My Guide for How to Create and Teach in and Inclusive Environment

This guide serves to show what I learned about teaching from my Multicultural Education class. The most important thing about teaching is allowing the students to have a safe place to learn. Once the classroom is established as a safe space, then teaching can take place.

How I feel about multicultural education can be summed up in the Book of Mormon, "And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning pride; and those of you which have afflicted your neighbor, and persecuted him because  ye were proud in your hearts, of the things which God hath given you, what say ye of it? Do ye suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other. And all flesh is of the dust; and for the selfsame end hath he created them" (Jacob 2:21-21). I am privileged. But to recognize my privilege and glory in it is pride. Even though we aren't created with equal privilege, we are created for the "selfsame end" and are created by the same God. We are all "precious in his sight" and as a teacher, I must view them that way.

This class has meant so much to me, and my greatest fear is that I lose all of the things that I learned. I also learned an exponential amount in my class on teaching students with disabilities this semester. A lot of the things I learned in that class apply here as well, so they are a part of my guide as well. This is the plan I intend to implement so that I take as much with me as I can when I student teach next semester. I broke it down into five steps, and the five steps add together to be an inclusive classroom environment. Although it is imperfect and incomplete, I think it's a step in the right direction.

1. Create a safe space

Decorations in the room make a huge difference! When student can see themselves and people like them in the classroom, they feel welcome there. In my classroom I will have pictures of each of my students on the wall. I plan to have a sign that says "Coexist in Love" on my wall. The broad classroom rules will be posted including the rule that certain words aren't allowed to be used in my classroom.

Positive reinforcement in my opinion is the best way to encourage learning behavior in the classroom. I will focus largely on verbal positive reinforcement, but remember to reinforce every student's work so they can feel successful. The good feeling that follows positive reinforcement opens a student's heart, paving the way for learning.

If I want my students to promote a safe space, I must be the example! When students see that I am loving and accepting of everyone, they will know that is the expected behavior from them. When students are behaving in a way that separates one student (or group of students) off in any way, I will not tolerate it.

2. Be mindful of the words I speak

This is going to be the hardest thing for me, but I am ready to tackle it. There are so many single words that I should NOT be using because they don't promote an inclusive environment. The two most obvious words are "gay" and "retarded," but I plan to go further than that with words like "stupid" and "dumb." I don't have a complete list of words I shouldn't use right now, but I know this list will get longer as I teach.

Just saying I will get the words out is NOT going to work. Trust me, I've tried. I am going to make a list of what words I can replace them with that will make my classroom safe and positive. These words come in two lists "Better words" (the negative ones) and "Best words" (the positive ones).

Unacceptable words: Gay, Retarded, Stupid, Dumb, Idiot, Loser

Better words: Difficult, Challenging, Different, Misunderstood, Slow, Hard Work

Best words: Wonderful, Hard Worker, Champion, Awesome, Lucky, Splendid

I plan to post the list of words I will not use in a secret location, where even I wont see it (I don't want to be reminded of what they are, thus increasing my likelihood of using them). The list of acceptable words, on the other hand, I will post on the wall next to my desk where I will see them regularly. I hope that every day when I see these words I will take an inventory of the words I'm using and recognize how I'm doing integrating my new vocabulary.

The second thing I can do to watch the words I say is to SLOW DOWN. I think it's a universal problem to think before you speak. If I want to have a classroom that is a safe learning environment for everyone, I have to think before I speak. I am doing a lot better with this. I have learned recently from this class and from others that it's important not to act in the heat of the moment, and that you should take a moment to calm down before you speak or act. I will strive to do this in my classroom.

3. Learn from others

To act like I know everything would be completely wrong. I have the cultural capital for my culture, and mine alone. What I do have, however, is social capital. I have lots of friends who have cultural capital that I don't have, and it's a blessing to have social media to contact these friends and get insights and advice from them. I have already contacted my friend Chad, asking him for advice about teaching those who are LGBTQ. In future instances where I feel like I lack cultural capital, I will take advantage of my social capital so that I can act in the most appropriate manner.

