1. How should one define the differences between and relationship between race and ethnicity? 
2. Where do I fit into all of this? Where does my family/my community? 
3. Trying to wrap my head around the concept of Native Americans not being an ethnic group. Couldn’t they still be an ethnic group but the one that was native to the US, making Europeans the ones who are foreign (but in power)? Wouldn’t the colonizer in a situation be a separate ethnic group from the colonized?  

I feel like most spaces have been simultaneously or at different times places where I felt I belonged and places where I felt I didn't belong. West LA is a place where I've felt like I belong because of how represented I feel there - there is a large Iranian community, a large Jewish community, and a large Iranian Jewish community. Growing up I always felt like people around me shared or knew about and understood my culture and upbringing. However, once I came out and grew into my queer identity, LA, and more specifically my community, came to be a place where I often don't feel I belong. BTEP is a place where I've felt like I belonged in terms of my queer identity. It is the first time I've felt truly safe and accepted in that and have had a community of queer people around me! As the only Middle Eastern person in our cohort, I sometimes miss having people around who understand or share my culture and background or something similar to it - who celebrate similar holidays, speak similar languages, feel a tie to the Middle East, mourn over the atrocities currently taking place in Iran and in so many other parts of the Middle East.

• Creating a caring classroom community 

• Being a safe, caring, and supportive adult in the life of my students 

• Holding my students to high standards, both in terms of their learning and their behavior

• Helping students learn to interact with and respect those around them 

• Creating an environment where my students feel represented and valued 

• Being an ally to my students

• Modeling self love and acceptance 

• Not tolerating hate 

• Students feel safe voicing their thoughts, opinions, questions, concerns 

• Two-way teaching, both students and I as teachers and learners 

• Foster curiosity in my students 

As an educator, you can see my vision implemented through the following everyday practices:

• Modeling self love and acceptance

• Calling in rather than calling out 

• Giving students opportunities to talk about their lives and experiences

• Learning about my students' cultures and identities 

• Choosing content (such as books) that reflect the various identities of my students and their families (race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, etc) 

• Being out as a queer teacher 

• Building relationships with other school staff 

• Making an effort to build a relationship with every single student

• Setting clear expectations and boundaries and consistently enforcing them 

• Holding students to high standards in terms of their learning and their interactions with one another and with me 

• Not tolerating homophobia, racism, xenophobia, sexism, any terms of hate, bullying, etc. 

• Naming white supremacy, retelling history 

Honestly, I find this question really tough because it is clear that what the student says has something to do with this students' parents' beliefs. I also find it tough because as someone who is queer, I have a hard time responding to homophobic comments because they are directly related to me, and I find it harder to defend myself than to defend others. As an immediate response, I would say something along the lines of: "Well there are many different types of families and this is one of them. We need to be respectful of each other's families."

Afterwards, I would check-in with the student whose parents were talked about if he overheard to make sure that he is okay.

In order to continue addressing this with this student and the entire class, I think that I would have the students do activities that relate to this topic. For example, I would do an interactive read aloud on a book about how families can look different. An issue I can see coming is if the student who made the comment's parents wouldn't want him engaging in these activities. However, if that comes up and they want that student pulled out then that will be what happens.

• I feel that this standard has the potential of falling into idealization, since it encourages a compliance with authority and only lists the structures that exist and not the issues that come along with them.

3.5: Students demonstrate basic economic reasoning skills and an understanding of the economy of the local region.

• This one could also fall into idealization because once again, it only lists the structures that exist and not the issues that come along with them. Furthermore, it does not at all question capitalism as an ideal.

3.2: Students describe the American Indian nations in their region long ago and in the recent past.

• What about in the present?!

I felt stuck inside my head. 

I am frustrated by how in my head I am. I’m tired of pretending I am fully engaged. I am tired of trying soooo hard to be engaged. 

At the beginning, everything was uncomfortable 

Have thrown myself into moments and experiences that were REALLY out of my comfort zone and as the bound of my comfort have changed, I’ve continued to push myself to do more 

At times, though, I have had days where I didn’t feel willing to push myself as far

I feel more confident in my ability to create art and therefore can more easily imagine myself teaching art to my students or incorporating art into my future classroom. 

I created things that felt like they captured parts of me and my thoughts and enjoyed doing it and was proud of it. 

In LA I feel like the bridge, a bridge between my own beliefs and my family’s; having to explain myself and my life choices, my choices in dress; having to explain others’ rights, my rights; having to rationalize things that are said 

I got here because I couldn’t stay silent, I got here because I can’t say nothing

I stay here because I love my family, because they accept me 

But I also leave because I need to remember who I am, I need breaks 

When I am not here, I feel lighter, I feel freer, I feel like I can evolve and take risks, I feel like a teacher and okay being one, I feel secure, I feel sad because I miss my people and sad that I have to be far to feel this

It reminds me that I know me better than others know me. 

Cops (enforce the law) v.s. people who say negative things. 

This feeling that the cops are everywhere. 

I was expecting Manny to say it was weird for me to tell my student Audrey I have a girlfriend.

Pretend I am not upset when people over-ask for things, overstep knowing I will give and give.

1. I was so anxious at the beginning of this course, so in my head + worried about being perceived → able to step in, less focused on what others were thinking; the space transformed for me from a place of immense discomfort to a place where I could be present and enjoy myself

   1. I’ve seen this transformation many times in my life, I have BEEN transforming for years, exposure therapy on the daily, it is insane to think about how much I have changed, makes me sad to think about the pain that past sara held for such simple things 

2. ENJOYING art + being proud of what I created, being proud of it for me and not focused on others 

3. Surprised myself in Fiona’s cops in the head reenactment 

   1. I know myself best

   2. Sometimes adults cause harm, they don’t always know what’s best even if they are trying to protect you 

   3. I can turn my cops into angels 

   4. Importance of having compassion for the parts of myself that struggle even when logically I know the struggle is unnecessary  

4. Things that I have been reminded of that I need to address

   1. I feel a lot of pain and fear around loss, this is super something that I need to address in therapy 

5. Decision to stay in the bay next year 

   1. Realizing I need to do what is best for me and be wherever is best for me

6. Processing my fear of coming out to my students