Amy's+Page

Hi, my name is Amy Lupardi. I am currently a 3rd Grade Teacher with the Englewood Public School District. I was born and raised in the suburbs of Norwood, New Jersey where I continue to reside at the moment; making for a very short commute to work but a decently long commute to Bloomfield. My educational journey began at Hofstra University where I received a B.A. in Early Childhood and Childhood Education and a B.A. in History. During my time at Hofstra University I was the Undergraduate President of our ASCD chapter as well as a member of both Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Alpha Theta. In addition to my professional affiliations, I hold certifications in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education in both New York and New Jersey and Teacher of the Handicap in New Jersey. Upon graduation I accepted a job as a paraprofessional with the Harrington Park School District in Harrington Park, New Jersey. I spent two great years with the district before I was laid off due to a massive reduction in force. After an abundance of unsuccessful job seeking opportunities, I decided to continue my education where I enrolled in this Special Education Certification Program. Not only did I believe that this program would open additional doors but due to the new law stating that students should be taught in the least restrictive environment, special education students are frequently found within the parameters of our general education classrooms. This course will be my last class before I have completed the program in entirety. Upon completion I plan on continuing to further my education by attending Ramapo College where I plan to be working towards my Masters in Educational Technology.Not only would I consider myself a lifelong learner, but the educational system is forever growing and changing and there is no excuse for taking the back seat. The day I no longer want to develop myself, is the day I know I need to leave the educational field. Education aside, reality television is a guilty pleasure. I am a strong believer that it is shaping our young minds for the worse, but for myself, I like to get my daily dose of drama through the television and let it take a back seat in my “real life.” If I had to be on a reality show I would probably be on a show like Big Brother. While I would probably crack under the dramatic pressures, I have a competitive soul. I am hardworking and am able to think out situations before they happen. Overall, I am very family orientated and dedicated. I have a very loving and supportive family who have all helped shape me into the person I am today. I am not yet married nor do I have any children but I do have a dog who I adore and talk about with my students endlessly; Rambo. He is a 3 year old Yorkshire Terrier who thinks he’s a 85 pound pit-bull. Each journey helps shape the person we are today so I look forward to seeing how this class shapes me as a person and an educator.

Hi Amy, you really have a bright future ahead of you. Just continue to focus on your goal, and God will do the rest. (Henry Ong)

Thank you Henry, I sure do hope. =) Amy

Amy Lupardi Week 1 Reaction

Getting to know the parents, families, and communities in which your students live in provides you with a wealth of knowledge. Often times you find yourself saying, “uh huh, now I understand” after meeting your student’s parents and guardians.

Children are like sponges, they absorb the world around them; the people, culture, attitudes, even mannerisms. Like mentioned in Chapter 1, “the messages children receive from their surroundings are not always consistent, but they still influence attitudes and values.” While teachers work hard to encourage students and give them a positive outlook on education, if parents do not value or support, all of that hard work is wasted.

Growing up I was greatly impacted by my parents, family members, community, and especially the media. When you are young you view the world through those who impact you; most of the time, through those you find to be the “coolest.” At young a young age, that is usually your parents, the people you see the most. Their opinions and daily decisions impact your life and shape you into the person you are. For myself, I grew up in a household that valued education but that also did not receive any diplomas higher than high school. My parents had their first child senior year of high school but regardless of the decisions that they made, they did decide to finish high school. My father fell into the family business and my mother was able to stay home and raise her daughters.

While my family was always supportive, sometimes they could be too opinionated and I am the first to say that regardless of what opinion they had, I fit right into their mold. If they thought my teacher was unfair, I thought my teacher was unfair. If they thought I was a “bad test taker,” I thought I was a bad test taker. These opinions filled my head and shaped me into the young individual that I was.

Aside from family, the television and media were also great influences in my life. Having a sister who is 6 ½ years older, parental controls were not present. Like Chapter 1 discusses, I was one of the children who was easily drawn into the advertised products; food, video games, new fads, etc. I needed to have all of these fascinating things that looked so enticing on TV; McDonalds being one of them. After reading through the television section in Chapter 1, I was able to really think back to how those commercials had an affect on me and ultimately could have lead to bigger issues, such as over eating. Initially as I thought about media influences, vocal artists and reality TV popped into my head before I thought about the impact commercials and such have on the young viewers.

