# data[].attributes.body
Welcome to my curated portfolio of seminar responses to ‘Teaching for Diversity’. I have included six activities which stream from Week 1-5, as I believe that the topics and content from each week all cohesively connect to provide us with engaging and thoughtful learning experiences to promote teaching for diversity. This unit has provided me with ample content which has shaped my developing professional identity as a teacher for diversity. I believe that engagement in the seminars and the required reading materials has enabled me to critically reflect on my practice in terms of diversity, fostering my ongoing development and commitment to provide socially just learning experiences for each and every one of my students. I have included activities which focus more towards student differences and how I can work with these diverse personalities and individuals to create a classroom culture that is respectful and open to difference. I recognise diversity as an umbrella term, somewhat broad and ambiguous, which encompasses and echoes characteristics of difference. Although still developing my own professional identity as a teacher, I grasp this concept of difference, not only in a school environment but also socially. I wish to continue to develop my understanding and aspire to produce pedagogies which cater for all individuals. My activities will illustrate to you my personal commitment in ensuring that students are valued in my classroom, providing challenging yet high-quality learning experiences.

# data[].attributes.body
Garmon, A.M 2004, ‘Changing Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes/Beliefs About Diversity: What are the Critical Factors?’, Journal of Teacher Education, vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 201-213.

Graham, L.J 2007, ‘Done in by discourse… or the problem/s with labelling’, Ch. 4 in: M. Keeffe and S. Carrington, Schools and Diversity, 2nd ed, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney, pp. 46-64.

Hart et al 2004(a), ‘Patrick’s approach: only connect’, Learning Without Limits, Open University Press, England, UK, pp. 105-117.

Hart et al 2004(b), ‘Transforming the capacity to learn’, Learning Without Limits, Open University Press, England, UK, pp. 165-194.

Keeffe, M 2006, ‘The inclusive society’, Schools and Diversity, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney, pp. 2-15.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs Melbourne 2008, Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, MCEETYAM, retrieved August 10 2017.

Thomson, P 2002, ‘Vicki and Thanh’, Schooling the rustbelt kids: making the difference in changing times, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 1-18.

# data[].attributes.headline
C. What will you do with this research? What is your responsibility? How are you accountable?

# data[].attributes.subject
C. What will you do with this research? What is your responsibility? How are you accountable?

# data[].attributes.body
All educators are responsible for teaching for diversity. The teachers who mentor pre-service teachers are especially responsible as their knowledge and beliefs about teaching are ultimately passed down to them, possible shaping their way of thinking and teaching about diversity.

I will approach this work during placement using three important factors identified by Garmon (2004). I opt to keep an open mind to others “ideas or arguments” (2004, pg. 204), as I understand and accept that people may share different perspectives than my own. I am eager to explore outside of my comfort zone, and self-reflect on my beliefs and attitudes critically to help facilitate my growth as a teacher of diversity. Furthermore, I have always believed in providing a “commitment to equity and equality for all people in society” (2004, pg. 206), thus I endeavour to effectively respond to social injustices I may encounter.

I will judge the effectiveness of my teaching for diversity by comparing my growth and development to Garmons three dispositional factors, identified earlier. I will keep a journal and document my progress and changing teacher identity throughout the discourse. Furthermore, I will utilise the self-analysis checklist to reflect on my teaching practice.

Diversity is everywhere. We experience diversity daily through the multiple types of diversity that we encounter. Diversity encapsulates all of the ‘what, how, who, where, when and why’, thus teachers need be be aware how all these notions are connected.

