California Educator

April / May 2018

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at Norseman El em ent ar y School in Fresno. She agrees with Eskridge that stutter- ers tend to think faster than other people. She says there is strong evidence that heredity plays a role in many cases. Developing "breath support" is among the strategies she has students practice with her. Another is learning how to let out small amounts of air at the beginning of a sentence. "ere are all kinds of different strat- egies, and every person who stutters is different," says Wickliffe, a member of the Fresno Teachers Association. "What works for one person might not work for another. ings must be tried with a therapist and student to see if they are ef fective, and we must help alleviate the anxiety and stress that comes with knowing you are going to stutter. It helps to practice what you want to say in dif- ferent situations and settings. People may stutter the most when they are having a conversation and excited and trying to relay ideas off the top of their head." She encourages classroom teachers to work with the speech therapist, student and parents as a team to discuss strate- gies for helping students who stutter at home and at school. "It's best to avoid putting pressure on a student who may be nervous, but at some point, as therapy progresses, having a child speak out in class will need to be addressed. It's definitely important to look at the emotional response of the student." Sometimes well-meaning people are tempted to finish the sentence of a stut- terer because they feel uncomfortable, but it is not recommended. " You want to h elp th em out, it 's a natural thing, but they need to get their thoughts out," says Wickliffe. "And we have to be patient enough to listen." She adds, "If you have questions or concerns about someone in your life who stutters or has or other communication challenges, please contact a sp eech- l an gua ge p ath o logi st in y our sch o o l district or area." " When anyone from outside our group made fun of me, my friends would quickly and fiercely jump to my defense." — Lonnie Eskridge, Burton Elementary Teachers Association 58 cta.org H E A D Teaching & Learning " …your game was a remarkable tool. What better way to suggest critical thinking and generate deeper awareness of U.S. culture's white racial frame?" — Kevin Cummins, High School Teacher, Albuquerque, New Mexico "I learned that my whole life I have been treated a certain way by the people around me because I am white, which I had never really thought about before." — White student player " …I appreciate the realistic/practical action-based solutions presented in the game." — African American student player A Free, Educational "Board" Game Addresses racism and white privilege through critical thinking, social analysis, and team-based discussion. Ages 13+ • CCSS-Aligned • Curriculum Included ( Worksheets, Glossary, PowerPoint ) FREE DOWNLOAD at www.roadtoracialjustice.org Created by Kesa Kivel Players will: • Become more aware that racism exists in many everyday situations (interpersonal and institutional) • Learn why the situations are racist (stereotyping, tokenism, cultural appropriation, etc.) • Acquire tools to interrupt these situations in order to help create a more loving and just world

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