As I previously mentioned, children are impressionable. Whatever they are exposed to is going to influence them and shape their attitude in one-way or another. Regardless of their developmental age, people, they actions and various things are going to alter their perception of things. While the younger years are strongly influenced by those who are present in their home, the influences branch out to school, friends, and the community as years pass. Not all influences are negative, but as teachers and many of our classmates, parents, it is important to acknowledge these various factors in order to help make these influences have a more positive affect than a negative. Who is to say that what my parents did for me was right or wrong, I did see rated R movies at a young age, but I also knew the difference from right and wrong. If I saw violence, I was still aware that it wasn’t okay to walk into school and act out what I saw on TV the night before. But quality time and life lessons are becoming a dying art due to the lack of common time together. I was fortunate enough to have my mom home with me growing up, now-a-days many parents have to work 1-2 jobs in order to put food on the table and survive in this economy.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">With children of all ages, everything around them is going to leave footprints, it’s how we as teachers can take that influential mind and positively shape it.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Amy Lupardi <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Week 2 Reaction

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">“Generally nurturance means providing the basic necessities of life for children, but in a wilder sense, it denotes general support, love, and cultivation for the growing child. In other words, nurturance is parenting.” (Barbour, 87)

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">While I am not a parent myself, as a teacher, I have many interactions on a daily basis with parents and hear of the joys and hardships that go along with being a parent. On page 88, Maslow provided a paradigm that shows the accelerating scale of needs that need to be met. This pyramid shows the hierarchy of needs that need to be met in order to full fill a child’s needs. First and foremost, addressing a child’s physiological needs such as food warmth, and shelter is necessary. A child needs to be safe in order to survive. During the economically difficult times that we are currently living, many families are caught between a rock and a hard place, where they are struggling to make ends meat. These struggles can often times pour over on a child both physically and mentally making it difficult to not only live but do their ‘job’ in school.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The second level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs involves safety. Making sure a child is safe at all times may seem like common sense to most, but can often times be more difficult than expected. This encompasses not only the obvious dangers that loom but those unexpected as well. As mentioned in the text, lead paint, polluted areas, and hazardous places are all components in keeping a child safe. When you have a family that is having a hard time putting food on the table and paying rent, those parents don’t always think about the hazards of things such as lead paint. While some of these dangers being obvious and others not, it takes a very active parent to make sure these needs are met.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Jumping to the top of the pyramid, self-actualization, the final level in Maslow’s hierarchy, this encompasses the level or nurturance on an adult level. This level can often times be challenging for parents, but also essential for the “child.” At this stage, nurturance is necessary in the sense of love and support. While the child is growing into an adult they have needs that need to be fosters to help guide them to independence and allow them to gain a sense of responsibility for themselves. Challenging is an understatement. While I don’t have children, I am currently going through this stage myself. I am a grown adult, but I still and will always need my parents. This transition was no easy task for either my mom and dad nor myself.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">My whole life I grew up in a nice neighborhood in New Jersey. I went to a “good” suburban school district, and always had food on the table. My basic needs were always being met. As I mentioned in my previous reaction, my parent’s have always been supporters of me growing up. They supported me physically and emotionally but when it came to self-actualization, that’s where nurturing became hard. They wanted me to grow up and gain independence but at the same time, like many other families in my area, they wanted to shelter me under their wing and keep me away from all of the harmful things that are out in the big scary world. Instead of allowing me to fall, they propped me up like a pair of crutches. Having the baby of the family grow up can be difficult. They wanted to rid the bad in the world so that I could live a happy, healthy and safe life; but being able to fall and get up again is a lesson that is essential to every child. No parent wants to see their child hurt but you can’t shelter your child from everything you need to guide them and allow them to grow their own set of wings to eventually soar off into the night.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Nurturance encompasses a variety of components that aren't always easy. Some come as common sense, while others can be some of the most challenging experiences. Comparing my own upbringing to those in my class this year, there are some similarities and many differences from my urban students. Having met many of my parents last night at Back to School Night, it became much easier for me to understand why my student’s are the way they are. I found myself relating to some of my student’s in ways I had never expected while also opening my eyes to situations that I am not familiar with. We are one very diverse classroom, which only empowers the classroom to a whole other level, but it is through some of these cultures that Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs differ greatly. Nurturance is not only something that lies on the shoulders of the parents and guardians of my classroom, but me as the teacher. While growing up I was fortunately provided with more than I needed, I have students who do not have all they need to succeed in school for one reason or another. Since they do not have those supplies, I have taken it upon myself to provide all that is missing for my students. Since I do not have a family of my own, I am able to provide most of the component as that is missing for these students, not only through physical objects but emotional stability as well. One of the most important things to me is being able to provide my students with a place that they feel that they belong, that they are a valued and equal member, and a place where they have a say as to what goes on (with limits of course). Some of these students have some very tough backgrounds and belonging and being provided for are only two things they are not used to, which what gives me the drive to work as hard as I can and spend endless hours being able to provide these things for them because I can’t relate to their situation but I can only imagine what it is like to walk in some of their shoes. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Hi Amy, <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">It is so true when you mentioned that in some ways you can relate to your students, even though you don't kids. As a teacher, you are filling that role as a parent in the classroom from 8:00am-3:00pm. ~Shondell~

