The culturally competent teacher is aware of the diverse cultural groups represented in his/her classroom, investigates the sociocultural factors that influence student learning, and is able to integrate this knowledge into his/her learning...

My background will offer both sympathy and challenges to my career as a teacher. Since I grew up with money being a constant topic of discussion and stress, I think I will be able to relate to children who do not come from the richest of families. I was also a part of a less than common home life situation for most of my elementary days. Those experiences and struggles have been something I have had to overcome and accept as well as learn from. I imagine what I have experienced this far will allow me to have more of an open mind when it comes to the way families are formed and function.


The downside to my background playing a role in the classroom is my passionate attitude toward right and wrong. I have always been the " good girl" who follows rues, directions and manages to stay busy while maintaining stellar grades. Regardless of our financial status, my family has always behaved in ways that reflect a higher class. In recent years I have found this is not as common as I thought and have responded in less than perfect ways. I have always held high expectations for myself and those I know. I fear that this may be difficult to contain within a classroom of children coming from many different backgrounds and styles of discipline. Hopefully I will successfully balance the good and bad that both I and others present in order to see the good in people and accept what cannot be changed because of my own beliefs.


My service learning experience has already begun to test the way I think and respond to certain situations. I recently was able to see the way the teacher disciplined to children who had been using bad words and failing to keep their hands to themselves. I loved the way she called the first child up to calmly address the issue and then requested the second once his name was brought up by the story of the first. The teacher explained that the language and behavior demonstrated by the boys was unacceptable in both her classroom and the school and was not to take place again. They then were told to apologize to one another and the people they offended and then go back to their seats. After this discussion, it was just...over. She remained calm, and yet direct and continued on with the next lesson without showing frustration toward the class or boys involved. This made me think about how I will one day be handling such circumstances and how I would have responded. More importantly than my possible response is the fact that I was able to watch this experienced teacher handle this type of situation beautifully. I felt like things were suddenly clear and less overwhelming.


I would hope that if I were the teacher of this classroom I would be able to conduct it in many of the same ways as this teacher repeatedly does. I have noticed how chaotic the schedule is within the classroom and among a total of four teachers working with this one class. Yet the teacher is liked by her students and fellow teachers who she is teaching as well. Everyone is allowed attention and time to teach and learn. If I were the teacher, I feel I would need to be more organized than I am currently. I also feel I need to work on taking more deep breaths and worrying less about the little things. I am quickly learning that the point of teaching isn't only to drill into the minds of young children what they need to know, but also to be there for them and those who wish to teach one day too.


From working one on one with three children weekly, I have learned that skin color does not affect how far someone has come or how advanced they are in school. There is a common misconception that black parents care less about their child's education when in fact I am noticing this is very untrue. Things like privileges for other nationalities are reasons for parents to work harder to help their children focus and do well. Every parent wishes the best for the child and often hopes they will do better than themselves in order to have more opportunities and a better life. As Johnson tells us, our house is on fire and yes, we are all involved and participating in the continual burning of our society. How can we expect to teach all children the same when they are not they same? Also, how can we really help anyone if we have assumptions before even meeting a child or anyone for that matter? We simply won't be able to do our job correctly or meet the needs of the children collectively and individually as necessary. Personally, growing up in a household and family who believes everyone deserves to be treated fairly yet is known for making comments that can sometimes suggest otherwise, I may have trouble breaking certain habits. Language and stereotypes that seem to be accepted in many places or with many people are not anymore because I know I want to do the best I can for every child who walks into my classroom. It will be an active readjusting of my thoughts that will ultimately benefit myself and my students.