This event reminded me that collaboration is vital in every classroom. Beyond that though, it showed me that teachers, who are otherwise often underpaid and undervalued, must collaborate with one another. In the presentations at Wits University, I heard so many incredible ideas for incorporating strategies regarding inclusivity into the classroom for the benefit of the students and the teachers. Collaboration benefits students by increasing interpersonal skills, allowing students with understanding of the topic to pull other students to their level, increases engagement, introduces a diversity of perspectives, and teaches social-emotional skills among many other benefits. Teachers, however, often work independently, in spite of research that shows they prefer collaboration (Jez, 2018). Especially as a new educator, it is important to find a school that encourages collaboration with other educators, resource advisors, parents, and administration. I will contribute the newest education to conversations and will in turn hear from experts in the field who can guide me through the challenges I will surely face a a teacher.
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After a couple months of learning about South African education and email communication with South African educators, today we met for the Changemaker Project. It was so wonderful to see the diversity not just of race and country of origin, but of age and experience as well. We began by discussion the challenges we face in the classrooms. As a whole, we discovered that we were mostly struggling to keep students focused, on-task, and excited about learning. We discussed that our students almost certainly had external factors contributing to their acting-out in class, and tried to think empathetically about the problems they may be facing. To combat these challenges, we discussed the importance of student-centered classrooms with culturally responsive material. One of the things I loved most about this juncture of the conversation is that we began to share real, practical ways in which we have worked to create community and student-centered classrooms! It was incredibly valuable to hear everyone's efforts and passion. We then designed a project around our solutions! We decided to create a career fair for grades 9 and 10 in which they could research jobs they were interested in and present them any way they would like to attempt to increase motivation not only for the project but to succeed in school for future successes. To hear educators from around the world work collaboratively to create feasible solutions to common challenges was inspiring.
Today, we did a bike tour of Soweto, an informal settlement outside of Johannesburg. We learned yesterday at the apartheid museum that Soweto was the area that the black men and women who were accused of having (and starting) the bubonic plague were sent by the settlers. Some of the locals called it a “shanty town.” It was very populated with people of all ages roaming the streets. The children loved to give us high fives as we passed, and one even jumped on my bike frame for a ride! The homes were mostly made from storage containers with cement floors and no amenities. Trash littered the streets in protest of the government who would not provide them sufficient services and housing. The unemployment rate is over 30%. I was interested to learn that originally, Soweto got its name as many neighborhoods in New York City do, as an abbreviation for “South Western Township.” It is also said to have sounded like the question of the men and women being transplanted: “so, where to?” And finally, a reclamation of the name of the township by its peoples to “so we too,” a reminder of their unity and community.
The apartheid museum was eye-opening, beautiful, heart-wrenching. It was so dense in information dating back to the origin of man in Africa and through colonization, apartheid, and Nelson Mandela’s righteous life. I loved this full-encompassing historical and sociopolitical perspective, reflected by the spiral shape we walked in through the museum. Best of all, we were accompanied by South African educators, some who were old enough to experience apartheid themselves and share of their memories and add anecdotes to the information. It created a deep sense of empathy and understanding of the unimaginable history in a very real way. I saw so many parallels between South Africa and America even in an exclusively African museum. The unfair allocation of resources; segregation and its aftermath; and the effects on education. One of Nelson Mandela’s quotes stayed with me: “Young people care capable, when aroused, of bringing down the towers of oppression and raising the banners of freedom.” I felt like this was a call to me, to continue to fight for education as a tool for social justice and to work to build inclusivity and uphold the positive power of diversity.
Thirty hours of travel. San Diego to San Francisco. 15+ hours to Dubai. Then 8+ hours to Joburg...and a connecting flight in 30 minutes. We still have to leave the plane, get through customs, exit the international and get to the domestic terminal. No one seems to be much help in giving advise either! So? We run. All through the Joburg airport. When I reached customs (slightly out of breath) the very slow moving customs attendant asked me in a very slow voice, “why are you running?” I told her my flight boarded in 15 minutes and she (again) slowly handed me my passport and (yes—slowly) said, “Run”. So? We ran! And made it just in time. The only problem was, that wasn’t the only problem! We were already behind schedule to get to our walk in the bush on time and we still had to rent the car, get acclimated to driving on the opposite side of the car AND road, and then make it to the park. Thankfully the driving wasn’t bad, and thankfully we didn’t spend too much more time admiring the elephants and giraffes along the roadside, because our group almost left without us! We saw them as we were driving in the opposite direction. After swiftly packing our bags, we were thrown into the wilderness of South Africa. And man, am I so glad we made it!
