Undertaking the parent/ student teacher survey was an
insightful way for me to see how a parent feels about popular culture being
used in the classroom. By questioning this parent I wasn’t sure on what to
expect with her response. One point which surprised me was that she revealed
that she thinks popular culture being used in the classroom is good as it draws on children’s expertise’s and led by
their interests. Arthur (2004) mentions that ‘parent’s view popular media culture
positively’ and this seem to have been evident from my survey. This aspect of
drawing on children’s ‘expertise’s’ I had never thought about in depth and now
thinking about it can be related to my school experience. Whilst on my SE3
teaching Year 5’s I came across a new mathematics marvel on line in which the
children use regularly in school and also repeatedly out of school called ‘Matheletics’.
The children were so enthusiastic about the programme and were eager to show me
what to do. I was then after being taught by the children what it incorporates able
to use their interests in the programme to set them challenges as a class on
it. In the seminar on 20/01/2014 I was really interested in the points and
experience which we discussed about children perhaps knowing more about
technology than the teacher and the teacher learning from the children. A
statement by Gillard (1995) I feel sums up why we should draw on children’s
interests; ‘children bring much to school with them - their experiences,
attitudes and aptitudes. To treat them as though they were slates on which to
be written is not only an insult but is to do them, and the education we seek
to provide, a grave disservice‘.
Another point from the survey of popular culture which
surprised me and I wouldn’t have thought of myself is that popular culture is a
connection to children’s present and
future lives. I feel that is a very powerful attitude towards popular
culture being used in the classroom, which I believe having a connection with
your class in an aspect of popular culture is important. Arthur et al (2003) backs this point in its
importance by stating that ‘when educators are knowledgeable about children’s
family and community interests and expertise they are able to incorporate them and
thereby provide a meaningful programme that includes the lived experiences of
the children, their family and their community’. It was insightful in the last
seminar listening to what everyone had incorporated in their lessons on SE in regards
to popular culture and having a discussion with my colleagues on my table about
how much we actually used it in our lessons.
I was stunned to see in the seminar on student teachers
perceptions on popular culture, Marsh (2003) ‘popular culture is seen as taboo
in schools and so student teachers do not want to use in case it reflects badly
on them’ and ‘lack of knowledge due to absence of subject from University ITE
curriculum’. The implications on my future practice will be to as I did on this
current SE to keep using popular culture in the classroom, as seen from a
parents point of view it is seen positively to use in the classroom. Also by
undertaking this module has given me a great understanding of why it should be
used.
Bibliography
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Harrison,
C. and Morandini, C.(2003) Sharing the lived experiences of children, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 28
(2): 8-13.
Arthur, L. (2004). Popular Culture
Views of parents and educators. In: Arthur, L Popular Culture, New Media &
Digital Literacy in Early Childhood. Oxon: Routledge Falmer. Pp 165 - 181.
Gillard D (1995) Children's
needs and interests and the National Curriculum www.educationengland.org.uk/articles/15needs.html
Marsh, J (2005) Popular Culture, New Media and Digital
Literacy in Early Childhood Oxon: RoutledgeFalmer
Nicola you have made some interesting comments I think it is really important to understand children's interests when planning their learning, it demonstrates a link between the real world and the world of learning which in turn should motivate them to learn more.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment about continuing to use popular culture in the classroom, as parents see it as a positive aspect of learning. However, I believe it depends on the school, the area, and the type of catchment families that go to the school. I do not believe that all parents will be happy with popular culture being used constantly in the classroom. Certainly when I was doing my A-Levels, I went home one day and told my parents we has watch 'The Matrix' as part of our Philosophy A-Level - my parents did not seem happy about the way the teacher had planned this lesson. So I think it does depend on the setting and the subject. Also, teachers need to be careful not to use popular culture in excess, as the curriculum should be the core of every lesson plan.
ReplyDeleteSorry to argue with your point, as I personally do believe popular culture is a great way for engaging children with learning, I am just presenting an alternative stand point.