I'm lucky because part of my social capital is the access to many, many teachers of different subjects who are teaching in the state and out of the state. This semester I really learned to talk to them and juice them for information. They are a gold mine.

Another resource available to a teacher is the other teachers in the school. There are more experienced teachers who have taught the same curriculum in difficult circumstances, there are teachers who have taught the same kids you are teaching, there's a special education staff, and there's administration. I hope to have the humility to ask these teachers for help. There are also times when the parents are available. These people all will know the children in my classroom and how to work with them more than I do.

The best person to learn from, however, is the student! I hope to never forget that. Teaching through inquiry allows the students to teach me, rather than me teach them. The students can use whatever resources and topics they want to accomplish the science, even when that means that I don't originally know what they're referring to. This is such an important learning opportunity for me as a teacher, and is really the only way for students to be the captains of their own education. Students who don't speak English as their first language will be permitted to use their first language for their work in my classroom because it is not my job to teach English, it's my job to teach science. With their help and the help of someone who speaks Spanish, we will translate it so that I can assess their learning.

One thing I really hope to be able to do is to be involved in and out of the school. School, athletic, club, and community involvement can teach me what the students are interested in. By trying to participate in their different fields of interest, I can understand more of where they're coming from. A relationship of trust is then formed as the students see that you are trying to understand them better. They can feel the love!

4. Stop bullying

As a teacher, we have a responsibility to stop bullying. It might be impossible, but we have to try our best. The first and foremost important thing is that we have a zero bullying policy in our classroom. I will not stand for bullying.

Saying that is great... But I really need a plan for what to do when it happens. The absolute best advice as to what to do when you encounter bullying was said by the Savior himself in Doctrine and Covenants 121:43, "Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy." This is the pattern I want to follow. I will stop the bullying quickly and immediately with zero tolerance for the behavior. But if I attack the bully, I am a bully myself. I hope to be able to put and end to it immediately, but then talk to the bully one-on-one and discuss with him/her why their behavior was inappropriate and why it's unacceptable in our classroom. If I can convey to them the feelings of love that I have for them and for the student that they were bullying, I believe they will feel some compassion. When bullying doesn't stop, I will report it. It is absolutely unacceptable because it can ruin feelings of worth for people who are attacked by it.

If I am setting an example of love, I will involve everyone and regularly acknowledge the strengths of each student. Involving everyone does not mean making every student make comments in class. What it does mean is that every student is learning. I plan to teach using universal design for instruction, and using multiple means of expression and engagement will allow for every student to learn and engage, regardless of whether or not they are answering questions out loud in class. When every student is able to succeed, and I take the time to acknowledge that, there is nothing to make fun of. I will take time out to talk about the strengths of students, especially the bullies.

5. Love people

So I guess a lot of what I have to do is love my students. Steps 1-4 become a lot easier when you just love them! So what about those students who are hard to love? I have learned from Dr. Draper what I can do to obtain the love for my students that I need.

First, pray for it. Charity is the pure love of Christ, so most certainly we should involve God if we're trying to obtain that love. Second, fake it 'till you make it. I love that we were taught that sometimes you have to fake it, because that is reality. Sometimes you do. But I know that we are rewarded for our desires, and if we desire to love our students, those desires are eventually rewarded.

I will take an interest in my students. This takes work! It's more than just teaching them science, it's asking them how they're doing, how their weekend was, why they weren't in class the day before, how their job is going, what they want to do with their lives, how their sports team is doing...the list goes on and on. Just asking them these questions though is small talk. Actually wanting to know how  they are doing so that you can help them learn...that is loving them.

Easily the most important thing I learned in this class is to love everyone. Working with Dr. Draper, I saw that this class was about trying to be more charitable and capable of seeing the children of God as that: The Children of God. I have felt the spirit guiding me and showing me how to be charitable already. Just last week as I was working in the school I'm student teaching in, I had a girl act out and say something quite inappropriate to me. I responded calmly to her and changed the subject. The student was totally shocked. She told me she was expecting for sure that a person with a BYU name tag would get mad at her and get her in trouble for what she said. I told her that's not my goal. She smiled at me the rest of the day. I know that I've learned something, because in that instance, I did it right.