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">8:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. seems to be an understatement, not only do I find myself concerned about them in school, but out as well. I guess that's the heart of a teacher; always wanting the absolute best for your students in every way possible. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">-Amy

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Professor Kunz,
 * Your experiences growing up in a suburban New Jersey home are quite different than the experiences of the youngsters you currently teach. Are there any challenges or advantages to the experiences you bring into the classroom? I'm interested in hearing about your first Back to School Night. I agree with you that getting to know the parents usually paints a clearer picture of the child in your classroom. --Prof. Kunz **

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The experiences I experienced throughout my education were drastically different than those I currently teach. Coming out of college I began teaching in my neighboring town's school district, so having experience in both districts I have to say there are differences but for myself, I prefer where I am much better than where I grew up and where I came from. Differences that I notice mostly surround income. Since most families that are living in the suburbs of New Jersey are relitively affluent, they feel as though they are privledged and can do no wrong. If there is a concern, they much rather ask around andstart rumors where as where I am now, they say it how it is and to your face. Whether it be a cultural difference or community difference, I am not quite sure, but I can say that is one aspect I don't miss. I know I will be happy wherever I teach as long as there are kids there; kids are kids and all kids have needs and those needs vary drastically according to needs. While reading through these chapters and taking a magnifying glass to the various needs children have, that is one of the biggest differences between where I came from and where I am teaching now. Food was a given, there was no question as to whether or not food would be on the table each and every night. Harrington Park's lunch program involved take-out from various local restaurants. Students were able to choose a month in advance and decide whether or not they wanted to order and if so, what they wanted to order from the 3 different choices. My students either bring lunch from home or most likely buy or get free/reduced lunch and the choices are not quite the same.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">On the one side, having had experience in both settings there are alot of various learning techniques that I am able to bring to my current district that I learned from my old district. The suburban school districts are big on the "song and dance" of teaching which is a definite plus but it is not the end all while in my current district, it is more structured. I am definitely able to bring some of the "song and dance" extras into my classroom which is not something everyone is used too; collegues and students seem to greatly enjoy. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There are so many different challenges and advantages to having grown up and worked in a suburban district that I am able to learn from and bring to my current location that is very helpful; information that helps me with parents, collegues, and students. I look forward to learning more lessons as I go, but thus far I can say that I like where I am and I foresee myself staying in this district for a while (hopefully!).

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">-Amy

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Amy Lupardi <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Parent Interview Questions

