Culturally Responsive in a Small World

After reading an article by Cochran-Smith Bank's about teaching diverse learnings, I took this to mean that teachers must build a large base of knowledge surrounding cultural awareness and must be sensitive of differences in learning due to this, especially in student evaluation.

My interest was sparked in this field when I was in the elevator of my apartment building the day I graduated from my Bachelor of Arts in English. A Korean women who spoke very little English asked me if I went to the university and if I knew anyone who could tutor her daughter in English. I was reluctant but being the little bit of a hippie I am, I took it as a major sign from the universe and became her daughter's tutor. Never before did I think I would be specifically interested in English-language-learners until that summer. I was fascinated with language differences and learning patterns of a student that is ELL.
This spark of interest really got bigger when I was in Southeast Asia, and now it is a fire! 

Being culturally aware, especially in our modern, globalized society is the only option for a teacher. 

I believe that cultural diversity in the classroom is a untapped resource for so much learning for all the students and me as a teacher. Learning how different languages and cultures work in every possible way is so intriguing and crucial for everyone to learn. I think a huge overlooked aspect of cultural diversity in the classroom is how much ethnic minorities will add to the born and raised Caucasian children in the classroom- there is so much to learn from other cultures.

The artifacts below are two photos from my trip to Asia. The one is from a morning in Vietnam, when I woke up at 5am to spend the morning the way the Vietnamese do, which is to engage in activities such as dance, running, aerobics, laughing yoga and every way to sweat imaginable. Something so simple and everyday to them, but if we adapted in Canada it would make the world of difference. It would reduce obesity, stress, heart-disease, and the list goes on! The second photo is me with an Thai orphan boy that I met "off the beaten path" in Bangkok. The influence my travel had on me was unimaginable and will without a doubt effect me as a teacher.

That's me with the pink bag!

Link to referenced article