Amadea Pourier

Teacher Memoir

Wally’s Stories
by Vivian Gussin Paley
Rose pg. 46

- In this scene, Rose watches Wally think about sad things. Rose reenacts Wally’s
moods. Rose is showing observational learning and is learning by watching
Wally.

- In this scene, Lisa mentions race by saying “My daddy says black people come
from Africa.” Wally is African American but doesn’t get offended by the remark,
instead corrects Lisa and says “I’m black and I was born in Chicago.” Children
don’t quite yet understand racism.

- I highlighted this conversation between the teacher and Rose:

Rose: Sometimes my other school is better than this school is better

Teacher: Your other school was better?
Rose: This school is better than my other school is better
Teacher: Rose, do you like both schools the same?
Rose: No

Children can sometimes be hard to interpret but I feel it is important to try to

understand what they are trying to say. Making the child feel important and their
feelings valid.

- In this scene Rose is explaining to the teacher that the Cinderella in her story
made her sisters. Confused, the teachers ask, “made them what?” Again Rose
repeated herself and said made them. Still confused she asked other student,
Deana, who understood Rose. The teacher then asked the girl to act out what
they were trying to explain. I feel like the teacher did a good job of trying to
understand what rose was talking about. When I am unsure of what a student is
trying to say, I can use the same process used in this scene.

Describe a passage, paragraph, or chapter that gripped or affected you the most.
The chapter I chose to write about is the chapter Rose. Above I typed the notes I wrote
while reading the chapter. I chose this chapter because I feel like I will come across
children like Rose and displayed in this chapter were ways to approach the children. In
on of the scenes I reacted to, Rose had a hard time explaining what she was trying to
say or interpret. When I was in preschool, my twin had a speech problem and stuttered
when speaking, similar to Rose. Being her twin sister, I was able to understand what
she was interpreting but most adults did not. I know this was frustrating for her, even as
a child. Our teacher, at the time, helped my twin sister overcome her speech problem
and was extremely patient with the process. This chapter hit close to home and I was
able to relate it to past experiences. Being a teacher and having this past experience, I
am better equipped when coming into contact with these children. I know contact with
these children will be challenging but I will also know how the child is feeling and will
know to be patient.

Narrative Summary

Overall, this reading has exposed me to different situations I could one day
experience and also taught me more about myself. I realized after this read that I have
picked a rewarding profession. Above, in the notes I wrote, the child Rose showed
common situations that will occur when working with children. Such as observational
learning. Young children are easily influenced by their peers. Child learn most by
watching what is going on around them. Observational learning is shown when Rose
watches Wally express his emotions or, as said in the book, thinking about sad things.
She imitates what he is doing to also show her emotions. The children also have a
conversation about race. Lisa mentioned that African American people are from Africa.
Instead of getting mad, Wally corrected her by saying “I’m black and I was born in
Chicago.” Children at younger ages don’t quite understand what racism is yet and what
it means to offend someone based on remarks. Wally did showed a good example of
how children could react to a similar situation.
I know teaching early education will not be easy but I feel I have past
experiences and great professors to help guide me along the way. This entire
profession is a never ending learning experience. I will be learning right alongside the
children. Children have such creative minds and different worldviews. There is so much
to learn and teach. We have discussed in class how this profession is not always
sunshine and rainbows but I feel I will be rewarded in the end knowing I made huge
impacts on young minds. Wally’s Stories had provided a rich insight into what it will be
like to teach children and what to expect. I am glad I was able to gain an insight.