CI 414/504: Disciplinary Literacies Fall 2026

The video made me think about how important it is to listen to young people. The students talked about experiences in their everyday lives, such as racism, culture, autism, immigration, and being different. One part I really liked was the girls talking about periods. They wanted people to stop treating periods as something embarrassing or something that has to be hidden. They made a podcast to normalize the topic. This made me think about school and how some students may be afraid to speak because they think nobody will listen. I think teachers should create a safe space for students to share their thoughts and experiences. Something else that stood out to me was the Native American students talking about their culture. Because people had misconceptions about them, they used their voices to explain who they really are. My takeaway:

  🥔 Couch Potato Homework Blog 🥔 Blogger: Klarissa Guillen Typing from: My Mac book & on the living room couch w/my dogs :) Who are adolescents and how can I support adolescent literacies and learning? “America to Me: What’s the Big Deal about Oak Park?” After watching the episode on Oak Park High School, it really spoke to me. I think that it took me back to my first year of teaching with high school students. I worked in a predominantly hispanic school/neighborhood with the second primary race being Black, then White, then Asian. I feel like I saw my students from that high school I taught at in the one from the documentary. I also feel like I saw myself, along with friends, from my own community high school. It's definitely tough to answer this weeks question. I don't really know if I have a full or solid answer. When speaking on who adolescents are and how we can support their learning and literacies, I'd say it takes tough skin, lots of love, crazy amounts of caf...

When we adults define adolescents and see them through our stereotypical glasses, we often label them impulsive, moody, and rebellious. However, listening to the Code Switch podcast episode “Dispatches from the Schoolyard" will turn those negative words into much more humanizing and positive ones. Those stories should change how someone defines adolescents and prove that when they are given the right tools along with a stage, they are capable of telling different stories. Here is my recap of nine different stories featured in the podcast. (Click here for a better resolution)  In the podcast, middle and high school students across the USA shared their stories, revealing who they are beyond stereotypical labels. Some shared about needs and acceptance. Some talked about being true to themselves and safe spaces they belong to, while other stories highlighted pride and self-esteem in their identities. Listening to those stories reminds me of the basic needs humans try to fulfill thro...

 Chat with me about OPRF    Note: I mention several topics in this video that either require visual supports or corrections. See timestamps below for supporting visuals and/or corrections. Notes with an asterisk (*) indicate a correction. 1:43: Oak Park Elementary* 1:57: There are no other public high schools in Oak Park. Fenwick High School is a private Catholic institution. 5:30: I didn't elaborate on what I meant by "differences." Just a few examples are: Schools serving primarily Hispanic students received brand new buildings with new gyms, fields, and facilities. The only  school serving primarily Black students received the old district building remodeled to be a school. This was, therefore, the only school that was not new, had no windows in the majority of classes, and had to share a rented field with the secondary school. The first school I worked at had several wheelchairs for students who were injured or who needed assistance navigating the school gr...

What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today? https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/04/04/whats-it-like-to-be-a-teacher-in-america-today/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Most Americans think U.S. K–12 STEM education isn’t above average, but test results paint a mixed picture https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/24/most-americans-think-us-k-12-stem-education-isnt-above-average-but-test-results-paint-a-mixed-picture/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Americans still opt for print books over digital or audio versions https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/09/americans-still-opt-for-print-books-over-digital-or-audio-versions-few-are-in-book-clubs/?utm_source=chatgpt.com The first article about American teachers really stood out to me because I used to think teacher workload was especially serious in South Korea. The article shows that many American teachers also feel stressed and overwhelmed, and many say they do not have enough time during their regular work hours to complete ...

  Hello reader! In the film America to me, Episode one: What's the big deal about Oak Park?, it mentioned a student who is originally from Chicago but moved in with her older sister in order to attend a better school in Oak Park. So, for today's blog post I want to discuss the topic of school choice in Chicago.  Image 1: Map of Albany Park (https://ansvers.com/map-of-albany-park-chicago/) I grew up on the northwest side of Chicago in Albany Park. In middle school, when I started applying to high school, I remember being told by friends, classmates, and my older sister that I should avoid having to attend my neighborhood school in Chicago. My sister said that many students who go to Roosevelt high school do not care about school. She also said that the education was of a bad quality, my older sister graduated as the valedictorian at Roosevelt High School in 2014. Image 2: Theodore Roosevelt High School (https://www.theedadvocate.org/picking-their-passion-roosevelt-high-sch...

 As I first listened, it was kind of crazy how the girls at Bronx Prep Middle School were silenced by a natural bodily cycle. The girls are absolutely right, as periods should not be censored. It was not just periods this podcast talked about, though. Other topics, such as juvenile detention, being transgender, and topics such as deafness, were treated as sensitive topics. What the podcast essentially spotlights is: if these students are living it, why not talk about it? Listening to the podcast was honestly really helpful as a future educator. You can never assume you understand students because you were a student.  I have two sisters. If you sat down and talked to both, they would have COMPLETELY different stories of being a junior in high school. That's the exact thing educators must understand. As a math teacher, there are many variables in why a student did poorly on a quiz. Maybe they had a terrible math teacher last year, and they instantly checked out, or maybe they're...