What Lives Matter and Craling into another Person's Skin

I don’t usually come out with my opinion, but after the Police Shootings and “Black Lives Matter” movement, I realized I had something to say.  There’s been a lot of fear as differences erupt in violence and hatred.  I think, though, that most of us just want to continue living peacefully and don’t always understand who we are fighting when we let ourselves get into conflicts like this.

I grew up in Maycomb, Alabama.  Of course there was still racism and hatred there, but people have come a long way. Even some of the small, one-time KKK towns around here have welcomed their first black families.  We usually live together pretty well unless someone goes around trying to stir up trouble. What I hate is the division that recent events have started to create between people.   Now, I understand that neither of can ever quite live another person’s life, but I think we focus too much on what’s different between us then what’s the same.  I think that if we took a little more time to at least try to stand in each other’s shoes every once in awhile we would realize that one person really isn’t that different from another. I think a lot of the political problems we can’t seem to get over are do simply to the fact that we don’t listen to each other, and we don’t consider ideas different from our own.  Those who don’t agree with us suddenly become our enemy instead of just folks with different ideas.  You can try to categorize people, but there’s really just one kind of folks. Folks.

I’ve had my own experiences as a kid about being scared of what was different, but I realized that most of that fear was just made up and changes once we get the opportunity to stand in another person’s place.  So, I’m not going to say “black lives matter” or “blue lives matter” right now, but you can bet that I’m mostly going to just shut up and listen to the people around me because that’s where I think it all starts.

(I like this video because it gives a different perspective on the issue and how important it is or isn't)

What Happened in Syria When No One Was Looking

Picture from HERE

No one can ever question that Americans care about rights. Popular rights include right to food, to housing, to free stuff, to not be judged, and to love. With so many social justice ideals, it shouldn’t seem unusual that a picture of a dead two year old washed up on a shore might send the nation into a storm of internet sympathy and concern for refugees. After all, there is something we call the right to life, isn’t there?  I watched one day while my Facebook feed lit up with fundraisers, awareness campaigns, and questions. Why is this happening? What is going to be done about it? Everyone wanted to know what they could do or else had fabulous ideas to help, but no one knew how it happened. It was like the problem sprung up over night- something from nothing. Contrarily, if you’ve studied it at all, you’ll see that this isn’t a new problem. Too much of our culture focuses inward, on our own minor problems and we end up ignoring the turmoil happening outside the United States.  Instead of pushing aside these detrimental problems as something foreign, we need to start studying and paying more attention to the issues in the Middle East before the situation gets worse.

Initially, the Syrian crisis came about shortly after the infectious Arab Spring.  One article I read said, “Despite assurances by many pundits and regime incumbents alike that Syria would prove to be immune to revolution, and following several false starts and ultimately inconsequential skirmishes, Syria's popular uprising commenced on March 18, 2011” (Leenders 274). The uprisings in Syria were long in coming. There were hints of uprising before this time, but the movements lacked mobilization. In explanation, the article also said, “Syrians sensed that events in Tunisia and Egypt had opened a window of opportunity in their country as well. In short, not the regime's features appear to have changed, but many Syrians' perception of their ability to challenge it” (Leenders 275). With the spread of social networking (something else covered in detail in the article) Syrians who had long wanted change finally saw it was probable. Their revolt was unexpected, but it was also over four years ago.   I ‘d heard about it near the start, when 15 children were arrested for graffiti that defied the government. My sister, Sandra, is the political genius of the family and was always telling me about what was going on the in the Middle East. She graduated not long ago from Brigham Young University with a degree in political science. In school, she focused on studying terrorism and politics of Middle East and was very good at it. While I was still trying to mold into college survival, Sandra was doing case studies on the Arab Spring with an emphasis on Syria and why it was lagging behind.
I recently made Sandra explain it all again in retrospect. She started out telling me about a chat conversation she found from 2012. In it, she’d been expressing her concerns about Syria to my little brother. “What I predicted in the conversation with Joseph was that America will be too afraid to enter because of the international complications because Russia and Iran were already making alliances” (Shurtleff). She was right. All you have to do is look back on the recent presidential debates for a few minutes to see that.  The issue was there, but largely unheard of and largely ignored.

