Diversity in the Classroom by Meghan

It is extremely important for me as a teacher to learn about the diversity in my classroom. Every student comes from a unique background that defines who they are as a person. In order to understand my students I need to show an interest in their lives. When I was in elementary school my teacher had every student make a family tree and present it to the class. We could draw pictures or paste photographs on to a board with a description of each family member underneath. I loved this project, my family was very important to me and I was proud to share who they were with the rest of my class. I was also very interested in my classmates families as well. I think this was a great idea for my teacher to get to know each student and for the class to get to know on another as well. Another idea would be to have the students pick someone that is very important to them and write a story or poem describing that person. This may be a better alternative tot he family tree because some students may not have the best family environment and they may not be willing to share things about some family members. It is our responsibility as a teacher to decide which activity is more appropriate for our students. During class last week we discussed writing a "where I'm from" poem. I really like this idea because it allows the students creative side shine while allowing them to write about something that they are interested in and familiar with. this activity also allows the teacher to gain insight about that student and helps the class to learn more about that student as well.

I was fortunate enough to go to a very diverse school that supported and catered to each student's background. In December we learned about each holiday that is celebrated during the month from parents who volunteered to talk to the students. the parents had the opportunity to decorate the room, bring in food, and teach us about various activities that helped us to learn more about the holiday. Everyone had a lot of fun during these activities and also learned a lot not only about different religions but about their classmates as well. It is important to show students that you as a teacher are interested in who they are and where they come from. Activities like these really show that you care and that you are interested in their lives. In the Gibbson reading from last week he stresses the fact that, "Second language learners are not a homogenous group, but are as varied in terms of their background, experiences, language, expectations, values, culture, and socioeconomic status as any other group of students." All students are different and as a teacher it is my duty to realize and learn what makes each student unique so I can better understand them individually.