Abstract
When I started my Master's program at N.C. State I was beginning my second year of teaching and very passionate about my career and the group of students that I get to teach. The student body at my school is diverse in ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and academic ability. My students come from such different backgrounds that preconceived notions about one another are very common. The stereotypes that they hear discussed at home or in their neighborhoods sometimes strain the relationships among my students and inevitably hinder the education environment. Through my graduate program I wanted to learn, "how teachers could encourage their students with diverse backgrounds and experiences to be culturally responsive and respectful to each other."
Early in my graduate program I learned a lot about different cultures and "baggage" that those cultures bring with them. This led me to see that discussing cultural differences in my classroom is much better than ignoring the differences. Helping my students to understand the inter-workings of their cultures will lead to a more profitable and cooperative learning environment rather than one riddled with cliques and tension.
I also discovered the democratic classroom. It instills autonomy in the individual as well as encourages and cultivates a well working community within the classroom. Through my program I learned the value of 21st century skills in today’s world. If tasks are to get done in a timely manner, if meaningful learning is to take place I must demonstrate to my students what good communication skills look like. Through my graduate program I have learned about the students I teach, the classroom I want to create, and the world in which I want to prepare them for. All of which has helped me to answer my initial question.
Early in my graduate program I learned a lot about different cultures and "baggage" that those cultures bring with them. This led me to see that discussing cultural differences in my classroom is much better than ignoring the differences. Helping my students to understand the inter-workings of their cultures will lead to a more profitable and cooperative learning environment rather than one riddled with cliques and tension.
I also discovered the democratic classroom. It instills autonomy in the individual as well as encourages and cultivates a well working community within the classroom. Through my program I learned the value of 21st century skills in today’s world. If tasks are to get done in a timely manner, if meaningful learning is to take place I must demonstrate to my students what good communication skills look like. Through my graduate program I have learned about the students I teach, the classroom I want to create, and the world in which I want to prepare them for. All of which has helped me to answer my initial question.