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Castillo I

Rosa Castillo

Module: EDUG 501 Assessing Socio-Cultuml Diversity

Questions
to.
September

Assignment: Your Culture is Different

8,2015

Ifi,

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1.

What can you do

so

that you and your students feel comfortable with one another?

There are many ways as a future teacher that I can make my students and I feel

comfortable. T.eachers have the responsibility to create a classroom that is inviting to all the
students. Teacher need to make sure that they create a community feeling in their classroom

where students can be themselves and feel they will be made fun of or ridiculed. Furthermore, as

I need to make sure that I create a supportive, caring environment for my students. I

a teacher

will
as

be able to do this by celebrating diversity; each student's diversity is special to each of them

individuals. By celebrating each student's owri'diversity I am giving value to who they are

because their diversity is an important part of who they are. Celebrating diversity

students feel welcomed and understood; in tum

students I

will feel understood by them

as

and believe that all students can succeed.

will

ensure that

if I am able to value my own diversity with my

well. I need to have high expectations for my students

It is important that

as a teacher

standard regardless of my students' academic level and abilities.

I am to abide by this

It is important that all my

students feel they are getting an equal chance ofeducation and that they can be challenged as

well. As a teacher I need to make sure that I encourage all of my students. I am sure that I will
have students in my classroom that are always excelling;
students.

see

it is essential that I recognize all my

it this way each student has a different ability to learn, and each student is

reaching each academic milestone at their own pace, as a teacher my job is to ensure they are

"growing academically." However, each student is working hard to get where they are, some
might get there faster than others, but they work just as hard or harder to get there. This is why it
is essential that I encourage all my students to be successful. Another tactic I can use as an
educator is respond to all my students enthusiastically. This means that I need to make sure that I
make all my students feel welcomes. I can do this by greeting them when they come in a sincere,

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caring way. I want to make sure that all my students know that they are acknowledge and not
ignored. To add to this I need to makes sure that I show all my students that I care for them. This
means that

I am engaged in what goes on with at school, and I take the time to talk and to listen

to their concerns. This will enable me to build a relationship with my students and when I have
reprimand them for something I will have a higher probability to get a positive response. Last but

not least I can create an environment that is an anti-bias educational environment. "In an antibias classroom, children learn to be proud of themselves and of their families, to respect human
differences, to iecognize bias, and to speak up foi'what is right." (Burden & Boyd, pg. 40) I like

this quote because I think it is key, to all the students. Students come from diverse backgrounds
and histories, and

it is a big part of who they are. As a future educator it is my job to create

an

environment that is not hostile but accepting. I must teach my students to be anti-biased and be
accepting to otirer students. By doing this it allows students to feel accepted and understood; in
turn the students will be more successful.

2. What can you do so that the different backgrounds do not contribute to

misunderstandings and off-task behavior?

It is important to understand that culture plays

"In

a key

role in the make-up of who we are.

a culturally responsive classroom, the student's culture is seen as a source

of strength on

which to rely, not as a problem to be overcome or as something to be overlooked." (Burden &

Boyd, pg. 36) As a teacher there are many ways that I can help students understand each other,s
backgrounds. The better my students understand each other the better community we
become as a class.

I can have culture days where all day we celebrate

student or students. That day

will

a culture pertaining to a

I can teach the class about that specific culture

as

well

as

traditions,

food, and important celebrations. I can bring in costumes to celebrate that culture and possibly

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bring some food that represents that culture. The book mentions many key points that would best
answer this question. The first point is to examine my own values and belief; regards my
students as individuals. I need learn something about the students' family and community

relationships. I need to also consider nonstandard English and native languages as basic
languages for students from culturally diverse populations to support gradual but necessary

instruction in the majority of language. I need to allow students to work in cross-cultural teams
and facilitate cooperation while noting qualities and talents that emerge. Lastly I need to infuse

the curriculum with regular emphasis on other crfltures, rather than providing just one unit a year
or a few isolated stereotyped activities. By implementing these standards I will be sure that all
students feel accepted and understood. This in tum

will

reduce any kind of misunderstanding and

task-off behavior significantly. I believe the more we understand individuals in whichever

context it may be; we will be prone to be more open minded and accepting to what is unknown
to us.