Article Summary: One of the greatest tasks that an educator has when the school year begins is creating their classroom environment. Educators must get to truly know their students in order to create a community where everyone is accommodated. However, creating an inclusive environment isn't just a job that should be done only at the beginning of the year. Your lesson plans, assignments, and approach to teaching can and should be constantly evolving, fostering equity in every step. Overall, there are numerous techniques and tools that educators can utilize to implement equality for every one of their students.
What I learned: The biggest takeaway that I got from this article was that there are actually many steps in making sure your classroom is as accommodating and inclusive as possible.
Any Changes: The only thing that I would change about this article is to include more inclusive language and ideas that cater to kids of all ages in the classroom. This article was created by a University, so I completely understand why the audience is someone more mature. However, I would love it if the author discussed more tools that were friendly for younger students, too!
Agree and Disagree: I agree with many statements presented in the article! For example, I love that the article highlights "microaggressions" and how to address them and stop them from being present in your class. Also, I love that the article focuses heavily on understanding your classes' needs, likes, and dislikes at the beginning of the school year. All of these techniques are used to foster an environment where students, parents, teachers, and administrators feel comfortable in the class. To be completely honest, I can't find anything that I disagree with about this article. It was very well written and provides many statements that have evidence and commentary to support it!
The Impact: The impact that this article has on the way that I think about teaching and learning is that in today's society, everyone has so much information readily available at their fingertips. Thus, it's very important that as a teacher, you should be aware of what is going on in the world and how it may affect your students. Additionally, it's important for a teacher to be aware of the background and minorities that are in the school/classroom so they are prepared with as many tools and techniques to cater to each student.
My Problem of Practice: My PoP is how to keep the classroom environment accommodating through language on and off-line. This article discusses the importance of understanding the "triggers" and culture of your students and parents so you can educate yourself on words, phrases, and events that can impact them. Additionally, the article provides any techniques that can be used in the classroom, in person and online to ensure that all of your students are accommodated!