Finding a Tree

In a Forest

Before this semester, I had no idea what epistemologies were. Now I see them everywhere. My Noom app continuously asks me if I want to keep "Nooming" and providing me with micro-rewards (behaviorism). I see philosopher's names, and I can actually comprehend some of their thinking as more than disconnected ramblings but part of a larger framework. I have a new appreciation for Baudilard, the Matrix, and our reality. I obviously have a long way to go. I'm just a baby when it comes to thinking, but I'm awake, and I'm growing. This is a start.

Before this semester, I had experienced both good and inadequate professional development (PD), but I couldn't tell you the theories behind them. It was all experiential knowledge. I also didn't know how adults learned. At first, it didn't make sense to me why we were reading about this. Honestly, I have to admit this fact. However, it is embarrassing; when I was reading Adult learning: linking theory and practice before the semester started, I did not connect to adult learning (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). I think that this speaks volumes about how PD works typically. We do not connect it to theory or ground it in research. I had never stopped questioning why I was doing something a certain way or why it was necessary. Yes, I was able to make connections eventually; I came to understand the "why." My eyes are open.

Transformational learning theory (Merriam & Bierema, 2014), practices that build teacher agency, professional capital, and decisional capital (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012), and the necessary work of learning communities to create change in our schools and in children's lives (Auslander et al., 2019; Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; Derrington & Anderson, 2020; Eun, 2011; Flint et al., 2011; Ginwright, 2016; Hunzicker, 2011; Noonan, 2019). The synthesis of teaching that is responsive to student identity, culture, and values with teacher identity and agency development is what I now believe to be most important. Skills are somewhere on the top 100 list of essential things for teachers in PD now, but they are not at the top. Culturally responsive and relevant teaching is at the top because the kids have to come first (Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris & Gespass, 2001).

So why do I mention this in a professional development plan for myself? Mainly because my development does not exist in a vacuum. I am growing towards the teacher I want to be, the leader that I aspire for, and the change. Therefore I must consider what I've learned and my position to determine where to go next. Dr. Zoss said to "find a tree." I need to find a place on the mountainside to explore – it might be significant, but I need to read passionately within it. That being said, I need to state my research question as it is now:

How can student literature circles create change in student communities?

Students encounter characters, challenges, and hopefully solutions every time they read young adult literature (YAL). Moving beyond worksheets and activities, how does this actually translate to their lives? In speaking of communities, I speak of neighborhoods, culture, and the systems and organizations that my students interact with outside of the classroom. These systems can be political, legal, informal, or even social. There is too much to unpack here, and I'm still a long way from my "idea," – but I believe I have a tree. I want reading groups to do more than just read. I want these stories to exist in a way that develops agentic classroom practices that center student voices but ultimately translate to action. Their lived experiences matter – and I want them to matter more inside our classroom together. This will require lots of learning on my part, and like what I believe about professional development, I need to gain more knowledge about culturally responsive teaching (CRT).

So first and foremost, I plan to read. Two books that I am most interested in are:

DiAngelo, R. J. (2018). White fragility: why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism. Beacon Press.

Love, B. L. (2019). We want to do more than survive: abolitionist teaching and the pursuit of educational freedom. Beacon Press.

Fleischer, C., & Garcia, A. (2021). Everyday advocacy: teachers who change the literacy narrative (First edition. ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.

Antero, G. (2013). Critical Foundations in Young Adult Literature: Challenging Genres  [Book]. Brill. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=668597&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gsu1

Additionally, I want to read as much as I can from Antero Garcia, who has written about democratic discourse, student agency, teaching with comings, critical literacies, young adult literature, gaming literacies, and more. I have a theory that his tree has very close roots with mine.

                Beyond reading, I want to continue building relationships within our cohort and reaching out to former doctoral students. I have had coffee with Dr. Dantzler, and I would like to continue to develop our professional relationship and continue to collaborate. Her work with critical whiteness is going to inform both my teaching practices and my research. I will continue looking for folx who are teacher-researchers and utilizing their Ed.D.'s to continue working towards publications. Finally, I would like to one day work with a group of researchers in an area with my classroom as a collaborative laboratory. This is going to take strong social connections and an understanding of the forest of trees.

                I started Noom, and part of my learning this summer will be with behaviorism and healthy eating habits. It's interesting; looking at it through an epistemological lens, I see different things than I would otherwise. I am trying to get back on track with my body and keep myself healthy; I will need it in the Fall and forever after.

                I plan to hike more this Fall and get outside – taking my reading with me if I have to, but for sure carrying something to write with. Reflective practices are SO interesting to me and always have been. Seeing how these practices are connected to both Adult Learning and my own teaching practices is priceless. This is another area I would like to research eventually and is at the heart of my teaching.

                Finally, and most importantly – there is my daughter Amelia. Her learning is at the center of my heart. I recently picked up some discount manipulatives to help with learning words and the foundations of reading. I read to her almost every night. In helping her learn, I am reminded of why I do the work I do. Being reminded of my "why" as often as possible is what is most important this summer. Onwards!

 

References

Auslander, S., Meyers, B., Schafer, N., Kavanagh, K., & Haardoerfer, R. (2019). Becoming Critical Friends: Developmental Portraits of Three Professional Learning Communities. National Teacher Education Journal, 11(2), 23-40.

 

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., Gardner, M., & Learning Policy, I. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=eric&AN=ED606743&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gsu1

 

Derrington, M. L., & Anderson, L. S. (2020). Expanding the role of teacher leaders: Professional learning for policy advocacy. education policy analysis archives, 28. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.4850

 

Eun, B. (2011). A Vygotskian theory‐based professional development: implications for culturally diverse classrooms. Professional Development in Education, 37(3), 319-333. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2010.527761

 

Flint, A. S., Zisook, K., & Fisher, T. R. (2011, 2011/11/01/). Not a one-shot deal: Generative professional development among experienced teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(8), 1163-1169. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2011.05.009

 

Gay, G. (2002, 01/01/). Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106-116. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=eric&AN=EJ667182&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gsu1

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487102053002003

 

Ginwright, S. (2016). Hope and healing in urban education: how urban activists and teachers are reclaiming matters of the heart. 53(10), 1521. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edsglr&AN=edsglr.A454942892&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gsu1

 

Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital : transforming teaching in every school. Teachers College Press.

 

Hunzicker, J. (2011, 01/01/). Effective Professional Development for Teachers: A Checklist. Professional Development in Education, 37(2), 177-179. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=eric&AN=EJ919321&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gsu1

http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&id=doi:10.1080/19415257.2010.523955

 

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995, 01/01/). Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), 465-491. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=eric&AN=EJ512942&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=gsu1

 

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning : linking theory and practice (First edition. ed.). Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand.

 

Noonan, J. (2019). An Affinity for Learning:  Teacher Identity and Powerful Professional Development. Journal of Teacher Education, 70(5), 526 - 537. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487118788838

 

Paris, C., & Gespass, S. (2001, 11//November/December 2001). Examining the mismatch between learner-centered and teacher-centered supervision [Article]. Journal of Teacher Education, 52(5), 398-412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487101052005006