Reflection of Professional Feedback

Having two professors join in on our class engagement with diversity truly helped me further answer questions that I was struggling with. I thought I was really great to have Dr. Webster Moore as a guide in this journey in diversity. She has comes from an African American upbringing, studied in throughout college to become a teacher, then principle, and now a college professor here at Trinity. I really liked how she used her past experiences working with children to answer our deep questions. Though some of the questions my peer asked weren’t easy I really appreciated her responses and how she explained it come back to being just as an individual. On the other hand, I really appreciated the responses from Dr. Kuecker. His world viewpoints were great point that I value and now see in a completely different way. I was happy to her him justify his reasoning of sympathy to empathy. I felt that that truly had me thinking on a new level. Many white female teachers feel sorry for students, when in reality sympathy for your students does not help them succeed but it may in a sense make them stay where they are. Since a teacher sympathize for students it produces a stereotype, which Dr. Webster Moore made a point to that those students will begin to feel that they are a part of that very stereotype. This discussion raised questions not only diversity but really made myself and my peers think about who we are as individual and how we treat others.

In Conclusion

Milner aimed this book specifically on issues of equality and diversity. Milner reflects through each of his case studies that teaches can, and do make an impact on students development in bridging opportunities for both themselves and the students. Through each case study Milner examines effective practices among teachers who work with students that are struggling in their academics. Milner has created a great insight about what is conceivable and what is currently changing, within schools where teachers are working in diverse settings. He also shows us future teachers examples of real teachers just like myself, that are working hard to become both the teacher and the learner. This helps me as well as others to start where you are, and grow into meaningful and effective teacher.

When I started reading this book I really connected and enjoyed it right from the start. I felt with the meaningful and real case studies helped me imagine/relate to new teachers and experienced teachers teaching within diverse settings. This book is entirely aimed at teachers to continue to grow and be accepting of differences, culture, and race within the schools. The worldview that Milner had was to not walk into a school and believe that because you are a graduate and you learned “all” about teaching in college your wrong. Teaching is just another chapter within a teacher’s career to begin to learn from the students and to be open and respectful of them and their ideas. I feel that each of us has a calling, and it is our obligation to go above and beyond to sever, for what we were called to do. Though I have finished the book I am still struggling with a few ideas. How will my experiences shape my beliefs in the classroom that I teach in? How will my morals and values be challenged within a diverse school? When I enter an education program, will I have a deep enough understanding of diversity to teach it?   

Now reflecting on this book, I can now see the importance of opening up my heart to students and showing students that I truly care about them as individuals no matter their race, cultural background, or gender. Before reading this book I always knew that I wanted to continually grow as an educator. After reading this book give justification and rational to continue to learn through reading, my students, and seminars. I believe is essential that I continue to learn, because the more I learn though books or my students will allow me to form better relationships with students in the classroom, so I am able to continue to build opportunities with myself and students. This blog has allowed me to read, but reflecting on the big ideas show evidence of what I have gained in learning about cultural diversity.

Building Opportunities

This Chapter is titled “White Male Teacher, Diverse Urban School.” Miler recognizes in this case study that teacher and student relationships do matter, regardless of the content area. In this case study was a science teacher who had been teaching middle school science going on his third year. During his first year of teaching he felt that his students were unwilling to engage in the class and were resistant because students claimed that they did not know him. Milner focuses on the role of the science teacher and the relevance of race in the classroom and tries to make a connection to address opportunities. The opportunities that Milner addresses are forming relationships with students and the teacher so students can begin to build a relationship with their teacher. Because students are struggling to have a relationship with the teacher influenced the kinds of learning opportunities that were made available in the classroom.

“The students were resistant [to me] because that did not know me when I first started teaching here. There was all this pushback because the kids were like:  “I don’t care who you are, I don’t know you.”

                                                           -Mr. Hall, urban middle school science teacher.

During Mr. Halls first year teaching, and understanding that there was tension in the classroom Mr. Hall decided to step back and learn from what his students were offering and was willing to make changes to his instruction accordingly. In this case, Mr. Hall Started where he was and quickly adjusted his thoughts so he would not stay there. Mr. Hall was beginning to understand that in order to maximize the learning opportunities within his classroom he would need to 1. Learn from his students and make continual adjustments throughout the way. 2. Develop a deeper understanding of the impact of race within his classroom. 3. Create opportunities to develop relationships so everyone would learn about each other in class including Mr. Hall.  

Reading this chapter I feel that Mr. Hall was ignorant of the fact that race and culture both play a role in learning opportunities in the classroom. Mr. Hall did not see (at first) that race and cultural differences needed to be discussed in his science class. This case study really reflects how Mr. Hall’s students helped him transform and become responsive to what the students needed from him. I feel that students may put up a wall and not want to get to know someone if they feel that someone does not want to get to know them. These middle school students saw Mr. Hall a white teacher who is only going to teach science. In return the students put up walls because their teacher knew nothing about them. Once teachers open up to students and show their concern and that they truly care students will be more responsive to learning. Teaching is all about building relationships with students and creating opportunities for learning for both the teacher and the students. In this case study, great evidence was shown how learning began once the teacher started listing.  

