Ashley M

When people talk about a “safe classroom,” I feel like most of us picture the basics. A nice setup, maybe some flexible seating, a teacher who’s kind, and a space that looks organized and welcoming. The classroom in the video definitely gives that vibe. It feels calm, structured, and like the teacher has everything under control in a good way. Students seem comfortable, and you can tell there’s a system in place that works. But after reading the Rhode Island guidance on supporting transgender and gender nonconforming students, it made me realize that a classroom can look safe without actually being safe for everyone. That’s the part that stuck with me. The guidance makes it really clear that safety isn’t just about the environment, it’s about how students are treated and whether they feel like they belong. A classroom should be a place where students don’t have to worry about being judged, excluded, or disrespected just for being who they are. And for a lot of students, especially tra...

  “Troublemakers”… or just kids like me? When I read the preface of Troublemakers by Carla Shalaby , it didn’t feel like one of those readings you just skim and forget. It actually made me stop and think about my own experience in school. Shalaby talks about kids who get labeled as “troublemakers,” but instead of treating them like they’re the problem, she tries to understand them. She follows a few elementary school students and shows how they’re constantly getting singled out, disciplined more, and pushed away from everyone else. It’s not just about behavior as much as how everyone reacts to them. And she even connects it to bigger issues, like how early those patterns can start shaping a kid’s future. Reading that, I kept thinking… yeah, I’ve seen that. I’ve felt that. Growing up, school was always hard for me. I have ADHD and other learning difficulties, and even though I had an IEP and was in resource classes, it still felt like I was behind no matter what I did. Like eve...

BLOG #7 Literacy with attitude  Reading Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick Finn honestly makes you rethink what we usually assume about school and learning. A lot of us grow up hearing that school is supposed to be the great equalizer, like if you just work hard enough, you can move up. But Finn kind of flips that idea and shows how schools don’t actually offer the same kind of education to everyone. It’s not just about access to school, it’s about what kind of learning you’re getting once you’re there. One thing that really comes through in the reading is this idea that there are basically two types of education happening at the same time. Finn explains that “there is empowering education, which leads to powerful literacy…and domesticating education, which leads to functional literacy.” That distinction hits hard because it’s not saying some students aren’t learning. It’s saying they’re being taught in a way that prepares them for completely different roles in society. Some stud...

BLOG #5 REDO ETHNIC STUDIES  For a long time, I never really questioned what we were learning in school. It just felt like this is how history is, this is what matters, and that’s it. But after reading Sleeter’s research on ethnic studies, it becomes pretty clear that what we’re taught isn’t neutral, it’s shaped by a specific perspective that’s been treated like the default for years. Sleeter talks about how mainstream curriculum is still heavily centered around what she basically describes as a Euro-American narrative. Even though schools have added more diversity over time, the deeper story hasn’t really changed. White perspectives still dominate, while other groups are included in smaller, more limited ways. When you think about it, that lines up with how a lot of us experienced school—learning the same types of stories over and over, just with a few additions here and there. What stood out in the reading is how this actually affects students. Sleeter explains that a lot of stud...

BLOG #6  While reading Alfie Kohn’s article about what we should actually be looking for in classrooms, it made me question a lot of the things people usually assume mean learning is happening. When people picture a good classroom, they often imagine students sitting quietly, the teacher leading the lesson, and everything running in a very controlled and structured way. But Kohn argues that real learning doesn’t always look like that, and sometimes the most meaningful learning environments are actually a lot more active and student driven. One of the biggest points he makes is that in strong classrooms, students should be doing most of the thinking. Instead of just listening to lectures or completing worksheets, students should be asking questions, discussing ideas, and trying to figure things out together. In those environments, the teacher isn’t the only voice in the room. The classroom is more like a conversation where students are actively involved in their own learning. Anot...

  BLOG 4 Schools often fall into the habit of focusing on what students are doing wrong. Teachers and administrators look at poor grades, behavior issues, lack of motivation, or missing skills and immediately try to correct those problems. When education is framed this way, students can start to feel like they are defined by what they struggle with instead of what they are capable of. Over time that kind of thinking can shape the entire culture of a school, where the focus is always on fixing weaknesses rather than helping students grow. An asset based approach takes a very different perspective. Instead of asking what students lack, it asks what they already bring with them. Every student enters a classroom with strengths, interests, talents, and life experiences that can be built on. When teachers notice and encourage those things, students are more likely to feel confident in themselves and willing to try. Focusing on strengths doesn’t mean ignoring challenges. It just means tha...