# data[].attributes.headline
C. Imagining alternatives... doing 'ability' differently

# data[].attributes.subject
C. Imagining alternatives... doing 'ability' differently

# data[].attributes.body
Draw a normal dog.
Draw a normal baby.

# data[].attributes.body
Draw a normal bed.
Draw a normal alphabet.

# data[].attributes.headline
C. Recognising 'diversity': Your own professional practice

# data[].attributes.subject
C. Recognising 'diversity': Your own professional practice

# data[].attributes.body
In my own teaching practice, I intend to take up ‘diversity’ using a number of techniques. Firstly, having previously been ‘labelled’ during my primary schooling, I know first hand the unsettling and upsetting consequences of so. I felt as though I was treated different than my classmates, and lost interest and motivation to complete or even attempt school work. This experience has taught me how important it is to stray from labelling students or stigmatising them into a category. I intend to work with each student's differences, whether they be cultural, class or gender related, and capitalise on their strengths in order to make the necessary connections to make meaning (Graham, 2007, pg. 55). This may require approaching tasks at a slower pace, therefore a scaffolding approach would serve as beneficial. I firmly believe that an inclusive learning and working environment is needed in order for different identifications to be respected and planned for. In terms of meeting curriculum and assessment requirements, I intend to respond to any diverse needs and employ a differentiated teaching program which works best for my students.

# data[].attributes.body
My intended teaching approach towards ‘diversity’ seems to connect well with the main diversity discourses. As stated, I intend to separate negative labels and demeaning classifications of students as they bear unfavourable consequences. Graham (2007) connects with this discourse as he states how “attributing a label to a child may have the effect that the child comes to be understood second to the label they have been granted” (pg. 55). Current diversity discourses stress how teachers should be pedagogically creative, able to be responsive to differences, reflexive and observant of students in the classroom. This demonstrates connection between differentiating a style of teaching to match the needs of students. There have been quite a number of connections made between diversity and inclusive schools. Keeffe (2006) makes this connection as she asserts how “schools and diversity validates inclusive education and its claim to maximise learning outcomes for all students” (pg. 17). A school environment that is based on relationships, communication and respect for diverse perspectives is one which values the ideals of diversity (2006, pg. 18).

# data[].attributes.body
Design a personal logo to communicate your commitment to teaching for diversity

# data[].attributes.headline
B. Vicki & Thanh and unpacking virtual school bags for schooling success

# data[].attributes.subject
B. Vicki & Thanh and unpacking virtual school bags for schooling success

# data[].attributes.body
Privilege has played out a very large role throughout Vicki's life. Both her parents acquired a university education, unlike Thanh’s parents whose “formal education was disrupted by the civil war” (2002, pg. 2). Both her parents have stable jobs and can afford to send Vicki to a private girl’s school in the future. Vicki had the privilege of attending childcare and preschool, thus already possessing an educational advantage. At school, Vicki is advantaged in her classroom. This is due to the classroom operations and rules being similar to routines she practices at home. Her constant exposure to “spoken and written English, and well schooled reading behaviours” (2002, pg. 2) has allowed Vicki an advantage in the classroom as she is able to use these skills to match the learning experiences of the curriculum.

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout his life, Thanh has gained valuable skills and knowledge which not a lot of people would have the opportunity to experience, let alone acquire at such a young age. Being only five years old, Thanh has had the privilege of not only being exposed to three different languages, but the ability to speak in all three. Thanh has an intercultural understanding through his exposure to many cultures and practices - “knowledge about Vietnam, China, Thailand and Australia” (Thomson, 2002, pg. 1). This is a privilege which has played out throughout his life due to his family experiences. Thanh also has the advantage of understanding the restaurant trade and operations of a business through his family restaurant. These privileges could be deemed valuable in our society as each three of these abilities play an essential part in how one accustoms themselves in the world we live.

Although Thanh possesses quite an interesting virtual bag, his education is sadly disadvantaged. The geographical position of the state primary school in which Thanh is attending is known as “one of the poorest in the country” (2002, pg. 2). Furthermore, the learning experiences which take place in Thanh’s classroom do not coincide with the contents of his virtual schoolbag, thus his educational outcomes are disadvantaged as his teacher promotes Thanh’s active engagement in number activities as he is more successful when working with arithmetic. Thanh is not receiving the necessary help nor exposure to the classroom activities which he is struggling with, ultimately falling behind his peers at a very early, and crucial, age.

