used in school while still keeping their home language and dialect. Teachers should be role models who show respect for all kinds of language and help students see their own speech as valuable.

In the end, teaching multilingual children is about more than just teaching English. It’s about helping them feel proud of who they are, learn in both languages, and succeed in school without giving up their home language or culture. When teachers make room for students’ languages, they help them grow not just as learners, but as confident, curious people.

Richard Rodriguez’s story “Aria” helps teachers understand what it feels like to grow up speaking one language at home and learning another at school. For Richard, Spanish was the language of home. It made him feel close to his family. English, on the other hand, was the language he had to learn to do well in school and fit into American society. When he learned English, he began to perform better in class, but he also felt increasingly distant from his family. He didn’t speak Spanish as much, and his house became quieter. This shows that learning English can be emotional for students; it can make them feel like they’re losing part of who they are. I recall stories that my grandmother would tell me about the nuns forcing her to speak English instead of French. She had a hard time because she always said it felt like she was losing her “way” when she spoke English. I believe that a person’s sense of identity is wrapped up in their culture and language. 

Teachers can learn from Richard’s experience. It reminds us that students should not have to give up their first language to learn English. Instead, schools should help students become strong in both languages. Speaking more than one language is a strength, not a problem. Teachers should also remember that how we teach language affects students' feelings. We should teach English in a way that respects students’ home language and culture.

“Aria” shows that learning a new language is not just about school; it’s also about identity, family, and belonging. Teachers need to support students not just academically, but also emotionally. Helping students keep their first language while learning English lets them stay connected to their families and communities while also becoming successful in school.

Elyn Ballantyne-Berry, an English as a New Language teacher in Manhattan, shares how her bilingual students used translanguaging—mixing their home languages and English, to create autobiographical graphic novels. This approach helps students use all their language skills to express themselves and learn better. CUNY-NYSIEB supports using students’ home language practices in teaching, even if teachers don’t share those languages themselves. In one example, Ms. Gladys Aponte, a teacher in Queens, encourages her fourth graders to think about what it means to be bilingual. She explains how programs that support both bilingualism and biliteracy benefit students by strengthening their identity and learning in multiple languages.

RI Laws and Policies and Trevor Project Resources, Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People

How Rhode Island Schools Support Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students

In 2016, Rhode Island created rules to help schools support transgender and gender nonconforming students. These rules are designed to make sure all students feel safe, respected, and included.

The guidance says that schools must protect students from bullying and treat everyone fairly. A key part of the rules is privacy; schools cannot share a student’s gender identity without their permission.

Students should be called by the name and pronouns they choose, even if they haven’t made legal changes. They should also be allowed to use restrooms, locker rooms, and join activities that match their gender identity. Schools can offer private options for anyone who wants them, but they can’t force transgender students to use separate spaces.

Every student should feel safe and respected at school, no matter who they are. I support kindness, inclusion, and stopping bullying.

But I have some concerns about the policy that allows transgender students to use any bathroom or locker room based on their gender identity. Some students may feel uncomfortable or need more privacy. I think schools should offer private options for anyone who wants them, so everyone can feel safe.

I also think it’s important to keep school sports fair. If students who were born male compete on girls' teams, it might give them a physical advantage. That doesn’t seem fair to everyone competing.

I’m not saying anyone should be left out, I just think schools should find ways to include everyone while still being fair and respectful to all students.

We can disagree and still listen to each other with kindness and respect

Dress codes must be fair, and students should be allowed to dress according to their gender identity. Teachers and staff must be trained on these rules and how to support all students with respect. Schools also need to teach students about kindness, fairness, and inclusion.

After reading the Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People,

I was reminded of how important it is to create a classroom where every student feels safe,

respected, and affirmed. Using students’ correct names and pronouns is a simple

but powerful way to show we value who they are. The guide also emphasized that allyship

 means more than kindness; it means speaking up against bias, creating inclusive learning 

environments, and listening without judgment. As educators, we have the responsibility

 not only to support our students individually but also to examine our teaching practices, 

curriculum, and classroom culture. This guide gave me practical tools and helped me 

reflect on how I can better support all students by being intentional, respectful, and active

in my allyship.

