Reflection for Standard 4: Diversity
1. Describe your evidences: What are they? In what context were they created and/or used?
The first artifact that I have attached for Standard Four: Diversity is an original cultural
project I created during Content Block. This cultural project was created as a project for the
Content Block classes, ED 444: Methods and Materials for Teaching Social Studies and ED 447:
Instructional Technology. The objective of this project was to choose a holiday and look at how
different countries or cultures celebrate. I chose to look at how different countries celebrate
Christmas. If I were to use this project in a classroom, I would separate the class into groups and
assign a country per group. Then, the groups would research their assigned country and create a
slide on how they celebrate Christmas. Then we would take a day to share the slides to the rest
of the class. This would be modified for different grade levels. In lower grades it would be done
in small group. I would read them information and they would decide what was going to be
shared. I would have them draw pictures to go along with the information. This would be a fun
activity to do with all major holidays during the school year.
The second artifact that I have attached to this standard to demonstrate my knowledge of
diversity is an original tutoring reflection. The tutoring reflection was a final paper for the class,
SPED 415: Instructional Methods in the Inclusive Elementary Collaborative/Elementary
Classrooms. The student I tutored during while in the class was a fifth grade student at
Montevallo Elementary School. I would go once a week and tutor the student in reading. The
student struggled with reading comprehension. While tutoring the student, I tried different
strategies and approaches to try to help work on comprehension. One strategy I tried was to have
the student read a passage and answer questions from the passage. I had the student find where
the answers came from. The student did okay with this, but did not like the passages. Therefore
I tried using a chapter book. The student did not respond well to the chapter book. The student
was not willing to even attempt to like the book. I do not think the student realized the time I
took to make sure I had read the book myself and created the questions myself. Even though I
tried different strategies, I am not sure how much the student took away from the tutoring. The
student never put any effort toward the tutoring sessions.
2. Reflect on the following questions:
a. How does the diversity project demonstrate your knowledge of the ways in which student
learning is influenced by individual experiences and out-of-school learning, including language,
family/community values and conditions, cultural, ethnic, and gender differences?
The attached cultural project has been included as an artifact for this standard to
demonstrate my knowledge of both the ways in which student learning happens in a variety of
experiences and out-of-school learning, including language, family/community values and
conditions, cultural, ethnic, and gender difference. The cultural project made me realize how
much I did not know about other countries. Learning about different countries and cultures can
be fun and educational for students. While creating this project I learned so much and this was a
focused assignment, I cannot imagine how much I could learn if I was not focused on a particular
holiday. Students need all kinds of experiences and exposure. There are many students who do
not have any experiences on their own. As a teacher I cannot assume that students know
anything about what I am going to be teaching. Through incorporating diversity into my
teaching I can allow students to have a multitude of experiences. Also, through diversity I can
allow students to share their experiences that they have had before school. I would encourage
students to share about their cultures. It amazes me how students are drawn to things when their
peers are the ones sharing.
b. How does the tutoring reflection demonstrate your knowledge of the major areas of
exceptionality in learning?
The attached tutoring reflection has been included as an artifact for this standard to
demonstrate my knowledge of major areas of exceptionality in learning. Through this tutoring
experience, I learned firsthand that all students learn differently. The classroom I went to had
multiple students all needing help with comprehension. With the one on one help the students’
received it seemed to make a difference. It is so important to plan for these differences in regular
lesson plans, because it is better to be proactive then reactive. If I go on and have multiple ideas
ready, it will be less frustrating for the student who does not already understand what is going
on. For an English language learner, I might have picture to help explain what is being said or
have the directions translated into their language. For gifted students, I might have an extra
activity that will reinforce the subject being taught. For students with special needs I would
make sure I had everything modified according to their IEP. Planning for the major areas of
exceptionality of learning is such a large part of teaching. Meeting the needs of all types of
learners is top priority of mine.
3. Reflect on this statement in regard to Standard Four and Diversity: “I used to think…, but now
I know…”
I used to think that diversity only meant second language learners and I was never sure
how to address their needs. Now I know diversity means all students. When you take into place
diverse learners it could be second language learners, children with special needs, or gifted
children. I know now that a diverse student can be anyone who possibly would need
modifications on an assignment. Almost all students could fit into some form of a diversity
category. Now that I know all of this when I have my own classroom I will do my best to make
sure everyone feels like they belong. I feel as a teacher that it is important to have children
sitting in diverse group settings. This way they can learn from each other and are challenged in a
good way to get to know each other. Also, I feel that it is important that all of the students are
allowed to share their background. Their background and culture are what helps make them who
they are. Diversity is not a scary or bad thing, but a beautiful part of each person that makes
them special.