Classrooms should have Feelings, Sounds and a certain Look for it’s Students?
As teachers we need to always be questioning factors such as what does a culturally relevant pedagogy and classroom look like? Feel like? Sound like? When teachers consider how to have a more culturally relevant pedagogical forward classroom, breaking it up into these three sections has made it easy to understand what needs to be done to improve.
As a teacher I want my classroom to look like this? I want students to show signs of being understood, for who they are on the inside and out. Each student should look like their cultural background is being respected and taken care of. All students should look like they have a strong sense of security and comfort in the classroom for sure, but outside as well. Amongst all of this all students should look like their own personal culture is being loved and learned about. I will implement this look into my classroom by utilizing resources, readings, case studies and videos that lie on the side of factual evidence rather than opinion. Ideally having a culturally relevant pedagogy you must be all inclusive and be willing to change the look of the classroom. To improve your classroom for others and teach on the ideas of implementing ideas that will benefit everyone. Ideas such as strategies, methods, policies that exude and look like inclusivity.
As a soon to be teacher I want my classroom to sound like? A place where students should never have to hear discriminating words being mentioned in the classroom or articles being read. The words read, words spoken and terminology used should be positive, self improving and empowering to all people. Words that can be utilized by all to make others feel better. Also used to create positive change in the classroom and outside the classroom too. All reading sources we utilize in the classroom should be exuding terminology that creates a better balance of self improvement but also empowerment. I want to be a teacher where we learn current terms and acronyms which further support positive and changing views of learning, that are narrowing in the direction of being more all inclusive and diverse.
As a teacher I want my classroom to feel like? Every student in my classroom should feel as though they can bring every single part of what makes them them. 110% of every student should and will be accepted into my classroom. I hope to see my students have a smile on their face, as often as humanly possible. They should feel as though they can learn anything they set their mind to.
To close: As a teacher I want to provide a classroom environment where the student’s feel like it’s another home away from home. As homes can be a place of learning, realizations, self discovery, love and big changes. My classrooms will always and forever be a home away from.. HOME!
One Comment
Cameron Ford
You wrote a remarkable response for this weeks discussions. We as educators are responsible for students and must develop a sense of place in our classroom. Students should feel comfortable and safe in an education atmosphere; by developing this realm of comfort we can create bonds between students and other students, as well as students and teachers. It is important to understand how we can go about making our classroom comfortable and safe through diversity and inclusivity. I like your point stating, “A place where students should never have to hear discriminating words being mentioned in the classroom or articles being read.” Novels such as To Kill A Mockingbird utilize derrogatory terms to highlight communications and racism of the period, but educating students about this is outdated. Phasing outdated novels with discriminatory stories is a step towards prevent discrimination in our classrooms. You do a wonderful job of expressing your values in the classroom and outlining the importance of students feeling that your classroom is “a home away from… HOME!”