Committed to Diversity
Effective urban educators are committed to meet the needs of a diverse population.
I believe diversity encompasses a wide range of concepts. People are diverse not only in their gender, culture, or skin color. People are diverse in a variety of ways. Diversity can deal with ideas, thoughts, learning styles, and behaviors. My students will learn to accept people of different backgrounds and will be able to learn from them as well.
In my classroom, I welcome diversity with open arms. We will celebrate all cultures that combine to create our classroom community. This could mean each student bringing in an artifact that represents their culture, bringing in a certain food that his/her family loves to eat, or by coming to school dressed as his/her ancestors did. I also love the idea of throwing a Family Culture Night where our community of classmates brings their family members. A special dish to eat, a flag making station, or a brochure created by the students can be used to celebrate each of the different cultures.
Differences in cultures, beliefs, and ways of life are important. These differences can help students in many different sectors of a classroom curriculum. Students’ differences can be used to enhance lessons as well as to enhance other students’ minds about a particular culture. Differences can also break down barriers and disprove many stereotypes.
By getting to know each of my students beyond what reading level they are on or how many time table facts they know by heart is important to me. Each student is individual in their own ways and it is my job as their teacher to get to know and understand them. This is the most important way in which our classroom community will grow and become stronger everyday. Each student will bring his or her own unique experience to the classroom. Students, as well as myself, will have so much more information to put into our information folders that we have stored in our minds. As an educator, I understand the importance to of creating a community of learners who strive to learn and teach those around them.
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InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards
The Learner and Learning
Standard #2: Learning Differences
The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
Link to Artifact: Community Observation
Description:
The purpose of this assignment was to document and describe the community surrounding the school where I have worked or a community where I would like to someday be employed. I was to complete a "windshield survey" to help me better understand the value of considering the community as a strong factor that affects student learning, motivation and curriculum choices.
Reflection:
Once I have my own classroom I plan on celebrating diversity in a variety of ways. I hope for my students to recognize that diversity is a part of living in the United States. We are all unique and diverse in our own ways.
Completing this observation was very eye opening for me. As an educator I feel as though it is important to not only know my students but to know the community they are a part of as well. This assignment allowed my lense to become wider when thinking about the community I work in. By having some knowledge of the community I feel as though I am better able to serve students to the best of my ability. I am able to better utilize the resources that are available to me and I will become a better educator because of it.
