When the chapter discussed the influence of neighbourhoods, regions and location one specific line struck a cord with me; "...low-quality schools staffed by discouraged teachers, and constrained social networks that do not give them much access to social contacts who reinforce the value of education." (p.196)As a teacher I believe it is our role to be the reinforcer for education. In my last five years teaching swimming lessons I have seen more than a few of my kids not understand what I'm telling them. It is extremely discouraging when you know they can do it but they just do not believe it themselves, but as a teacher you cannot let it bring you down. The kids you teach are depending on you to keep lifting them up when they fall, if one idea doesn't work try another and keep repeating it until something works. Every child deserves an education that doesn't depend on where they live.
On page 197 the influence of family structure is brought up. While reading some of the different effects of different family structures I came to realize that not only is parent-teacher communication important but just like you have to know who your students are like you also have to understand the home environment that your students come from. In the video we watched in psychology this week about Mr. Wright's classroom he could connect with his students not only because he knew them as individuals but because he also learned about the different environment that they were each coming from. "Student's are at school for 6-8 a day, for the other 16 there is a whole different environment that they are in that really has an affect on them."
"Canada has the highest immigration rate in the world and this is expected to continue..." (p. 205) This sentence drives home the importance of creating a diverse and inclusive curriculum that is relevant to a large variety of students. We dance around the issue of making the curriculum relevant with the hope that Canada will become more of a homogenous nation where this will not be a problem but this in not the case. Canada as a nation was built and developed due to its lack of homogeneity. In our classrooms, we must teach ideas of appreciation, not just tolerance. We must teach ideas of respect and consideration of others because as our students get older Canada will just continue to get more diverse. If we teach our students to embrace and appreciate the benefits the diversity can bring to Canada we can help make this world a bit of a better place.
DISCUSSION QUESTION: What do you think is one of the most important things to know about your students to affectively teach them?
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