  The results of ignoring this issue have been detrimental and caused the following refugee crisis.   It's been found that “By the end of 2013 there were over 2 million registered refugees…An estimated 100,000 have been killed by the fighting and many more wounded and disappeared.” (Dahi 45). A hundred thousand lives, two million refugees and still almost no one in the country of rights and liberties thought it was enough to get involved. Then, two years later, people suddenly start to zoom in on Syrian refugees because of a picture. Concerning the lack of knowledge Sandra said, “People tare like, 'Why are there so many refugees? How horrifying!’ and I’m like, ‘Because we’ve been ignoring a conflict for four years, that’s why and if you’d stop the conflict, you’d stop the refugee problem’” (Shurtleff). She believes that there needs to be an increased awareness among Americans of the effects of international war.   I agree.  More involvement and awareness about the situation in those countries would have helped moved people to action sooner.

The refugee problem was never like a fairy-tale a bean stalk that rose up out of nothing. Its growth could have been preventable, but a lack of knowledge and action nourished it. The emotional response on social media and their belated cry for action are examples of people trying to, “do a surface solution while the actual problem is the conflict, not the humanitarian issue” (Shurtleff). Humanitarian efforts shot up for weeks after the picture spread around. However, I’m worried this was like blowing on a cut to make it better. We need to take a more active stance now to learn about the issues in these smaller, distant countries before the crises take over and threaten the lives of many.

Works Cited
Dahi, Omar S. "Syria in Fragments: The Politics of the Refugee Crisis." Dissent 61.1 (2014): 45- 48. Project MUSE. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
Leenders, Reinoud. "Social Movement Theory and The Onset of the Popular Uprising In Syria." Arab Studies Quarterly 35.3 (2013): 273-289. Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. 
Shurtleff, Sandra. Personal Interview. 21 October 2015.

Conclusion

I've learned a lot from studying the different parts of multicultural education.  I have been able to analyse my way of looking at the world and come to educated conclusions as I faced uncomfortable issues upfront.
I never before realized how much I buy into a single story and how detrimental that can be to my world view.  I also never considered so deeply the costs and benefits of the paradigm I hold and the culture I buy into as critically.  This experience has been valuable not only for me to change, but for me to better understand myself and others and how people think.  I learned new ideas about teaching and how we can teach where we are more inclusive.  I never before considered the importance of a structural ideology where we are able to make situations more naturally inclusive.  I want to accept this ideology into my own practices.  I came to a better understanding of the difficulties of the LGBTQ community and how I can show these the support and love they need even while standing to my beliefs.  I also realized that a lot of problems that I used to ignore as trivial are actually a lot larger than I thought.  By ignoring these I have been failing to go beyond being a merely tolerant person.  I saw new perceptions that I hadn't thought of before, such as how we might make certain assumptions of culture based on a few facts - the way one might assume that a religious clothing is oppressive when it is a religious choice.
 I also realized that it is important to always acknowledge that I do not know everything.  That sounds obvious, but there are plenty of times where I feel like I understand things that I don't.  I may have thought I knew what "African" culture or another culture was like and bought into stereotype without even realizing it.  I don't know all about anyone's experience.  In being the "other", I only received a tiny glimpse of what some people face daily.  I don't know all of my student's struggles and may never fully understand what they go through.  Admitting that there is so much that I don't know and might never know opens my mind to learning more bit by bit and coming to better understandings of others that will let me support them better.  Compassion and love come first and foremost and the more I understand and learn, the more I am open to learning, the better I will be able to show this to my students.
I discovered in this class a few valuable things to include in the classroom that will help my students in this learning and growing process.  I learned that important issues really do need to be talked about and that talking about them can help me to reach students needs - issues like immigration race or poverty.  I realized that this should also be largely student led if possible so that they can important issues without much risk in a safe environment. They will be able to view their own world views critically so that they don't just accept hegemony without understanding the complexities behind it.  Those skills will help them in all aspects of life as they face so many different accepted ideas. They will also hopefully be able to take more active stances for what they come to believe.  Listening and seeing people as the valuable human lives that they are are other important things that need to happen in the classroom. We need to see beyond what we think at first and take the time to listen so that our eyes are opened.  Taking time to listen might seem hard, but it is essential to being the best influence that we can be and to really learning about the world.  If we don't listen we will never be able to help.
There is a cost to standing up for what you believe in that I never really saw before.  I always thought I would be willing to stand up for truth come raging storms, but when we discussed the cost I realized that it is harder than it sounds.  It was an adjustment for me to realize that being an active teacher will really take risks and work. One small way that I am trying to be more active and brave is through an organization that my siblings and I are working on creating that will focus on bringing people of different ideas together to discuss policy in a tolerant environment while working together for workable solutions.  I will use a lot of what I learned here to inform my approach in this so that I can be a more open and understanding mind.

