Reflection Paper #7

Reflection Paper #7: React to the article teaching for Inclusion.

This article was very informative and gave great insight into the plight of teachers being fully objective in the classroom and with their students. I also found this article to be very thought provoking and raised my own self awareness in general as an individual living in a diverse and multi-cultural environment. As I think about daily living and interacting with others, I can admit that this sometimes may create conflicting views that could in some instances become volatile. We must always at the very least reflect tolerance for this wide spectrum of diversities- race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual preferences, and disabilities (physical or cognitive). There is so much to consider and incorporate in your teaching style and this article gave a lucid representation of the pitfalls one may encounter as well as the victories. One very important aspect of this article in my opinion is that as an educator we must be authoritative and be in total control of the classroom. This article emphasized that a teacher must create their own culture in the classroom. Culture – own beliefs, morals, and values for the progression of a group. Well, this gave me a moment of pause because this very same concept wants me to bring people of many cultures into one, at least for the time they are in my classroom. I realized that I must first be brave enough and willing to negate many of my own complexes in order to be a successful educator and communicator. Setting your own classroom culture or atmosphere is indeed a must and most definitely should begin the first day of school. Consistency in this area must also be factored in. One of the motto of my homeland, Jamaica, is “out of many, one people”. Most Jamaicans do not categorize themselves as black, white, Indian or Chinese because we are all Jamaicans – one people, one country. I feel this is the right concept to take into my classroom and formulate my own culture. An atmosphere of free thinking, open discussions, respectful comments and behavior, tolerance of differences and the belief that everyone is equal and all will be treated as such. Making sure that the ground rules are in place will set the tone and will perpetuate the order of events thereafter. There were many great tips to follow for class discussions and making sure the students don’t get rancid hyperbole emotions that will result in degradation of any other student. In order to do this, creativity, training, interest and intelligence will be necessary from me. This article will serve me well. I think that this is an article that I will keep and refer back to time and time again as I continue my quest to be an effective and successful educator.