There are two things I will like to share with you from among the many things I gleaned from her presentation.
1) NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY
Based on the recommendations made by teachers, parents and principals they all were in total agreement for the need for technology in the classroom. For example online library resources, local literature, ebooks, websites to access presentations and other resources. MED Reading students here is our opportunity to showcase our skills.
2) LOCAL LITERATURE
Dr. Conrad spoke about the need for using culturally appropriate literature in the classroom. MED Reading Students we were mentioned in her presentation about donating books on local stories to the Education library.
2) LOCAL LITERATURE
Dr. Conrad spoke about the need for using culturally appropriate literature in the classroom. MED Reading Students we were mentioned in her presentation about donating books on local stories to the Education library.
Heather your puppets had a starring role also. Way to go girl!
Back to local literature. Have you noticed the topics SEA children have to write on for exams? I realized I need to start reading local stories to my 10-13 year old students as well as have some of those books in my class library. I have to start sourcing them. Can you share with me the names of some Local and Caribbean Literature that you have read as a child or to your children or to your students?
Dr. Conrad also stress the need for more local literature. MED Reading here is your chance to write your stories, there is a market out there.
I will leave two quotes which I heard during the presentation which impacted on me greatly, one you have already heard.
"It takes a VILLAGE to raise a READER and WRITER."
"MISS, MOTIVATE ME PLEASE"
Do not forget the names and authors of Local and Caribbean Literature.
Back to local literature. Have you noticed the topics SEA children have to write on for exams? I realized I need to start reading local stories to my 10-13 year old students as well as have some of those books in my class library. I have to start sourcing them. Can you share with me the names of some Local and Caribbean Literature that you have read as a child or to your children or to your students?
Dr. Conrad also stress the need for more local literature. MED Reading here is your chance to write your stories, there is a market out there.
I will leave two quotes which I heard during the presentation which impacted on me greatly, one you have already heard.
"It takes a VILLAGE to raise a READER and WRITER."
"MISS, MOTIVATE ME PLEASE"
Do not forget the names and authors of Local and Caribbean Literature.
Dr. Conrad's presentation was dynamic and inspirational. Like you Esther, I was hoping to see more people there. However I think those of us who were there will carry the spirit of her message with us and hopefully continue to build this village which continuously encourages our youth and our community to be active readers and writers. As teachers, we are part of this village and have our individual as well as collective roles to play in making this possible. I was particularly inspired by Dr. Conrad's journey from the classroom here in Trinidad to working as a specialist in Early Childhood education in New York. In Trinidad, she worked with deaf children as well as common entrance students.
ReplyDeleteAfter her presentation, I could not help but think of my father who attended high school and Centeno College here as a partially deaf student without special help. As his children (my sisters and I), we were also able to observe some of his challenges in interacting with others. I think this experience had some impact on our lives. As a villager to the table, some personal experiences like the ones with my father as well as the experiences of working in a rural community.
This post was an eye-opener as I was unaware of this lecture which I would have loved to attend, thank you Esther for sharing your impressions with us.
ReplyDeleteDr.Conrad is right about culturally appropriate literature for our young children who are sounding so american with their accents and cultural references.
I can't recommend any caribbean authors/books for this post but I will do some research and get back to you what I can recommend are two places that I know carry local/caribbean novels/storybooks--there is a bookstore/souvenir shop in ellerslie plaza and one in hotel normandie.
Hi Esther,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry I missed Dr. Conrad's lecture. Thanks for representing the group. I have the greatest respect and admiration for Dr, Conrad. She taught us so much content wise. She also taught us the value of collaboration and the need to support each other in this journey to becoming reading specialists.
Dr. Conrad's 'walked the talk' when she had us research local children literature, when we selected the books to donate to the library. Her stress of the need to help students use their local experiences to tap into their prior knowledge reminded me of Roeseblatt's (1989) theory of 'text to self'.
We are constantly bombarded by a popular culture that take us away from appreciating what we have locally. As educators we need to make a concerted effort to introduce our students to local literature. In my experience I found students knew more about witches, wizards and supernatural creatures of Harry Potter's world than their own local folklore. Let us share our rich local literature and culture while we integrate technology in our delivery.
Hey Esther I was unaware of the lecture but I am glad that some knew and could have attended. In respect of iniatives for local literature I believe that this falls on us now. Why can,t we begin to write books.I am sure that by the time we are done with this programme that we would be in good standing to publish no not a few.I believe that our colleague Lemoy has already written one. I believe that we will have a ready local and Carribbean market. Why do we have to continue to devour Eurocentric literature where all the picture are of blonde haired, blue eyed children who do not represent our cultural norms and ideals. Our children watch their movies and read their books so it's no strange thing that they behave like them too. Let's feed our children with indigenous material and see if there is a difference.
ReplyDeleteI have read most of your posts Esther and I think that you have done a great job.
Esther, I, like some of my peers was unaware of the presentation by Dr.Conrad.However I am pleased that you were there and able to share with us the key issues of the presentation. Since our group began this ICT component of the programme, I now have a broader, new view of the value of ICTs and its role in education.
ReplyDeleteIt is important that teachers be trained in the use of technology to use it as an educational tool in order for it to be effective.
The use of culturally appropriate material in our classrooms is one way I have recognised as a way to engage our readers. Students respond positively to text that they have some familiarity with and proceed to be more confident to participate in class activities.
I would like to suggest the local writer Al Ramsawack and book entitled 'Boboy and the Douens and other stories'.The book is designed to develop an appreciation of our Trinidadian folklore and traditional stories
Hi Esther,
ReplyDeleteIn addition to introducing culturally appropriate reading material to students, as posited by Dr. Conrad, I believe that it is also important to involve the use of the Trinidadian dialect in the classroom. The vernacular is in fact the first language of the child as is for most Trinidadians. Dialect interference causes severe obstacles to comprehension. The students most affected by it are those from poor socioeconomic homes where dialect alone is spoken.
The use of vernacular is inevitably linked to equity which has begun an ongoing debate about the integration of the native dialects into the education system. Some have taken quite a strong stance on this matter as in the case of Committee on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), a subdivision of NCTE. Their philosophy is, “We affirm the students' right to their own patterns and varieties of the language -- the dialects of their nurture or whatever dialects in which they find their own identity and style. Language scholars long ago denied that the myth of a standard American dialect has any validity. The claim that any one dialect is unacceptable amounts to an attempt of one social group to exert its dominance over another. Such a claim leads to false advice for speakers and writers, and immoral advice for humans. A nation proud of its diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects. We affirm strongly that teachers must have the experiences and training that will enable them to respect diversity and uphold the right of the students to their own language.” (College Composition and Communication, 1974, pp. 2-3)
Though many varying views exist on this issue, it is left up to individual schools to develop policy on the integration of vernacular into the classroom.
Syndy Jahoor