I walked into a classroom
And smiled at their passions
The students that I taught
Not knowing who they were
Not knowing what they faced

With newer eyes I meet them
In better understanding
Unlike I had before
Seeing their complexity
Seeing glorious humans

I still don't wholly know them
What their potentials are
But my mind is open
Translucent to their needs
Translucent in my world

Book Club for Teaching

(picture from amazon.com)

For insights into multicultural education and student experiences, I read Gregory Michie's Holler If You Hear Me.  It had been an option in my English 276 class, but that semester I opted for a different book that also happened to be about an inner-city classroom.  It think if I'd read this book then, I would have missed a lot of the insight it gave into forming a more culturally responsive pedagogy.

Disturbances

The book starts out with a conversation of students of mixed heritage making fun of "white people names."  I have to admit, that made me uncomfortable and I wondered that the teacher put so much effort into dispelling stereotypes about some races, but tolerated them for more dominant races. But of course,I noted that white people really aren't usually under much threat and typically experience greater privilege.  It was disturbing to see how huge of a influence the portrayal of people of minority races had on the way that the students in the books perceived themselves.  Several of the students spoke as though they felt trapped, that they had no other choice than to fall into stereotypical roles because society would continue to respond to them the same way no matter what.  Students of minorities and in poverty have a lot to deal with.  It's disturbing how difficult in can be for them to get out of their life situations.   It's disrupting to see how complacent teachers who see this over and over again become, or even to see that - despite our effort and influence - many students will still fall through the cracks.  It makes me feel stressed at what I can do and what influence I can be in the face of such unfavorable odds.

Issues

Racism
The book at one point tells the story of a kid named Reggie, who faced a lot of prejudice from his Mexican-American peers.  One day, he was attacked by a policeman just for being black in the wrong neighborhood.  This story was particularly disturbing.  Police are supposed to support justice and his actions against a young kid were outrageous. The action, however, that Mr. Michie and the other members of the school took against the policeman was inspiring.  Racism is a serious issue in schools and I hope to be the sort of teacher who offers students help in standing against it.  I also want to help them have a positive self image to defy the preconceived notions of others.  Despite their efforts, though, Reggie still struggled with feeling alone and discriminated against.

Poverty
One of the schools where the writer taught had a camping trip and there was a girl who couldn't go because her parents wouldn't buy her some of the items on the list.  Because she couldn't go, she came up with a terrible rumor about her teacher. I certainly was disturbed in realizing that was a thing that could happen, but also that something so small could keep her from sharing a valuable experience with her peers and effect her so much.  The book is full of stories of children in working class families who's opportunities in life are severely limited because of income, or the lack of it.  It is something that can have a huge impact on student performance in school and the paths that their lives take forever afterward.

Language and Culture
The cultures that are presented at the school include a variety of races and many of the students are from Hispanic backgrounds. Spanish words are used commonly and students take advantage of the teacher's lack of Spanish to make fun of him and others.  It also provides difficulties and barriers for them. The language is also associated with the identity and culture of the students.  It sets them apart. One of the activities that Mr. Michie implements to help in this area is to have his students read The House on Mango Street.  Because of some reading and language difficulties, he gets some girls to read the book and record it for other students to listen to.  The book offers a lot of cultural connection for the students and uses words that the students understand and are even surprised to find in print.  See their language and story helps validate who they are.  I want to offer such connections to my students through literature or other means so that they can recognize the value in their culture and language.

Gender
One of the students spend much of her middle school year arguing for the rights of women.  She thinks women should have all the opportunities they want, but when she has children at a young age she is hit with a reality that her society doesn't offer much opportunity to women with children.  She continues to argue for equality, but her voice seems to fade in the middle of circumstance.  Gender expectations are fairly prominent in the neighborhood are a part of what makes gang violence so prominent, as men are expected to be violent.  Gender equality is one of the issues that Michie has his students explore in class, but which many students find uninteresting and don't connect with.  It had me wondering, how do we get students motivated about things that are important?  How do we show them that these things effect their lives?

Responses

See Them
Michie tells the story of a gang in the first school he taught in that took a pretty firm grip of many of his students.  One of the teachers, called "Preacher,"  This teacher was firm against the concepts of gang and made it clear that he did not tolerate violence or gang activity in school.  However, he also would still see the students as people.  He saw their inner potential to succeed.  Mr. Michie tried to follow his example and saw his students as people first, even when they got themselves into terrible situations.  It think that is particularly important, that we see out students as humans, humans capable of many things no matter what they struggle with.

