Diversity Reflective Report

Diversity Reflecting on diversity in my site was harder than I had anticipated. My placement site was in my comfort zone. I grew up in a similar area as the school district of Forest Lakes. The majority of the population was white and had a middle class SES. Therefore, I did not face many challenges during my practicum site this semester in regards to diversity. One thing that I had noticed as December was approaching was that the school seemed to use the word Christmas more than I expected. Each Friday the school has holiday wear day. Though, they refer to the day as Holiday and not Christmas, the teachers, the administration, and the school counselor all dress and in Christmas attire. I was shocked when I was walking into the building and I saw the …show more content…
I see the benefits of being culturally accepting and not making those who do not celebrate Christmas uncomfortable when the rest of the school population is dressing in fun outfits and decorating their classrooms. Similarly, I feel that the counselor wearing an elf hat could influence her counseling relationship with some students who do not celebrate Christmas. The student may not feel accepted, connected to, or wiling to open up to her because she is making her beliefs known. On the other hand, I do see the community attitudes and the school environment positively effected by the Christmas spirit. I understand what the counselor was saying about adjusting what is accepted to the population of each school, but part of me still wonders if there are kids in that school that are uncomfortable when all of their role models in school have opposing beliefs and how this may effect them. Overall, for my future internships I hope that I am placed in a school that challenges my comfort zone. I want to be able to experience diversity and different types of school environments. I want to be able to expand my knowledge so that when I am applying for jobs I am confident in who I am as a counselor and my views relating