This week in class we were introduced to the topic of diversity. A lot of background knowledge is required before current classroom connections can be made on a classroom. The class example that was made was that you cannot come to class talking about a zoo assuming that every a student knows what a zoo is. One child might have never been to a zoo and have no prior knowledge of a zoo. Dr. Parker said, "One size fits all" does not work in a class room and cannot be in a teachers vocabulary. Diversity issues can arise at any point and teachers need to know how to handle them. No one chooses to have a disability or be different from the crowd. If a child is completely blind, he is just as important as everyone else and his learning is just as important. Diversity laws in schools are completely different than they were 10 years ago and teachers need to evolve to standard 2 and help students have an environment to be successful. If you discriminate you will have your "face in a headline very quickly" -Dr.Parker
This week on Monday was also our last classroom visit. We visited Crest High School. I had the chance to sit in on an 11th grade World History 1 class. It was very interesting and insightful and the teacher I observed actually happened to be teacher of the year the previous year. I enjoyed the different atmosphere with the older children and following the different structure of the lesson plan but overall I enjoyed the elementary and middle school visits more. I felt less stressed out and more in my element. High schoolers freak me out! I really loved the connections I saw with the teachers and the students at each of these visits. I think that was the mot valuable thing I got put of those visits. Everything else seems to come with studying, practice, more observations, and my professors, but getting to see teachers that really value their kids is priceless.
Carol!!
ReplyDeleteI love your section on diversity. I really liked when they compared diversity to knowing about a zoo. I like this because just as you stated, that one size fits all is not true in the classroom. I think this is so important for us to know when starting our teaching career! We have to make sure that we are using the "all means all" in the classroom.
It always scares me when one of my quotes ends up in a blog. I am glad you have learned a lot already on diversity! This is great. Keep on learning.
ReplyDeleteYou did such a great job explaining your take on diversity this week. I learned so much about what we may encounter in our classrooms and what all our students may or may not be dealing with inside their heads. It really makes you stop and think about why we are doing what we are doing because we don't know what lays behind what we see physically.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved your blog this week! I thought Dr. Parker's quote, "One size fits all should not be in a teachers vocabulary" was perfect. When we started our lesson plan, I was directing it toward one type of student without even knowing that is what I was doing. However, now that we have discussed diversity, I realize my one lesson plan is not enough to ensure every student obtains the learning he or she needs.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Dr. Parker's quote you incorporated. Diversity is something that all of us as educators should really be comfortable with. I love the visual you gave us too! It is a perfect example of the many definitions of diversity.
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