Journal Table #4

A) What have you now learned about your learner(s) or profiled student group when
it comes to any of the categories listed in the document: Identifying Funds of Knowledge
– Dr Nicholas Wysocki (Note: YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CITE specific, concrete
examples from one or more of the categories listed in this document.

Through my research, I have learned a lot about my learners and their assets, strengths
and resources and their Funds of Knowledge. I have focused on a couple students in my class
who are of different race and ethnicity than me. One student in my class is an African American
and another is an Asian American. These two have very interesting funds of knowledges because
of the background that they grew up in and the culture of their race and ethnicity.
The African American boy in my class has a couple different very good social networks
that will help him in the future. He plays basketball and football outside of school and these
activities have helped him lots of other people his age that he would not have met in school,
whether it be friends or coaches on the teams that he plays on. He also has developed very good
social networks in the community that he lives in. He lives in a poorer community in town where
the people are often outside and interactive with their neighbors. Having good relationships with
neighbors is something that doesn’t happen as much in most communities, but the community
that this student grew up in does. Because of this, he will have good social networks with all the
people in his community and neighborhood that could help him in the future. Establishing these
social networks may not have been possible without being in the situation that he is in, and they
would not have been established in the school system. The social networks that this student has
built contribute to his funds of knowledge that may help him in the future.
As for the Asian American student, he has developed a skill set and knowledge base from
outside that classroom that contribute to his funds of knowledge. This student grew up in a
household that spoke both English and Hindu. English was the main language that they spoke,
but his parents both knew some Hindu and his grandparents spoke mostly Hindu. This
knowledge of another language, even if it is not fluent, is something that most students will not
learn in school. While a language is a skill taught in school, Hindu is not one that is generally
taught, so knowing some Hindu will set him apart from other students. This Funds of Knowledge
skill set will be very helpful to this student later in life.
B) How can any of your Human Development and Learning theories/theorists
(EDFD 400/401) be used to explain HOW your learner(s) or profiled student
group can use THEIR POSSESSED ASSETS, STRENGTHS, AND
RESOURCES TO HELP THEM LEARN ACADEMIC CONTENT –
See Illustrating Funds of Knowledge – Update SP18

The learning theorist Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences can be applied
to both of these students and their funds of knowledges. Of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
there are a couple that stick out for these two students, Interpersonal and Linguistic. For the
African American student who has developed many social networks and communication skills
with people outside of school, he falls under Gardner’s Interpersonal learning intelligence. The
Asian American student falls under Gardner’s Linguistic learning intelligence because he has
experience with learning multiple languages. Gardner’s Interpersonal learning intelligence is
good at interacting with others and learn through interaction, they have many friends, street
smarts, and can be taught well through group activities. This intelligence matches the African
American student that is in my classroom very well. The Linguistic learning intelligence also
matches the Asian American student in my classroom. Linguistic learners pick up things from
words, books, and writing well because of their knowledge of languages. The student in my
classroom is likely very good at learning in this way too. Being able to identify these two
student’s funds of knowledge while using Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences has been very helpful
in my research. Having a knowledge of the theorists and theories from EDFD 401 will also help
me in the future as a teacher.