BennyBlogers

      Being from a small town in Alabama, it would be easy for me, and for others in similar situations, to be completely ignorant of student diversity and its effect on student learning. I say that because I am what most people would call stereotypical. That's a straight white male with a working-class family that is interested in sports and other "masculine" things. It is easy for people like me to fall into the mold and accept the ideas and biases of people before us.     Being stereotypical myself, I know my classroom will be full of students who are different from me. There will be students from different backgrounds, racially diverse students, and students who are both male and female. As a teacher, it is important that students feel represented and understood. If a student feels misunderstood or underrepresented in class, they will be less engaged in learning and more likely to struggle in the classroom. It is important to put students in the best possibl...

    This window and mirror curriculum concept is something I have never really considered. Maybe I thought about the idea, but didn't articulate it into potential practices. Without exaggeration, this may be one of the most impactful concepts of student learning. Being able to see both other people's perspectives and relate to one's own experiences is something, I believe, that could make or break a student's interest in learning. Especially in history, my chosen subject, without perspective, it is difficult to understand historical events and decisions, and it is hard to be intrigued by history if there is no relation to what's happening in our current atmosphere.     In my current season of life, my favorite yet most difficult so far, my family lives on a golf course. I have always enjoyed golf, but I have never played as much as I do now. Golf is a very difficult sport and a challenge to master. I am certain the majority of students I will be teaching will have n...