Educators are an essential being in a person’s life. The purpose of education is to create knowledgeable individuals by supporting their individuality. My responsibility as an educator is to provide supports for students to become well-informed and perceptive individuals of the world in which we live in today.
With our constant growing population, we, as educators, must be mindful and responsive to the diversity of students in regards to race, gender, ability, economic class, etc. Teachers need to adjust every year to their present classroom. We do not share the exact identity as another, which is essential to keep in mind in the classroom. I believe teachers need to allow students to find themselves without molding them into a stereotypical mindset. The concept of Critical Multicultural Education promotes a classroom that not only discusses societal issues presented today, but challenges the reproduction of socialization. “There are social, psychological, and material rewards for conformity, such as social acceptance [and] being treated as “normal” (Sensoy & DiAngelo 2012). Students should have the freedom to express themselves without fear of exclusion or non acceptance. Challenging the internalization of socializing individuals is necessary to let all students feel respected and valued in the classroom. Going deeper than “Diversity Celebration” day and providing learning opportunities for students to gain another perspective on supports the ideas of multicultural education.
To support the inclusion of diverse students, the building of a classroom community where students and teachers trust and respect one another is essential. A stable classroom community is not built overnight. It takes time and has challenges in order to build a successful and rooted classroom community. An effective community supports students’ academic success and social dexterity. Students learn and comprehend curriculum content when they feel a part of a community that acknowledges and embraces them. When students feel safe in the environment around them and the individuals within it, they are able to learn without feeling disregarded or unintelligent. A classroom community also builds upon students’ social skills. Students participate in community building activities such as Morning Meeting, where they practice greeting and actively listening to others. “Community is our sense of belonging and culture ensures the value of what we belong to” (Wessling, 2012). The culture of the community in which you build is influenced by the instructional decisions made and the opportunity given to students to feel a part of the classroom. Is your classroom have a “you and me” or an “us” structure? Every decision made in the classroom reflects on the community in which you are either mindfully or carelessly building.
Students should be intrinsically motivated to want to learn and behave in a way that is moral. In many classrooms today, students are frequently punished or rewarded in regards to academics and behavior. Punishments and rewards serve as a strategy to gain temporary compliance from students. We want students to be responsible, caring and critical thinking individuals. Punishing or rewarding students for small incidents in the classroom does not support true learning (Kohn, 1996). Students eventually grow to believe they only complete work and act a certain way because they will be rewarded for it. Teachers play a large role in scaffolding problem-solving skills and a deep want to learn in their classroom. I believe teachers must be models for students in the classroom. Reciprocal teaching is the process of students having significant assistance from the teacher to eventually independently applying skills learned. The overall goal is for students to acquire the ability to self-managed themselves in regards to academics, social skills and emotions.
Every student has the capability to learn and be successful in the classroom. Teachers mustn’t label students as unmotivated, bad, or incompetent. My role as an educator is to see the strengths and needs of every student and incorporate my observations into instruction. Differentiation is based on the theory of tailoring instruction based on each individual’s abilities in order to reach every student. This is done by tiering learning activities without changing the objective/goal. Students have different interests and strengths. My job as a teacher is to know each students’ learning styles and areas of need to create an instruction plan that is engaging for all students. I do believe that teachers must also incorporate activities that call upon students’ needs in order to strengthen them.
To support student motivation to learn, schools must respond to an individual’s primary needs. Primary needs include hunger/thirst, warmth, rest, space, bathroom and escaping from pain. The classroom can be a productive way to respond to students who may not have their needs fulfilled at home.
[“Schools and government agencies have long realized that if students' basic needs are not met student performance will suffer. The advent of free breakfast and lunch programs were a direct result of such considerations. Unfortunately, these measures address only part of the first tier of Maslow's theory; physiological needs” (Brickman 2005).]
Teachers can meet the basic needs of students within the classroom. Keeping healthy snacks, blankets or extra clothes for students to utilize can answer the needs of students to allow them to focus on learning instead. Giving students choice to rest during lunch or the opportunity to work outside the group in their own space can go a long way with responding to needs.
