Philosophy Continued

Representation and Validation:

Many times there are students whose silence is mistaken for carelessness or boredom.  As a teacher, it is our role to make sure that students feel validated in their expressions and ideas. Student voice is important as it can provide insight for not only other students but for the teacher as well. What I have experienced is that sometimes students may be silent because they feel underrepresented and isolated in their environment. The teacher must ensure that the student feels represented in their environment as well as protected in their identity and beliefs. In my time at Dominican, I had the opportunity to visit a High school dealing with discrimination towards students of color by other students. Here I was able to step outside of my normal role and look at this situation as not just students but human beings. The event would call for many days of inquiry and brainstorming but ultimately instilled in me that teachers have to be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that no one's identity is made less than the next student. I found myself reflecting on this more in the attached document as I recall the various meetings that took place during my second semester at Dominican University.