Listen
At one point in the story, a student writes a letter to a teacher which the teacher completely ignores.  You feel the frustration of the student who is trying to succeed, but isn't being listened to.  This reminds me of the article we read about the white teachers not listening to minority teachers on how to teach minority students.  Mr. Richie, throughout the book, takes a lot of time to listen to his students.  He listens to them as a group when he isn't sure how best to teach them and lets them have say in the way things are done in the classroom.  Even more important, when students are struggling, he doesn't brush them off, but instead takes time to listen to them and their needs.  One girl who performed very well in school suddenly started missing and her grades dropped.  He took her aside and talked to her and listened in a way no one else would.  He very possibly changed her life.  I want to be a teacher who listens. It seems the most important way that we can reach out students.

Talk About It
A class is formed in the book where the students analyse TV programs and other sources of media critically.  Michie uses this class as a way to bring important concepts to the students minds.  He has them so entire units on racism, sexism, and stereotypes.  The students in this class are able to look at what the world is portraying and discern it from reality.   Michie makes sure that his students have a clear understanding of their situation and the injustices around them.  Talking about the issues brings them to the students' awareness and is in small ways the first steps of trying to really change things and change people's perspectives, even when students still fall into the traps like drugs and gangs that haunt their neighborhood.

Act
I think that the school's response to Reggie's mistreatment was a good show of how a teacher actually took action.  It wasn't just then though that the teacher made clear moves for change.  Throughout the book, he encourages the students to write to figures of authority and do other things that he hopes will show them the power they have to act.  He follows through with his end of the deal and sent letters to the mayor at one time.  In one setting, they discuss how people can change the world and he is always encouraging them to try and act.  A teacher who really wants to make a difference has to be brave enough to act on behalf of their students and take a stance as we talked about in class.

Conclusion

From this book, I learned a lot about the work it takes as a teacher to have culturally aware teaching.  I learned that listening to students is of the utmost importance.  Students will face all kinds of struggles.  Some of these will be things that I might not want to deal with, but I need to be aware and help students where I can.  I need to show them that I am someone that can support them and whom they can trust.  I will never be able to help them if I don't know what they need help with, thus I need to take time to listen carefully to them.   I need to be careful to see my students for who they really are and not by quick labels that I might be tempted to throw on them based on slight actions or backgrounds.  I need to see them as human first.  I also witnessed the power a teacher has to take action and make lasting differences in student's lives. I need to be a brave teacher, not only in acting and listening, but also in talking about issues.  I can't be afraid to speak out against injustice or bullying.  I have to have the courage to face issues and get my students to think critically about the things that society tells them or the ideas others press on them. Another things that Mr. Michie demonstrated throughout the book was a particular way of reaching his students on their level with their culture.   I want to be a teacher who also goes to the measures it takes to help students learn by using what they know and catering to their interests and needs.  I think this book is a great one to read if anyone wants insights on how to be a more culturally aware teacher.

Re-Imagined Classroom

 Images that reflect my future classroom:

(Picture from forum.paradoxplaza.com)

I imagine my classroom to have a board at the front where I can write objectives for the day and any other concepts that I need to explain as well as assignments.  I also would like a table up front for my own materials and notes.  I will need to make sure the desks are arranged so that everyone can see the board, even if they have poor eyesight and can't afford glasses or if they need a particular seating arrangement.

(Picture from www.lessonswithlaughter.com)

I would like to have lots of books in the classroom, since I will be teaching English.  They will use the books for assignments and overlapping activities.  I will try to collect a variety of books that portray people of diverse religious, ethnic, or other cultural backgrounds so that my students feel that they are represented.  If I am in a school where more than one language is prominent, I would also like to have books in both languages.

(Picture from fifthinthemiddle.blogspot.com)

I want to have clear places for students to turn in their work and supplies locations where students can easily reach things to be used for projects.  This area needs to be clearly defined and accessible to students of different needs.  For example, it would need to be low enough for students in a wheelchair to reach if needed.

 (Picutre from thewritecombo.blogspot.com)

I would like my desk to be organized and at the front of the room, where I can keep an eye on students if I need to use the computer and easily access things I need.

(Picture from community.theeducatorcollaborative.com)

I would like to have inspirational boards or quote boards that get students thinking, even if they’re mind is wandering from the present subject.  A reading quote board they can contribute to their desire to read and participate.  I would like to encourage students to bring quotes from a variety of sources that show something of their cultural background and that encourage them to do good things.

What does the room look like? What resources are available for students? How are the resources used during the lesson?

