Autism

 Multicultural Education 2120

In the Temple video the subject of children with Autism is discussed in depth.  In this video autistic children are described as having a different learning style then the regular children in general education classes.  Instead of thinking of things in a more abstract way they see detailed images in their head.  Temple Grandin shared her story about how when she was younger she noticed she did not learn like the other kids around her did.  She also realized that she unlike her peers paid attention to the small and what seemed like unimportant details.  Some examples of famous historical figures that also had some form of autism were Beethoven and Einstein.  She made it clear that children with autism can ultimately function and succeed in society as an individual.  Children who have autism may not be able to speak but then some autistic children could grow up and be very successful.  Many autistic children are very good in one specific area and do not worry about the others.  She mentioned she was very interested in showing off her drawings and was not very good in math. 

Having an autistic child in your classroom comes with challenges and also benefits.  One challenge would be that if the child’s interest was not in math they may struggle with it because they do not see the point in it.  They may also get frustrated and feel defeated because they do not like being bad at something.  A benefit would be that if they do have one particular area that they are very good at and know everything about they could help the other children in the class that may be struggling. 

Life in a Genderless Enviroment

 Multicultural Education 2120

           

          When a baby is born they are given a pink blanket if they are a girl and a blue blanket if they are a boy. As they grow up for birthdays boys are given monster trucks and baseballs while girls are given baby dolls and easy bake ovens.  From a very young age society is telling our children that if boys like to play dress up and girls that like to get dirty outside are different.  In my opinion it is impossible to get away from these stereotypes because they will always be part of our society.  If you turn on the television or even read a children’s book the kids are seeing what society tells them is appropriate for their gender to do. 

            When I was growing up my sisters and I were not the typical little girls.  We had barbie’s and dolls but we were outside from the time we woke up until the sun went down playing with the boys in our neighborhood.  We wore dresses on Sunday when we went to church but every other day of the week we were in T-shirts and shorts.  In society’s eyes the way I grew up didn’t set me up to be a good wife or mom because in their eyes the woman is supposed to be in the home cooking and cleaning.  I don’t think we should be setting our children up to think they are meant to do one thing and nothing else.  We should teach our children that they can do anything they put their minds to no matter what society tells them is appropriate for their gender. 

Poverty Issues

Multicultural Education 2120

 

Poverty around the world is always going to be an issue so we as teachers need to find ways to address the issues going on in our classroom without embarrassing a student.  This is one reason why teachers need to really get to know their students on a personal level.  If you know your students you can be on the lookout for signals that may tell you they are having problems outside the classroom. 

Children who are living in poverty face challenges that other kids may not.  Sometimes they do not get enough food at home so when they come to school they are not focused because they are thinking about when they are going to eat.  Other times they may not have nice clothes or have very good hygiene so the other children may pick on them.  One other challenge would be if a student needed extra help in a certain area.  Most of the times they rely on the bus because a parent is working or cannot come pick them up.  This would make it very difficult for that child to come in early or stay late to get the help they needed because they wouldn’t have a way back home. 

            There could be many changes made to help out these children who live in poverty.  One change could be have an after school bus that runs for children who are struggling and have no other way to get home.  Another change that could be made is if the teacher assigns them I project then she could bring in the supplies they need so that way they would not have to go out and buy things. 

Dealing With Racial Issues

MULTICUTURAL EDUCATION 2120

 

 

 

         It is important to discuss issues with racial dimensions because there will be many different races, genders, religions, and views in a classroom. All of their points of views are important. They are individual to the student and based on past experiences and personal values. Getting different points of view from different races allow students and teachers to gain a better understanding of where the student comes from.

       Teachers need to have open discussions about issues that deal with racial topics. Students should be able to openly discuss how they feel; everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Rules should be set so students respect others thoughts and values but allows them to openly discuss their feelings. Students should not attack others ideas but should be encouraged to have a conversation involving many perspectives. This also will allow them to better understand where others come from and what they hold important. People from all aspects of life have different experiences and beliefs that shape who they are; this could be useful for others to know as well.

        Teachers should initiate conversations dealing with race by making the students comfortable and creating a controlled environment where students feel free to share their thoughts. Again, rules should be set up on who can speak when and speech should be in a discussion form. Students should be open to learning about other cultures and perspectives on certain topics. Students could also choose a race/culture other than their own and do a research project so that they have knowledge of different cultures. The students need to understand that there are different people and different cultures but they are all Teachers should initiate conversations dealing with race by making the students comfortable and creating a controlled environment where students feel free to share their thoughts. Again, rules should be set up on who can speak when and speech should be in a discussion form. Students should be open to learning about other cultures and perspectives on certain topics. Students could also choose a race/culture other than their own and do a research project so that they have knowledge of different cultures.