Awareness 101: All Are Welcome

As a pre-service teacher, something I have been grappling with is how to create an inclusive environment for my students. Over the past year I have been working more on awareness of differences (ability, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc.) and checking my privileges along the way.This growing awareness has made me particularly mindful of how my assumptions about students and their experiences inside and outside of the classroom are shaping them, especially socially and emotionally. I know that education and experience are the most influential components of growth, but how do we tackle those experiences that teach us with grace rather than indignation?

A few weeks ago I had an interaction with a student that keeps replaying in my head. She had been late or absent from class just about every day since the semester started, and this particular morning she walked in pretty flustered. Because we were already twenty minutes into instruction, I quietly approached her and began explaining what her classmates were doing and attempted to provide her with an example to get started. She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes, but I continued talking, trying to ignore her growing frustration. Once I stopped talking, she informed me that she wasn’t going to complete the assignment because she didn’t complete the reading. When I suggested better time management outside of class, she told me she was a parent and found it extremely difficult to allot time for reading. Before this conversation I was unaware that she had a child, which is why I assumed that she may have had time outside of school to complete school work. In that instance, I alienated this student by making her feel like she wasn’t doing the best she could with what she had. She eventually transferred out of the class (which is not a result of our conversation) but when I ran into her in the hallway last week I made sure to apologize for making her feel attacked our last morning together and asked her about how things were going at home. Everything seemed forgiven afterwards, but thinking back on myself at that age, I can only imagine that this student, as well as many others, probably still carries that assumption in her subconscious; more baggage. The things we say to students and the way we make them feel while under our authority has the power weigh them down, just as the things outside of school that we don't know about do. Instead of adding to that baggage that is isolation, non-affirmation, and inferiority, what can we do to help our students take a load off?

The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) offers some seemingly effective practices for fostering an inclusive environment. Their research and resources obviously have LGBTQ+ students in mind, but much of their message can be applied to other populations of students that I listed at the beginning of the post. Some of the ideas GLSEN presents are:

•  Making certain classroom norms are clear
• Do your students understand what things are acceptable/unacceptable in your classroom?
• Being sure to use examples and teach materials that represent varying experiences/backgrounds in respectful ways
• When in doubt, do more research and get input from your colleagues
• Inviting students to share their lives with the class
• Make yourself accessible to students as well to foster a community environment
• Examining and re-evaluating our own biases about different cultures and backgrounds
• It is okay to acknowledge those biases! Admission of bias is the first step to change.

Cornell University also provided a wealth of useful information regarding classroom climate. As an educator, I'm now beginning to see how integral my role is in promoting student growth by becoming and remaining aware of the extensive list of circumstances that may inhibit their advancement. I am also beginning to truly understand the importance of doing my best to not use any preconceptions I may have to oppress or inhibit them either.