Up until now I wasn't really sure what I would blog about first, but after reading this week's assigned readings, I am spurred to writing down some of my thoughts. One of my majors in my undergraduate career was Women Studies, and having that background of study has really affected my lens for the readings each week. One of the reasons that I chose to pursue my teaching certification through this program was because of the commitment to diversity and multicultural education. But can I just say that in week 3 of this program, I am both excited (and terrified) to encounter the topic of cultural competency in the classroom. I'm excited to learn about cultural competency, and to have some way of applying the knowledge and the countless readings that I've had in a way that makes a positive difference. However, there is this gripping fear that I have for when I encounter a situation like this in the classroom. For real. Will I be prepared enough to handle the situation when it arises? It helps to feel fairly solid in the theories, but... knowing the best way to handle a situation like this, especially with young children, is so important.
I appreciated the Tenorio reading from this week. Having a Do's and Don't's list was especially clear, straightforward, and much appreciated. In particular, the "Do apply consequences to the attacker in accordance with school policy (etc)... Don't humiliate the attacker when imposing consequences" as the attacker may feel like a victim too. And I think that is a pretty paramount point in this subject. One of my ultimate goals as a teacher is to create a safe space for all students. We can't ignore racist or prejudiced remarks from students in the classroom by any means. And we also can't ignore those remarks or let them go unchallenged. If the student who made those remarks is publicly embarrassed or humiliated by the teacher, that student becomes victimized as well and you loose the potential for teaching valuable lessons to everyone involved.
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