Teaching Vignette

Using the Social-Emotional Dimension of Teaching & Learning and

 Culturally Responsive Teaching to Address Equity in the Classroom

On a chilly day that promises rain, lead teacher Ms. Nancy walks into her TK (transitional kindergarten) classroom to find a small group of children under the care of the assistant teacher Ms. Shannon.  The rest of the class is outside playing games with another class, a teacher and two assistant teachers.

As Ms. Nancy is hanging up her coat, she notices Sylvia rubbing her eyes and with a sad expression on her face.  Ms. Nancy kneels down to talk to Sylvia saying, “how are you this morning, Sylvia?”  The child looks away from Ms. Nancy to the children playing outside, but doesn’t respond.  “Do you want to go outside and play with the other children?” asks Ms. Nancy?  Sylvia’s eyes fill with tears as she moves toward her teacher and begins to cry in Ms. Nancy’s arms.  “How can I help you, Sylvia?  Did something happen this morning to make you sad?”  Sylvia tearfully tells her teacher, “I don’t have a coat to wear outside and besides, nobody wants to play with me.” 

As Ms. Nancy goes to the closet to get a loaner jacket, she wonders if the assistant teacher, Ms. Shannon, noticed that Sylvia was upset and didn’t have a coat to wear.  She helped Sylvia into the jacket and she and the rest of the children in the classroom go outside to the playground.  Ms. Nancy and Ms. Shannon sit on a low bench and begin chatting while Sylvia tentatively stands near a group of children by the swings.  Ms. Nancy asks Ms. Shannon how Sylvia was doing that morning before she got there.  Ms. Shannon replied, “she always forgets her coat at home, and she was complaining that none of the other children want to play with her.  Other children remember their coats and find playmates; I think she just doesn’t pay attention and waits for others to invite her to play.  She needs to join a group of children playing and not worry so much.  And, she needs to remember her coat at school – or at least her parents need to remind her!”  Ms. Nancy replies, “You know that we have loaner coats for children to borrow, and it is our responsibility to help children with their social-emotional skills.  Remember the workshop we went to a few weeks ago where we learned about SEL and CRT?”  Ms. Shannon sighs, crosses her arms, and responds, “Whatever happened to teaching children responsibility? And I never had someone help me make friends, I just did it on my own.  I think we coddle children too much these days, and I don’t really believe in all this SEL/CRT stuff.  I was hired to teach reading, writing and math to my class, not to help them figure out things they should be taught at home.  When she goes to kindergarten next year, she will be expected to know these things, so treating her like a baby now is not going to help her.”

General Reflections:

1. What is your reaction to this story?  Why do you think you had this reaction?
2. What problems are embedded in this scenario?

Developing a SEL/CRT lens: Exploring Assumptions:

1. What do you think Ms. Shannon believes is important about Sylvia not having her coat today at school?  How does she feel about the need to teach students responsibility?
2. What do you think Ms. Nancy believes is important about Sylvia not having a coat today at school?  How do you think she would explain the need to teach students a sense of responsibility?
3. What do you believe is important about Sylvia having her coat at school? How do you feel about the need to teach student’s responsibility?