I want my classroom to have plenty of storage space where I can put books for study and materials for classroom projects. In the cabinets might be scissors and colored pencils for literature related hands-on projects.  I will also have other extra everyday supplies like notebooks and pencils. This way, students who have limited resources at home will be able to find the things they need for school work in my classroom. The access to these things will be free for everyone so that students won't feel embarrassed if they need to take supplies for themselves.  Hopefully, above these will be counter-space where I can put a basket for turning papers.  I can put other needful things here too such as a pencil sharpener.  I would also like to have a corner with bookshelves of age appropriate literature where students can read for themselves during silent activities or extra time. This literature will include protagonists of various backgrounds, including minorities.  I'd also like to have some nonfiction about famous successful individuals who are minorities to encourage my students to likewise succeed. I would also like for students to be able to learn about other people's lives and cultures from the books they find in my classroom.  As some students finish before others, there will always be an opportunity for them to read.  As they read, I can work with other students.  This will allow me the extra time needed to give attention to students with particular needs that make learning harder for them.  I can talk to students that are upset or talk to those who need to be talked to about bullying or other issues.  I can also give extra help two students learning English as a second language or to disabled students during this time as needed.  With the desk located at the front of the room, the students will remain in sight and there will be a place between rows where I can walk to oversee students as they work.  On the walls, I will hang student work as well as encouraging quotes.  On a board at the front of the class, where all students can see it, I would like to have listed the objectives and schedule for the day as well as the homework assigned and due.

Describe the students in the classroom. What are their backgrounds? What are their interests? What are they doing during the lesson?

My students will be from various backgrounds.  They will probably be from all sorts of ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Some will have solid families and supportive parents; others may struggle in their home life.  Some may struggle financially and others may face bullying daily.  Some will be scholarly and some will care more about sports or video games.  Some will probably struggle with mental or other disabilities.  Some will be loud and others will be quieter.  Some will prefer reading to themselves than speaking up in class while others who speak up in class may be restless during quiet actives..  They will each come from a different culture made up of many aspects that I might never fully understand.  They will have interests varying from person to person in friends, media, sports, academics.  There easily may be many people identifying with a vast range of racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities.  I may have LGBT students, immigrant students, Muslim students, Jewish students, White students, Black students, lower class students, etc.  I can't even begin to lists all the cultural and other types of students that will enter the classroom.   During the lesson, students will have time to share their ideas and speak out, but also opportunities to learn on their own and work with their peers (discussing readings and concepts or working on projects).  Hopefully, they will mostly remain on task in personal work time and focused on me while the class learns together.  They will be able to learn from each other.  There may be issues with bullying and misunderstanding in class, which are things I will need to be aware of so that I can address and stop them early.  I also need to be aware of the differences and similarities among my students so that I can help them learn from each other and have the best opportunities to succeed.

What are my classroom rules? What is my discipline plan? What are my homework policies?

In disciplining the class and creating rules, I would like to treat students positively and give them the greatest chances for success, managing them according to their motivations and doing my best to avoid direct confrontation that could lead them into more hostile behavior.  I also want to treat all my students fairly and to make sure that I am not making biased assumptions about their behavior because of a few aspects of their identity or culture.  I can do things like involve the misbehaving students, use proximity, and focus on that student’s learning by helping them one on one.  I can also do things such as ignoring behavior until it can be addressed properly, avoiding direct criticism, and picking my battles.  Having good relations and communication with students will be essential. I will respect all students of different opinion and culture so that they are more motivated to listen to me and to do well.  If necessary, I will approach privately while the students are in independent work. If there is an ethical issue that needs to be addressed, I can when appropriate make it a discussion so that the whole class can learn from the experience.  (For example, if students are using derogatory language or words like "fag," I can help them understand why this is not a good thing.)  I will not ridicule them and will strive to keep the classroom as a safe learning place.  As for rules, I will probably have a bathroom pass or two (depending on school policy) and let the students use it as needed.  I will also have a library pass for students who finished their work and have a particular book they want to start reading that I don’t have. This will also help give more opportunity for reading to those with less reading resources at home.  For excused absent students, I will have a missed worked folder for them to go to where they can find what they missed, but these papers will be marked so I know that they aren’t late, just absent.  I want them to be able to not have to worry too much if they have to take off for religious or other important cultural events.  About late work, I think I will accept it throughout each quarter, but with applicable late penalties on the grade if the work is not turned in within a week after its assignment (for example, taking off five points on late papers.)  I understand that some students aren't used to a culture of timeliness and I hope that a policy such as this will help prepare them for the future while also valuing their way of doing things.

Describe a typical lesson you will teach in your classroom. What will you teach? What is the topic? Why did you choose this topic? How will you teach it? What is the main thing you want students to learn during this lesson?

