WebLog 5

WebLog 5- Crossing Over to Canaan- Chapters 1 and 2

1. Why is there such a high turnover rate among new teachers?
There is a high turnover among new teachers because beginning teachers are given very challenging assignments, and they are given little or no professional support. They are isolated and independent from other teachers. Also, new teachers are many times put in the schools that serve the poorest students and those students who have failed to benefit from schooling. Students who have many educational needs are being taught by teachers who are the least prepared to teach them. New teachers do not have the expertise about the basics of teaching, and their classroom becomes at a disadvantage. So, beginning teachers are often unsuccessful, and they gain a sense of failure and no longer want to be in the classroom. This vicious cycle repeats itself as more new teachers are hired.

2. What was the biggest lesson that Tara, a TFD student, learned while teaching “Terrance,” an African American student? Also, what did Tara learn from working as an aide with physically abused preteens?
Tara learned that it is important to step back and allow children some autonomy. With “Terrance,” she began to give him more opportunities to work without a teaching by his side. She was able to acknowledge his sense of personhood. While Tara worked as an aide, she realized that the school as an institution can create a barrier between people, and it could destroy one’s sense of personhood. She then began to take her students to different settings, such as McDonald’s, where she could talk one-to-one in small groups. She was able to be herself- she told stories about herself and the students were able to get to know her better.