Prompt 7

This experience in a way has opened my eyes to the many misfortunes that high school students face in their lives especially when it comes to their home lives. As a upcoming teacher I realize how important it is to know that not all students come from the same backgrounds, and have the same priveleges. Many of them have disadvantages that were handed to them at birth regarding their parents, opportunities and quality of living. These are things that I knew existed and should be taken into account, but it had been so long since I witnessed these situations. I have seen many teachers in my life not take these things into consideration and treat all students as if they are all the same. Teachers must be open-minded, and empathetic to all situations, and I truly believe that this is how I will be. An example of this would be a student that I recently worked with was assigned to create a map of the functions in his life and how they describe him in definition. He used words such as mistake, bastard and pervert. He expressed in class that his mother told him he was a mistake. It is very obvious that this student carries around so much pain, that I don't even know how he manages to raise himself above it. My classroom teacher is very dedicated to making sure that he stays positive, and reaches for his goals. Making sure that he knows that he can achieve what he sets his mind to regardless of the disadvantages that he has been handed. This student recently received a full ride to his college of choice, which I am sure will make a huge poositive difference in his life. I would like to thing that I would also be this type of teacher that would assist a student to this level of achievement.

All of the lessons plans in my classroom have been built around personal identity and culture, which I see as an excellent way to involve and respect where each student comes from. It shows that the teacher is open minded and culturally competent regarding diversity. An example of this would be an assignment where the students were to create power posters that represented an issue that they felt strongly about. This issue could pertain to their gender, race, ethnicity, culture, or any other portion of their identity without limitations.

I have found that I could teach in any environment, to any group of students and maintain the same great intentions to help the students succeed, and express their identity and beliefs. I could not work in a school setting that did not encourage these ideals, nor could I tolerate to see a teacher deter a student from invilving these things in their education. I would definitely give the same opportunites to all students so that they can feel accomplished regardless of any assumed disadvantge or disabiility. I have learned a great deal from watching my classroom teacher in action, and hope to mirror many of her tachniques and qualities in my own classroom someday.

Prompt 5

In the school and classroom that I am working in the majority of the students come from very diverse backgrounds in regards to race and ethnicity. The school has a policy that the teachers must communicate with the parents of each of their students on a monthly basis via telephone/email. I believe that this is is an excellent policy to be in place in order to keep parents aware of their child's academic standing, as well as to create a partnership with them to determine the students needs regarding academic and social growth.

If I were the teacher of this classroom there would be two challenges that I could see creating roadblocks in order to achieve the goals above. 1st would be the language barriers that may exist between myself and the parents/guardians of the students. It may be difficult to communicate through speaking or writing if the parents/guardians are not semi fluent in the English language. The 2nd challenge that I could see taking place is the fact that some of the parents of the students that I am working with do not care about their child's well being. These children are forced to make their own decisions regarding their schooling and lives at a very young age due to the recklessness of their caretakers.

In facing these challenges I would 1st try to find a better way to communicate in order to bypass the language barriers that may exist. This may mean strictly communicating through writing that has been translated into the language that the caretaker is able to understand and to respond to. This could also mean having frequent on site visits from caretakers with an interpreter present in order to put more of a personal interaction to the relationship being built. In regards to the issue pertaining to the absence of the caretakers in the students life, I would probably tend to lean more towards the students themselves in order to help them succeed academically. I would with open arms accept any recommendations that parents/guardians make regarding their children's education as long as it was in the students best interest. I would show empathy towards the concerns that are brought forward and work with the parents/guardians to find solutions that would be beneficial to their children.