TEACH OUT ARTICLE SUMMARIES

TEACH OUT ARTICLE SUMMARIES

Lisa Delpit argues in "The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children" that educators must explicitly teach the academic skills and codes necessary for school success, especially for students from historically marginalized communities, while also honoring and affirming their cultural and linguistic identities. She emphasizes that teachers, often unaware of the power dynamics they embody, may unintentionally privilege the dominant culture in their classrooms. To truly empower students, educators must provide direct instruction in essential academic skills without diminishing students’ home languages or cultures. Respecting students' backgrounds while equipping them with the tools to navigate and succeed within dominant systems is central to equitable and effective teaching.

The second reading:

Shalaby, the author of "Troublemakers," suggests that schools are designed to maintain the social order and devalue certain lives. However, this response challenges that view by emphasizing how schools actively foster critical thinking, civic engagement, and equity. Educators provide students with opportunities to explore multiple perspectives, analyze systems of injustice, and develop their voices as agents of change. Additionally, schools serve as crucial support systems, offering resources like meals, counseling, and healthcare to ensure students' well-being. While systemic challenges remain, the overarching mission of most educators is to create inclusive, empowering learning environments where all students are valued and supported in reaching their full potential.

Troublemakers Canaries in the Mine by Carla Shalaby

This author argues, “Our schools are designed to prepare children to take their assumed place in the social order rather than to question and challenge that order.” That schools are made to keep kids in their place in society, but that’s not really true.

I would argue that schools often help students think for themselves, speak up, and even change the world around them. Schools teach kids to think and question. In many classes, students learn to ask questions, look at different sides of an issue, and think deeply. For example, in my history class, the students discuss different opinions and learn about people who stood up against unfair systems. 

Moreover, education helps people move up in life. Going to school or college gives people the chance to do better than their parents did. Education helps break the cycle of poverty for many families and gives students the tools to reach their goals. 

Students often speak out and take action on social issues. They can organize protests, start clubs, and raise their voices about things they care about. This proves that schools are not just teaching students to follow rules. They are helping them learn how to lead. I know many teachers, and I know that we encourage students to become independent thinkers. We work hard to help students grow, question things, and become confident. They want students to succeed. I agree that some problems still exist in the system. But to argue that schools are only there to keep kids in line misses the bigger picture. Schools are often where change begins, not where it ends.

This author goes on to argue that “our children are learning that only some lives matter, that only some deaths are tragic, that only a precious few deserve relief from the suffering.”

I wholeheartedly disagree with even the notion of this idea. I would argue that most schools are teaching the opposite. They are teaching that everyone is important and deserves care and respect. When I teach about things like racism or unfair treatment in my history class, I’m not saying that one group is better than another. It is to help students understand what is wrong and how to make the world more fair. Learning about injustice helps students care about all people. Furthermore, schools teach students to treat everyone with respect, no matter their background. Teachers use books, activities, and lessons that show how different people matter equally. To argue that schools are not a safe place for kids is not something I agree with. Schools help students who are struggling. They receive food, clothing, counseling, and many other resources. In my school, they have a clinic, and the students visit the dentist and the doctor while they are in the school building. These things show that schools want all kids to feel safe, happy, and supported. Students are encouraged to speak up when something is unfair, not just for themselves, but for anyone who is being treated badly. Schools are not teaching that only some people matter. Most schools are working hard to teach that every person is valuable and deserves kindness and support.  

The author argues that zero tolerance rules in schools are too harsh, but these rules actually help keep schools safe and focused on learning. When students know the rules and see that they are followed fairly, they are less likely to act out. This helps make the classroom a better place for everyone. While Shalaby argues that these rules make students feel like they don’t belong, others believe they help protect students from bullying or dangerous behavior. Instead of getting rid of zero tolerance rules, schools can use them in a kind and fair way, by listening to students and helping them learn from their mistakes while keeping order in the classroom. 

In conclusion, some students may face unfair treatment, and that should be addressed. But it’s not true that schools are designed to mistreat kids or blame them for it. Most educators are doing their best to help all students grow, feel valued, and be treated with respect. 

