This post is similar to a comment I posted on Rashad’s blog. When I saw the chapter on Ebonics coming up, I felt trepidation. What if I was teaching wrong? I had read many years ago that Ebonics, like any other language, follows its own consistent rules, so I respected it as a dialect of English. But still… what if I was teaching wrong?
To my tremendous relief, the chapter and our discussion agreed with the plan of action I had decided on. I rarely correct any verbal remarks from any kid, unless they’re factual, information mistakes. (I don’t want the class walking away thinking that Shakespeare wrote The Odyssey because a student said so and went unchallenged.) The surest way to stop a kid from ever participating again is to nitpick about one or more grammar points in his or her comment. I know I’d never raise my hand again if I were humiliated.
But as Stephen said in class, written work is different. There’s time to go back, look at it, and correct it. And as Toya said, she realizes there are times when it’s important to use standard English to play by the rules for her own advancement. As I see it, essays, research papers, OGT tests, applications, and resumes should be standard English; however, for something like a journal entry or a blog, there should be freedom of expression.
Toya also mentioned using different language in different places. I referred to that in my comment on Rashad’s blog as well. But we were actually preceded by Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, fifty years ago. Scout, the main character, asks the African-American housekeeper/nanny why she talks one way at Scout’s house and another way at the Black church. Calpurnia says that sometimes it nurtures relationships to speak a certain way in one place or another and that it’s not necessary to “put on airs.” That’s true for all of us!
Delpit, Lisa. "What Should Teachers Do? Ebonics and Culturally
Responsive Instruction." Educational Foundations: An Anthology
of Critical Readings. Ed. Bruce A. Marlowe and Alan S. Canestrari.
2nd ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2010. 35-43. Print.
Responsive Instruction." Educational Foundations: An Anthology
of Critical Readings. Ed. Bruce A. Marlowe and Alan S. Canestrari.
2nd ed. Los Angeles: Sage, 2010. 35-43. Print.
Ebonics was such a great discussion in class. It was very eye-opening, as I haven't been in a classroom much at this point. When I shadowed at Memorial Jr. High, I was requested with "Yo, Miss Substitute!" and talked to like I was one of their friends. I wasn't sure if I should have condoned it or not (I was merely shadowing). But as I remained there week after week, I realized that it was really just part of the culture of the school. And their work was commendable. I love the pull from TKAM, it is one of my favorite books and I am hoping I get to teach it someday! I love Calpurnia's character in the story. It is so great to see that switch turn on and off and watch Scout witness this and ask questions and find out what culture is like at such a young age. Ebonics is part of culture. As long as the final product is something along the lines of "knowing the situation" and knowing what is appropriate, I find no problem with it and in fact I have a problem with over correcting it.
ReplyDeleteTo me, "Yo, Miss Substitute!" sounds like a nickname that shows you're accepted. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope you get to teach TKAM! It's just marvelous! Harper Lee moves so nimbly from humor to the outrage of Tom's conviction to the acceptance of Tom and Boo as title symbols.
And to think how far ahead of her time she was in understanding the careful footing Calpurnia needed to use with Ebonics. Brilliant author!
Nice to compare notes with you!