Good Afternoon,
Please read through Chapter 2-Teaching Diverse Children. I want to point out that I feel you 3 have a good concept of what it means to teach diverse children, so pay close attention to the 7 guidelines that presented in the book. Make sure you understand them. After reading, turn to page 66, and answer questions 1 & 2 in the comment section below. Post your comments by Noon on Tuesday January 29th. Come prepared to discuss your response to the 2 questions. Do not respond in with 3-4 sentences, make sure your answers are in-depth and take time to really think about what the questions are asking of you. Remember to look at the writing rubric I gave you, that is how I am grading your reflections. It is important, in education, to be a reflective practitioner who is constantly learning and reflecting on everything they see, read, hear, and participate in.
I feel that some teachers have not full grasped the equality of today's classrooms. I catch myself doing that from time to time, giving the boys jobs which require lifting or getting dirty. Girls I tend to give them things to do such a errands and cleaner more efficient tasks. Today's classrooms are very equal and every teacher needs to do their best in conforming to that every student needs attention. For some teachers it is very typical especially the "aged" teachers. Some of them are stuck in their routine and refused to change. With younger teacher it is not as much of an issue if we are taught the proper way to handle things in our courses.
ReplyDelete1. Based on my experiences in the classroom as a student, observer and teacher I have seen this type of behavior from all three aspects. I do think it is getting better since the 90s but I do believe that it still exists. I also saw the roles reverse also where girls dominated a classroom.
ReplyDeleteI was a Para in a school in a 6th grade class which was dominated by the girls. They spoke in all the discussions, made the decisions on what the class would do like what movies to watch. The teacher was a female and she let the girls interrupt and blurt on answers but when the boys would she would send them out of classroom or tell them to put their head on table.
As a student I remember when I was a 5th grader and my teacher was an older female. She would call on all the boys for jobs like line leader, door holder, and black board cleaner. She would always say that the boys were big and strong. The girls would get opportunities to read aloud, write answers on the board and stay in for recess if they wanted too.
As a teacher I try to treat everyone the same but I tend to shy to the children that don’t have many friends or shy students. I tend to call on students I know that are not afraid to talk in class. But I know I am getting better at calling on everyone, so that other students get a chance to build on their speaking skills. I do this because I never wanted to stand up in front of my peers and speak when I was younger. I know how important speaking in front of a crowd is as you get older, so I want students to get used to it.
2. I believe all these guidelines are very important, but the one that stands out to me right now is guideline 1 culturally responsive instruction. The reason this stands out to me is because I want children to be proud of who they are and where they come from. I want children to be comfortable in the classroom and want to talk about their background when the subject comes up. I also want children to learn about all the diversity and become open to all types.
When I was in coming up in the school system, teachers never let me talk about my heritage or culture. I was always the only Native in the class. Everyone knew I was a Native American but the teacher never gave me a chance to educate the rest of the class about whom I was or where I came from. I believe that the teachers didn't know how to do this or some probably didn't want too. I believe if the teachers let me dance or do a presentation in front of the class this would have be rewarding for everyone.
When looking at the seven guidelines, the one guideline that stands out to me the most is guideline #6. I feel that all students learn at a very different rate and they are catching on to what suites their interest. If students are interested they will catch on quite a bit quicker than other students, then you are able to expand on what they have just learned and get them to accelerated their progression through the course. As for students who are having trouble grasping a certain subject you have the ability to come back and reteach what they are not figuring out. You are able to find things to associate with the lesson, which is a big factor for some children
ReplyDelete1. At my oblivious state of mind, I can honestly say that I have not observed any gender discrimination that I know of or at least that I can't think of at this moment. But, that does not necessarily mean that it isn't happening in the classrooms. Looking up and reading Wylee's response, it is evident that it still exists in the classrooms today. I could may be see teachers choosing their "favorite" students in the classroom,one who's been called on to complete tasks (teacher helper) or one that is choosen when the student raises their hand to answer a question. I stop to think, "Could that be gender discrimination?" and my oblivious state of mind is thinking, "Is it because the student who is chosen to be the teacher helper is the one who is the first to complete their tasks?" or "Is the student who is chosen to answer questions really engaged in the lesson that the teacher doesn't want to break concentration or the positive learning environment?" These question and others come to mind after reading this chapter. I will say that I will definitely pay attention as I do my observations throughout my practicum.
ReplyDelete2. I would have to agree with Wylee and go with Guideline 1: Culturally Responsive Instruction. First and foremost because it is the foundation of the seven guidelines. You honestly can't have one without the other. Second, because culturally responsive instruction is the bases for bridging the gap. Third, because it makes learning encounters more relevant and effective. In saving the best (and most important) for last, it is a guide to help children maintain their cultural and linguistic identity while they are in school (and even in the "real world"). Students should be proud of who they are and cherish their identity with dignity and respect.
If I was to chose a second, it would have to be guideline 7, multicultural curriculum not only because it is the last of the important guidelines but because it guides children "to understand the key concepts, events, issues and historical figures from diverse social perspectives." (43) It broadens their knowledge and understanding of other cultures.