Blog #8- Dakota Amaral

 Reading- Aria by Rodriguez 

Observation from Clinical 

Reflection on the reading: 

Rodriguez reflection on bilingual education provides a deeply personal account of the challenges and transformations he experienced in learning English and adapting to public life. His challenges the advocacy for bilingual education by illustrating how language is not just a means of communication but also a maker of personal and public identity. He acknowledges the comfort he would have felt if his teachers had spoken to him in Spanish, yet he argues that this would have delayed his learning of English and his adaption to the public world. His journey emphasizes the tension between private and public identity. His experience illustrates the complexity of assimilation. He gained confidence and a sense of belonging in public society, he lost a degree of familial closeness. Rodriguez's critique of bilingual education highlights a fundamental question: does maintaining one's native language in education truly empower students, or does it inhibit their integration into broader society? His argument suggests that while bilingualism has its advantages, it should not come as the coast of full participation in public life. He challenges the idea that bilingualism inherently preserves individuality propositions instead that true indiviudality emerges when one is fully engaged in public discourse. 

Observation from my clinical

After about 14 hours so far at Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School placed in a Pre-K Special Education Classroom, I have truly enjoyed every moment and seen great progress within the students. Due the classroom being a special education class, I don't break out into groups and help the students with math or English, I usually help with their behavior and redirecting the classroom "rules". Some of the students in the class have behavior issues and we are working on safe hands or being kinder to their peers and that where I come into play. I have seen incredible progress within the students from the first day I met them. They are asking their peers to share the toys instead of just grabbing the toys, or saying sorry for doing something wrong. I see students keeping their hands to their self more often. They ask for help when they are frustrated rather than lashing out. This one in particular student I have really connected with. He is on the quieter end, I barely if ever really hear him talk. He never participates within the group activities, and always does his own things. He refuses to let anyone touch him and will get extremely overwhelmed if you do. There was one day where he was playing with a puzzle and I sat down next to him, I didn't say anything I just picked up the next piece of the puzzle I knew he needed next and held it in my hand. He graded it out of my hand and finished his puzzle. I would gesture for a high-five and he proceeded to give me one with the slightest smile on his face. later it was time to go outside and instead of the going to either of the teachers, he came up to me asking for help to zip up his jacket. When we were outside he came over grabbed my hand and walked me over to this little spinny thing he wanted me to spin him on. Before I left for the day, I made it a point to say bye to him in particular and he gave me a hug. This was such a wholesome and bittersweet moment. Besides working with the students, the teacher does such a wonderful job keeping the students engaged in the material. She always has her students work up on the walls and different cultured material around for a variety of her students to work with.