Month: March 2023

I think the way we learn mathematics in school is very focused on 1 method and perspective, which is the traditional way we all know of memorization, copying and repetition. The teacher teaches a lesson, writes out some problems on the board, you practice a few in class and a few on your own while doing the same at home. This approach to math does not take into account the many different types of learners that there are or the many students who may have learning disabilities which would impact their success. I think its oppressive for those students who are not your neurotypical ones, for example those who might have issues with memorization but may excel at more interactive learning. With all the knowledge we have now about how students learn, and how different it can be for many of them than I believe it would be ideal for education as a whole to take a different approach to teaching math. Or at the very least open up that option for those who would like to explore it.

One way the Inuit people up north challenged Eurocentric views on math is by using math as a way of communication as well, developing a precise vocabulary when talking about spatial relations, distance and sense of space. They also used their surroundings, culture and environment to relate to what they were learning in math, therefore making it easier to pick up.

I think we as future teachers can help multilingual student be engaged by getting them to share their unique stories and perspectives. That way they can feel heard by their peers and teachers and then the other students can gain new, different perspectives that perhaps they have never heard of before. Also allowing room in the classroom for multiple languages, never telling kids that they must only speak english or whatever the language of instruction might  be. We can also take the stigma away from them speaking other languages and make it a norm in the classroom rather than an outlier or an exception.

It would go a long way to integrating multilingual instructional strategies if we as teachers invite students to share words from their home languages with their classmates and explain wwhat it means. Over time, students and teachers learn a new collection of words in different languages. Or perhaps teachers can display words in other languages in the classroom, making the environment more inclusive in general for multilanguage speakers. Inviting teachers and community members to share stories orally and written would also be a good step forward.

I think we can begin to tackle the systemic oppression felt by LGBTQ+ students by first acknowledging that it happens in all schools and communities. It is not a topic that we can sweep under the rug or ignore simply cause it makes some uncomfortable to talk about or because they think its not relevant to them.  As much as some people may think that these topics are not appropriate to discuss in schools or are not relevant to their kids, the fact is that LGBTQ+ students are everywhere and are experiencing discrimination and oppression with alarming consistency. Clearly things need to change in our schools systems if the same issues being faced by these students 10 years ago are generally the same issues that are still hurting them today. After clearly acknowledging the issues, policies and rules need to be developed to support and protect LGBTQ+ students in the education system so they no longer feel marginalized and like their teachers do not understand them at all.

As we discussed in class, getting input from LGBTQ+ students and their parents on topics and issues that pertain to them is crucial for the community to feel included and equal. We as future teachers must also ensure that these students feel safe and secure in the classroom settings, always remembering that for LGBTQ+ students their needs extend farther than sexuality or gender. They also face the same problems that all other students navigate through as they grow up.

I think in our future, culturally relevant pedagogy will have to take into account the diverse groups of students that we will be teaching as well as their families and what they’re expectations are of the education system. While you can not cater to everyone at all times, you have to expand your perspective as society evolves to include new groups, views, and needs.

In my future as a teacher, I hope to be as inclusive as possible to all students and be able to adapt and evolve as needed with the ever changing student population. I also think that making connections with parents that are more than superficial can go a long way into making the transition easier for those who come from different cultures and backgrounds.