Teach Out Project Proposal

 

CHOOSE A TEXT: Review your whole blog to remind yourself about what we have read so far in class. What texts have stayed with you so far? What articles inspire you?  What topic matters most to you in terms of your own work? Are there any of these texts that you would like to share with others in your life?  Rethinking the Troublemakers,  from Shalaby, TroubleMakers,

WHO DO YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH? Are there people in your life with whom you would really like to talk about these texts? Colleagues? Students? Family members? Friends? Children? Principal and Dean of Students

WHAT FORMAT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU? Individual interview? Small group discussion? Art activity? Professional development workshop? Poster for your office? Pamphlet to share? Lesson plan? Etc? Small group discussion.

Rethinking Schools "The Problems with the Common Core" by Stan Karp

 Why the Common Core Doesn’t Work: What Stan Karp Wants Us to Know

In his article “The Problems with the Common Core,” Stan Karp explains why the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are not really helping schools in the way they were supposed to. Many people thought the Common Core would fix big problems in education, but Karp says it has actually made some things worse. He believes the standards were created without listening to teachers, and they focus too much on testing, give too much power to big companies, and ignore real problems like inequality in schools.

One of Karp’s biggest concerns is that teachers were left out when the Common Core was made. Instead of asking teachers what would work best for students, the standards were written by people from testing companies and private groups. This means the people who actually teach students every day had no say. Because of this, the Common Core often doesn’t work well in real classrooms.

Karp also talks about the influence of big money and politics in pushing the Common Core. Groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave a lot of money to promote the standards. The government even offered extra funding to states if they agreed to use the Common Core. Karp says this is a problem because it puts control of education in the hands of rich companies and away from schools and communities. In other words, schools were being told what to do by people who don’t really know their students.

Another issue Karp points out is how the Common Core is linked to too much testing. With the new standards came new, harder tests. These tests are used to judge students, teachers, and schools. Karp says this has made schools focus more on test prep than real learning. Teachers feel pressured to "teach to the test," and students are stressed out. Instead of helping students think deeply or be creative, the system turns classrooms into places where passing the test is all that matters.

Karp also explains that standards don’t solve unfairness in schools. The Common Core expects all students to meet the same goals, but not all schools have the same resources. Poorer schools may not have enough teachers, books, or technology. Simply giving all students the same standards doesn’t help if they don’t have the same support. Real fairness, Karp says, means giving every student what they need, not just holding them to the same expectations.

A law student at a social justice event was quoted in the article, stating, "Colorblindness is the new racism."  This speaks to the Common Core agenda as well. The problem with colorblindness is that it may seem like equality, but it actually hides racism by ignoring how race shapes people's experience. It invalidates the lived realities of people of color. True equity comes from recognizing and responding to racial differences, not denying them. It doesn’t make sense to hold students accountable to the same unrealistic standards. While reading this article, I thought of one big issue with the Common Core for my MLL students: everything is really focused on using advanced English. The students are expected to read tough texts, write long answers, and explain their thinking clearly, and that’s hard if you're still learning English. The standards also kind of assume that every student learns the same way and at the same speed, which just isn’t true. Some students need more time or different kinds of help. And when it comes to testing, everything’s in English, even if you’re not fluent yet. That means your score might not really show how much you know—it might just show how much English you’ve learned so far.

Lastly, Karp says the way the Common Core was put in place too quickly caused more problems. Many teachers didn’t get the training they needed, and schools didn’t get enough time to adjust. This led to confusion and frustration. Karp believes real change in schools takes time, teamwork, and trust—none of which happened with the Common Core.

Karp is not against having strong standards or high goals for students. What he’s saying is that good education should come from the ideas of teachers and communities, not just from big companies or the government. He believes the best way to improve schools is to listen to teachers, support students, and focus on fairness for everyone.

In the end, Stan Karp helps us see that the Common Core missed the mark. It didn’t include the voices of educators, it increased stress with testing, and it didn’t fix the deeper problems that affect students every day. If we want better schools, we need to trust teachers, give schools the tools they need, and make sure every student has a fair chance to succeed.

