Literacy with an Attitude

This author argues that the difference in pedagogy between high performing learners and low performing learners is significantly different and that those students are treated differently in the classroom when they are separated by said biases. The reading suggests that the low performing students are declared as such in secondary school and the cycle of bad teaching continues. By tracking students with state tests and assessments and declaring them low performing, the pedagogy of the school system implements different methods of teaching in the school system by the separation of classes. The lower performing students will have teachers who spend most of the class time trying to regain control over their room than helping students learn and implementing new teaching methods to inspire them. The higher performing students are held to an obvious higher standard and it is suggested in this reading that the state assessments could be implemented to track these students and prepare them for jobs of power and further implementing the role of pedagogy we face today.
The title "Literacy with an Attitude" is described by the author as a result of what happens with students who meet the right teacher, pedagogy, and resources and gain the power of knowledge. This enlightenment gives us a new literacy from a student. The power of knowledge becomes something beautiful to a student who may have been tracked and stuck into a cookie cutter assessment. When they gain the right teacher and tools they become a new force- maybe a future teacher or political power who can break the strict and harmful tracking pedagogy that is implemented within the culture of schools.
Comments:
This reading reminded me of the movie we watched in class. Freedom Writers  was a wonderful example of how empowering students could make them feel so excited and energetic to learn new things and implement change.
If we could do this more and more I'm sure there would be a lot of good to come from this.
Here is a video from the real teacher, Erin Gruwell who does a Ted talk on implementing change.