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As I was working on the cultural selfie project I realized literacy is everywhere. Before this project I never really realized how much literacy is incorporated into my everyday life. Rather it be using social media, listening to music, shopping or completing assignments for class. Working with cultural groups it is important to see how literacy works in other areas other than school. According to Mui, and Anderson, “as teachers work with increasing numbers of children and families from different cultural groups, it is essential that they recognize and value the different ways that literacy is supported in homes and communities”(2006).

The implications of the knowledge I gained about myself will befit my future teaching career. It will benefit my career by know there are multiple different types of literacies that can be easily used in the classroom setting. The awareness of who I am culturally impact my teaching by making sure I don’t teach with only knowing my point of view. My awareness of who I am culturally impacts my teaching by being able to relate to students who have similar cultural backgrounds. It also opened my eyes to be even more cautious of including each student’s culture within the classroom.

It is important to consider the identity of the teacher and her/his cultural background as a part of the teaching process due to those biases we may have. Figuring out the biases will not only help us become better teachers but it will also allow use to explore and learn more about our students and their different cultures.

It very is important for a teacher to identify and recognize that children are not illiterate and fail at school due to deficits in their culture. Students should not have to worry about coming to school because they cannot perform like the rest of the students due to their cultural background. Students should be able to share their culture, and receive the support they need to be successful in the classroom using their cultural background. “ There are many teachers who do not know about their students or families that can be immediately helpful in the classroom” (Moll, 2001). Students like to relate school to their real life situations; so incorporating what they know will allow them to understand the content into more depth if it is compared to what they know.

It is important for the teacher to understand the funds of knowledge to promote a culturally responsive classroom. It is a way to not only get students more involved but their families as well. A fund of knowledge that I bring to the classroom is allowing students to share their experiences they have with what is being studied in the classroom. Children’s cultural experiences and understanding of literacy and education are sometimes a mismatch to the school and teacher’s ways and beliefs. I like to think that I am on the positive side of this continuum because I am understanding. I want to know about other cultures and beliefs my students have.  I am willing to pull my beliefs to the side and really fully understand where my students are coming from. I will allow students to share their cultures and bring those cultures into the classroom, and to support all students with their literacy and education including their culture. In the article Family Stories Night: Celebrating culture and Community by Paula L. Meoli, a group of parents come to the school to share their personal stories and cultures. This is something I would like to include into my classroom. It gives a chance not only for the students to share, but also the parents.

I leaned in this class that good literacy is much more than just covering the standard. Good literacy involves recognizing the different ways literacy is viewed, learned, and practice in other cultures.  To promote equity and better serve my students I will get to know each and every student and included their cultural backgrounds into their learning and into the classroom.

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I am Alex.
I am patient and organized.
I wonder about my future classroom and students.
I hear laughter.
I see supportive family and friends.
I want to graduate.
I am crafty.
I pretend I don't see my car running low on gas.
I worry about everything.
I understand there are some things I can't control.
I am responsible.
I dream of my future.
I hope to be an amazing teacher.
I am always on time.
I am Alex.

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I see myself as a hard working, caring, respectful, and responsible. I am also very passionate about teaching and excited to see what the future holds.

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Weakness on Teaching Culturally Diverse Students

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Weakness on Teaching Culturally Diverse Students

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Teaching culturally diverse students can be challenging. My weakness is not knowing enough about the students' different cultural backgrounds. With not knowing enough about the students' different cultural backgrounds it then becomes hard to create lessons that they can all relate to.

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Strength on Teaching Culturally Diverse Students 

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Strength on Teaching Culturally Diverse Students 

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A strength I have with teaching culturally diverse students is including and introducing all different types of books. As I am working on building my classroom library I often take into consideration of teaching culturally diverse students. I believe it is important to try and find books that can relate to the students, but also allow students to learn from them. One book is about being nervous about being a flower girl, there is one about being adopted, one about London, and even one about India.

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This book I found recently at Good Will and I just had to have it. This book is about all the possible different moods you could have. Each mood is on a different page and has its own illustrations representing that mood. The moods range from silly, grumpy and mean, angry, joyful, confused, quiet, excited, cranky, lonely, happy, discouraged, sad, great, and back to silly.