The classroom is a place for students to grow, learn, be challenged and cared for. I want to create an environment filled with optimal learning experiences and a place for students to feel recognized and valued.
With our constant growing population, we, as educators, must be mindful and responsive to the diversity of students in regards to race, gender, ability, economic class, etc. Teachers need to adjust every year to their present classroom. We do not share the exact identity as another, which is essential to keep in mind in the classroom. I believe teachers need to allow students to find themselves without molding them into a stereotypical mindset. The concept of Critical Multicultural Education promotes a classroom that not only discusses societal issues presented today, but challenges the reproduction of socialization. “There are social, psychological, and material rewards for conformity, such as social acceptance [and] being treated as “normal” (Sensoy & DiAngelo 2012). Students should have the freedom to express themselves without fear of exclusion or non acceptance. Challenging the internalization of socializing individuals is necessary to let all students feel respected and valued in the classroom. Going deeper than “Diversity Celebration” day and providing learning opportunities for students to gain another perspective on supports the ideas of multicultural education.
To support the inclusion of diverse students, the building of a classroom community where students and teachers trust and respect one another is essential. A stable classroom community is not built overnight. It takes time and has challenges in order to build a successful and rooted classroom community. An effective community supports students’ academic success and social dexterity. Students learn and comprehend curriculum content when they feel a part of a community that acknowledges and embraces them. When students feel safe in the environment around them and the individuals within it, they are able to learn without feeling disregarded or unintelligent. A classroom community also builds upon students’ social skills. Students participate in community building activities such as Morning Meeting, where they practice greeting and actively listening to others. “Community is our sense of belonging and culture ensures the value of what we belong to” (Wessling, 2012). The culture of the community in which you build is influenced by the instructional decisions made and the opportunity given to students to feel a part of the classroom. Is your classroom have a “you and me” or an “us” structure? Every decision made in the classroom reflects on the community in which you are either mindfully or carelessly building.
Students should be intrinsically motivated to want to learn and behave in a way that is moral. In many classrooms today, students are frequently punished or rewarded in regards to academics and behavior. Punishments and rewards serve as a strategy to gain temporary compliance from students. We want students to be responsible, caring and critical thinking individuals. Punishing or rewarding students for small incidents in the classroom does not support true learning (Kohn, 1996). Students eventually grow to believe they only complete work and act a certain way because they will be rewarded for it. Teachers play a large role in scaffolding problem-solving skills and a deep want to learn in their classroom. I believe teachers must be models for students in the classroom. Reciprocal teaching is the process of students having significant assistance from the teacher to eventually independently applying skills learned. The overall goal is for students to acquire the ability to self-managed themselves in regards to academics, social skills and emotions.
Every student has the capability to learn and be successful in the classroom. Teachers mustn’t label students as unmotivated, bad, or incompetent. My role as an educator is to see the strengths and needs of every student and incorporate my observations into instruction. Differentiation is based on the theory of tailoring instruction based on each individual’s abilities in order to reach every student. This is done by tiering learning activities without changing the objective/goal. Students have different interests and strengths. My job as a teacher is to know each students’ learning styles and areas of need to create an instruction plan that is engaging for all students. I do believe that teachers must also incorporate activities that call upon students’ needs in order to strengthen them.
To support student motivation to learn, schools must respond to an individual’s primary needs. Primary needs include hunger/thirst, warmth, rest, space, bathroom and escaping from pain. The classroom can be a productive way to respond to students who may not have their needs fulfilled at home.
[“Schools and government agencies have long realized that if students' basic needs are not met student performance will suffer. The advent of free breakfast and lunch programs were a direct result of such considerations. Unfortunately, these measures address only part of the first tier of Maslow's theory; physiological needs” (Brickman 2005).]
Teachers can meet the basic needs of students within the classroom. Keeping healthy snacks, blankets or extra clothes for students to utilize can answer the needs of students to allow them to focus on learning instead. Giving students choice to rest during lunch or the opportunity to work outside the group in their own space can go a long way with responding to needs.
The classroom is a place for students to grow, learn, be challenged and cared for. I want to create an environment filled with optimal learning experiences and a place for students to feel recognized and valued.