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Inclusion and fairness is not providing everyone with the same supports but with the supports that they need.
Inclusion in the classroom for all students at all levels and abilities.
An environment where each person is valued and able feel included
Each individual is valued as part the community
Modifications and Accommodations are to provide an environment for all students to succeed

Revision from video by Maryam Elassar: Lesson in Friendship and Love
Inclusion is understanding one another
Fighting Ignorance with Knowledge
Stop picking on each other and value one another
Overcome our differences
We all come from different cultures and backgrounds we should be judged by our actions and characters not from the outside

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Personal Understanding
Race
-individuals from the same group or culture
Racism
-bias or prejudice against individuals because they belong to a specific group or culture

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The term "Race" is a social construct. It is something constructed or created by society. The Human Rights in Ontario document states that they have not defined the term race. The document states "it is not specifically defined." "The Commission has explained “race” as socially constructed differences among people based on characteristics". Now is this document stating that the term race exists because of how society thinks, and because of that they need to define it ;thus, having a way to protect from any form racial discrimination-which is another term they have not "specifically defined"?
Racism is called an ideology. The idea that one group or "race" is better than another.

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My initial understanding: children with assorted identities, challenges, and needs, are participating in a general classroom as much as possible. Various learning styles, accommodations, and modifications are put into place to help meet the needs of students, both academically and socially/emotionally. This is an inclusive format, as opposed to students with certain needs being separated into a different room with a smaller group.

Revision/ Further Questioning: I watched the video "Lessons in Friendship and  Love", a speech by a Grade 3 girl wearing a Muslim head scarf. She spoke about her experience meeting another girl on the playground who stared at the head scarf and asked about it, and then she asked the other girl why she had a funny-sounding voice. They were both uncomfortable. Then the girls decided to open up to each other , the first girl sharing that her head scarf is part of her religion, and that some of the prophets and deities in her religion overlap with those of Judaism and Christianity. Then the other girl explained that she had recently moved to the US from Mexico, as her father is a farmer, and she hadn't learned much English yet but understands more than she speaks. This conversation broke the ice, and the girls went on the play together.

This got me thinking about something I brought up in the discussion about our biases. I am interested to try (and have previously touched upon) having students who are a linguistic, cultural, or religious minority in the classroom, teach the class about a holiday or celebration, or a song, dance, or game from their culture. I wouldn't put them on the spot or push them, but I find that most students like to be given a special task and are excited teaching something most other kids in the class don't know much about. For example, this Lunar New Year, I had a few of my students who celebrate the holiday explain about the activities and foods. We also watched a related video and did crafts. On Hanukkah, I as a Jewish teacher in a school where there were very few Jewish students, led some songs and games, and the students who celebrated the holiday explained parts of it to the class.

What are some recommendations in bringing education about diversity (religious, cultural, linguistic, learning needs, dis/abilities, sexual orientation, etc.) into the classroom, from a student-centered/student-led perspective? In our schools there is sometimes friction about teaching on topics such as religious holidays (from parents who are a different religion or are atheist), LGBTQ+ content in the Health curriculum, Pride Month and Pink Shirt Day, and parents of children achieving low academically not wanting their child to be "singled out" by receiving additional support or even being put on an IEP at all. How can I encourage students to feel more confident and comfortable opening up to others about their identities, feelings, experiences, dreams, and goals, like the girl in the video?

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My understanding
Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority, control or power.

New understanding
Oppression has many different “faces”. First for oppression to exist there needs to be an oppressor and a victim.  The question is who assumes these roles as we understand them.   Five faces of oppression. Exploitation, oppression through capitalism. Marginalization oppression through exclusion.  Powerlessness oppression through socialism. Cultural imperialism oppression through power and control in society.  Violence the most obvious and visible form of oppression, oppression through fear.

Confirmed Idea: The way to look at oppression that encompasses all its faces is to understand that people have the power to have everyone feel like they are human.  Oppression is when people reduce the potential for other people to be fully human.
This could be denying people language, education, and other opportunities to make them fully human in both mind and body.
(Young, 2004)

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As I knew it:
About two years back I read somewhere ‘Equity is not sameness it is fairness’ I got quite impressed as I had got a clearer view point.
New understanding:
But now when I watched Avis Glaze’s and Pedro Noguera’s videos I have gotten impressed once again. It makes me little more aware that what we are considering is not just being fair to the kids by for example by providing them the assignments according to their level of understanding but doing something more than that. Our motive should be to bring them to the level they are supposed to be. It needs to go some extra miles. Educators have to go and they must go because they are the leaders of the society of tomorrow. A huge responsibility!

Wondering:
I wonder about Pedro’s video. This is an excellent idea that he has shared and it is the real learning that would affect kids’ daily immediate life. Many ideas can come to the educators’ minds like that. Is it realistic though? Would we have time to incorporate the curriculum or a part of it in this way and then again meet our goals to achieve all the expectations outlined in the curriculum?

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Personal Understanding

- -  “A nation’s Culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people.”

GANDHI

- - Roots
- - Group
- - Civilization
- - Values

New Learning

While reviewing CBS article, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, describes culture as a way of knowing. Acknowledging our students' multiple social identities and how they intersect with the world. That culture, goes much deeper than typical understandings of ethnicity, race, and/or faith. That culture is a resource for learning and it should be integrated while using students' background knowledge and prior home and community experiences. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy will allow for inclusive learning, while integrating student identity.

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Inclusion is acceptance, understanding and giving everyone a place.  I think of it in terms of everyone seeing themselves represented and respected no matter our physical or intellectual abilities, or choices or realities in terms of who we are and our diversity.
If our schools and classrooms were inclusive we would all see ourselves reflected in the curriculum and would all have the same opportunities for achievement.
Revised: Listening to Maryam Elassar reminded me that we need to overcome our differences (diversity) and increase our understanding of each other (inclusion) to live together peacefully.  The perspective of this little girl was  a great way to share ideas that would help us all feel like we are an important part of our society.

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When I think of identity, I think about what makes me, me. My ethnicity, sex, race, etc. It is about my self-image of how I perceive myself, but also how I have internalized how others perceive me.

Revised Definition: After reading the articles under the identity section. I understand the importance of when we do not see the difference in others we can actually magnify the impact of our differences - Cohn-Vargas, B. and D. M. Steele (2015)  The need to pay attention to who each student is important. Teachers should create an, “identity-safe classrooms, defined as places that foster belonging and value for students of all backgrounds”. St. Denis, V. (2007).  States, It is, it is much more helpful to understand one’s identity as a construction, a product, and an effect of social and historical relations.”

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Original Definition: When I think of the word "identity," I think of the word "identify". Identity to me is a social construct. It involves my physical traits, my personal traits, as well as my abilities and disabilities. Ultimately it allows people to label themselves and become associated with and distinguished from others.

Revised Definition: I watched Chimamanda Adichie's TED Talk, "The Danger of a Single Story". My definition needs to be expanded to recognize that identity is not only related to how we define ourselves but also how we define, identify, and view others.