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Interviewer’s Name: ___Amy Lupardi__** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Date: ___9/21/11___** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Location of Interview: __Grieco School, Englewood, NJ___** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Interviewee’s Initials: ___JW___** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Gender: ___F__** <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**1. Are you a parent or guardian of a child? Please explain.**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Yes, I am both a parent and teacher in this school district.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**2. How many children do you have? What are their ages?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I have three children, a 10 year old step son and two daughters; 4 years and 2 years old.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**3. What languages are spoken in your household? Is there a primary language that is used? Please explain.**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**The primary language spoken is English.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**4. What are some expectations you have for your child?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**As an educator my expectations are high, sometimes I wonder if they are unrealistic and unfair. I do however have the philosophy that ALL children can learn. My hope is that my children work to their fullest potential, whatever that may be.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**5. What kind of relationship do you have with your child?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I should hope I have a good relationship with all my children, I try to not only love them but be a teacher to them.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**6. What are your household daily routines? Consider your morning, afternoon, and evening rituals.**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**My morning begins with me waking up at 5:00, I quickly shower and get myself ready for the day. I then wake Emma (my four year old) up by 6:00 am, she then washes up and brushes her teeth. I brush her hair and we pack her lunch (which has been made the night before) into her school bag. We head off for our 50 minute drive to school. When we get to her school she eats her breakfast and we wait for her teacher and she begins her school day. All the while, Grace (my 2year old) is sleeping at home while her Dad gets ready, then my husband gets Grace ready and they head to my Mom’s house, where she watches her for the day.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**7. What is your current occupation or profession?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I am currently a third grade teacher in the district where my 4 year old is attending Pre-Kindergarten.**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">** 8. What kind of relationship do you currently have with your child’s teacher? How often do you communicate with him/her? **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I must say my daughter’s teacher is wonderful. She not only emails parents frequently but sends a weekly newsletter of classroom happenings and includes pictures of the class in action.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**9. Do you communicate with your child’s teacher?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I make sure to see her every day, while dropping my daughter off each morning.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**10. What is your personal view of the school that your child attends? Did you choose this school?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I happen to think Quarles School is the gem of the Englewood School district. The school houses both Pre- Kindergarten as well as the districts Kindergarten students. It is truly a special place. The school is student centered and it’s constructivist philosophy is exactly what Emma needs at this time. I live in New York and choose to send my daughter to Quarles because of this wonderful atmosphere.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**11. Please describe the neighborhood where you live.**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I live in Staten Island, NY. It is a middle class community, we live in a townhouse and just like many people in the neighborhood we are hard working people.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**12. What is a high priority for your family?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**My biggest priority for my family is for the health and well being of our children.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**13. Are you currently involved in any physical activities with your child? Does your child exercise or play sports?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Emma used to be in dancing school, but has decided to quit this year. Being a former dancing school teacher, her decision broke my heart, but I respect that what makes me happy doesn’t necessarily what makes her happy.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**14. Is your child engaged in extracurricular activities? If yes, which ones?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Emma is in school daily from 7:30-4:15ish, we get home between 5:00 and 6:00 daily not leaving any time for extracurricular activities.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**15. What kind of disciplinary strategies do you use at home?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**This is a very soft spot with me. I truly believe in disciplining my children. I try to use positive reinforcement, but also do use time outs to help refocus them.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**16. Give examples of some rules that you have in your home. What are some consequences?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Our biggest rule is no yelling, my daughter Emma is a yeller and whiner and occasionally she has time outs.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**17. How would you describe your child’s behavior in public?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I seem to be focusing a lot on Emma during this interview; Emma is shy when you first get to know her, but as soon as she is comfortable she can be my “live wire”. She becomes very excitable and often needs to have her hand held so she quietly is reminded to behave in public.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**18. What does family time consist of? What do you do as a family during your free time?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**I love family time. It sounds corny but we also have “family hugs”, we hug each other and chant “Widensky”, it is actually funny to talk about. It is important for me to have family time with my family. I often feel that I am so busy during the week that weekends are our bonding time.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**19. What hopes or dreams do you have for your child’s future?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**My hope is that my children reach their goals and dreams. I want them to be happy and feel fulfilled in life.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**20. How are you preparing for your child’s future?**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**Sometimes I feel like we aren’t. The thought of paying for three children in college scares me. We have started, but I feel like it will never be enough. I also feel like we are preparing our children for the future by creating well rounded children. Well rounded children I pray turn into well rounded adults.**

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">**While I didn't decide to interview a parent from my classroom, since relationships are young, I decided to interview a parent in the district who also happens to work in the district. Since this interview was with one of my colleagues whom I have worked with since last April, I can tell you that her answers are genuine while also enthusiastic. Her passion and love for her family is one of her showed through this entire interview. One conversation that did happen was regarding her feelings about family time. Living in Staten Island and working in Englewood does involve quite a commute while her career also takes a lot of time away from family which seemed like quite a soft spot. Finding a balance this year between being the best teacher she can be for her students and being the greatest mom and wife she can be is her biggest goal. To date, she has yet to find the best solution but I can tell you she has weighed out her priorities and made sure that she is doing the best that she can. One of the most fun-spirited conversations we had was also regarding family time. Jeanette and her husband have worked extremely hard to build a foundation for their children. A foundation that they can grow and learn from while also feel proud of their roots. Since this is one of my colleagues this interview was very in depth because we have built that relationship, and I can tell you that they really do chant "Widensky" with pride. Jeanette made sure to discuss that she knows she doesn't have all of the answers but she hopes that the foundation her and her husband are building for their children helps develop them into well-rounded children who later go on to be happy, well-rounded adults. When it comes to learning in the Widensky household, with one current teacher and one past teacher, they are never short of academic lessons and life lessons. Her and her husband try to instill a sense of love for learning in their children that they hope will transfer over to their children's lives. As a literacy coach and teacher, it was explained to me that the Widensky house is "one big book shelf." Jeanette's passion for literacy and children's literature is <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">something that she puts a lot of time and energy in for her children; "Let's just say we are not short of books." **