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My favorite place to read and write is on my bed. It gives me plenty of room to spread all my materials out. It also allows me plenty of room to sit or lay down as I read or write. My bed also has layers of blankets, which makes it a comfortable and cozy environment.

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My favorite literacy experience and what I like to engage in the most is my Cricut. A cricut is a machine that cuts out die-cuts on paper, vinyl ,and iron ons. This is my favorite literacy experience being that I love to craft. It allows me to create things for other people such as decals for cups, cars, and other objects. It also allows me to create birthday cards, or invitations. I have also even made onesies using an iron on sheet saying big sis, little sis for a friend who is having twins.

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My everyday literacies consist of social media, texting, shopping, music, and school work. The social media literacies I often use are Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Texting is used for communication purposes to friends and family. The literacy practices I use for school include d2l for assignment instructions, and to turn assignments in. For school work I also use e-mail to communicate with professors and classmates.

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A cultural value that has been inherited in my family for decades is being raised Catholic. This prayer was stitched by my great grandmother, and my mom had it framed so she could hang it up in the house. With both of my parents being Catholic I was always in Sunday school classes and this specific prayer was always said. My mom even taught Sunday school for many years and was a big part of my first communion. Although we don't go to church as much as we use to, seeing this prayer is always a reminder of our cultural value.

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Cultural discomfort and fears often come to me when I visit some where new. My family likes to go on cruises, and I always have an amazing experience but sometimes it is hard to be comfortable in a new location. One of the places we visited was St.Thomas. In St. Thomas we decide to take a tour from one of the tour guides. The "car" we got in was mostly open, and the tour guide was hard to understand. As he was driving all I could think about was getting back to the boat in one piece. He took us all over the town and up and down mountains. The view was amazing, but being with someone unfamiliar who did not speak great english and didn't work for the boat was slightly uncomfortable.

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I often times find myself stereotyping people who wear high heels to the mall, or even to the grocery store. There is nothing technically wrong with wearing huge shoes around, however I feel like these types of shoes are more appropriate to wear to special events rather than everyday life.

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My privilege is the place where I grew up and what I call home. I have lived in this house my whole life. This house is where I have had almost all of my birthday parties and sleep-overs. We also host many parties, and I couldn't imagine growing up anywhere else. Although this house is old, and not exactly modern it is where I feel safe. Not only is the house a privilege but also the neighborhood I live in. It is a very small neighborhood, and often times quiet but it contains many great memories with neighbors old and new.

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An important object to me is Simba, a stuff animal from the Lion King. This stuff animal I received for my very first Christmas from my grandpa.Even though I was only four days old he thought it was necessary to buy my a gift. It quickly became a comfort object to me, and I always had to have it to sleep with. Simba became even more important to me when my grandpa passed away. I was only five years old and I felt like it kept us connected.

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My favorite characteristic trait I have is patience. Growing up with lots of family around such as cousins, aunts, uncles, second cousins, patience is necessary.  With being one of the oldest cousins my patience grew quickly the bigger our family got. I also get a lot of my patience from my mom. My mom has always worked with kids, so I believe I gained patience and passion from her.

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My favorite physical feature would be my curly hair. The reason why I love my curly is because it runs in the family. Back in the day when my dad had long hair, his hair was wavy and thick. My mom's hair has always been curly. My sister's hair is ringlet curly and extremely think. My hair goes back and forth between wavy and curly. The front pieces of my hair are often just wavy but then the rest of my hair is curly.

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My name Alexandra Diane Jablonski comes from other family members. The name Fredrick Alexander Hamlin has been in my family for many generations. My grandfather was Fredrick Alexander Hamlin the third. My mom wanted to keep a family name so she named me Alexandra. My middle name Diane comes from my dad's side of the family. I was named after my dad's sister who passed away before I could meet her. Lastly, Jablonski came directly from Poland. My great great grandparents came to the U.S. from Poland. I have had many nicknames growing up. Alex is what I have always gone by at home and at school. I have also been called Al, Allie, and Gator(Allie gator).