Photo sources:

1. Coexist: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2014/06/ramadan-2014-reclaiming-the-sacred/

2. Watch Your Mouth: http://insidetheshrink- dailygrace.blogspot.com/2013/06/watch-your-mouth.html
3. Teacher with Student: http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/809939/helping-kids-make-a-good-impression-on-teacher
4. No Bullying: http://pixabay.com/en/cyber-bullying-bully-rumor-teasing-122156/
5. Christ with Children: https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/jesus-children-37775?lang=eng&category=

Book Club: Oddly Normal

Oddly Normal, by John Schwartz, is a book about his experiences raising his son Joseph, who is gay. I read it with as open of a mind as I could, taking to heart that sexuality is not an identity, it's just a part of what makes up who you are. This book (cliche as it is) changed me.

The first disruption I had, ironically, doesn't have to do with LGBTQ people or culture. It has to do with pornography. Joe's parents didn't monitor their children's internet browsing, saying it would be "a fool's errand" to do so. This is completely bogus to me. Pornography is not a way of life. It is a poison that MUST be avoided. But it showed me that the Mormon culture regarding pornography is not the norm. Outside of this culture,  This is an implication for classrooms. The one specifically mentioned in the book is the idea of secrecy. Students' bad behavior could be because they are hiding a secret and have a feeling that someone is out to get them. This is a realm of things we haven't really talked about, but I know I need to become more educated on due to its prevalence in society before I can be an effective teacher.

Something that I was curious about, and will need to do more reading about, is the great privilege that the Schwartz family has. They had a completely unearned advantage that came from the fact that they have a lot of money, and are white English speakers. Due to this privilege, Joe had access to any and every service and support group, doctor and psychologist in the area. This has serious implications for teachers. Those who are of lower SES don't have access to all of these services. They may not have access to any support at all. As a teacher, I need to be that support. Every student is a child of God, and deserves love and support. When that support isn't a privilege, it needs to come from me. I can offer support by creating a safe space in the classroom and by reaching out with love. Like Dr. Draper's story about learning how to love people, we need to look inside ourselves. Joseph's teachers demonstrated perfectly that the way we treat people can make a huge difference. 

Another thing the book demonstrated perfectly was social and cultural capital. The cultural capital of the gay culture is very unique. When Joe wanted to dye his hair, that was a completely accepted thing within his culture, but in the locker room, the jock was bullying him. The bullying came because he didn't have the cultural capital, and so he didn't understand. Joe's parents didn't understand either, but his father John had the social capital that it took to understand. Whenever he had a question, he could go to his gay friend Brian (or any of the other gay people in his life) and ask questions. Brian served as a wonderful resource as John was raising Joseph, and there were many things (e.g. encouraging Joe to come out) that John did differently because of his friend's advice. This social capital is what John needed to acquire the cultural capital to understand his son and to communicate at the gay center in the city. As a teacher, I need to use my social capital. In fact, as I was reading this book and thinking about cultural and social capital, I actually contacted my gay friend Chad to ask what his recommendations for me as a future teacher might be. I am so glad that I have access to that social capital, because I clearly lack the cultural capital. I can learn how to understand my gay students better if I will seek out an understanding.

Something that really made me angry in the book was how bad the gender roles and expectations were hurting poor Joseph in school. The reason it bugged me so much was probably because those same gender roles and expectations have hurt my younger brothers because they were in gymnastics, theater and ballet. Just because the expectation is that boys will do sports as kids does NOT mean that those who don't play sports are gay. In the case of Joe, he was gay. But in the case of my brothers, they're not. These judgements are unacceptable. As teachers, we cannot allow these judgements. I keep thinking about the campfire example from one of the videos we watched. Not all kids know what a campfire is, and not all boys know how to play basketball. When bringing my students into class involvement, I can't expect my boys to group up and do a group project on basketball. It's important for me as a teacher to get to know my students so that I don't make any of those mistakes. Being involved in the school is more than going to the sports games, as well. There's theater, dance, choir, art shows, and more.

