"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."
-- G.K. Chesterton
IRA Standard 4
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Candidates create and engage their students in literacy
practices that develop awareness, understanding, respect, and a valuing of
differences in our society.
In Texas especially, educators need to be knowledgeable about the diversity in schools. We also need to understand that diversity impacts not only how we learn, but the way we express what we know. Diversity includes things as simple as speech patterns to more complex ideas like culture. Educators need to understand these factors impact learning not only of the individual student, but of the whole student body. On an even larger scale, diversity impacts schools, communities, and the world. We, therefore, must be advocates for an educational system that respects diversity and creates a fair learning environment for all learners.
Exemplar:
My first two years of teaching were spent as an ESL Plus classroom teacher. That experience alone demonstrated to me how diversity can impact learners. My coursework through TWU has brought to my attention the depth of which diversity influences both learners and teachers and how to use that diversity in a positive way in the classroom. I have included my Multiliteracies Project to demonstrate that a teacher’s role includes advocating for societal and institutional changes. In this project I reviewed research and then applied that knowledge in critiquing a film. What I found is that providing links between communities and schools is a crucial element in establishing changes in societal practices and institutional structures. I also realized that to provide social justice, you must bring teachers, parents and guardians, administrators, and community members on board to establish any long-term, effective change. In other words, teachers must understand they cannot lead the charge, but must rally members to work together.
Application:
Recognizing, understanding, and valuing forms of diversity is necessary to establish social justice, but it is also necessary in developing students as agents of their own literacy learning. To show my ability in developing students as agents, I have included lesson 1 and lesson 3 from my Diversity practicum. These two lessons helped me learn two very important elements of teaching diversity and working with diverse students. First, instructional materials allow teachers to differentiate more easily. In both of these lessons I was able to engage my student through the use of digital texts. Additionally, online resources like WOWLit.org provided engaging activities that lead to deep conversations and responsive interactions. Next, I realized how providing a positive, engaging activity allowed my student to develop his understanding of culture and moved him toward being an agent of his own literacy learning. Through this course, I am better prepared to help teachers recognize their own cultures and aid them in differentiating instruction for their students. The most important realization is the fact that my role is to be a bridge between teachers and students as well as school and community.
In Texas especially, educators need to be knowledgeable about the diversity in schools. We also need to understand that diversity impacts not only how we learn, but the way we express what we know. Diversity includes things as simple as speech patterns to more complex ideas like culture. Educators need to understand these factors impact learning not only of the individual student, but of the whole student body. On an even larger scale, diversity impacts schools, communities, and the world. We, therefore, must be advocates for an educational system that respects diversity and creates a fair learning environment for all learners.
Exemplar:
My first two years of teaching were spent as an ESL Plus classroom teacher. That experience alone demonstrated to me how diversity can impact learners. My coursework through TWU has brought to my attention the depth of which diversity influences both learners and teachers and how to use that diversity in a positive way in the classroom. I have included my Multiliteracies Project to demonstrate that a teacher’s role includes advocating for societal and institutional changes. In this project I reviewed research and then applied that knowledge in critiquing a film. What I found is that providing links between communities and schools is a crucial element in establishing changes in societal practices and institutional structures. I also realized that to provide social justice, you must bring teachers, parents and guardians, administrators, and community members on board to establish any long-term, effective change. In other words, teachers must understand they cannot lead the charge, but must rally members to work together.
Application:
Recognizing, understanding, and valuing forms of diversity is necessary to establish social justice, but it is also necessary in developing students as agents of their own literacy learning. To show my ability in developing students as agents, I have included lesson 1 and lesson 3 from my Diversity practicum. These two lessons helped me learn two very important elements of teaching diversity and working with diverse students. First, instructional materials allow teachers to differentiate more easily. In both of these lessons I was able to engage my student through the use of digital texts. Additionally, online resources like WOWLit.org provided engaging activities that lead to deep conversations and responsive interactions. Next, I realized how providing a positive, engaging activity allowed my student to develop his understanding of culture and moved him toward being an agent of his own literacy learning. Through this course, I am better prepared to help teachers recognize their own cultures and aid them in differentiating instruction for their students. The most important realization is the fact that my role is to be a bridge between teachers and students as well as school and community.
mulitliteracies_project-coach_carter.pdf | |
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5513_lesson_1.pdf | |
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5513_lesson_plan_3.pdf | |
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