The classrooms in America and South Africa reflect our increasingly multicultural society. Many students will have experienced trauma (Adverse Childhood Experiences), will not speak or understand English confidently in an academic setting, and will represent a myriad of races, cultures, and creeds. In an effort to create an inclusive, safe learning environment where all students feel mentally and physically prepared to learn, teachers must work to be empathetic themselves and also foster empathy in their students. In order to be truly empathetic, one must be able to either understand from experience or from learning about the experiences of others. Promoting collaboration and creating curriculum that highlights a variety of cultures helps students understand more perspectives and prepares them to participate in a diverse workforce. Additionally, teachers can employ both Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) which are approaches to learning that are student-centered and work to adapt learning to student’s needs either proactively or reactively (respectively). These approaches both aim at equitable, high-quality curriculum in an inclusive learning environment. It is imperative that teachers embrace that inclusive classrooms are positive learning environments not in spite of differences, but because of the differences of their students.
One of the greatest challenges educators face is the achievement gap which disadvantages mostly students of color, language minorities, differing intellectual abilities, and low-socioeconomic status. The gap is the result of deeply embedded social injustices that still permeate into our sociopolitical and economic systems. In South Africa, Apartheid ended only 20 years ago and it has only been six decades since the historic Brown vs. Board of Education case which overturned racially segregated schools in America. While de jure segregation no longer exists, there are still repercussions for the mistreatment of people of color on the quality of their education. According to the book “Inclusive Education in African Contexts,” to combat these issues, schools implement measures to ameliorate exclusionary practices such as financial aid, training for teachers, and modifications to curriculum. These actions, as Elizabeth Walton describes, are “tame solutions to a wicked problem.” In order to address the deeply-rooted issue of discrimination, teachers need to check their biases and ensure they have high expectations for all students regardless of race, class, creed, or intellectual ability. A teacher’s goal is that by the end of the school year, all students—regardless of individualized education plans or necessary accommodations will show at least one year’s progress. This means that learning needs to be student-centered and individualized. The most important voice in the room is not the teachers—the students need ample opportunities to work with the lessons learned in class in ways that best accommodate their individual learning style.
Identity is so multi-faceted; in order to know who we are, we must analyze the groups with which we identify and the world we live in. After all, we are not neutral to, nor isolated from the context we exist in. In “Can We Talk About Race? And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation,” the author, Beverly Tatum claims that, on a systemic level, housing discrimination creates segregated neighborhoods reflected in schools. Schools of marginalized groups have limited resources, underpaid and undertrained teachers, and poorer conditions. These discrepancies exacerbate the already glaring gap in access for students of color. Further, students of color tend to congregate at schools because they feel unwelcomed by their peers and attempt to create their own community based on a shared cultural and social experience. Without a sense of belonging and safety in schools, students will not be able to learn at optimal levels.
Understanding that both South Africa and America have very diverse populations, it did not surprise me to learn that Africa’s efforts to create inclusivity also include the need for a reexamining of the curriculum we teach. Culturally relevant materials help students see themselves represented in their learning giving them agency, autonomy, and confidence. Especially as a white teacher, it is important that I continually check my bias and work against, not reinforce, the negative or absent representations of marginalized groups in schools. We are less than two months away from departing the U.S. for South Africa and it still does not feel like it’s happening! I have always wanted to see Africa. My love for the outdoors and wildlife has had me itching to travel there for many years. When I learned of USD’s international studies requirement, I was elated. Not only do I feel that travel is one of the most effective ways to expand your views and grow your soul, but I was also incredibly excited at the notion of exploring education systems outside of the U.S. There is always something to learn from quietly observing others and, when apt, to take action; this trip will provide me opportunities to do both.
One of my favorite travel quotes is by Cesare Pavese who said, “If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.” I love this sentiment because it redefines what it means to “travel light.” Yes, it is certainly easier to travel without lugging around excessive material goods. More so, it is valuable to travel with a clear and open mind free of anxieties and doubts. Every trip is an opportunity to transport both the body and mind. I am greatly looking forward to the exposure to varying styles of education, different forms of access, and collaboration within these organizations. |
Study abroad: Healthy Environments and InClusive EducationSummer 2018, I traveled to South Africa to observe policies and practices of the education systems. While there, I participated in a "Changemakers Project" which attempts to bring public awareness and support to educating a diverse population of learners in South Africa and beyond. I was also a speaker in the DISES conference for students with special needs. |