#1 - Foundations of Multi-Cultural Learning

I grew up in schools where everyone looked like me, spoke my language, had similar religious beliefs, and came from similar socio-economic backgrounds.  I attended small private schools in Oklahoma, and as I look back now I see that one of the school's goal was to have everyone be part of the same "culture".  The public schools in my neighborhood became infiltrated with gang activity by the time I was in fourth grade, so my parents made the decision to enroll my brother and me in private school.  For me it seemed to be a better learning environment - I could take more challenging classes, receive more individual attention from teachers, and freely practice my religion.

As I currently study the status of education today, I realize that I have much to learn from the diverse people I will encounter.  Students, families, faculty, and staff hail from around the world...a world much different than the one I experienced as a child.  I look forward to embracing different cultures and gaining from their rich traditions as I step into the the role of an educator.  I will have countless opportunities to bridge cultural gaps, build community, and bond students together as we explore similarities and differences in our classroom.  As the leader of my classroom, I will be able to set a tone of openness, tolerance, and excitement to learn from others who have different backgrounds.

Leading a diverse classroom well is going to be a difficult task, but not an impossible one.  I will need to set high standards and expectations, and help each student achieve them.  This will help in making students feel like they are integral parts of the class.  I need to realize that each culture has different traditions and social norms, and be sensitive to these in my interactions with students.  As I express cultural sensitivity, I need to be cautious to not focus on differences and make the students feel that differences are more important than similarities - build bridges, not separate pathways.  It will be a challenge to accommodate every student's individual culture, but the fruit that comes from rising up to the challenge will be worth the effort.