Wk 5 Culture and Community

I really enjoyed reading this weeks reading. I discussed about the non academic side to the students learning. It discusses the students culture and community characteristics. I enjoyed this reading because I feel these are the aspects of the students learning that are as important if not more important than the academic side. The first thing the reading talks about how the school environment has to be inviting, safe, inclusive, and supportive of all. Not only is this true with the school it also extends to your classroom. The first thing to do make sure your room is clean and decorated with welcoming and bright displays. Make sure you leave some areas open so you can have classes decorate the room. I will also have to do whatever I can do to make sure there is no harassment and bullying. I will make each student as an equal. It also discusses to ensure that each student is an individual. I plan to pull each student to the side through out the school year and get to know them as a student and as a person. I agree with the part of the reading that calls us as educators the advocate and support system for students. This is true because during the school year a student may spend more time around you and the school than they do anywhere else in their life. The section that kind of hits home is the section of the school actively involves families in the education of their children. I have been in schools where parents involvement is not there at home. For example, I was subbing at a school where a student need to take ADHD meds and he had to wait until he got to school to take his meds because there was no parents at home before he left for school. So he was hyper for the whole first hour because his meds hadn’t kicked in. It is a shame that there was now parent involvement to make sure their child took his meds. There are still some middle schools that need to work on involving the families. It seems that parents are only involved if the student is in trouble or they are a IEP or 405 student and the school team and the parents will have meetings. The idea of involving of local business was a surprise to read about, but it makes sense especially with me teaching business classes. I can get the students out to the community and business to learn the basics. The middle school grades are very important because this is where students are making the most changes and are in the most vulnerable part of their lives. We as educators we need to be there for students so they can be successful in school and life.