ZOOM 2/2/21- February is black history month and Dr. Hurd discussed with us the importance of incorporating racial diversity into the classroom. During this class we went over chapter 6 of the Levine & McCloskey book. We discussed different ways that we can apply literacy in the classroom and we moved into small groups to discuss ways to teach in a classroom. My group was to discuss different ways of teaching in Social Studies. My group discussed the Teach the Text Backwards which is when you begin teaching with hands on activities in the application and expansion section and follow up with group discussion at the end of the chapter. This allows for collaboration with students as well as makes it more engaging than just reading the text book. Our group also responded with the idea of bringing in a guest speaker that was from the Vietnam war to make it more realistic for the students and give them a real life story verses something from the textbook. When this was suggested Dr. Hurd asked us to think how we could make it more diverse to which we came to the conclusion of inviting a black Vietnam Solider since this marked  the first time that black and white soldiers were fighting together. By Dr. Hurd saying this it really opened my eyes to all the ways that things can be more culturally diverse and it really has made me aware that I need to do a better job of making sure that all my examples in the classroom are inclusive. In my classroom I want to make sure that everyone feels safe and included.

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Zoom 2/4/2021- During this class we discussed Chapter 7 and it introduced to us a fun activity that can be incorporated into the classroom called the Congo line. This is a vocabulary game named after the popular Cuban line dance. This introduced to us a fun way to teach vocabulary to students. The game starts everyone out with a word and definition and they are partnered up. Each partner shares what word they have and then the partners switch words and move onto the next. This game allows for students to learn a lot of vocabulary words in a short amount of time. There are some advantages and disadvantages to the game however. While you are able to have the students be active and move around the room you do have to be cautious with this activity because if one student has the wrong definition then everyone is learning the vocabulary wrong. Also with so many words being learned in a short amount of time it is possible that the students won’t remember it with such information overload. I think to eliminate the possibility of having the wrong definition the teacher can be the one to make all the cards to ensure that they have the proper information. Vocabulary has a huge impact on students success and truly is the foundation to reading and grammar. I really think that this game can be a fun and effective way to teach vocabulary of any subject in a classroom.

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Zoom 2/23/2021- During this class we discussed Ch. 10 in the Levine & McCloskey text. We discussed heterogeneous grouping which refers to different groupings where you put ELL students with English speaking students to promote learning. We also discussed the difference between segregation and separation in society and it schools. Dr. Hurd gave the best and most simple way to differentiate which is segregation is forced and separation is by choice. We related this to a lot of different things such as socioeconomic status. We referenced the idea of the glass ceiling again and how it effects the access of things in society. There is a lot of privilege that comes with social class and connections that someone has. With this it is important that all lesson plans that are provided are inclusive and can apply to all students’ cultures and backgrounds. We discussed the new Utah version of the Blooms Taxonomy and how the new one is more inclusive because it is in a circle and all parts of the diagram are connected verse a top down approach. One thing that we talked about that really stood out to me was the cultural iceberg and understanding gender. I think that this diagram is a great reminder to teachers, and everyone, that we have to be careful about our assumptions that we make about others. We cannot see what is below the surface so it is important to remember this when working with students. It is also important as a teacher to make sure that our personal opinions and beliefs separate from the students if they are different and to always promote and inclusive environment to everyone. I really think that the cultural iceberg image will stick with me beyond this classroom and into my own classroom.

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Zoom 3/2/2021- During this class we discussed Chapter 8 in the Pain & Privilege text. This chapter prompted us to discuss assuming the identity of someone. While sometimes it can seem easy to identify someone based off of outward appearances it is important to remember that just because someone is Latino does not mean that they are Mexican, they could be Puerto Rican, Columbian, or from any other country. As a teacher I think that it is important to ask students what their heritage/background is because you can never just assume based on physical appearances. For example I have a friend who is white passing and unless you knew her family you would have no idea that she was actually Mexican. I think being education on what identities fall under the broader umbrella terms for example, what it means to be Asian and that it doesn’t just mean being Chinese that it can also mean being Korean or Japanese. There are so many factors that go into someone’s identity such as geographical location, gender, etc. and it is important to recognize that it is all connected. We also discussed how the idea that racism is not an issue in the US was shattered under Former President Trump’s administration. If his presidency taught us anything is that the US is still very much divided. I feel like as teachers it is important that we try and help be a part of the solution and not the problem by educating students on diversity and different backgrounds to hopefully put an end to the racism in the country.

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Zoom 3/18/2021- Today we discussed Ch. 12 in our Levine & McCloskey text learning about the importance of thematic units and how they benefit students. It is important that the lessons and collaborative and actively engage the students to help them better remember what is going on. By having clear goals, feedback, and purpose it can help the students learn better if they have all the information on why they should learn it. Using background knowledge when teaching a lesson is really important because it is then easier for the student to understand what is being taught. Before we learned about this lesson though we went over a difficult subject that is currently going on in the world and that is Asian hate crimes. Currently in America, Asian’s, or people who look Asian are being targeted right now. I think that this is something that needs to be discussed in classrooms because it allows a safe place for people to ask questions and to learn more about the subject. I think it is important to discuss this with students because they need to be aware of this type of hate that is in the world and that it is not okay. I think that this brings a great way to advocate for counseling if anyone needs it in a space where they feel comfortable. I think by being open with students it allows them to think about current events and by having more people taking about a subject maybe some changes can take place in the world. I hope to be a teacher for students that they can come to with questions and concerns. I think being open with students and giving them a place to express themselves is really important.