React to the article: Teaching for Inclusion.

Well, after reading the general strategies for Inclusive Teaching, I found I knew more about the topic than I thought. I also realized why it is so important to create an inclusive environment. Throughout my time in the educational system I have come to experience firsthand what an exclusive teaching environment can feel like. I was a shy child growing up and didn’t opt out for much class participation. Although, some teachers made it very clear that participation would hold a significant portion of the grade. I always felt obligated to participate and it always added unneeded pressure and stress. Instead of focusing on learning the material, I would stress out about what we would have to do in class, in front of everyone. During those classes I realized I never really felt connected to the material and once the material was actually learned it wouldn’t quite stick. My nerves would get the better of me and I wouldn’t remember a thing, I’d blank out. It was unnerving and for a long time I felt I wasn’t academically proficient. I got good grades, but the fact that I would freeze up in front of the entire class would just make me doubt myself, even when the response I was formulating was the correct one. As a future educator, I know I wouldn’t want any of my students to feel that way. That is why it is important to understand the concept of teaching to the individual. Students aren’t cookie cutters of one another or even of the students that came before them. Yes, they may share similarities being students, but that doesn’t mean that they have lost their individuality. Their individuality as a student is based on their personality, their ethnicity, and sometimes even their religious beliefs. Their families have reared them a certain way, and it is your job as an educator to level the playing field because each student will be coming into your class with a set of preconceived notions. Some of these notions may be negative, so it is important to set up ground rules. These ground rules will create a positive atmosphere for the students to be able to discuss certain themes, no matter how controversial. Also, if these ground rules are introduced early in the course, one can go through them with the students for further explanation of each rule and if need be additions can be made to the list. Now, returning to the concept of teaching to the individual. Although, a great concept, there are many pitfalls to look out for when changing your teaching style. Pitfalls that traditional teachers make without knowing the faux pa they are walking into. For example, if the classroom is working on an assignment which looks into the ethnicity of a people and there just so happens to be a student in that class from that ethnicity, the teacher may feel prone to ask the student to answer questions on behalf of his/her people, in turn singling them out. The student may not believe in what his/her people believe in or may feel it too personal a topic to talk about. But the table could easily turn if the teacher decides not to put the student on the spot like that, and instead chooses to ignore the student, even if the student is willing to share his/ her views on the subject. Talk about a double edged sword. By the way, it is also not a good idea to ask the student to be a spokesperson for his/her group, given that they may not feel comfortable with that title. Another pitfall to look out for is one that deals with the teachers personal preferences, like humor. Jokes are a great way to break the ice, but not everyone shares the same taste in humor. Personally, I have a dark sense of humor. But I’m not going to go into my classroom and tell them this joke:
Q: Why was the Egyptian boy confused?
A: Because his daddy was really a mummy.
I find the little joke funny and quite witty, but it’s still inappropriate. This joke maybe thought of as offensive by a student who is homosexual or who has same-sex parents. Unfortunately, many teachers don’t see where the harm lies when making light of a specific situation or sharing a giggle at the expense of others. I have heard my share of offensive jokes in a classroom setting, whether it was shared by the teacher or even amongst the students themselves. As you can see, creating an effective inclusive teaching environment will make you look at your teaching style a little more closely. And unfortunately, isn’t something that can be put into effect immediately. It takes time, hard work, and dedication to the cause, the cause being one that will bring the students and teacher closer together to create a community within the classroom walls.