Culturally Diverse Mid-term by Miranda Armenta

      It is important to be open-minded when living in a culturally diverse world.  The four corners is very culturally diverse so in order to be an effective teacher there are certain considerations that need to be taken.  This course was designed to give beginning teachers the tools necessary to be a culturally diverse teacher. 

      There are four major strands of work to look at when going through this course.  The first strand is communication.  Being one of the only two graduate students has given me the opportunity to communicate with someone with a completely different perspective.  Clark, Frances, and I had a really good discussion about the love and use of words.  This encounter was very insightful because I was able to see someone else’s point of view.  I feel like this has been the only comprehensive discussion so far in the semester, and I look forward to more.  The second strand, which is research/content, has mostly to do with the essay readings and the case study.  So far the readings have gone real well.  They are interesting and provide a lot of information, and the reflections help me with the key concepts in these essays.  The case study is yet to be determined.  It will be interesting to see what information I will learn from this experience.  Technology, which is the third strand, has to do with the website.  I have never had my own website before so it has been a learning experience.  I feel frustrated sometimes when I can’t figure why something doesn’t work, but I feel that technology is so important when becoming a teacher and I want to be able to know how to do the same things my students will know how to do.  Collaboration, the fourth strand, has to do with working with Charlotte Bradshaw’s class.  This has not happened yet, but I am real excited to be working with a student on this assignment.  This will give me great experience working one-to-one with a student.  All of these strands play an important role in this class, and it will be exciting to see how they progress throughout the rest of the semester.

      I feel like we are just getting started this semester so there is not a whole lot to reflect on except for maybe my predictions for the rest of the semester.  The five dimensions of learning will help me to better organize my thoughts.  The first dimension, which is confidence and independence is based on how I feel with my own reading, writing, and thinking abilities.  I am a very observant person, and I listen more than I speak.  I feel like I learn more this way, but I really need to focus on putting my thoughts out there so that others benefit from my thoughts like I benefit from theirs.  The second is skills and strategies.  I have had lots of experience with my own skills and experience.  I have taken many classes that have required me to communicate through papers and presentations.  Something I need to focus on is speaking to a group of my peers because I get a little nervous.  It is important that I get more comfortable because I will have to speak to other teachers throughout my career.  Knowledge and content, which is the third dimension.  I feel like I have learned a lot about sign language from Vicki Bruno.  I am really glad I have had the chance to learn from her because she has so much to offer.  I really want to take a course on sign language because I feel like sign language awareness can be really important in a classroom.  Use of prior and emerging experience is the fourth dimension.  I have had lots of experience dealing with culturally diverse people.  I have lived in many different parts of the country.  I feel like it is important to visit different places to experience different cultures.  I do not have very much experience with kids who are culturally diverse so I hope to learn some good techniques.  The last dimension which is critical reflection is probably the hardest to answer.  I want to say that I have explored my own person biases and prejudices, but I don’t know.  I don’t think I have any, but I feel like I would be lying to myself because I don’t think it is possible.  I feel like it is human nature to have some sort of bias.  I am aware of cultural stereotypes and linguistic sensitivities.  I feel like awareness is the most powerful tool to have as teachers.  If I can be aware of cultural diversity I can develop the tools I need to be an effective teacher. 

      I feel that at this time in the semester is it hard to put a grade on what I have done so far.  I would say a B because I feel like an A is earned, and I will earn it.  Things I can do to further my own future development in this class is to keep a better schedule.  I tend to wait to the last minute to do things because I have so much going on, but I need to be a little more organized.  Organization will also be beneficial when I become a teacher.  I feel like something that the professor can do in order to better support my learning is to maybe be a little more clear about what her expectations of me in this class are.  I understand the idea that learning should just happen, but I need a little more direction because I am a structured learner.  It can be confusing being split up as a graduate student in a class full of undergraduate students.  It doesn’t feel like we are on the same page when it comes to course work. 

      In the future I hope to be able to use the tools I have learned from this class in my own classroom so all of my students can benefit.