Diversity in the Classroom

This month I was asked to share with you a little bit about diversity in the classroom. This can be a difficult subject to approach, but it is incredibly important to our children’s development.

In January, we read several books about Martin Luther King, Jr., which brought up questions about segregation and slavery. As I tried to explain these words, one of the kids pretty much summed up the students’ response with a puzzled/disgusted look and simply said, “Wow. That’s not cool.”

A child’s perspective on diversity is unique because children are not born with prejudice, it is something they learn as they get older. In my classroom, I try to emphasize that we are all people of value. We all come from different backgrounds and have unique strengths and weaknesses. As a class, we are all teachers and we are all learners. Everyone has something to offer and to gain.

Our curriculum teaches diversity in a variety of ways. In our “All About Me” unit at the beginning of the year, the class learned a lot about each other. They found things they had in common and things that were different. We talked quite a bit about how boring it would be if everyone was the same. Throughout the year, we have read a lot of books that have given a glimpse into different cultures and traditions. This month, we will be learning about some famous Americans, including Helen Keller, a blind and deaf woman who shocked the world with her accomplishments and changed the course of history for people with disabilities.

In my work, I strive to expand upon the curriculum and find better ways to meet the needs of all my students. One of my goals this year was to incorporate more music and pictures into my teaching because they are especially good tools for English language learners, and are beneficial for all students. Our postcard project has also done a lot to connect the class with each other and the world. The students whose families sent in postcards always lit up when sharing them, and the other kids always had tons of questions. I have also recently discovered the “Learning to Get Along” book series and am looking forward to sharing more of these books with the class. I am fortunate to have a small class in which I can give students lots of individual attention and tweak instruction to help each student reach his or her potential.

I have been really impressed with the class this year. They care about each other a lot. Throughout the year, I have enjoyed watching them share languages, teach each other, and become good friends.

Education in this county is continually progressing toward becoming more inclusive, to the benefit of all students. Diversity in the classroom results in increased empathy and respect for all people, more opportunities to teach and learn from one another, and a greater understanding of the world. Your children are well on their way to becoming conscientious and compassionate adults.

Kirkland Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

The War on Christmas

This year the war on Christmas took an interesting turn. In the early afternoon, Chris saw our squirrel nemesis run off with one of the outdoor Christmas lightbulbs. I'm pretty sure I saw him burying it the neighbor's yard two doors down. Then in the evening, when we went to turn on the lights, half of them didn't work. The blasted squirrel chewed through the wire! Needless to say, the destruction was devastating. Fortunately, Christmas at the house has survived. There are still some outdoor lights spared, and the indoor decorations are safe and sound.

Bossypants and Peter Pan

I have been taking advantage of the public library recently. In the past, I've only gone to get picture books for my students, but lately I have discovered how wonderful it is for me personally. Currently checked out are movies, more books than I have time to read, and a CD course to supplement the Spanish class I am taking...perfect for long drives to Portland.

My current lunch break book, Bossypants by Tina Fey, is brilliant in so many ways. However, the thing that I have loved the most so far is the personal connection I have made with her. We have very little in common except that we have both searched high and low for Peter Pan merchandise and have been baffled by the overwhelming amount of Tinker Bell and Captain Hook stuff contrasted with the complete lack of anything strictly Peter Pan. Chris had picked Peter Pan as the theme for the nursery, and it was the biggest pain in the butt to try to find things to go in that room. We never did get too far in the decorating...didn't even get to put up the cricut cutouts my sister spent so much time making after we realized that we were never going to find anything Peter Pan. Here's the one thing that did go up, and since I never got to share it with anyone, I'm putting it here. What was above the crib...

Slowly coming up with some new dreams

I finished copying the posts from the adoption blog. It was good to go through and remember all that happened along the way. It's hard to think about. I really thought I knew where I was going in life, and instead the rug was pulled from under me, and I've got to make a new plan. It's scary and a little exciting at the same time...and lonely. I am so thankful for the friends and family who are supporting me now.

In my last adoption post, I had just finished that process and was celebrating. Now I've got a new list to work through to prepare for the next stage in my life. I know what I'm doing through June, and then it's up in the air. Stay tuned...

Changes

This past year has been filled with excitement and anticipation regarding our plans to adopt. I have learned so much during this process and don't regret the experiences I've had. However, due to some very personal reasons, I will no longer be pursuing adoption. Although it has been a confusing and painful realization, I have a feeling that the things that I have learned this year will come into play in some way in the future.

This post isn't really meant for anyone. It's just my acknowledgement to myself that my life is changing. It's an intellectual reassurance to me, even if my heart doesn't feel it yet, that my life will go on. Although I've known this in my head for a while, I felt like today I needed to put it in writing and send it out to the void. Now it's real. Now I'm going to try to move on.

Done with our part of the home study...officially waiting on the license

We are at the end of an epic week of getting stuff done for our home study.  Everything went well.  Our home inspection was great.  The one thing that we needed to do was get a bathmat for the tub.  I could write a whole article on why I think that is absolutely stupid, but it was a simple fix and I am grateful that we passed without having to do more.

The interviews were fine, but a little frustrating.  I actually think they went well overall, but the licensor did manage to push some of my buttons (maybe that was intentional.)  We spent a huge amount of time talking about our parents, and relatively very little time talking about ourselves.  She also kept getting Chris mixed up with someone else.  I am really glad that we get to look over the home study report before it gets sent out because I have a feeling we are going to have to make corrections.

So now our old foster/adoption to-do list is getting replaced with a new one:  Find doctors and dentists who accept Medicaid, figure out childcare more solidly, decide who will take care of the kids if something happens to us, etc.  The doctor thing seems easy enough...just a little research.  The childcare thing is a little more of a quandary.  I could have the kids at my work, which would be ideal, but they don't accept DSHS vouchers and my employee discount doesn't apply for foster kids, so it's looking like we need to find someplace else since we don't know how long we will be fostering.  The "who gets the kids if we die" thing is a tough one.  How do you ask someone that?  Anyone want to volunteer?  We have a whole list of people we think would be great...people that we want to be involved in the kids' lives anyway.  Any advice you may have on how to go about making this type of plan would be appreciated.

Finally, something a little more fun.  We need to put together a profile with pictures describing us and where we live.  I know people who have done the whole "Dear Birthmother" deal, but I guess ours would be more of a "Dear Social Worker" thing, a personal ad for a go-between.  Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match....

Off to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING today.  I plan on cherishing what's left of this weekend.