Certain skills and knowledge which Thanh possesses were not utilised in order to increase his chances of school success. Thanh has “an understanding that school is important” (2002, pg. 2), therefore his teacher should expose him to learning activities other than working with numbers which challenge his understanding and push him to achieve results. Thanh also possesses “a capacity to get on with a wide range of people” (2002, pg. 2). Pairing him up with a buddy or into a small working group would enable Thanh to collaborate and complete activities with assistance whilst also being socially active.

As my teaching method is Drama, I believe that Thanh’s virtual school bag would be of value in my classroom. In Drama, students “draw on human experiences as a source of ideas” (ACARA, 2017, Drama), providing Thanh opportunities to utilise his experiences and knowledges of different cultures into a performance. Furthermore, his ability to get on with a wide range of people is optimal in a Drama classroom as students are constantly working and collaborating with each other. His love for music would also allow him to make practical and effective use of music as a prop for his performances.

In order to respond to Thanh, and other students’ virtual bags, a teacher should have an understanding that each student is different, thus each student will bring with them perspectives and understandings that may differ from other students. It is the role and responsibility of a teacher to perceive students as “active, critical makers of their own meaning” (Hart et al, 2004, pg. 105). The view of teaching and learning should be seen as a process of exchange between teachers and learners. Teachers will be able to respond to virtual school bags effectively when they commit to the process of understanding that “what learners bring and contribute is as important to the learning that takes place as what the teacher brings and contributes” (2004, pg. 105). The contributions of students (what they bring to the classroom) and the response from the teacher is necessary to be able to respond to student differences.

# data[].attributes.body
In order to withstand the new IQ-ism described by Gillborn in his chapter, it is imperative that as future educators we do not give in to prejudicial and racist predispositions that are casted towards certain students, regarding their ethnicity, intelligence or ‘ability’. As teachers, we can resist these assumptions by changing our attitudes and beliefs towards what constitutes as ‘ability’ and how students acquire certain ‘abilities’ throughout their life. We need to resist generalisations and view each and every student as equals who are just as intelligent as the next student.

We can make small, yet significant changes to our teaching practices to open learning to all students. One practice is to approach teaching in terms of the learning capacity model, which can then be worked into the transformability model. By using these models, teachers are able to determine the external and internal forces which can either expand or constrain students learning capacity, thus students learning capacities are able to be transformed as the forces affecting this are within teachers control. To open learning to all students, teachers should aim to create meaning and connect the content of what is being taught to relate to the world outside school, since young people’s capacity to learn is impaired if they cannot see the point of what they are doing and what they are expected to learn (Hart et all, 2004, pg. 168). Another approach is to reject ability labelling amongst students. If we work to remove negative labels that prohibit students to engage and sustain efforts, then teachers can create a classroom culture which works to build on student confidence and engage them in content which can be taught at all levels.

# data[].attributes.body
There is no easy or right answer to the question of what is normal; the definition is quite ambiguous. None of us actually know what is normal or abnormal, which isn’t necessarily bad. As each and every one of us has a different notion of what’s normal, it is interesting to compare and contrast such diverse representations of normal. I believe that my drawings and my notion of ‘normal’ have been created from my past experiences and environments. For instance, my drawing of a ‘normal bed’ is in fact my bed from when I was a young child. To me, that is what I consider to be a normal bed, but I can guarantee that other individuals will have a different drawing. There are dimensions of difference within all individuals which has shaped our interpretations of the norm, whether they be cultural, race or even our socio-economic status. What is normal is subjective. It often changes with context and social standards.

As normality is such an abstract notion, it is important to be conscious of what we believe counts as normal, especially in a classroom setting. As schools are quite diverse, teachers need to understand that everybody has a different interpretation of what constitutes as normal, thus each student's’ interpretations need to be considered and not merely disregarded as wrong. This allows for an inclusive learning environment where each students judgements and desire to learn is catered for without any prejudices. Furthermore, students will learn to respect and value each other's positions and judgements, whilst understanding how diversity broadens the learning spectrum.