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The first evidence has really opened me up to the realization of other cultures and lifestyles. It is so important to welcome all types of diversity in your classroom, but it is also important to understand and accommodate any differences these students may have because of their culture. Completing the self-analysis also showed me where I stand and what kind of student I was as well. This helps you realize that you have to be very open minded of all students who don’t learn or function exactly like you might have when you were an elementary student. The most important thing you can do is be aware of diversity, and design instruction and strategies to accommodate to all students in your classroom.
From both revising my management plan and writing this annotation, I see I have developed. My knowledge has grown and my experiences in the classroom have helped shape my beliefs and my philosophies as a teacher. In regards to diversity, it is so important to acknowledge and accept every single student. It is crucial to class morale. I remember being in elementary school and being teased for being too this or too that, and I know ‘kids will be kids’, but I am going to strive to make a difference; change the mind frames of my students. If they are primary grade students, I want to shape their schema about accepting diversity before they ever have a chance to know otherwise. If they are upper-level grade students, I want to teach them lessons they will use for the rest of their lives, and I want them to know that. I want to prepare them for the years ahead, help them develop a good head on their shoulders. Teachers are arguably the most influential person in a child’s life, so it is so important to me to promote acceptance, and to celebrate our differences, because this is, of course, what makes us special.
Modifying this lesson plan took a good amount of time, but I am now fully aware of how crucial and beneficial it is to do so. Every student is so very different, and if there is any way I can help them to feel a part of the group, it is worth it. It is not only worth it to their confidence and self esteem, but also to their learning. ESOL students need to be immersed in the English language, but with strategies built in the lesson to help them understand the lesson. Doing this assignment, implementing it in my Level I internship, and writing this annotation to reflect really allowed me to see that even though it takes a little bit more work, it is so worth it for these students to grow to their fullest potential as an English-speaking student.
I have seen my students grow so much from these lessons about acceptance, diversity, and stereotyping. In order to have a successful classroom environment, all students need to feel accepted, included, and equal to everyone else. It is my responsibility to provide appropriate instruction and strategies to teach my students awareness about all different types of diversity. If they are aware of it, they will be more likely to practice strategies of acceptance and tolerance.
This unit was definitely a wonderful learning experience for me as well as the children. I now see the importance of creating an atmosphere of respect, acceptance, and honor of diversity. It is easy for a child to look around and see that there are differences among his peers; but it’s a completely different thing to learn and understand background and history that make all ethnicities what they are today. Getting the families and community involved in our unit was a great thing, because it showed that there is such diversity everywhere you look- even in your own family and in the books you read.
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