At the beginning of class, I’d like students to come in and I will have an activity, such as a journal entry, for them to do as I take attendance and make sure I am prepared for class. An example might be that in teaching students the conflicts of literature I might have them journal about conflicts in their favorite movies or books.  Journal entries such as this will help me to gain insight into my students' lives in case there is anything they are struggling with that I need to know about or if there is any cultural concept they have that I should be conscious of in teaching them.  After this, I will go over on the board what we plan to do that day and the assignments.  Then, I will proceed to teach the concept and reinforce it with an application activity that will allow participation of many students.  I will model the application activity in order to provide comprehensible input for students to better understand what is expected of them.  For conflicts, I might have a power point that explains each type of conflict.  Then, I might have a short game at the end of it for the students to show what they learned.  This way I will get a brief idea of how the lesson came across.  Then, I will have them do a written activity that they can do about the subject.  I will go around from desk to desk as they do it to make sure each student understands the concept.  The concept of conflicts will help them understand literature better and help their reading comprehension as they move up in school.  I hope that they will develop greater analytical skills and will be able to take these skills with them into the world as they face decisions and conflicts there.

What am I doing during the lessons?  What are the students doing during the lesson?

During the lesson I will be moving about the classroom and checking on students’ behavior.  I will keep my eyes open for harassment or bulling so that I can stop it immediately.  I will also ask and answer questions as I go to help build understanding.  During the personal assignment aspect, I will be moving among the students and helping them understand and complete the assignment. Hopefully, this will also build trust with my students so that I can offer them support if they need it as many may not be receiving the support they need at home.  My students will be taking notes during the explanation part and working on the assignment later.  Those who finish early will have silent reading time. Not all students will probably comply with this directly.  Some will be off task or whispering to their neighbor.  Some may not feel like working.  I will be keeping a watch of the classroom and redirecting their attention where needed.  I will keep them from harming other students and encourage them to succeed while also helping them to feel safe.

How will I assess my students' learning and achievement? How will I know they have learned?

I will grade the assignments that they did in class and plan a follow up activity if necessary. From the performance on the assignments, I can deduce if the students really learned what I intended for them to learn.  If it seems that they are still struggling, I can follow up with them in the next class period or review for the whole class if things need to be clarified.  I can talk to them one on one two, especially if I feel liker there is more to any difficulty that they are having that what I can see on the surface.  I will try to grade them fairly, just as I will treat them fairly, no matter what gender, race, or culture they are or relate to.  I will also try to be self-critical to make sure that the assignments I give are actually assessing learning and that I am being considerate of my students background and individual needs.  What will be most important is if students learn to treat others respectfully and implement that.

Reflection: 

When I started the second run of this assignment, I at first didn't see that there was much that I could add. I talked about having "various backgrounds" and such, but I left out specifics.  I also talked about discipline and expectations in generally fair terms.   However, this really wouldn't have been a very helpful outline when it came to real experiences and there were a lot of people and situations that I hadn't even considered or that I'd skipped over which would have been very important for some teaching situations.  After studying the concept, I see that it is important to consider more specifically what things my students will face so that I can be better prepared to handle situations as they arrive.  I can also act more to prevent problems from arising in the first place and even in small way improve the overall educational experience of the students I am entrusted with during school. 

Since first creating my "Imagined Classroom,"  I feel like my eyes have opened a lot more to the concept of my students as individuals.  I am much more aware of who the students in my classroom may be.  I am also more aware of the difficulties they may face.  Making my classroom a safe and tolerant place for students to learn. I have also thought more on the resources and support that I may need to provide for my students.  I have a greater desire to better reach out to them and fulfill their needs so that they all are able to receive a better education. I want to take a stand against things like bullying and be active in helping students in other ways.  The individual of the classroom is so important and there is a lot to consider in being a trustworthy and helpful teacher so that my students will have the greatest chances for happiness in school.

