Hi! My name is Bria Mineo! I am currently a sophomore studying English Secondary Education at The College of New Jersey. Based on my family's long line of teachers and my positive experience as a student, I am eager to begin this career path. I hope to create an inclusive classroom environment, in which diversity is welcomed and supported. As an individual with two moms, I have witnessed how important it is to accept and appreciate all walks of life. Teachers have the greatest super power: making an impact on young minds. We are able to shape the next generation for the better, and being an inclusive teacher is the first step. I have always loved English classrooms, as they welcomed complex conversations and allowed me to express my honest opinions without judgment. English classes offer the opportunity for self-expression and allow students to develop both emotionally and academically; therefore, implementing inclusive practices will create monumental emotional growth for both my students and myself. The Education system in today's society is broken; however, with the right teachers and knowledge from myself, and other future teachers, have the opportunity to mend the damaged ways of the past. I cannot wait to get started on this life changing journey!

Jamila Lyiscott: Why English Class is Silencing Students of Color TEDxTheBenjaminSchool

Mrs. Berloco has been working as a Resource Room Teacher at Belleville School 5 for twenty-five years. After interviewing her, and gaining insight on how she makes an effort to practice inclusive teaching, it is clear that she is knowledgable and passionate in her field of work. She assists her fourteen students for reading, writing, and math with a high level of patience and inclusion. School 5, along with many other school systems, are practicing 'push-in' teaching, meaning the resource teachers go into the general classrooms, rather than pulling out these specific students. When talking to Mrs. Berloco she stated it is important to "have the students fit in with the rest of the class" and that her school strictly emphasizes "less and less pull out and more and more inclusion." Her beliefs are the perfect practice that all teachers, in the present and future, should attempt to follow. As an future English teacher, I resonated specifically with Mrs. Berloco's writing tactics. She gave an example of the students writing an opinion essay piece. If the general students are completing a five paragraph essay, she will modify the format for the resource students and arrange for them to write a three paragraph essay. Other forms of differentiation includes using graphic organizers to allow her students to visualize their essay, drawing on the board, and providing examples before the students begin to write. She uses the first ten minutes of class as a 'mini lesson,' in which she reviews simple writing techniques, such as transition words and grammar to allow students to feel confident in their work. When writing essays, she uses "a lot of together work," as her students individually work one-on-one with her and also share their work aloud ot the class. As our interview wrapped up, she left me with one quote that truly impacted my mindset as a future educator. She stated, "if a stranger were to come into an inclusion room, they should not be able to tell who are the resource students and who are the general students." Although I am not majoring in Special Education, I very well could be paired with a resource teacher in my classroom. It is important to treat all students in the classroom, both resource and general, like my very own. Mrs. Berloco was a joy to interview, and I am very appreciative of the advice she provided me. Her work to create inclusive classrooms inspires me for my future practice! 

Classroom Design/Layout Increases Inclusivity! 

TikTok: "Things in my High School English Classroom That Just Make Sense" 

Username: @msbhernandez 

As it is stated in the English Secondary curriculum, it is no surprise that my students will be writing some form of essay or completing projects based on novels read in class. Whether it be research or theory based, my students will be encouraged to use their best abilities. With that being said, I would love for my students to present their work to the class and become comfortable promoting themselves to their peers. From the practices learned in EFN 299, I understand as an educator to create an inclusive atmosphere for all of my students. Promoting choice is such an important and easy way to incorporate students' feelings and increase a teacher-student relationship. Students expressing themselves in the form of an essay, video, artistic pieces etc. creates an excitement for both the students and myself as a teacher. It will be so fulfilling to watch my students highlight their talents and efforts while tying it to material learned in class. Teaching needs to be more tailored to those who you are teaching, hence the students. Giving choices opens up possibilities of self-expression, connection, and ethusiam. As a teacher, you cannot go wrong by promoting democracy in your classroom!

In an English classroom, I will be reading with my students quite frequently. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the various learning styles that students may need to reach their highest abilities. When reading, I can accommodate all students. The visual learners are able to read the words and pictures on the page to imagine the scene that is taking place. On the other hand, I can simultaneously play an audio book that mimics the exact sounds of the book. As students read, they are able to emerge themselves in the book and understand the plot from both a visual and auditory perspective. Similarly, after reading each book, I would love to find an accurate film version of the story. I think physically watching each scene taking place allows students to fill in the gaps to what they missed when they were reading. With this, I will also turn on closed-captioning to adhear to all accommodations. It is essential to target all learning characteristics when teaching. Although it seems complex to tackle all at once, it is very possible to create an inclusive classroom that promotes all learning styles.