6) The culturally competent teacher communicates in ways that demonstrate sensitivity to sociocultural and linguistic differences, using a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication techniques that encourage positive social interaction and support learning in their classroom.
How have you (or the classroom teacher) communicated in ways that demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to sociocultural and linguistic differences?
If anyone asked me who my favorite teachers were that I had, I would list all of the teachers who went above and beyond what was originally written in their job description when they applied for that position. Think about it. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all had great teachers who truly impacted our lives because of the way they made us feel. When we wanted to give up, they pushed us to keep trying because they knew we could get it. They encouraged us each and every day to try our hardest and wouldn’t settle for anything less. They demonstrated sensitivity to areas of our lives that called for that action, whether verbal or nonverbal. They created a safe environment, a second home if you want to call it that, in the classroom for us where we learned and grew throughout the year. They went above and beyond their call of duty to instill a love for learning and teaching in us and if it wasn’t for them, then I bet we wouldn’t be enrolled in this class right now.
The teacher of the classroom I volunteer in has been teaching in the city of Providence for 28 years now and has seen many students pass through her doors. She has probably seen a wide range of students with different backgrounds, but this year her class seems to be pretty consistent when it comes to their personal history. If I had to guess, I would say everyone in the class speaks English as their first language and if they don’t, then they fooled me. I truly haven’t seen much of her teaching because I sit in the hallway every week, but she does talk about it a little with me and the other RIC VIPS student I tutor with. She explains about her methods and the reasons why she does certain things, like who can sit with whom in groups, etc. This teacher comes across as a little rough around the edges, but once you get to know her, she’s really caring and understanding and extremely appreciative, but to a point. She knows that even though her class is filled with eight and nine year olds, they would take advantage to any leeway given to them, so she’s very careful when it comes to that.
I always try and be as sensitive as I can be to the students I work with. I can’t fully relate to whatever it is they are going through, but I can give them something to look forward to on Fridays, even if it’s as simple as a game of Candyland. Both of the students I work with issues when it comes to understanding what they read, but the other RIC VIPS tutor there works with a boy who has a mild case of Autism. I don’t get to work one on one with him, but once every 2 weeks, we combine our groups in order to play Candyland, so I get to see his progression through those instances. And it really has been interesting to see him progress! Not only are his language skills improving, but so is his openness towards group situations. In the beginning, he was always closed off and looked tense. Now, he gets excited for Candyland and can never wait for his turn because he loves coming up with sentences with the words from the cards in them. It truly has been great seeing this little boy grow in more ways than one just from February!
This little boy and his progress reminded me specifically of what Kliewer wrote about. By treating him like we would any other student, but just giving him little pushes and words of encouragement here and there, he grew into the student he is now. The teacher says he’s doing better on all of his work, it’s still not excellent, but it’s definitely improving. The other RIC VIPS tutor showed him that we really did care what he had to say and we were truly interested to hear it, just like we were with the other students. So, by showing him that he did play a role in our little Friday morning Reading buddies group, he was able to see that his contribution did matter and his fellow students accepted him for it. From here, he transferred what he learned with us into a bigger group setting, his classroom. Kliewer specifically wrote about children with Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21), but it’s his idea of “establishing a representation of citizenship for all” that holds true for any group of children. By following the Deweyan idea of Human Reciprocity, the people become the society, one where everyone is valued and no one is seen as a burden. You could even say that Carlson told us to rupture the essentialistic worldview borders and by doing that, seeing and accepting the person for everything that they are, not just one aspect of them.
I can’t believe that this week is my last time going in to volunteer with my reading buddies. I am going to miss them and their bright smiles and bubbly personalities. They made getting up at 6:45a every Friday morning worth it! =O)
I want to end this blog by giving a “shout-out” to all of the great teachers we’ve ever had the pleasure of having. They do so much for us and are rarely thanked the way they should be. And here’s to us for taking our first of many steps towards becoming one of these teachers! Congrats and good luck on your journey!! I’m sure you all will make incredible teachers and it’s really been a delight sharing FNED 364-08 with each and every one of you.
This is Good Golly Miss Molly saying until next time, thanks for reading and take care!! =]