 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Overall, it is clear to see what a positive family support they have developed. Having younger children, the whole public school situation is new to them but it was great to see that a teacher in the district believes so much in their Early Childhood Center that she has decided to take her own children there. Jeanette was very honest in saying that she is not sure she is going to keep them in the school district but the primary reason she expressed was due to the commute and wanting the children to grow and develop with children in their community; "Driving almost an hour for play dates might be a little much every Saturday and Sunday." **

Hi Amy, > I can see that this mother cares about education, even if she has to drive one hour across states to get her daughter to the best Early Childhood program.To further children education in and out of school the teacher communicates every day to each parent about their child. This is great that the teacher is going an extra step.When this happens in all early childhood programs parents will be motivated to keep their child in that school. > Kavya


 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Kavya, **
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">An dedication to education is definitely an understatement but it's also a testament to her parenting style(s). I would definitely consider a mix between authoritative and permissive. While she has estambished rules and routines for her children, she also is very understanding. In regards to her daughter's education, it's interesting, she was initially hesitant to put her daughter in our school district but is happy that she did and happy she was placed with the teacher she was. Not only is her daughter happy, which is her number one goal, but the teacher is so great with communication that she is able to see all the fun things she is learning in school even though she is not with her. That example right there shows how important a good teacher-student relationship is, especially at such a young age. **
 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">-Amy Lupardi **

<span style="color: #800000; display: block; font-family: 'comic sans ms'; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Teacher Interview <span style="color: #800000; display: block; font-family: 'comic sans ms'; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">“High Five” Questionnaire 1. Describe the community where you teach? The community that I work in is an urban area. The students come from many different backgrounds such as African American, Hispanic and Caucasian. Many of my students’ parents are hard-working, middle class families.

2. How do you increase cultural awareness at your school?

Many of my students come from different backgrounds. I believe it is important to show the students that throughout the world and the U.S. different cultures exist. I believe in showing the students that different cultures have different customs and traditions that will increase the learning in my classroom. One example of how I bring cultural awareness in my classroom is that every week we discuss a different scientist or inventor from a different place in the world and history. Since September and October are Hispanic Heritage months, we are discussing famous Hispanic scientists such as Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman astronaut.

3. How do you collaborate with parents? (Give examples.)

It is important to have a great relationship with the parents/guardians of your students. Since I am a Related Arts teacher I do not have all the same opportunities as a homeroom teacher. I have a club for the students called KIA (Kids in Action) and this allows the students, parents, and community to come together to help clean the environment. I also, have a Science Fair exhibit which allows the parents to come and see the exhibits the students have put together. Each month a newsletter is sent to the parents to notify them of upcoming events in the school.

4. What are some challenges that you face? Behavior?

Being a Related Arts teacher, I see 400 students a week from 1st grade to 3rd grade. There are many different challenges that I do face day to day, even from period to period. I have rules in my classroom that are for all three classes. With all the students I must continue to remind myself that each student is special. For similar situations involving several students there may be several different behavioral reactions.

5. List your top 5 classroom priorities.

1) Always be respectful of the students, but show leadership and authority 2) Introduce different teaching strategies and technology in my lessons 3) Involve parents/guardians in their children’s educational lives 4) Always have a safe environment to teach/work in  5) Above all else make learning fun and enjoyable


