Essay Question 1: International Experience
Across my career, I have sought out opportunities to learn about, travel to and teach in ethnically, culturally and economically diverse communities. International travel experiences along with working among such diverse communities has given me a greater understanding of my students and increased my abilities as an educator to meet their needs both instructionally and socially. Each passing year of experience has added a rich new layer of understanding and depth to my teaching. I have continually sought out chances to deepen and strengthen my understanding of multicultural/multiethnic students through constantly learning new instructional methods that continually deepen my practice. This in turn …show more content…
Through this experience, I have gained a deep respect for the complicated struggles of Native American populations here in NM. The summer of 2010 I participated in a Fulbright-Hays summer seminar to Mexico and explored the complex and beautiful diversity of the Mexican culture first hand. I gained deep insight into cultural experiences/expectations of many of my students. By listening to and speaking with cultural experts and members of the community I expand my understanding of the challenges/struggles many of my students experienced coming to the U.S. I also spent a year teaching at an international school in Seoul, South Korea. I felt passionate about experiencing what it would be like living and learning somewhere my children and I were not the ethnic and cultural majority. Through this experience, I gained new insight and understanding of the struggles families experience when living outside the comfort of their home culture and language. I also have first hand knowledge of how difficult it can be to navigate another societies cultural norms and expectations. I have experienced the frustration of being immersed in a language that you do not understand and not being able to fully communicate your needs to others. This …show more content…
I am constantly striving to become more knowledgeable about and sensitive to the dynamics of culture in my classroom. My hope is to understand the whole student so I can structure a successful learning environment for them. My students, my colleagues, and I have benefited from my past experiences living and working with diverse cultures and ethnic groups. These varied experiences and opportunities have allowed me to facilitate and participate in insightful dialogs on best learning practices with my colleagues and other community members. Over the past several years my school has seen a sharp increase of newly arrived immigrants from across the globe as well as Native American students from the 23 tribes that call NM
Across my career, I have sought out opportunities to learn about, travel to and teach in ethnically, culturally and economically diverse communities. International travel experiences along with working among such diverse communities has given me a greater understanding of my students and increased my abilities as an educator to meet their needs both instructionally and socially. Each passing year of experience has added a rich new layer of understanding and depth to my teaching. I have continually sought out chances to deepen and strengthen my understanding of multicultural/multiethnic students through constantly learning new instructional methods that continually deepen my practice. This in turn …show more content…
Through this experience, I have gained a deep respect for the complicated struggles of Native American populations here in NM. The summer of 2010 I participated in a Fulbright-Hays summer seminar to Mexico and explored the complex and beautiful diversity of the Mexican culture first hand. I gained deep insight into cultural experiences/expectations of many of my students. By listening to and speaking with cultural experts and members of the community I expand my understanding of the challenges/struggles many of my students experienced coming to the U.S. I also spent a year teaching at an international school in Seoul, South Korea. I felt passionate about experiencing what it would be like living and learning somewhere my children and I were not the ethnic and cultural majority. Through this experience, I gained new insight and understanding of the struggles families experience when living outside the comfort of their home culture and language. I also have first hand knowledge of how difficult it can be to navigate another societies cultural norms and expectations. I have experienced the frustration of being immersed in a language that you do not understand and not being able to fully communicate your needs to others. This …show more content…
I am constantly striving to become more knowledgeable about and sensitive to the dynamics of culture in my classroom. My hope is to understand the whole student so I can structure a successful learning environment for them. My students, my colleagues, and I have benefited from my past experiences living and working with diverse cultures and ethnic groups. These varied experiences and opportunities have allowed me to facilitate and participate in insightful dialogs on best learning practices with my colleagues and other community members. Over the past several years my school has seen a sharp increase of newly arrived immigrants from across the globe as well as Native American students from the 23 tribes that call NM