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In the 12 Guiding Principles to Guide Professional Conversations, the main standouts for me is: Authenticity and Bravery.
Being “Authentic” in a classroom brings an honesty and trust between the teacher and students, as well as student and student. This helps with building a community of different identities and experiences. It helps with learning from each other and sharing about ourselves in a safe space.
This also goes hand-in-hand with being “Brave”. Sometimes, it is not easy to share our true selves. In my experience, my Middle School students are embarrassed or not confident with a spotlight upon them.
I try to model being authentic/brave in the classroom. I hope to instill a sympathetic and caring family atmosphere-to support and understand each other and to build strong relationships. I have the privilege of being with/teaching the same students for three years. Accompanying them and watching the growth of each one is a true gift. I find that we all learn from each other.
A few takeaways from this study is to reflect as a school about things we do regarding the complex identities of our students/community. We have an obligation to uplift all students’ sense of self. In education, we need to prepare students for the complex world and empower them to be successful. We hope they make meaningful contributions through self-awareness. I plan to share the information from this book club study with my colleagues. I also plan to use the information in the classroom to help prepare my students for a future where the can learn to live together and help others belong.
Students bring similarities and differences to the classroom. At times, these factors are at odds with expectations. Students may not want to be “judged” by peers or teachers and may want to hide some of these differences. They want to fit in and be part of the group or they do not want to be punished. Typically, being different highlights one in a negative way. None of us are just one thing. Teachers must get to know their students to feel important and unique individuals.
Teachers also bring differences to the classroom. Being aware of multiple identities of all can result in a rich learning environment. These identities are always developing and through sharing/communication can bring understanding and compassion. Teachers can be integral as they accompany students on the learning journey and to help them evolve. Teachers will be positively changed, too. This fellowship or family is a goal of mine in the classroom. Embracing the multiple identities of all can help expand our humanity instead of dividing us.
In response to how dividing/spoiling/erasing identities play out in the classroom, language barriers are present. My school has embraced a dual-language model (English & Spanish). This has really opened up my mind to other cultures and “stories” of students. The model was started at the Pre-K level and advanced one grade level each year. This has been great at inclusion of all the differences and challenges students and teachers face. Before this model, the Spanish speakers were at a huge disadvantage. Now, the Spanish speakers help me. As a teacher, I deliberately plan my lessons to include all students using group activities, choices, and flexibility with assignments/assessments.
My school has also embraced multi-cultural families in the school community. I try to celebrate all cultures and make an effort to encourage discussion in the classroom. I like to ask my Middle School students what they do outside of class. Specifically, on Mondays, I share and I encourage them to share, kind of like a show-and-tell, about their weekend, especially “extraordinary” events.
At my school, we do celebrate different cultures, too. There is an annual Heritage Day event celebrating families: food, dance, music, etc. It is a highlight! Sometimes, at Mass, students celebrate Saints from different countries by dressing like them & sharing information to the school “family”. Morning announcements/prayer alternate in the different languages, too. Before becoming a dual-language school, teachers and students seemed very divided with the language. It is really beautiful to see this barrier gone or at least eroding. There is more to do to promote inclusion of all, but the awareness is a great step forward.
In today’s climate, identity in the MS classroom is very important, mainly because students of this age are going through a lot of changes. As a teacher, it is a topic I deal with often. I try to be very open-minded and encouraging. I also try to make sure it is a respectful place for the students/classroom to be a “family” or part of community with acceptance and belonging for all.
I have been an educator for many years. I really enjoy listening to my students and learn from them every day. I find joy in watching the students learn/grow and also sharing their hopes and dreams for the future. The MS students I teach are a work in progress, but aren’t we all. The classrooms have changed for the better, I think, since I was a new teacher in the classroom many decades ago. I have so many “new” identities sitting in my classes. It is a challenge to meet them where they are and help them learn who they are. My goal is to help them learn to live together and help others belong, too.
