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.