Mrs. Blake's Teaching Manifesto
As a white female settler who is an educator, I have a responsibility to educate myself and create an inclusive environment so that all students feel welcomed and comfortable within my classroom. Centering my classroom around anti-oppressive material and deconstructing decolonization is a main goal. Education is meant to create the future citizens of our society and help students be successful within their lives. In order to achieve this goal, I am dedicated to continuously educating myself so I can educate my students in a meaningful manner. My goal is to integrate real-life experiences into the classroom so students can connect to course material on a personal level. I believe in incorporating group work in the classroom because it is important to learn from each other because every student may have a different view or opinion on a topic. Group work will allow students to become familiar with different cultures and allow students of a different background to integrate their prior knowledge into the lessons. I will strive to create an inclusive classroom for all students of different cultures, including incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into the lessons that are taught.
I promise to ensure all students are receiving the best quality education and experience while they are in my classroom. Every student deserves to be respected and heard while they are in the walls of my classroom. “We cannot comprehend the world in its entirety.” (Orr, 2011), but I will strive to educate students to comprehend everything in their little world. We are molding the minds of the future and it is important to do so in a meaningful way.
I promise to ensure all students are receiving the best quality education and experience while they are in my classroom. Every student deserves to be respected and heard while they are in the walls of my classroom. “We cannot comprehend the world in its entirety.” (Orr, 2011), but I will strive to educate students to comprehend everything in their little world. We are molding the minds of the future and it is important to do so in a meaningful way.
Resources Used:
Airton, L. (2019). The Gender-Friendly Classroom: Practical Advice for Teachers on Welcoming Gender Diversity Every Day. EdCan Network. Retrieved from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/gender-friendly-classroom/
Butler, A., & Luzius-Vanin, C. (n.d.) Closing the Gaps: A Compassionate View of Mental Health Beyond the Medical Model. The Compassionate Educator. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/148GPKKX-4k04Fmqk37qY8e9jQQuOMQ5I/view
Grafton, E., & Melencon, J. (2020). The Dynamics of Decolonization and Indigenization in an Era of Academic “Reconciliation”. Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education in Canada. Canadian Scholars, Toronto, ON.
Lathan, C. (n.d.). Dear White Teacher. Rethinking Schools. Retrieved from https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/dear-white-teacher/
McKenna, T. (2011). You are Where you Sit: Uncovering the Lessons of Classroom Furniture. Our Schools, Our Selves, 20(2), p.187.
Orr, D.(2011). What Is Education For?. Hope is an Imperative. Island Press, Washington, DC. https://doi-org.libproxy.uregina.ca/10.5822/978-1-61091-017-0_24
Stratton, A. (2019). What I Wish I Had Said. The New Teacher Book: Finding Purpose, Balance, and Hope During the First Years in the Classroom. Rethinking Schools Ltd., Milwaukee, WI.
Butler, A., & Luzius-Vanin, C. (n.d.) Closing the Gaps: A Compassionate View of Mental Health Beyond the Medical Model. The Compassionate Educator. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/148GPKKX-4k04Fmqk37qY8e9jQQuOMQ5I/view
Grafton, E., & Melencon, J. (2020). The Dynamics of Decolonization and Indigenization in an Era of Academic “Reconciliation”. Decolonizing and Indigenizing Education in Canada. Canadian Scholars, Toronto, ON.
Lathan, C. (n.d.). Dear White Teacher. Rethinking Schools. Retrieved from https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/dear-white-teacher/
McKenna, T. (2011). You are Where you Sit: Uncovering the Lessons of Classroom Furniture. Our Schools, Our Selves, 20(2), p.187.
Orr, D.(2011). What Is Education For?. Hope is an Imperative. Island Press, Washington, DC. https://doi-org.libproxy.uregina.ca/10.5822/978-1-61091-017-0_24
Stratton, A. (2019). What I Wish I Had Said. The New Teacher Book: Finding Purpose, Balance, and Hope During the First Years in the Classroom. Rethinking Schools Ltd., Milwaukee, WI.