As future educators, it is important that we are inclusive and mindful of what we say. At times, we may not think that what we say could be harmful. However, students often remember! They may not remember the lesson we teach them years later, but they will remember the way we spoke to them, what we said, and how it made them feel. Therefore, we must choose our words carefully and continuously uplift the students we teach. By being positive and making a student feel included in the classroom, this sense of belonging and acceptance without fear of judgement will improve their learning. They will love to go to school!
Personal examples:
I remember as a child I had this grade 1 teacher who I constantly felt nervous or scared around. The classroom was alienating at a glance, with rows of desks placed one by one. My mom told me that on my first day of grade 1 upon seeing the classroom I jumped into my dad's arms and begged to go home. My teacher was strict, and I felt like I couldn't ask her any questions without her getting upset with me. My grades suffered that year, especially in reading. Needless to say the next year I moved schools, and my reading improved drastically when taken under the wing if a different and more understanding teacher.
Recently I have also begun to volunteer at a church near my house teaching catechism classes every other week. Many of the children are part of single parent families, or live with another family member. Therefore, I try to use phrases such as "family" instead of "mom and dad" when I refer to their home life. Though students may not voice their discomfort, it is important that we be inclusive and recognize the diversity present in our classrooms.
Courtesy of Julia D. @ NU
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