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The book,  Trouble in My Head,  related to an important emotional experience that I went through. The book is about a young girl who suffered from depression. This subject is a sensitive topic for me. I can relate to the character in this book in so many ways. When reading this book, I constantly cried and thought about events that took place in my own life. I choose to use the cover of the book as a representation of the topic. The covers shows a girl who appears to be scared and in deep thought, which describes my time of depression.

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The location where I grew up is something I consider a privilege. I grew up in a great neighborhood. The neighborhood consisted of middle class families with children similar in age. I stayed in a suburbian neighborhood in Decatur, Georgia. The neighborhood was very quiet with no crime at all. I am very appreciative of the neighborhood my family lived in. It is the foundation of my family and the values my parents instilled in us.

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I am Zakiyyah McCaskill
I am a dedicated mother and wife
I am strong and independent
I live a faith-driven life
I am a future teacher
I am culturally diverse
I am aware of biases in the world
I am fearful of racism
I am determined to succeed
I am thrilled to influence children
I am Zakiyyah McCaskill

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Being in this Education Program at GGC has allowed me to identify my weaknesses teaching culturally diverse students. Accommodating each student accurately in a small group setting is one of my weakness. It's difficult to plan appropriate activities that fit each student's needs. Another weakness is differentiating lessons according to each student's individual needs. Identifying my weaknesses allows to see what I need to work on as a future teacher. Accomplishing this help me to become a culturally responsive teacher.

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Teaching culturally diverse students can be a challenge; however, I find it to be very exciting. I have many strengths teaching culturally diverse students. One of my strengths is the ability to connect with each student. I accomplish this by making each student feel welcomed. Another strength is the ability to keep the students engaged. This is done by finding exciting activities that interests the students. The last strength is to be a role model for the students.

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I don't have many cultural biases; however, the one that sticks out to me is my bias towards Hispanic women. I always believed that majority Hispanic women don't speak English at all. When around Hispanic women, I wouldn't speak or say Hi because I always thought that they wouldn't understand what I was saying. As I grew older, I found this bias to be very untrue. I actually enjoy engaging in conversation with Hispanic women. Yes, they can speak English and are very nice people as well.

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I have many cultural values and beliefs. Religion and education were the most important values instilled in our family. My parents took education very serious and expected us to do the same. We were expected to make good grades and study constantly. This is an excellent value that I am grateful to have instilled in me. Religion is another important value. As a Christian, I have certain beliefs and standards that I must live by. Another belief that I still follow is respect towards family and elders. Elders are considered to hold a lot of wisdom and should be held to a higher standard. With all of the cultural beliefs and values instilled in me, I am grateful as they have taught me to live life to the fullest, show respect and hold a strong sense of pride.

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One of my cultural discomfort and fears is Racism. Growing up, my parents always taught me not see color but to get to know each person for who they are on the inside. This has always been a strong belief of mines. I had my first racial encounter this year at the age of 26 and it was one of the scariest things that I have experienced. It didn't change my views of other races and my personal beliefs on racism. It did however open my eyes and made me realize that racism is real and it does exist.

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An important object to me is my wedding ring. My wedding ring symbolizes the foundation of my family. I have been with my husband since 2008 and we got married in 2013. Getting married was a major step in my life. When we first got married we weren't financially stable enough to buy the rings we wanted. Even though it wasn't an elaborate ring, it still symbolized my marriage. It symbolizes the love between my husband and I. It also symbolizes the friendship that we have built. Every time I look at my wedding ring, it's a constant reminding of the values and beliefs of our marriage. My favorite object is a symbol of my marriage, my wedding and the many years that we have spent together. It also symbolizes the many years to come between us.

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I have many several literacy practices of my everyday life. The most important everyday literary practice is teaching my daughter. We do a variety of activities together daily. We complete homework assignment, read books, complete puzzles and do word work activities. I really enjoy teaching her and watching her learn. Another everyday literary practice is my job as a sales associate at Victoria's Secret. being a sales associate involves me interacting with a variety of customers. Some customers speak English and others don't. I enjoy the customers that don't speak English because it is a learning opportunity to engage with another language.

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My favorite characteristic is my smile. I don't smile a lot so when I do smile it comes off very vibrant. I enjoy taking pictures to showcase my smile! A smile really can make a difference. A smile is the perfect way to turn a negative into a positive

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Graduating from Pre-K was is my favorite Literacy Experience. I attended Pre-K at LaPetite Academy. This was my very first school experience and it was very exciting for me. While in Pre-K i learned many things, including my alphabets and numbers. My teacher would read to us daily which started my love for reading. After Pre-K, I transitioned to an elementary school, which was even more exciting.

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My name, Zakiyyah McCaskill, is a Muslim girl name. It's very difficult for people to pronounce; however, it's sounds easier than it looks. It means sharp, intellectual and pure. My siblings have Muslim names as well. I am not a Muslim; however, my parents decided to give us Muslim names because they have meaning to it. “Zakiyyah’s” are known to be teachers, philosophers and scholars. I decided to keep the tradition going and give my daughter a Muslim name as well. Her name is Makiyah which means who is like God.