The last concept I will discuss is prejudice. The main prejudice that stuck out to me in the class was the preconceived notions of what a gay person will be like. This is the "fag" identity, and is a complete misconception. John's friend Brian mentions that he was concerned enough about being gay, and "thinking that gay = effeminate was another problem" (187). There isn't just one type of gay. When Joseph first goes to the gay center, John and his wife find out just how many different groups of gay people there were just at the center. John says that there were more than 300 different groups that met at the gay center...clearly not all gay people are effeminate! Some gay people even enjoy sports. Removing this prejudice and preconceived notion of what a gay person is going to be like from my classroom is going to have to start with me. The more I have read and the more gay people I have met, the more I have realized the diversity of this culture. I need to continue to do this. Then I have to translate this into my classroom. I can treat all of my students with pure love and respect, and recognize that my gay students are just the same as any other student. Again, being gay isn't an identity!

I really feel like John Schwartz was effective at communicating the struggles of being a gay child in a prejudiced world. Even though his family was very privileged, he did his research, and cited many studies and quoted many professionals saying what it might be for someone who isn't Joe. There will be LGBTQ students in my classroom, and I feel like Oddly Normal prepared me very well for how to teach these students when I am privileged to do so.

These notes are for reference and class discussion:

1. Points of disruption (uncomfortable, angry, curious):

-Pornography as an accepted part of life p.65

-What is the role of the school psychologist? The book talks about them as if they are responsible for communication regarding the kids they work with within the school. Is that their job? Is that betraying privacy? p.175

-Why aren't there enforcements of bad teachers refusing to comply with IEP regulations?

-Why is the gay-straight alliance dominated by girls? What can we do to encourage boys to join and attend? p.227

-Not all gay children are middle- upper-class, and as such don't have access to the same camps and therapists and doctors that Joe had.

-Why do I suddenly feel 100% pro gay marriage? I used to be fairly neutral on the subject, and could at least understand where the church was coming from. Now I really am having a hard time seeing it at all. 

-Middle School gay-straight alliances. The kids at this age are too young to be exposed to overtly sexual things, but isn't there some kind of GSA that could exist just to teach young children to love everyone? Diversity clubs sound like a great idea. p.178

-All children deserve a future. Minority stress 4 is that of internalized homophobia, or a fear of what homosexuality really entails because of what the media and society have instilled in them. This is such a tough one. In the church, we are going to teach that homosexuality is a sin because it is. There's nothing we can do to change that. But that doesn't mean that a gay person is less of a person. Then again, we teach that wickedness never was happiness, and then tell gay people that they can have happy lives. It's all just contradictory.

2. Book clarifies or provides examples form class:

-Cultural Capital: p.186-189

-Social Capital: All of John's gay friends that he could go to for advice. He used them for resources since he didn't have the cultural capital to understand the gay culture.

-Prejudice: preconceived notion that gay = effeminate. p.187

-Dr. Draper: "Maybe YOU are the problem." Looking at the impact that Joe's teachers made on him.

-Gender expectations: "Normal little boys like to play sports." p.30, Joe's parents putting away his Barbies because they were afraid that he would be labeled as different early on.

-Gender roles: p.30 Joe was expected to do well in gym, but he was very clumsy! 

-Privilege: the family is white and middle- to upper-class. Since language and money were not a barrier, they had access to all available services. This means that Joe had the most superior treatment that a gay teenager can have.

3. Book influences thinking as a teacher:

-Because I read this book, I have a significantly greater understanding of charity. 

-Not all gay children are going to have nice parents like Joseph did. I need to provide that love if they can't find it elsewhere.

-Working with parents is so important. Some parents are so involved with their children that they write a whole manual of how to take care of their child in class. Other parents aren't. But they've known their child for a lot longer than you have. Going to the parents to ask if behavior is abnormal or why a child is acting a certain way can be very helpful.

-A minority stress p.91 is prejudice events. These are small and almost go unnoticed. It's important to remember that sexual orientation should not affect learning. Become sensitive to these things so I can fix it.

-All children deserve to be loved. One benefit of that is so they can learn.

Minority Stress p.91

1. prejudice events

2. expectation of rejection and discrimination

3. concealment stress and hiding who you are (basically gay exclusive)

4. internalized homophobia, a fear or what their future might be