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Moving Forward

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To be able to synthesize the reading from this week is complex and difficult to articulate through a blog post. Our previous reading and discussions in class has drawn me to the intersections of identity and the process versus the product. Leander and Frank (2006) bring theoretical background to expand my thinking of identity and literacy and put it in motion. What stood out to me, and created a deeper understanding, was when Leander and Frank (2006) focus on work “that argues that identity cannot be conceived in either macro (social and cultural) or micro (psychological) units, but must rather be thought of as always in circulation between intensely personal and powerfully social forces” (pg. 186) Learning in motion is not something new to me, however, this work of identity in motion does push me forward to articulate how I believe children learn in the classroom.  Classroom environments provide me with a visual of identity and its complexities. Kuby and Vaughn’s (2...
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Structural Challenges

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From the readings, I can define raciolinguistics as an approach which studies language and it ability to build  identity. Raciolinguistics is also how race impacts language and language in use. Alim, Rickford, and Ball (2016) gives us insight “to how speakers “do” race and ethnicity in interaction.” (pg. 5) This book creates a link to constructivist theories of race and the powers of racism on those who experience race every day. When examining themes throughout reading part 3, I focused on identity, culture, and structural challenges. I had eye opening experience in a time when I am feeling tired and unsure of my future research. It was a moment when the reading connected to a personal experience-specifically to identity and culture. Yesterday, I presented to the freshman, in all majors, at Stephens College surrounding my past research inside the classroom using multicultural literature with our youngest students. I shared statistics of multicultural literature and what con...
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Making Sense of Relationships

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How are you making sense of the relationship between language, identity, race, and power? When activity is driven by one dominant language, then the activity is no longer shared and voices are silenced (Jones, 2006). Power exists within the US through the use of language from a figurative world of being “American” and hasn’t seemed to change over time. If examining language as the foundation which identity is embodied, how do we examine what it means to be American?  Jones (2006) connects language to our identity as the building block from those we love. I attended a local conference and listened to a Kindergarten teacher talk about this from a five year olds perspective-when she corrects the way her students talk, she is devastating the student who hears this form of talk from the person they love the most. I am reminded of this when working with young children and the vulnerability they may feel when bridging their identity from the home to the school. Not until we allow...
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