Alex Lawhon

Reflection for Standard 2.3 Respect for diversity

Candidates demonstrate the ability to develop a collection of reading and information materials in print and
digital formats that support the diverse developmental, cultural, social, and linguistic needs of P-12 students and
their communities.
Artifact Description
EDUC 717, Text Set on Mexico:
A Prezi presentation was created to provide a text set and information on the topic of Mexico and
Mexican culture. The text set includes digital resources on the history of Mexico and its cultural traditions. It
also includes fictional and nonfiction print resources that highlight Mexican culture and traditions. Resources
are in both English and Spanish and provide representation of a marginalized culture.
ISTC 651, Unit Plan Resources:
During the creation of a unit plan which integrated inquiry-based research, cross-curricular content, and
technology, resources were curated that include a diverse range of texts to meet the learning needs of fifth grade
students. Included are a variety of developmentally appropriate resources (i.e. different leveled texts and
multimedia formats) along with resources that cover topics on various cultures and are in different languages
found in the Fountain Green Elementary School (FGES) community. The resources encompass multiple social
and cultural perspectives that students engage with through research.
ISTC 615, Quality Materials for Teaching:
This artifact created for ISTC 615 includes cross-content resources for reading, social studies, science,
and health. All the curated resources relate to exploring the theme of how individuals overcome challenges and
include print, audio/visual, community, and other resources for each subject area. The collection of resources
supports diversity through its range of topics covered including veterans, mental and physical handicaps, and
historical events.
Relevance
The three preceding artifacts support AASL Standard 2.3: Respect for diversity by showing collections
of resources that vary in their formats and in their ability to address the varied needs of students.
In EDUC 717, the text set that was created on the topic of Mexico is relevant to Standard 2.3 because
while it has a very specific focus, it includes resources that are diverse and meet the needs of the community. A
variety of genres are included and in each genre category are texts that are bilingual or in Spanish. The collected
resources are not only print resources, but also digital and subscription resources. The book Becoming Dr. Q
was included in this text set specifically for FGES; it is an autobiographical work written by a parent in the
school about his experience as a migrant farm worker and then becoming a prominent brain surgeon. This work
covers multiple cultural and social themes that resonant within the school and the curriculum.
 The resources curated for the unit plan support the diverse needs of students. The plan includes print
resources that can be leveled to meet the learning needs of the reader by changing the Lexile (i.e. Newsela).
Multimedia resources like Capstone eBooks can be read aloud to become accessible to different developmental
levels, while other texts become accessible through the Voice Aloud application. The unit that these materials
were curated for is on the theme of making a difference, and the resources include information from a variety of
cultures and perspectives, including texts written by women, African-Americans, those who have physical
limitations, and various age groups and social classes.
The Quality Materials for Teaching artifact includes materials that further advocate for diversity. This
collection includes resources that are about and by minorities, individuals with physical and mental differences
and differing social backgrounds. Along with the print and non-print resources that accompany these subjects,
community resources and activities to engage students are included as well. These sources point patrons to the
Wounded Warrior Project, discussions on how those with disabilities overcome challenges every day, field trips
to places like Washington, D.C., and involvement in awareness activities such as Best Buddies Month.
Analysis
After being able to implement the use of these collections in my classroom, I will be able to continue to
enhance their use in the library media center setting. The text set on Mexico provided my students with the
opportunity to learn about and to value a marginalized culture. Students could learn about the Mexican culture
through resources that appealed to their different developmental abilities and learning styles. I have learned that
by incorporating materials that are inclusive to as many learning styles, linguistic, cultural, social and
developmental needs as possible enables students to learn about themselves and others and become contributive
citizens in their community. Moving forward, I would like to further engage the community by hosting an event
that would encourage students to connect with Mexican culture. Having Dr. Quiñones, the author of Becoming
Dr. Q, come speak in the media center would promote more learning and showcase how valuable the library is
as a community resource.
After using the collection in the unit plan to complete an inquiry-based writing project, I will continue to
assess the collection year after year. The ability of a collection to meet the needs of the learners fluctuates each
year. I plan on completing needs assessments and researching the demographics of the school to continue to
develop a collection that will be the most effective for those who are using it. This means making sure resources
accommodate individual learning differences using Universal Design for Learning strategies and ensuring
materials include a variety of culturally and socially diverse subjects and authors.
Lastly, through the artifact in ISTC 615, I have found that the inclusion of activities that engage students
in diverse experiences has been the most eye-opening for students learning about diversity in physical and
mental abilities. In the future, having the library become a meeting place for programs such as Best Buddies or
for exploring opportunities to be involved with other projects (i.e. Wounded Warriors) will strengthen the bond
between community and library and encourage tolerance and the growth of influential citizens in our society.