Reflections from a Week on Culturally Responsive Teaching

    This week in AEE 412, we discussed Culturally Responsive Teaching and how important it is to be culturally responsive in the classroom. This consisted of a "Main Idea Monday" focusing on individual discussions of our "whys" and hearing stories of seasoned educators who have done a great job of incorporating Culturally Responsive Teaching within their classrooms. We also had the opportunity to attend The Batschelet Conference on Intercultural and Intersectional Competence for School Learners which was held in State College this week. Both of these experiences were very impactful as a preservice educator who strives to ensure that all students are welcome within my classroom.

    One of the biggest takeaways from class on Monday was the idea that I need to find my 'why'. For many people, their 'why' comes from personal reasons that are related to family or close friends. For me, I think my 'why' comes from some of my close friends and also through some of the experiences that I have had working as a direct support professional for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, I have seen many people who mean a great deal to me be treated unfairly simply because they are seen as different. The content that was covered over these two weeks was very impactful in solidifying the idea that individuals should not be treated different simply on the way they look or the cultures that they come from. 

    A big take away from Wednesday's conference was the idea that we need to be intentional in all that we do with our classroom, especially when it comes to making sure that our students feel welcomed and included. All of the speakers touched on the fact that being culturally responsive doesn't just happen, it is something that you have to work towards. Being intentional includes attending professional development opportunities, participating in service learning opportunities, and aligning all that you do with field experiences. This conference also highlighted that fact that being culturally responsive and creating a culturally responsive environment truly starts with one person and that person can be you. 

    As I look to my future career and how I can be a culturally responsive teacher, I think it is important to set goals for myself. One major goal that I want to set for myself is to attend at least one professional development opportunity focusing on culturally responsive teaching in order to further advance my own knowledge. Another goal that I would like to set for myself is always modeling the culturally responsive behavior that I would like my students to have. As an educator, it can be hard to try to do everything that we 'need' to do, however, I hope to put advancement in culturally responsiveness  at the top of my list because I think it is essential for all students to feel welcomed in my classroom.