More links to look at:

https://www.pacificresearch.org/common-core-has-failed-americas-students/

https://www.institute4learning.com/2018/04/26/12-reasons-the-common-core-is-bad-for-americas-schools/

The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

                                             The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

A Research Review

Christine E. Sleeter

“Beginning as early as elementary school, students have been found to respond to curricula based partly on what they learn and experience in their homes and communities.” 

Ethnic studies help students engage fully in their academics. When students learn about their own cultures and histories, they feel more comfortable and connected. They will have greater confidence and stay in school longer. This will help them build connections, do better on tests, and get better grades. 

Students felt marginalized and “angry that African American history was rarely discussed outside Black History Month and was almost always portrayed in terms of victimization.”

All students learn to understand and respect others. Ethnic studies teach students about different backgrounds and experiences. This helps them become more understanding, respectful, and open-minded toward people who are different from them. Students benefit from looking at the world through different lenses and gaining new perspectives.

“White adults generally do not recognize the extent to which traditional mainstream curricula marginalize perspectives of communities of color and teach students of color to distrust or not take school knowledge seriously.”

Ethnic studies teach real history. Instead of only hearing one side of history, ethnic studies give a fuller picture of what really happened. This helps students think more deeply and ask better 

questions. Ethnic studies bring people together. Some people think ethnic studies divide us, but the research shows the opposite. Learning about each other’s stories actually brings students closer and helps fight racism. 

In short, ethnic studies help students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. They’re not just an option, they’re a powerful tool for better education.  

Ending DEI Programs

 Presidential Actions

Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing

&

Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity 

The White House

Key points from the Trump administration's Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.

1. Protect equal treatment for everyone.                                            The order reinforces the principle that everyone should be treated equally under the law, regardless of their race or sex. It bans any federally funded programs or contractors from teaching or promoting the idea that one race or gender is better or worse than another. The goal is to make sure that no one is treated unfairly because of who they are. 

2. Focus on Skills and Qualifications.                                                   The order says that jobs, education, and government programs should be based on a person’s talent and hard work, not their race, gender, or other identity. It is about making things fair by rewarding ability, not group membership. The Trump administration calls for approaches centered on merit-based policies, a commitment to academic excellence, and unifying principles that emphasize shared goals over group identity.

3. Limit certain diversity training.                                                         The order stops federal money from being used for workplace training that it says divides people or blames certain groups (like teaching “white privilege” or “unconscious bias” in a negative way). It also requires checks to make sure government agencies and contractors follow this rule, aiming to keep political or ideological beliefs out of required training. 

The article argues that “The American people have witnessed first-hand the disastrous consequences of illegal, pernicious discrimination that has prioritized how people were born instead of what they were capable of doing. The Federal Government is charged with enforcing our civil rights laws. The purpose of this order is to ensure that it does so by ending illegal preferences and discrimination.”

President Trump’s executive orders aim to ensure that all Americans are treated equally by emphasizing merit over race. These actions are grounded in the belief that opportunity should be based on individual effort, character, achievement-not the color of one’s skin. In a truly fair and just society, every citizen should have access to the same opportunities and be judged by their abilities and contributions. 

While the United States is not without flaws, it remains a nation where individuals who are determined to work hard and be a responsible citizen can succeed. The executive orders reflect a commitment to upholding the foundational American principle that success should be earned through merit, not granted through group identity. By focusing on equal treatment rather than preferential treatment, these policies encourage unity and personal accountability, helping to create a society where everyone is empowered to reach their full potential.

In a previous article, we discussed in class argued that true equality doesn’t come from ignoring race; it comes from acknowledging it and addressing the disparities that still exist. A purely colorblind approach can unintentionally preserve the status quo by denying the need for targeted support and inclusion. Without recognizing racial inequality, we risk reinforcing it, making it harder, not easier, for marginalized groups to access the same opportunities. Equality of opportunity can be achieved by pretending that everyone already has it. 

In conclusion, this debate hinges on whether equality means treating everyone the same or acknowledging differences to address structural inequality. Supporters of the executive orders see them as a return to merit-based fairness. Critics argue that colorblindness ignores systematic disadvantage and prevents real progress toward racial justice. 

The Department of Education has opinions.

https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-takes-action-eliminate-dei