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Across this unit I have reflected on questions and themes that I never thought I would have to before. The theme of what ‘normal’ and ‘difference’ means, who I believe I am as a teacher for and of diversity, and critiquing myself in a harsher fashion of who I really am as a human being exposed to countless cultures and persons. Through these seminar activities I have:

·         Grown to understand that normal is dynamic and is never one solid meaning from person to person.

·         Know known and understood that ability is not a genetic and fixed property of someone, but it is a view on the improved state of developing expertise, and have techniques that I can implement to cater to ability.

·         Recognised the AITSL standards that pertain to diversity discourses and found ones which I identify most within.

·         Understood my stance on teaching and my ‘perfect’ setting, and seen the positives and negatives of those settings.

·         Seen my strengths and weaknesses in relation to diversity teaching, and become more self-aware of what I have done, can do, and will work on during my teaching.

·         Known my understanding from before and now have the ability to compare how far I have come in terms of diversity teaching.

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Activity 5: Responsibility and Accountability

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Activity 5: Responsibility and Accountability

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So, with this activity I had taken the checklist I found quite helpful in pinpointing strengths/weaknesses and tried to incorporate that into finding out how I can better approach openness, self-awareness, and commitment to socially just teaching. On the whole, we as professional education are responsible for teaching diversity within the school. We can foster growth for the outside, but we as educators (in my humble opinion) can only take this and ingrain it so deep. Timperly (2008, pp. 28-29) states that leaders are responsible for setting up ongoing learning. Thus, leaders play a crucial role in developing a realistic vision of alternative possibilities, and modelling what it means to be a learner. I can approach diversity work in relation to Garmon’s openness by being receptive to the ideas and arguments that my students make. I ask my students during my placements of their backgrounds, and I enjoy learning about their lives that are different and more cultured than my own. This can come in handy during oral presentations or debates where openness is challenged creating issues, and readiness to accept the different (2004, p. 204). My self-awareness [see photo 1] is done through reflective practices and knowledge of my own dispositions and critical thinking of my pedagogical practises. I can also draw from my students in order to better understand the effect my reflection and application of reflection has on those it targets directly. Finally, drawing upon Garmon, my commitment to socially just teaching comes from the opposite spectrum of his example with Leslie. I was exposed to unjust treatment of people and diversity outside of the school environment in the spectrum of race, religion, and gender, however, I am still (until further involved within student’s lives) largely unable to differentiate between socioeconomic status. Perhaps this is a good thing…. This task has allowed me to consider the nature of the unknown, and put belief in my own self-efficacy and reflective practices; in which I believe diversity teaching has no place among the what, who, how, where, when or why. It is a combination of all.

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Activity 5: Responsibility and Accountability

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Activity 5: Responsibility and Accountability

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Photo 2

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Activity 5: Responsibility and Accountability

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Activity 5: Responsibility and Accountability

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Photo 1

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This next activity is one that I had to liberty to exercise not only in the EXC440 Unit, but also the EPP406 Unit. During the presentations for EPP406, one of the groups had tasked us with something extraordinarily similar to the activity presented within this unit. We were tasked as an individual to draw our ideal classroom and dot around the outside with things we can integrate into each class to think about individuality and diversity. Although this task asked for a personal logo, I feel the other encompassed then my current identity for teaching for diversity, thus, will be of more use. What was prompted to us was the question of ‘How well did my teachers cater for students of all backgrounds and statuses’, and with that prompt, showed us that by the time we start teaching we should have a solid commitment to teach all students. What was interesting about my drawing presented [photo 1], is that I have created a way in which the classroom is setup which can reflect diversity. Say, a simple task – designing a classroom – may render hidden implication for catering to diversity of learners. Thus, equity and social inclusion can be improved by understanding, challenging, and changing educational outcomes (Moss, 2005, p. 146).

