The culturally competent teacher should be able to use a variety of assesment techniques appropriate to diverse learners and accommodate sociocultural differences that affect learning.



While working with my groups i learned that all children have a different style of learning. One child in my group found it easier to learn rhyming by using the pictures in the game where as another found is easier to lean this skill by replacing the first letter of the words. The children i have been working with during my time at the school have come to accept different ways of learning. During the group work i tried atleast three different teaching methods. With my groups everyweek i tried getting the skill of rhyming taught to the kids by using books, games and word games. I saw that by using these three methods the children began to progress and become more fluent at rhyming.

All children learn is a different way so as a teacher you must be able to provide to your best ability different learning techniques to the children in your classroom. Teachers are going to run into these kinds of situations a lot and therefore they must have knowledge of differnt techniques they may use in a classroom. I would relate this prompt to the work of Ira Shor.

In "Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change" by Ira Shore he talks about how teachers should approach teaching in many different ways. He also goes on to talk about how the relationship between teacher and student can also help with how well a student learns. The more a teacher can relate to a student and make him or her feel comfortable the more the student will open up and connect with the teacher. Shor also goes on to compare the differnt types of teaching that people use today. Overall he gets into deep thought about how teachers should be able to adapt to different kinds of teaching and by doing so they will not only better themselves but all the learning of the students.

Sensitivity

The culturally competent teacher communicates in ways that demonstrate sensitivity yo sociocultural and linguistic differences, using a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication techniques that encourage positive social interaction and support leaning in their classroom.

I personally have experienced something like this throughout the weeks i have been volunteering at the elementary school. Upon ending each group session I would leave about 5 minutes for the children to talk about whatever they want. One little boy in one of my groups was always so eager to share what he would be doing this weekend. All the children opened up so well when they were able to share with the others what they were going to be doing. Each child had some kind of plans whether it be with family members or friends. During our group talks each child sits and waits for their turn to talk. They show respect for all the members of the group.

In the classroom from what i could see the teachers try to relate as much as possible to the children. They are always open to hear what the children have to say. I also noticed that the teachers are very focused on getting all the children to focus on using manners and respecting the other students. Whenever a child has a problem the teachers show that they care and they try to help in anyway possible to resolve the conflict in the best way possible.

I would relate these types of situations to the work of Megan Boler. In her piece entitled "All Speech is Not Free: The Ethics of Affirmative Action Pedagogy", Boler discusses how people no matter their color, race or ethnicity should be able to be heard by all people. She states in the writing "...the classroom is one of the few public spaces in which one can respond and be heard." This statement right here is something that i have seen while working in the school. The teachers of the classroom have always been open to listening to all the students and responding to them in the best way they can. Throughout this piece of work Boler goes into depth about how as teachers we need to provide a place for students to feel comfortable enough to speak out and while doing so to be respected and heard by all others in the classroom.

As I progress into my teaching identity I plan on trying to embrace the work of Boler as much as I can. Her beliefs about having all people heard equally is also something I believe needs to be done especially in a classroom.

Me! A Teacher?

How is this experience shaping your teacher identity? Give specific examples/stories.

When starting this school semester I did not know what to expect coming into class. When hearing about the practicum that we would be doing in this class I became very happy for in the past I have worked in different classrooms. After filling out the paper work and getting my placement I felt very content with the work I was going to be completing in this class. The VIPS Program has not only given me a memorable teaching experience but they have helped me continue on my way to becoming a teacher. By being placed in my elementary school I have added on experience to the teaching skills I need in order to establish my teacher identity.

Establishing your teacher identity is not just walking into a classroom and claiming to be an authority figure. As a teacher you need to be able to provide the students with the education they need as well as meet the demands of all the parents and community. Teachers need to create a strong connective bond with their students. As a teacher your students should feel as though they can come to you for anything.

This experience helped me to enhance my teacher identity because it not only placed me in a school where I could successfully help children in the area in which I chose but it also helped me connect to the students I was working with. This connection that I made with the children gave them a comfortable feeling with working with me. Every week I went in and we worked on rhyming together and every week the students got more and more comfortable with me being there. Soon later the children were talking to me about things related to school and things that were not. Not only did the children I work with acknowledge me as a teacher figure but also the entire class. Upon entering the classroom I was would receive a whole class welcome just as they would do with any other teacher. Upon one of my last visits to the school I actually got to do a class activity with the students and just hearing them ask me questions about what we were doing gave me such a comfort that these students were welcoming to me a student.

Family and the Community

The culturally competent teacher involves and works with families and community resources, understanding the differences in families, the important influence of family and participation in students’ learning and the benefit of collaborating with the wider school community.


With becoming a teacher an individual brings on a series of struggles not only with the education system but with the parents and students that are welcomed into your classroom. A family can influence many things about a child such as beliefs, behavior and communication. As a teacher it is your obligation to meet the needs not only for just the children, parents and school but also the needs of the community.


When it comes to the parents of the children a teacher can run into many different complications. One major complication that you may run into while dealing with the parents is that fact that they may or not may like how or what you are teaching their children. Another may be that they do not approve of children in the classroom due to ethnicity, culture or linguistic background. Parents may also feel that the way you are teaching in the classroom may not be acceptable and that the children cannot really relate to what is being taught. There are many complications that a parent and teacher can run into throughout a school year but those are some of the most common. When being confronted with a conflict of a parent I will do my best to try and come to an understanding between what we all feel is best for the students in question. By taking the time to listen and form a compromise between myself and the parents shows the parents I have a great deal of respect for them as well as their children, and that I do understand they want the best possible education for their children.

I feel that no matter how far we progress in a teaching environment we as teachers will always have to overcome the demands of parents and the community. Compromises will have to be made to meet the standards of not only the parents and community but also of what you expect as well as the education system. Being a teacher brings on many struggles and those who are confident in thinking they may be able to over come all odds I believe make great teachers and allies between teacher and parent.

Lisa Delpit author the "The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children" goes into depth about this type of situation in her article we read in class. In this article she goes on to talk about the struggles a teacher may have with dealing parents and students while working in a classroom. Delpit states "I want the same thring for everyone else's childrean as i want for mine."(page6) Delpit also discusses the impact a family and community can have on a child and how this may affect the child in a learning enviornment.

New School

Friday September 25th was my first day attending my elementary. To me the nervousness that I felt was not about going into the school but being able to find the school in general. After having to turn around a couple of times I finally reached my destination. My first thought when seeing the school was how big it was, I could not believe that this big school was an elementary school. Once finding a parking spot I made my first trip of many up those big steps.


After signing in and getting all my paperwork situated in the Main Office, I along with another VIPS student awaited the directions for the room in which we were meeting our advisor. On my arrival to the room a wave of relief rushed over me as I recognized a fellow classmate in the meeting room. During this meeting time our advisor went through what was expected of us and gave us all examples of what we will be doing for lessons with our groups of children. I found this meeting to be very helpful and really gave me a good idea what we would be doing and how things should be done.

My first experience there I feel went very well. I cannot wait until my return and to finally be able to work with the children. From my observation on how the school is run I fell as thought this is a great educational environment. The teachers from what I observed in the hallways all seem friendly and welcoming. I am glad that I have been welcomed into this school and cannot wait to have what I hope will be a great experience working with these teachers and students.

A Little About Me

Hello my name is Laci. This is my second year attending Rhode Island College. While here I plan to obtain a degree in Early Childhood Education as well as Special Education. I currently live on campus in the New Hall Dorms which I find is a very different experience. As of now this semester is going very well and I am enjoying all of my classes.

When I am not in class I am usually working, at dance class or traveling on the weekends. I am currently training to become a professional wrestler.