 * "Are There Other Kids Like Me?" Reaction **

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Prior to reading this article, at the start of the year, I was presented with a student whose father was incarcerated. This child was a very sweet boy who has special needs but also struggled emotionally.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">This boy’s father was in prison in Massachusetts’s so he was not able to visit which made the separation feel that much more distant. In addition to the physical distance between the two of them, he was suffering from separation anxiety. Having been very close with his father, being away from him for days let alone months and years was very difficult. His father has been in jail for quite some time now, over a year to date but it wasn’t before long that I found out that my student still cried himself to sleep. This wall that divided this boy from his father was too much for him to handle at such a young age.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Recently, this child had left my class and moved out of our district. I can only hope that he and his mother moved closer to where his father is in prison, but that is information I do not have.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">After reading this article, I realized what a reality this could really become for me, more times than not and it’s something I need to be prepared for to the best of my ability.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Children who experience a situation as such, regardless of age, experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Whether it is mom or dads who become incarcerated, devastation sets in, and the emotional rollercoaster begins. Children need stability, and with a parent or both parents taken away after attachment and relationships have been formed, children are emotionally torn apart. Change is not easy for those who can conceptualize what is going on, but it is especially more uncomfortable for those who don’t understand.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">In school, we often put an emphasis on parent/guardian relationships. Whether it is through our personal stories during Writer’s Workshop or Connections made and discussed during our Read Aloud or Reader’s Workshop, happy or sad stories do begin to be shared. Thinking about my own classroom and the discussions we have, I think, ‘What if Student X’ was still in my class?” If it wasn’t for my student’s IEP, I would have never been made aware of his home life. How could I possibly have made our classroom a comfortable and ‘safe’ place for him and aided to his emotional needs without that information? I couldn’t have. We can only help and educate our classes of things we are made aware of and educated of ourselves. The article mentioned that students usually are hesitant or told not to share that a family member is incarcerated, but we can not aide the needs of student’s if we are not made aware.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Having been made aware of Student X’s situation and now read this article, I feel more comfortable a situation like this if it were to be presented. As always, literature and discussion are the powerful band-aids that help mend the broken hearts. It is in no way is going to make everything okay because that child is still missing a parent or family member but it would make them feel more comfortable to be apart of the class and feel as though they don’t have to hide or be ashamed of their family life. Before literature and discussion can happen, a teacher needs to be made aware.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to meet the needs and help my student work through his emotional state because he left the district so soon, but I do hope that they were able to move closer or move to a place where he could develop some sort of stability to help him work through this tragic time in his life. I can only hope the best for him, but I do find myself wondering where he is and how he is doing. While I don’t hope that any of my current students are living this reality nor do I hope that any of my future students have to live through a tragedy like this, I feel more prepared to face this challenge and meet the needs of these children but it will need to start with that phone call or conversation, letting me inside. Even though I don’t have any current students undergoing a situation like this, I have already began looking into literature to expand my library and better prepare myself to approach this situation, if it were to arise.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Kids are our future, and a child who is emotionally unstable with no attention being made to why, is more likely to follow into those footsteps by acting out or shutting themselves off to the world.

<span style="color: #808000; font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">Hi Amy,

<span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">I like that you related the article to a student you had. I am glad that you were able to find out about his fathers situation through his IEP and that you were able to help him during the school hours.I also like your response " <span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Kids are our future, and a child who is emotionally unstable with no attention being made, is more likely to follow into those footsteps by acting out or shutting themselves off to the world"(Amy). <span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">Children need to trust someone whether it is their caregiver, teacher or counselor.

<span style="color: #808000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Kavya

Hi Amy, The way you related this article to a child you had in your classroom really showed how real this situation is. I think one of my students has a father incarcerated but im not positive. She doesn't seem as if she is going through any type of seperation anxiety, she just made a comment that her father lived far away and sometimes she goes to visit him early in the morning with her grandma. Because of her age i dont really ask amymore questions but i think he may be incarecerated. I feel it's a hard situation to discuss especially with my pre-k children. They may not fully understand especially if their parents didnt explain it to them. Shahidah

Amy, Where you teach really puts all of these issues right in front of you whether you like it or not. It is great how you were able to relate the article to a child in your classroom. I actually know a friend who had a father who went to prison for embezzling money from his clients. We were young when this happened and we all knew about it but no one ever really talked about it with him. He has two bothers one is older and the other is younger. It was just something where I live that no one would talk about, and no one would ever bring it up in front of him, knowingly. However, after reading this article one has to wonder what it was like for him, his brothers, and for their mother. I never really thought about it until this article but you are able to help your students so much more because you are aware of it and have experience with it.

Stephen

Amy, The fact that you had the information in the IEP available enabled you to help your student in so many ways. Making a personal connection to the text, you are able to see this kind of article in a different light. Being a lifelong learner will introduce you to many areas of study and topics that are directly related to your experiences in an urban classroom environment. --Prof. Kunz