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Photo 1

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Photo 3

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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This particular activity was one that I undertook primarily at home. What was tasked was to investigate the websites of schools we as pre-service teachers attended rounds or visited, and find the schools diversity policy. There was no direct diversity policy, so I drew from the policy I knew reflected diversity intentions best; the Equal Opportunity policy. This task allowed me to think deeper than a surface look on schoolwide diversity, and compare them to my current dispositions. It also allowed me the extended opportunity of looking into MySchool to see what percentages of different cultures (again, on the surface) were represented within the school. Within the first photo I outline some of the pros and cons to the policy such as the promotion of fair and equal treatment, and the grievance process being public, long and arduous, and I note that the primary discourse I interact and identify with most within this policy is the knowledge and understanding of various cultures and cultural norms, and those differences in socioeconomic situations. This is something that also ties in (in my personal opinion) with Activity 2: Ability. The differences outlined within the aforementioned policy may also pertain to those of differing ability as it is called the Equal Opportunity policy, and it does seem to apply to all needs. Finally, due to time constraints the only AITSL (2011, p. 9) standard I was able to apply to this policy within the time frame was the first standard, primarily 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 [in Photo 3] What I had gained from this activity was a sense of further understanding that diversity is not just about religion, race, and gender. Diversity is now becoming ingrained within my person as an all-encompassing set of differences, where everything that deviates from our own personal ‘norm’ can be labelled as diverse.

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Photo 2

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Activity 3: Recognising Diversity Discourses

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Photo 1

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This activity was an interesting one to me as it calls for reflection on my previous activities across each week accompanied by a graphic drawing that I had made of myself that represents my currently placed self in relation to difference, diversity, and being a teacher for diversity. First off, I will describe and break down my graphic. The circle represents the world in a way, and the people around the outside reflect everyone in a simplistic fashion. Each culture, race, gender, religion, and age (just to name a few) are present and joined together by the hands. The poorly drawn portrait of myself in the middle has a few symbols around the outside which represent where I am as a diversity teacher and how I see diversity. The question marks represent the unknown; the differences I have no yet encountered and facilitated, and combined with the ampersands and exclamation marks, they also represent the vast amount of experiences and knowledge I will accrue over my lifetime. Diversity teacher and learning is something that in my eyes will never quite stop as there are more differences and unique facets of each individual than possibly known. The smiley faces represent my current affinity with diversity and teaching. I have learned that difference is something that is like normality and ability; it is dynamic in nature.

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This activity was one that is based almost entirely on discussion of the term ‘ability’ and the notion behind the term ‘IQism’ within the David Gillborn reading (2004). Within this reading, there was a section that focused on Intelligence and Ability where it stated an outdated belief that ability was relatively fixed and differentially distributed especially by social class and/or ethnicity (ibid, p. 288). As such, this topic was discussed heavily within the seminar and allowed me to gain a lot of different perspectives based on my cohort’s interpretations. As you can see by the photos presented, the term ability and its subjective application can be boiled down to three main ideas. The first noting that ability is dynamic, and is not a reflection of fixed inherited differences. The second states that ability is a form of intelligence developing expertise, and finally that the focus should be shifted to improvement from the beginning to determine developmental ability. These all stem from awareness of the connotation. This is where my disposition starts to change as not only a teacher, but as a human being. Before looking at this and the previous activity, I had not ever sat down and discussed or even critically reflected upon what I think defines ability, intelligence, or normal.  This discussion helped me listen and learn a multitude of ways in which I will be able to teach the same thing to cater to multiple abilities, of which some are listed within the second activity photo (my notes).

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Photo 2

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Photo 1

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Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2011, Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Formerly the National Profession Standards for Teachers, Educational Services Australia, pp. 1-24.

Banks, JA, Cookson, P, Gay, G, Hawley, WD, Nieto, S, Schofield, JW, Stephan, WG 2001, Diversity Within Units: Essential Principles for Teaching and Learning in a Multicultural Society, Center for Multicultural Education, College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle, pp. 1-26.

Garmon, A 2004, Changing Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes/Beliefs About Diversity: What are the Critical Factors?, Western Michigan University, Journal of Teacher Education, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 201-213.