Experience

I went to"Black Pioneers as Examples of Faith and Healing" with speakers Darius Grey and Margaret Blair Young.  I was surprised that I was familiar with the woman speaker.  She is the wife of one of my past professors.  I was already pretty sure that we saw the world a bit differently and that made me a little concerned.  I was surprised at how defensive I felt every time they mentioned "white" people doing something terrible or even just rude - as if the color of my skin made me something separate or was something I had to defend.  This had nothing to do with their words, but the way my mind initially perceived the situation. I was set at ease though as the man told the story he'd prepared.  He told the story of African-American Len Hope who converted to the church and stayed faithful despite persecution from without and within the church. Grey made it clear that the story of black LDS members was everyone's story as part of the church, just as people talk about how the trials of the pioneers is every member's story whether or not they're born "pioneer stock."  I like that.  I liked being connected to people of so much faith and strength that they could stand up among hypocrites and humbly stand firm in the faith.  There is a lot to be learned from their example. I was disturbed at how badly people, even those confessing to be converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and claiming those values taught in the scriptures of charity, could behave.  Unfortunately, this still happens today with all kinds of groups and prejudices.
      I don't know if there really is much risk when I consider these experiences, outside of losing my own sense of security in the world. It is certainly worth it if I can help even a few people heal from any pain they've faced so far. It's important to face and know about the problem in the world without perpetuating or reversing the effects.  In class we discussed race and ethnicity and the the complications that come with these concepts.  We also have had a lot of discussion on how it isn't enough just to claim that we aren't racist.  If we aren't taking action against racism, we are perpetuating it and I think that this is something that I often don't think about.  Being aware of what other's face is important, doing what I can to stop it is better.  We also talked about hegemony and culture.  It's hard when a culture just accepts prejudice and I think I need to find ways of questioning my culture.  The people who treated Hope the way they did were likely just following accepted ideas of those around them.
     Thinking about the classroom, I want students to feel that they are all part of each other's stories.  I think it's important, especially during literature studies that deal with sensitive race issues, to let them know that this is part of the human story - their story. When issues come up, I need to take the time as a teacher to talk about them.   I also want to note and deal with the hypocrisy in the world, but stay strong in the face of it rather than let it eat out their souls and destroy who they are.  I need to set the ideas before my students and show the how to critically analyse accepted concepts and question hegemony.  I hope I never may be accused of treating any student with so little dignity and be a part of such ignorance.  I was surprised at the way I felt when my race was being particularly represented in a certain light and I realized that there are plenty of people who face this everyday.  They may even come into classrooms already expecting the worst because of past hurt and perceiving things to be against them.  I feel pain for them.  I need to be aware and accept that some or many my students will be treated with disrespect by others at times for no logical reason.  Hopefully, I can be a resource to these students, helping them to overcome challenges that others have put in their way.  I can also present to all my students positive images of minorities to help them feel welcome and safe.

The Cutlure of Me

Artifacts:

Defining one's own culture can prove difficult, especially when it is influenced by so many different cultures and consists of so many different ideas and ways of doing things. Cultures also seem to vary widely from person to person.  Below are some artifacts of my personal culture.

(Painting by Del Parson)

The most important part of my culture is my belief in Jesus Christ.  This believes leads me to value service and compassion.  As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have a lot of beliefs and cultural practices.  One of these is reading scriptures daily and another is attendant the temple.  We as a culture place value on families, speak in terms of eternity, and share a common bond of understanding certain concepts. Temples are a symbols of some of these beliefs as well as of marriage.  

This is my family after we traveled all night to see a play that my youngest siblings were in.  The value of family is a huge part of my culture, especially being there for special moments in members of my family's lives.  We value supporting each other and helping each other out when we can. "Family first" is a common saying among us.

I live in a very celebratory culture.  We love decorating and celebrating holidays, many of these being very christian based celebration.  There are also symbols and traditions involved in the celebration, such as candy canes, that might not be understood to an outsider.   Another example of a celebratory tradition, is to cook cinnamon rolls for the LDS General Conference.

(Picture from Wikipedia)

As a student at BYU, with parents who went there, I am part of a culture that rejects certain cultural concepts like beards as well as certain behaviors (such as drinking, smoking, or premarital sex).  Being at BYU also comes with norms and jokes that are hard to understand outside the culture.

Just as going to college is a commonly desired thing in my culture, I am part of a culture where reading is considered important to intelligence. The culture I'm in also values hard work and education.  It is accepted that, without education, a persons options for the future are limited.

Being an American citizen adds to my culture.  Being American is associated with a certain patriotism that has been throughout my life to the point where I would be angry when a fellow American preferred Germany over america.  We say the pledge in schools and ideas such as freedom and liberty are things that are valued.  Our identity as a nation is also valued in itself.

One thing often associated with America, is a love of food, particularly in large amounts.  This kind of pizza is a common food loved in America.  I feel like this picture demonstrates the concept of food in America well with a massive pizza, which was delicious even if not of great quality.

Politics is a very important part of my personal culture.  Individual voice and efficacy are highly valued in this culture as well as good research in knowing about issues in politics.  It is valuable to know what candidates, such as Rubio, stand for and judge their policies for myself. My voice in government is a privilege that I shouldn't take for granted.  Part of this means I should do my part to stand up for ideals that I agree with, even if only by supporting organizations that share values similar to my own (as shown in the second picture).

(Picture from Wikipedia)

As an "army brat"  I have a lot of influence from military culture in my life that I think includes and awareness of the issues around me, the value of fighting for freedom and for what's right, even when it's difficult.  Sometimes, army culture also comes with a mildly morbid sense of humor.  

