Vocabulary Words Associated with Standard Three (Module 3)
Word/Term
Stereotype
E
X
A
M
P
L
E
Word/Term
Gender Identity
Bullets above:
 Stereotype: Thinking all people who belong to a certain group are the same
and labelling them…
 https://www.guidantglobal.com/news/diversity-and-inclusion-terminologya-guide-to-inclusive-language
 As a 7th teacher in a small community public school, I often hear teachers talk
in the breakroom about certain students who are just like their older brother
or sister. Often the comments are negative comments about the siblings,
like, “The older brother was a discipline problem, too.” Comments like this
stereotype students in the minds of others before I can remember
anticipating this behavior, which was an inappropriate thing for me to do. I
learned quickly that the younger sibling was eager to learn, asked questions,
worked well with a buddy in math, and responded well to feedback that
supported his learning.
 As a school administrator, I will have to be thoughtful about setting an
expectation that the teacher breakroom is not the place to stereotype
students, but a place to have conversations about how to help students. I will
have to discourage such stereotyping among teachers. One way of
discouraging this behavior would be to share an activity in a faculty meeting
that would allow them to understand the consequences of stereotyping.
Bullets above:
 Gender Identity - One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a
blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what
they call themselves.
 https://www.hrc.org/resources/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identityterminology-and-definitions
 Because our school is in the middle of a residential area, many students
come back to visit after graduation. One student, formerly known as
Lindsey, came back to visit and explain that she had changed her name to
Sirus and now preferred the pronouns he/him. Although, this is something
we have discussed in theoretical terms, most of the teachers did not have
direct experience with someone who chose to identify in terms other than
their birth gender. I was pleasantly surprised at the warm reception he
received from teachers and staff he encountered. Since, then Sirus has come
back on many occasions and expresses gratitude for the acceptance he feels
from his former teachers.
 As an administrator, I would ensure teachers understand the importance of
supporting students regardless of their gender identity or that of their family
members, through continuing education with a live speaker. I would like to
see teachers relate to real people through their personal stories. Regardless
of personal feelings on the subject, I would ask teachers to withhold
judgement in order to provide a safe and loving learning environment. This
means students should be allowed to address the issue on their own terms,
in their own time and be permitted to use whichever pronouns they feel are
appropriate. In addition, I would like to see the school building reflect this
by having a gender-neutral restroom.
Word/Term
Poverty and/or
Socioeconomic Class
Racial Identity
Bullets above:
 Poverty – not having enough money to meet basic needs including food,
clothing and shelter
 https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/esic/overview/content/
what_is_poverty.html
 Many children in our district come from low-income families. They often
begin school well behind their same age peers and struggle throughout their
careers to make up the difference. In addition, they must deal with the
effects of poverty such as hunger, unstable homes, fewer resources to
complete assignments, and limited exposure to experiences outside their
neighborhoods. As Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains, poor nutrition and
an insecure home life can affect their ability to concentrate on school. To
help alleviate some of their issues our district provides free breakfast, lunch,
fresh fruit and vegetables twice weekly, and ready to eat foods are sent
home on weekends. Backpacks and school supplies are made available at
the beginning of the year and are available to be replenished at any time.
Socks, hats, gloves, and coats are provided in our clothes pantry with no cost
to any student. We launder clothes if needed and have, on occasion, run to
Walmart to purchase swimsuits for swimming lessons. Our goal is to ease
the burden our students carry so that they may succeed.
 As an administrator, I would continue to support the many programs we
have in place to assist struggling students such as free clothing, school
supplies, food, etc. I would also like to add a pre-K program to ensure they
are afforded an equal opportunity at an early education. Additionally, I
would like to see an after-school program in place that would give students
a safe and uncluttered space to work without distractions, such as
housework or taking care of siblings. Finally, I would continue to maintain
high academic expectations for students and discourage teachers from using
poverty as an excuse for low performance.
 Racial identity - the significance and meaning of race in one’s life.
 http://psychology.iresearchnet.com/counseling-psychology/identitydevelopment/racial-identity/
 Many students within my school have a multi-cultural background. Two
siblings in particular stand out as examples of unique racial identity. Their
mother is white, and their father is black. The sister considers herself
“mixed-race” and indicates as much on any forms requesting that
information. Her brother identifies as black on the same forms. Despite
having the same parents and living in the same household, they are choosing
to identify themselves differently based on their personal experiences. After
reading What I Wish You Knew, I wonder what types of issues they have
struggled with internally that they haven’t voiced.
 As an administrator, I would conduct professional development that
examines the role of racial identity in students’ lives by having teachers read
personal accounts of people like Darian Stevenson and watch videos such as
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. I would ask them to do
self-work around their own racial identity and examine how it influences
daily decisions. Further, I would ask teachers to examine the books they
Word/Term
Religious Diversity
Sexual Orientation
Bullets above:
choose, artwork in classrooms and quotes on the walls to see if they are
supporting students who experience racial barriers.
 Religious Diversity - the fact that there are significant differences in religious
belief and practice
 https://iep.utm.edu/reli-div/#:~:text=Religious%20diver
 When teaching a kindergarten student the alphabet, I was prompting him to
identify the letter ‘t’. He struggled to remember the name of the letter but
came up with this, “I don’t know but Jesus was on it.” It took me a moment
to register that he was referring to Jesus being on the cross that looks like a
lowercase letter ‘t’. He was using his background knowledge of his religion
to relate to the alphabet! At first glance, it would seem that little religious
diversity exists in my current school. Most children attend one of the two
Baptist churches within a few blocks of the school. A church bus picks up a
large group of students each Wednesday to go to an after-school program.
However, there are also families of Lutheran, Catholic, Apostolic, and Jewish
faiths. Not all students attend church and the belief and practices among
the students vary significantly.
 As an administrator, I would continue to encourage positive, meaningful
relationships with students and families from all religious backgrounds. I
would like to see a school culture that promotes knowledge and respect for
all traditions not just the majority. During holidays especially, I would remind
teachers to be careful not to impose a certain faith but to support respectful
curiosity among students.
 Sexual orientation – who you’re attracted to and who you feel drawn to
romantically, emotionally, and sexually
 https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation/sexualorientation
 In the last few minutes of class at the end of the day my second-grade
students were discussing who was picking them up. One girl asked a boy if
his dad was coming to get him. He replied that he had two moms but yes,
his Dom was getting him today. He nonchalantly explained that his Dom was
a girl, but she acted like a boy and that was kind of like a having a dad. The
class acknowledged his response with nods of agreement and that was the
last time it was brought up. He felt safe explaining his situation and the
other children accepted it without question. Knowing this, I was more
intentional when discussing parental roles. When it came time to make
crafts for Mother’s Day, the student opted to make one for his mom and one
for his Dom.
 As an administrator, I would encourage teachers to allow this type of
student led dialogue and demonstrate an attitude of acceptance. There is
much controversary around the topic and discussing sexuality with young
children. However, the reality is that they are living in these situations and
should feel comfortable enough to share about it in the context of their
personal family situations. Teachers will need continuing professional
development to be reminded of the need to ensure inclusion and equity.