The Politics Of Language- Christensen Chapter 4

I think that this chapter in Reading, Writing, & Rising Up serves as a good reminder for us educators in regard to the way we approach language in our classrooms. As a member of the majority, I often take for granted the idea that the language I speak, the grammar that I use, and so on and so forth is something that was innately natural to me. I grew up throughout my life, with basic rules and principles, and a way of speech that was similar between school and home. I picked up on reading and writing fairly early, and always enjoyed it so there was never much hesitation in presenting for a class, or compiling a written response.

With this idea in mind, I thought that Christensen did a great job of using her personal experiences to relate how frustrating and intimidating it can be, to feel as an outsider to 'standard' English. I really enjoyed that at the end of one of the first sections she discusses how it took her years to undo the damage that her high school teacher Mrs. Delaney did to her, and about the conclusions that she was able to draw only after many years of reflection and discovery. "For too long , I felt inferior when I spoke. I knew the voice of my childhood crept out, and I confused that with ignorance. It wasn't. I just didn't belong to the group who made the rules. I was an outsider, a foreigner in their world. My students won't be" (page 104). I think this personal response by Christensen is important because it details a genuine statement that took her much time to realize. Likewise, in our classrooms we are going to have many students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, and many of which speak English as a second language. Rather than segregating these students, or pointing out their differences in speech, I feel it is essential we embrace the various cultures that are prevalent in our classroom. I have a close friend who is in first year of teaching in Florida, and over half of her class speaks English as a second language, or comes from a family where English is not spoken in the home. Regardless of the different pronunciations, or basic structures of writing that still need work, every student has a story to tell. I think it was great how Christensen used former students, and others in the class to relate personal experiences, so others can jump in with their own stories. I think this is a great exercise for diversity in an English classroom, because it is able to break down those initial barriers and stereotypes that may surround students when they first walk in the door.

Ultimately it is our job as a teacher to present material and better educate the students that our in our classroom. However, it is also essentital that we enrich the lives of our students, and give them encouragement and confidence to face the world, especially if they are not the 'standard.' We make personal decisions on the type of material we teach in class- through the literature and assignments that we hand out out on a daily basis. Therefore, I feel that it is crucial that our classroom be one that celebrates diversity, and the differences that our students have within themselves as well as the similarities that they can share as a group. Likewise, if students feel accepted and comfortable in a class, they will feel more wiling to participate and conduct themselves accordingly both in class and through their writing.