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The 2 guiding principles that stand out to me are dignity and forgiveness. If each person in the community honors each other and treats them with respect, that is the base to develop real relationships. Forgiveness is so important because everybody screws up and we need to be able to repair the relationships.
The takeaways from this study I want to implement are giving students more opportunities to use choice in assignments that encourage them use their unique gifts and celebrate their identities and to include narrative writing in their studies to express and support their identities.
1. Middle-school students are distressed and embarrassed at the baseline; they are constantly comparing themselves to the expectations of school, parents, peer and the media. Students may: avoid work, if they think they cannot get an A; decide not to play a sport or a game, if they think they might not perform well; and segregate themselves in cliques to avoid social embarrassment.
2. Privilege and marginalization have connotations that are just too politicized. My personal background had both positives and tremendous challenges. I hope that I can help students see their own strengths and encourage them to overcome their obstacles.
3. I felt a bit overwhelmed when considering all the developing identities of the over 100 students I teach. I think that you just have to try to be open and accepting as you get to know each student to the best of your ability. Students need to know that you like them as individuals and want to help them be their best.
I have seen the concepts of divided and spoiled identities played out in middle school due to the pressure to conform to group standards. One or two students have refused small group accommondations because they don’t want others to know they have a learning difference. A couple of students will opt to wear their uniform on “dress down” days because they don’t think they have stylish enough outfits. A few 8th graders claimed to be going to a high school to which they had been rejected to avoid admitting which school they were actually attending.
Our school community encourages active inclusion of all students and their families. We are in the process of becoming a dual language school. Multicultural events are planned throughout the school year and are incorporated into classroom activities. Some of the uniform and hair requirements have been relaxed to allow for cultural and LGBTQ+ students inclusion. Teachers are given professional development on differentiated instruction and offering choice in assessment to meet the needs of the different types of learners. A wide range of electives are offered and students can start a club with a faculty moderator, so students can have choice on activities and groups where they feel they belong. Service clubs, in particular, build community and give students an opportuntity to be an impactful member of the community.
1. One thing that struck me reading the chapters and listening to the podcast is how the very practice of categorizing people into identity groups, while convenient for study by social scientists, is fraught because generalizations are made about groups that don’t apply to all the individuals.
2. The great joy and challenge of teaching middle school students is learning with them what excites them, getting them to get the most out of their gifts and helping them to believe that the world needs their gifts.