Is Race Significant or Insignificant?

In both chapters three and four, Milner focuses on black female teachers teaching in a suburban white schools, and black males and females in diverse urban schools. Milner focuses both chapters on cases studies that diversity curriculum and instructional opportunities can become apparent in mostly white spaces (white school environments).  In the first case study in chapter three, Milner highlights that race and diversity should be incorporated into a school curriculum even if the school population is mostly white. Milner argues that all students live in a multicultural society which forces students to understand and accept others and how they may experience the world. Additionally in the case study Milner states that some people feel that race and diversity is insignificant in pronominally white schools when a parent becomes unfavorable with interracial dating among students, or parents do not favor their children being taught by black teachers. Building experiences within a school setting will later support what students will later encounter in life.

“You teach what you know, you teach what you’ve experienced; you teach who you are…My students know me. They know how I live, and there’s no misunderstanding, no misinterpretations about that. I am a black woman, and they need to understand that there are some differences between myself and them.”

                        -Dr. Johnson, suburban high school language arts teacher    

In the above quote, highlights a bit of Dr. Johnsons experiences as a teacher, and further explains how important matters of race are mainly in white spaces.   

Chapter four focuses on teachers race and if it is significant or insignificant in the classroom and how it plays a role in construction learning opportunities for their students. In this chapter a case study was formulated from a black male teacher who believes that being black is an advantage being that most of his students are black. The teacher argues that students can relate to the teacher because of his ethnicity. On the other hand, he reasons that the effectiveness of his classroom comes from his teaching style, how he teaches, and his management skills. Milner then highlights in the case study those students will initially become attached to the teacher because of the race but over time if the teacher is not effective, students will lose the connection because a connection between a student and a teacher is deeper than race and gender. I feel that Milner’s case study helps support my belief on black teachers in both an all black and all white school. I feel that any person that is trained well in becoming a teacher can learn how to appropriately become effective. As Milner stated the outside color is seen for only so long. For many things the inside shines brighter that what is seen from the outside. Our world view of teaching is to engage students and be effective regardless of what you may appear to be. In this chapter I truly appreciate Milner supporting whites in black schools and blacks in white schools. Though there is a difference in ethnicity I feel that teachers are models for students and teachers take on the role to support their students as well as bridging opportunity gaps in the classroom.   

Diversity and Opportunity Gaps

In chapter one, Milner illustrates a framework that covers five unified areas that he believes can help educator’s connection diversity gaps in the classroom. He begins with color blindness, because of his past experiences he feels that many educators struggle the most in understanding the relevance of race and the role the teacher has on student learning. Many times white teachers do not recognize that their educational background was privileged and were given many more opportunities than other races. Most white educators feel uncomfortable and have a mentality that acknowledging an ethnic background or race of a student or themselves may look as though they are racist. Consequently, with that mentality teachers will begin to teach narrow-minded lesson and will then avoid the consideration of how racially diverse students experience the world inside the classroom and in society. It is our job as educator to overcome our fears and insecurities in order to support diverse students in class with similar feelings. Putting up a wall will not only make students feel more diverse then they already do, but once barriers are broken students are able to connect at a deeper level. This is when you know that there is growth and achievement in racially diverse classrooms.

In this chapter, Milner is trying to bridge the gaps between the students and teacher backgrounds. Currently, I am reading another book titled “Holler If You Hear Me by Gregory Michie,” which closely relates to this first chapter on diversity. Michie is a white male, a first year teacher who decided to teach in the CPS school in the south side of Chicago. Much of the book relates to being a white teacher coming from a privileged background and teaching in a school that is primarily black and Hispanics. At the beginning he illustrates the frustration and challenges of working at a school so diverse, but later Michie achieves successes of students learning once he began to develop deeper connections between himself and the students.

Milner, R.H. (2010). Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There: Understanding diversity, opportunity gaps, and teaching in today’s classroom. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Education Press, c2010

Introduction

I decided to choose the book Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There, by Richard Milner. This book stood out to me because I believe that continuing education after college is essential for professional educators to stay current and knowledgeable in a discipline, especially in a diverse setting. It is our duty as teachers to learn the essential skills and insight to teaching diverse students.

This book addresses the fundamental skills that are needed in teaching diverse students. Richard Milner centers his book on the challenges and opportunities working with students from diverse backgrounds and he uses real case studies as examples. The case studies that are used are to guide professional educators to better understand and promote the success in diverse classrooms. I am looking forward to reading this book to learn how a professional shapes a diverse classroom and promotes academic success.  

Milner, R.H. (2010). Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There: Understanding diversity, opportunity gaps, and teaching in today’s classroom. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Education Press, c2010