Module 2

After reading chapter 4, it really gave a good insight to many things that students and teachers struggle with each year and how to help with these issues. The biggest thing that stood out to me and related to everything else in the chapter was the advantages and the problems with labels. Like mentioned in the chapter, they can be a good or a bad thing; helpful for teachers, yet gives the opportunity to stand out in a negative way for the student. Labels on students who may have disabilities, disorders, or injuries can cause issues (pg. 120). This doesn’t tell exactly what treatment or help a student needs because all students are different. I think it is so important for teachers to understand that everyone has their own needs and shouldn’t be just a label. I know that growing up and going through grammar school, there was the "special ed. room" and all the students knew who was in there and treated them differently. I like that students are now more incorporated in the normal classroom, and the stigma of being a "special need" student is not as prevalent. Teachers need to also consider that there are multiple intelligence's and that students may connect differently than others. Understandings and connections can be made with all students if the teachers take time to figure out the best way (pg. 126). Teaching with different learning styles in general should happen always (pg. 132). Some students may need to find a way they can stay focused, especially when they aren’t at school and need to do work at home. 

Chapter 5 I felt is a very important chapter to understand. Today, there are so many different cultures and languages mixed together in most schools. A teacher needs to know how to communicate, relate, and accept every student they have (pg. 189). For students who are English language learners, it can be very difficult, but can pay off for them. The goal is for these students to be a master at both. When shadowing a school, one student gets called out for ELL and it is very subtle and he doesn’t feel different and the other students don’t ask questions. Teachers need to understand and work with these students and know what they are going through. These students learning another language may have a learning disability, and this could be hard to figure out because their language is already limited (pg. 200). This can also go the other way with labeling a student with a learning disability when they really don’t have one just because of the language barrier. This chapter just shows how important it is to reach every student and to never give up on someone too quickly. Frustration may come, but every student has the right to learn with patience and kindness from their teacher.

Chapter 6 focused on diversity in the class room regarding race, social class, and gender. Culture diversity may be one of the most problematic things seen in schools. Big things that teachers encounter can be holiday customs, clothing, or just in the way a conversation may begin (pg. 214). This doesn’t mean all cultural differences will cause a problem, but they can arise. Stereotyping from students and teachers will happen, but can’t happen. This is something that I know happens all the time no matter where the work place is, but as a teacher you must look past all of that to be successful. Students can feel that they don’t have a chance in the future because of their race or social class. The students in poverty need to stay in school and be encouraged to continue with their education to end the trend of them not being successful (pg. 217). The last topic talked about was about gender and the gender bias seen in the class room (pg. 232). Gender bias simply must be avoided at all causes. We don’t know what it is like at their households, but no matter what, we as teachers need to make sure everyone feels equal. This is a problem that has been seen in education, sports, and careers, and it needs to end, at least in the classroom. Whatever teachers can do to prevent any discrimination is prevalent, and I know this is going to be something I focus on in every aspect. Feeling discriminated against will not give a student the power to work harder, it will just bring them down. To at least have one place that they feel accepted and equal can be enough to change a student’s mindset on their life.