Ellie Goldrick Hilarie Welsh CI 401-E 13 November 2011 Minority Experience Assignment When we were assigned this project,

I thought it was going to be very difficult for me to feel like a minority. Growing up in upper middle class white suburbia has certainly cut me off from the culturally diverse world we live in, so I have never felt like an outsider in the tight-knit community I have lived in for most of my life. Coming to the University has opened me up to some new experiences, but I still tend to gravitate towards people like me, or situations I would be comfortable with. After this project, however, I have realized that any attempts I have made to branch out have been extremely closed off, and I really have not tried to get out of my comfort zone. Throughout this project, I have felt like a minority in a number of ways, and was pretty uncomfortable in every situation. Though I am still not totally secure with branching out, I feel like I will be able to be more accepting of diversity, especially as a future teacher. Experiencing feelings of discomfort and insecurity has opened me up to the plight of those who feel different, and will hopefully help me to be more understanding of the various cultures, struggles and experiences of my students when I become a teacher. My first experience, attending a high level Statistics and Probability math class here on campus, helped me understand how difficult it can be for students who cannot readily understand the material that is taught in the classroom. Though I am not a math major by any means, I thought I would understand maybe a portion of what was being taught, or at the very least be able to comprehend some of the mathematical vocabulary used. I tried my best to pay attention and engage in the material, but as the class went on I became more confused. This feeling of utter confusion did not make me want to sit through class, or even try to come up with questions

Goldrick 2 in order to clarify the material. I was disappointed in how stupid I felt for not understanding, especially since everyone around me seemed to have a firm grasp on what we were discussing. This experience helped me understand what it is like for students who feel totally lost in the classroom and are unable to focus when faced with challenging schoolwork. When students are not engaged in the classroom, there is a great possibility that they do not understand what is being taught. They might feel too embarrassed to participate or even ask questions, especially if their fellow students seem confident in the material at hand. Feeling lost or alone in school does not motivate students to engage in the curriculum, or even to come to school. Students might act out to distract themselves and teachers from the difficulties they face, and creating this aura of not caring takes over for not understanding. Therefore, as a future teacher I will pay special attention to my students progress in order to monitor those who might be struggling. Thanks to my experience in the Statistics and Probability class, I understand what it is like to feel lost in the shuffle of confident classmates. I will constantly encourage students to ask questions, and try to reach out to those who may be uncomfortable with the material. My main goal as a teacher to be open to those who might be struggling, because going to school and feeling totally lost does not make anyone want to learn. Three of my experiences dealt with language barriers, which seems to be a growing problem in the education field. I attended the Japanese Language Table and two events at the Urbana Free Library in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Day and Spanish Story time. At the Japanese Language Table, the group spoke Japanese the entire time, so I could not even chime in if I wanted to. Prior to the meeting I looked up some basic Japanese words, but this did not prove to be beneficial since the group seemed very fluent in the language. I felt like everyone at the Table was judging me in a way, or at least curious as to why someone

Goldrick 3 with no knowledge of Japanese would attend a meeting where application of the Japanese language was the main focus. As for Hispanic Heritage Day and Spanish Story Time, both English as Spanish were spoken, offering a more bilingual and inclusive atmosphere. I felt a little more comfortable participating, but I still felt like an outsider because I was unfamiliar with all aspects of the Hispanic culture. Most participants were Hispanic, and thus felt an immense pride in their culture that I felt like I was intruding on. Nonetheless, these language and cultural barriers taught me a valuable lesson about teaching. While diversity can pose a problem in communication, opening up oneself to various cultures can bridge the cultural gap in an attempt to work collaboratively in the classroom. In terms of language, as I teacher I will try my best to at least familiarize myself with basic phrases of different languages prevalent in my classroom in an attempt to communicate with my students. Also, I will try to get a language aide in my classroom to help if certain students have extreme difficulties in speaking English or communicating in general. Visual aides will be very important in reaching students who do not speak English, and offer an illustrated representation of important concepts. As far as culture is concerned, I would love for students to share who they are and where they come from with me in a number of ways, including writing. I hope to implement free writing in my classroom often, and offer students a chance to share their lives in an academic way. Maybe at some point my students would feel comfortable sharing their experiences with each other as well. Hopefully my students will see that I am making an effort to learn about who they are, and understand how important maintaining a comfortable atmosphere where they can be free to express themselves is to me. I will try my best to encourage diversity, and show my students that we can work together to maintain our respective identities but also work together as a classroom unit.

Goldrick 4 Alongside the diverse cultural element in the classroom is religious diversity, another constantly debated topic in the educational realm. While the public school system mandates the separation of church and state, religious ideology can be an integral part of any student or teachers identity. When I attended the Yom Kippur service, I felt a strong sense of tradition and faith among the Jewish observers. Being Catholic, I was uncomfortable participating in something so removed from my own faith, but also because everyone in the room was so invested in the service. It is not that I felt like they were shoving their religion down my throat, as I put myself in this situation, but I definitely felt a sense of urgency in believing what surrounded me. Their faith was obviously important to them, as all the observers present were fully participating in the spirit of Yom Kippur by fasting and abstaining from certain behaviors. Rich religious traditions such as those of the Jewish faith can affect the classroom environment, especially if many religious faiths are practiced among students. As a teacher, I will try to be objective with my own faith and not push my beliefs on others and require this of my students as well. This is not to say that religion will never be brought up, as I realize its importance for some people, but I will try to make the classroom an objective rather than combative atmosphere. We can discuss various aspects of certain religions as well as their respective histories, but I do not want my students to advocate their faith to the point of urgency. I hope my students feel comfortable in their convictions as a part of themselves as a person but also as a student. We should all be able to believe what we want, and feel free to do so. Religion is a useful teaching tool not only for context, but also as an assertion of identity. My final experience, attending a Building Bridges meeting, taught me another valuable lesson about identity, but also brought to light the pervasive influence of peers and bullies within education. The LGBT community is constantly marginalized, and the Building Bridges group

Goldrick 5 offers those who identify themselves as LGBT an outlet for their struggles with their sexuality but also with those who surround them. As a straight, Christian girl, I do not come into contact with the LGBT community often, so this experience really opened my eyes to the constant struggle some members face on a daily basis. I always thought I was pretty accepting of various sexual orientations, but I found I was fairly uncomfortable with how open this group was with sharing such personal and intimate details of their lives with me, a total stranger. As a teacher, I will need to be open to my students who need a similar outlet, and give them someone objective they can talk to about their inner thoughts and feelings if they choose to do so. Though some of my students might have a different sexual orientation than myself, I need to be objective and caring about their situation and not judge them by any means. My own acceptance should extend to my classroom, and even the school, for bullying has become a serious epidemic in schools across the country. Everyone should feel like they are safe at school, and though I know I cannot change every students ideology, I can emphasize acceptance through a welcoming environment. Bullying will have to be a zero tolerance offense, and hopefully I can foster an attitude of acceptance that will be replicated by my students. Though I may not agree with everything my students believe in or choose, I will be a person they can talk to so they can work through their feelings and insecurities. Throughout this project, I have determined that in order to be a good teacher, I need to be open to the various backgrounds of my students and accepting of their struggles. My students may not feel totally comfortable sharing all aspects of their lives with me, and I should maintain a certain distance, but I want to emphasize that I am there for them as a teacher but also as a confidant. For me, school is not just a place where curriculum thrives, but also a place where students can foster their identity.