Having a father in the army also allowed me to move around the United States.  My personal culture, therefore, is made up of several different aspects from around the country.  I've been told before that I sometimes have a very mixed accent and I also sometimes feel like I failed in all those moves to grasp certain informal norms while moving from culture to culture. Since my father was also a chaplain, I also have adopted bits of culture from different religions and love things like Christian rock and Thanksgiving services.

(Picture from Wikipedia)

I have a lot of southern family and we were stationed for long periods in the south.  South.  This South Carolina flag represents my love of the south and the influence of southern culture in my life.  I can speak like a southerner if I want to and I can tell you that real red velvet cake tastes nothing like chocolate.  The meaning behind the flag represents their part in the revolutionary war which ideals of overcoming oppression are a huge part of my personal culture.  Growing up in the south, I had a strong sense of justice and the need to rebel at times.

Wherever we were stationed, we tended to live in the suburbs. Friendly neighbors, nice senses, and green grass seem to be values in the suburbs.  There are also a common things done, like afternoon walks and sitting out on porches in the evening. There are certain rules, some written and some not, that everyone knows to follow in such neighborhoods.  Mowing your lawn is a must, as is picking up dog poop, and sometimes not parking in the wrong places.

(Pricture from ewebdesign)

(Pricture from Facebook)

I live in a world of technology and social media.  Even if I am not a part of many of these sites, I come across content from them regularly and they shape thinking and values.  Self-image, celebrity news, clever ideas, and many more things are valued in the social media culture.  There are also plenty of etiquette rules that are unwritten and vary from country to country.  This includes things like who can message who or what kind of posts are acceptable on what mediums.  Along with social media culture is meme culture where pictures are taken to make statements, amuse people, and poke fun at other bits of culture.  They provide an interesting commentary on society, but can be lost if they are memes that fit into a larger cultural context.

Selfies and self-image are huge parts of my culture.  Some see selfie's as vain while others see it as a convenient way to take pictures.  Associated with this, however, is also a pressure for people to look ideal according to the culture they live in.  For Americans, this usually means being thin and stylish.  There is also a pressure put on me by everyone to dress up and wear make up because that is what my culture expects, and I do it from time to time even though I prefer not to.

Reflection:

From looking at these artifacts, I can see how there are a lot of intricacies to the way I live my life or the way I have been taught to live it by my culture.  Culture also is defined by many things and is different for everyone. I learned that there are lots of expectations and rules associated with cultures.  The cultures that I'm a part of can encourage many great moral behaviors like service and standing up for what I believe in.  My religious culture of compassion will help me to develop unconditional love for my students.  However, other parts of culture can encourage self-centered views or can exclude others. My culture of literacy has given me the insight and knowledge that I need to teach English, but could also blind me to the needs of students who haven't grown up with this kind of culture.  If I'm not careful, this culture of knowledge could also lead me to feelings of superiority. Attending BYU may also have contributed to making me a bit sheltered, even though it is an important part of my qualifying to teach.   My suburban culture has given me lots of experiences with people of young ages so that I know more about working with them, however, there is a culture of cities that I might run into in my jobs as a teacher that I might not know how to handle. Being in the army and moving around has given me a wide range of experiences where I have been able to view many cultures and have a better understanding of them.  As a result of moving around so much though, I might not realize that some students don't have these informing experiences.  I have developed a lot of firm ideas in my culture that could cause me to be close minded.  My use of media will be helpful as I try to find ways to gain my students' interest in the subject matter, but I can't get to caught up in what happens on line so that I neglect more important tasks.  My lack of care in my image will help me be able to see students beyond their images and might help them feel relaxed, but I need to maintain a professional appearance so as to maintain their respect and my authority.

.  I see from this that part of what makes me different from some people and more like others is the culture I am a part of.  For students, being a part of a culture that is different form those around you can be extremely difficult.  There are so many intricacies that they might not understand and rules that they could easily break without knowing it.  Cultures of compassion and reaching out are helpful to outsiders by encouraging them, while other cultures can be cruel.  There has been a lot of social media culture rejection in the form of cyber bullying.

My culture can be helpful in that I have so wide of an influence that I am more aware than some people about a variety of cultures. It is dangerous though if I become too comfortable in my culture that I am not open minded to the cultures of my students.  We can easily get caught up in thinking we know best, especially when our culture values knowledge and coming to truth yourself. As a teacher, I need to sometimes put aside my own culture so that I can understand and teach to students of various cultures in ways that they understand best.  I will need to have an open mind and be willing to learn more about other cultures.