Conversation Paper Week 9

Lizzy Martinez

University of Redlands
 When I look back at my school experience and think of allies, advocates, and

accomplices for justice and change I think of a few of the observations I have made in the

classroom pre-covid. When I hear the terms allies and advocate, I think of the phrase “those who

care for me”. This is a very powerful statement in my personal life, and I am excited to have

chosen a career where I get to do just this.

In my observations in a 1st-grade classroom, a parent came into the classroom after school

to talk with the teacher. I was in the back corner and did not hear the conversation but the next

day the teacher debriefed me on the situation so that I can learn about an issue that I may come

across and also observe a reading session. The student’s sister had been in this teacher's class last

year and she had recommended she be tested for autism along with dyslexia. The parents of the

student refused and could not come to terms with the fact that their daughter would have more

difficulties in life. At the end of 2nd grade that student had been diagnosed with autism and

dyslexia just as the 1st-grade teacher I was observing had thought. When it came to the youngest

daughter who was now in 1st grade, the mom was paranoid about her having a learning disability

as well. She would continuously tell the teacher that she was not at grade level and wanted to

have her tested and observed repeatedly despite multiple professionals and specialists telling her

that her daughter was perfectly normal and capable of learning without assistance. The reading

session I was observing was also being observed by the student's mother and was not to test the

student's ability and level but instead to show her mom that she was exceeding expectations.

After class, the teacher had pulled me aside to explain that the situation seemed a bit

unusual just because normally a teacher is advocating the parents that the student may need extra

help. This situation was quite the opposite and I found it to be fascinating. Looking back on this
situation now I see that being an ally or advocate for your students does not always look the

same. In this situation, the teacher had gone through this before but for the opposite reason,

This whole experience showed me that there is no one way for a teacher to be an

advocate or ally to their students. In this situation, the teacher had been an advocate for a student

who had a voice but was not being heard by her parents. As educators, it is our job to be the

voice for our students who can not be heard. This is where I believe how justice is intertwined

with the idea of a teacher being an ally or advocate. I defined justice as standing up for what is

right and giving a voice to those who do not have one or have not been heard by those around

them. This experience showed me that there will be situations that a teacher is an advocate for

justice in more than one way because not every situation looks the same. How to be an advocate

for change is to simply have an open mind and heart to everybody you come across because even

though it may not seem like they need an ally you never know the situation fully. This is the

beauty of teaching, being able to help those who you never thought you would be able to help.