Module 2:

This week I decided to read All American Boys for my YA text. The text was so raw and real as I read the perspectives of Rashad and Quinn. There were so many lines that made me so angry and upset for these boys and the men that this happens to every day. "He led me toward the door while walkie-talkie-ing that he needed backup. Backup? For what? For who?" (Kiely & Reynolds, 2015, p.21). These situations happen everyday in our American society. It needs to become a part of the conversation about the literature and curriculum that we are teaching our students. I think incorporating texts like this into the classroom for students can help to bring different perspectives to our diverse classrooms. Our students need to see themselves in the texts they read to feel more connected to the content. "I mean, I had seen this happen so many times. Not personally, but on TV. In the news. People getting beaten, and sometimes killed, by the cops, and then there's all this fuss about it, only to build up to a big heartbreak when nothing happens. The cops get off. And everybody cries and waits for the next dead kid, to do it all over again. That's the way the story goes" (Kiely & Reynolds, 2015, p.59). By bringing these texts into the classroom at younger ages the students will be more open to talking about the "uncomfortable" topics that they focus on. But that is the only way change can come about. As educators we must take these topics seriously and teach our students to be open minded and kind individuals to promote change in this crazy, cruel world.

In chapter 4 of Christopher Emdin's text "For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education" I absolutely loved the idea of using cogens in my classroom! I do not want to misinterpret what the purpose of a cogen in an urban classroom is so I thought I would just include a portion of the chapter to explain in my place:

“One of these emancipatory practices (which merges the culture circle and the cypher) is the cogenerative dialogue, or cogen. In research projects aimed at improving urban classrooms, the implementation of cogens that draw from the structure of the hip-hop cypher and the spirit of the culture circle have proven to increase student interest, participation, and performance. Cogens are simple conversations between the teacher and their students with a goal of co-creating/generating plans of action for improving the classroom. My work with cogens has shown that they allow teachers to more effectively deliver complex subject matter to students from different cultures, because they allow teachers and students to bridge their cultural divides before addressing content. In instances where the youth and the teacher are from different cultural backgrounds, as is the case with most urban teachers and their students, effectively introducing and implementing the cogen in a way that replicates the structure of the cypher has proven to be effective in motivating neoindigenous students to engage in dialogues with teachers in ways that allow them to share with their teacher their suggestions for improving the classroom” (Emdin, 2016, p.64-65).

I have always loved the idea of using classroom discussion in my science class, but I want it to be real and authentic in a way that is going to help every one of my students better understand the content. I know that volcanoes and the solar system are not going to relate to all of their lives in the same way, but by using the cogent I hope to see them and help them discuss these topics in a way that I couldn't do just by lecturing the content at them. My two favorite benefits of the cogen though is that it will change the connections and cliques that have been formed in school while also giving each student the change to show their unique voices. I want them to interact with other students that they may never have considered talking to before. I also want them all to know that I respect and want to hear all of their thoughts and opinions. No voice is more or less important than any other in this world and especially in my classroom.

I absolutely LOVE Ted Talks and I found one by Christopher Emdin! It is called "Teach Teachers How to Create Magic":

Resources: In this talk Christopher Emdin talks about the true meaning and role of "peace", "justice", "equity" and "equality" in the classroom by talking about Reality Pedagogy.

Resources:

Emdin, C. (2012, August 23). Reality Pedagogy. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y9tVf_8fqo

Emdin, C. (2013). Teach teachers how to create magic. TED Talks. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_emdin_teach_teachers_how_to_create_magic

Emdin, C. (2016). For white folks who teach in the hood-- and the rest of y'all too: Reality pedagogy and urban education.

Kiely, B. & Reynolds, J. (2015). All American Boys. New York City, NY: Simon & Schuster.

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