Reflection #4

I am very grateful that I have been raised in a diverse city. In this diverse city, there are still secluded neighborhoods of just Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, and some are mixed races. I was raised in an African-American neighborhood, with a Christian foundation from my mother. My father remarried to a Jewish Caucasian lived in predominantly Caucasian neighborhood. When I went to school I was either in an all black school, or a really diverse school. My mother sent me to a diverse school because she wanted me to be around different cultures other than African Americans. In my community service work throughout high school, I have dealt with African American children as well as Hispanics. I never had a diverse room setting. My first job as a camp counselor I dealt with White children. But race isn’t an issue.

I feel I am prepared for a diverse class as a teacher. Race doesn’t bother me one bit, gender, neither does religion. I am an open minded person; I respect and am aware that everyone has different religious beliefs. I feel I might need help on is dealing with children with and without families, the children with disabilities, the children who learn at different paces. That is what I need to learn whether it is through a class, my internship, community service, this book, or when I become a teacher. Reading these cases well help develop my ways of thinking about teaching. I also think dealing with those situations will come naturally; my human instincts would come into affect, or I can ask assistance from a co-worker, family, friend, or professor.

I want to teach early child hood, whether it is Head Start (ages 3-5), pre-k or kindergarten. Through my experience I know all children want and need is to learn, love, attention, encouragement, praise and to play. I understand that kids work at different learning paces but if they receive what they need, any child will succeed and learn to the best of their ability. I feel I am well-prepared for diversity in a class room setting.