Gillborn, D 2004, ‘Ability, Selection, and Institutional Racism in Schools’, Culture and Learning: Access and Opportunity in the Classroom, Institute of Education, University of London, pp. 279-295.

Hart, S, Dixon, A, Drummond, MJ, McIntyre, D 2004, ‘Transforming the Capacity to Learn’, Learning without limits, Open University Press, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, pp. 165-193.

Moss, J 2005, ‘Chapter 5: Learner diversity, pedagogy and educational equity’, in Churchill, Rick 2nd end, Teaching: Making a Difference, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland, pp.144-181.

Timperley, H, Wilson, A, Barrar, H and Fung, I 2008, Teacher professional learning and development, Imprimerie Nouvelle Gonnet, Belley, France, pp. 1-31.

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This task was unique to me as it tasked me to think about what ‘normal’ really meant. The reason this task resonated most with me is that I had never quite undertaken the task of critically thinking what normal really meant. Sure, I am aware of its definition, but what does it really mean? From what I could understand and discuss is that normal simply meant the things that are familiar, and known. These drawings and discussion showed me that what I find normal is not what others find normal. Their suggestions of the term ‘normal’ are vastly different, which suggests the connotation of normal is dynamic, and has no fixed answer. The discussion of ‘normal’ is one that is necessary within institutions as it influences who we are and how we see other people. It helps us facilitate to students’ needs in order to help them learn on an equal footing. Hart (et al, 2004, p. 180), speaks about co-agency in which a principle is applicable to the notions of understanding the norm and its dynamic concepts. Within it is stated that teachers must try to use their own power in order to affect how younger people use their own power. It builds upon the understanding of how external forces (which can be variables like race, religion, socioeconomic status, and gender) and opportunities impact on their states of mind and personal resources available that can affect and shape young people’s learning choices. It works to help improve the contexts, aforementioned external conditions, and opportunities for learning in a way to inspire and empower students. Thus, it is important to be conscious of what is normal because if you have an idea of differences, you are able to facilitate equality and potentially intercept stereotypes while simultaneously improving efficacy and self-learning.

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Photo 1

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In order to become an effective teacher, one must accompany their learning experiences and pedagogical practices with knowledge of diversity. This diversity refers to everything deviant from ‘the normal’ we are subjected to where race, culture, background, religion, gender, and age are merely a few things that need to be taken into consideration. Currently, work within the format of a curriculum and other institutional educational units do not provide proper, and even inconsistent opportunities to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills needed to work effectively in those culturally diverse educational settings (Banks et al, 2001, pp. 5-6). Thus, in consideration of this knowledge, there are a few activities in which I have selected from the seminars attended, and read about. The first activity and one that stood out to me most was the drawing activity for Week 4’s seminar, where each pre-service teacher was tasked to draw a dog, the alphabet, a bed, and a baby in the way in which they perceive as ‘normal’. However, there was another activity within that lesson that inspired me to think deeper about diversity, as it was more cerebral and discussion-based, and that was in relation to ‘ability’. This was the second activity covered. The two questions prompted, revolved around how we as teachers can resist Gillborn’s described IQ-ism, and the changes we may implement in our own teaching practices both on the what and the how we teach to all students. The third activity had me reflect upon the different discourses of diversity, and look at the policies of schools around diversity and inclusion, which I chose as it is useful to understand the machinations of the school’s actions. My fourth activity tasked me to conceptualise what education meant to me, and what my ideal setup for teaching would be. This was interesting because I was able to learn that some of my ideal situations could be challenge as improper and was selected for inclusion due to my constant questioning and reflective on my own practices. My fifth activity was included as it prompted me to think about accountability, and the self-analysis checklist created a physical manifestation of my strengths/weaknesses. Finally, sixth activity tasked me to draw a graphic or a logo to depict where I currently stand in relation to difference, diversity, and was included due to my growth and relationship between education and being a teacher of diversity.

Disclaimer: These activities are presented here in no particular order.