Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
system was vastly different from others who did not and do not experience the same privilege I
do. From kindergarten through to grade 12 in the public school system, these aspects of my
social and cultural connections seemed unimportant and non-influential; however, by exploring
these aspect deeper there is a large more apparent influence on educational experiences. The
influence of being Caucasian goes further than just education and has roots deeper than the 21st
century and being a white female comes with little judgement and a particular kind of privilege,
especially in education. This was especially apparent when growing up in the suburbs of
Southeast Calgary in the Catholic School system, which influenced me to have an overall
positive school experience. The influence of my biology is one of many aspects that encouraged
In this Catholic school experience, I was also able to express my sexuality without any
judgement or fear of being out casted. This became clearer to me when many people in my
graduating came out after graduation. This overall blindness to the privilege of expressing my
heterosexuality in high school became much more apparent when fellow peers felt more
comfortable expressing their sexuality outside of our school walls. These norms that have been
structured by society, religion, and the school system that has given me both privilege and
power; however, also constraining others that do not fall within these norms. This privilege and
power relationship extends beyond culture, race, and sexuality but also socio-economic status
I also experience privilege by being raised in an upper middle-class home which also has
school. Additionally, my mother was a stay at home mom allowing time to volunteer in my class,
read at home, and reinforce my school work and homework. This both benefitted my education
but also strengthen a relationship between my parents and I, which enhances my ability to learn.
The constant reinforcement from my parents has influenced me to achieve in school and develop
strong home supports for my education. In an advantaged socio-economic situation, I have also
experienced little stressors in my life to affect my ability to perform and learn in the educational
system compared to a student from poverty. This difference in economic status, further supplies
When looking at education through the lens of privilege and power it is easy to see the
dynamic relationship between the two aspects. As someone who benefits from privilege, it is
privilege and how this directly influences the power I have, I am better able to recognize how my
characteristics influence how I view the world. This point of view determined by my privilege
also has its own pre-determined blind spots of my worldview; these defects of vision influences
what I see as a norm. These blind spots are created by my race, culture, language, religion, and
sexuality, which also creates the privilege I have. The basis of my biological makeup is reasons
why I experience privilege and power and why I contextualize the norms that I do. The
disadvantages others experience are the blind spots that I have in my outlook on the world.
Society has created norms that has highlighted and defined what is and who has the
privilege and the power. My fixed characteristics fall within these societal norms that gives me
the pre-determined privilege that I experience everyday. A characteristic for example, using
3
English as my native language, both gives me privilege and supplies me with a particular power
further advances me. By viewing the world with both privilege and power does not give me a
clear view of the entirety of the world and particularly the mass of my students. By benefitting
from hegemony, my worldview is flawed and incomplete of how society has shaped norms, who
benefits from these norms, and how others lives are negatively affected by these norms. Privilege
is invisible to the privilege and recognizing our privilege is essential in change of power
struggles.
determined by society itself. The value and morals of society creates an inequality and ultimately
has a negative effect on education. The diversity of Alberta schools and its students show clear
contexts and why it essential to recognize the different factors that influence education and
students. An influencing context is gender and inequalities play a significant role in the
experiences of young students (Cullingford,1993). In What What About The Boys, Wallace
finds that in every aspect of education there is an overwhelming influence of gender. There is an
inequality of standardized tests scores and literacy measures between boys and girls (Wallace,
2011).
an educational achievement gap between whites and minority groups showing a clear colour line
divide. This divide is created by inequalities in the school system created by unequal access to
resources, teacher skill, and curriculum quality. These inequalities for a minority student are
Students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community also have a prominent effect on
students ability to learn and feel safe in their school. In the Alberta Teachers Associations guide
for Safe and Caring School for Lesbian and Gay Youth, it claims that gay youth are more likely
to dropout out of school and risk mental health issues. When comparing a heterosexual student to
their homosexual peers they are two to three times more likely to risk these factors and others
including drug or alcohol abuse and being kicked out of their homes. These factors are
influenced by and arrive from the effect of being marginalized and often by facing large amounts
of discrimination and prejudice in their lives. In a national study of middle and high school
students, LGBT students (61.1%) were more likely than their non-LGBT peers to feel unsafe or
uncomfortable as a result of their sexual orientation (CDC, 2014). LGBTQ+ students may face
other stressors including home life acceptance, being outed in schools, negative sense of self, and
feeling unsafe and unwelcome at school. These worry in their lives directly affect their grades,
their attendance, and their feeling of future academic success (Wells & Kropp, 2016).
Other affecting factors are students who are raised in lower socioeconomic status homes
who experience different upbringing from students from a middle or upper class family. There
are many obstacles students may experience when in poverty for example, parents without
neighbourhoods, and/or lack of medical resources; however, experiencing acute or mild stress
greatly affects childrens learning (Clandos, 2008). According to Eric Jensen in his book,
Teaching with Poverty in Mind, students raised in poverty are especially subject to stressors that
undermine school behaviour and performance. Students who are raised in lower socioeconomic
status families are more likely to be experiencing stressors such as trauma, violence, living in a
unsafe neighbourhood, and neglect, which are known to directly affect a students education and
5
their brain's capacity to learn (Jensen, 2009). Exposure to many different forms of stressors is
apparent for many students in different schools demographics and has a large effect on students
English Language Learners (ELL) are often from a wide variety of contexts whether
being raised in a home that does not speak English, an immigrant, or a refugee. Students who are
ELL may have different exposure levels to English or a school experience and often adjust to
learning English at different rates. ELL students may also have different values and beliefs that
differ from the students and the teacher based on cultural norms and conditioning (British
Columbia Ministry of Education, 1999). Students who are immigrating to Canada or who are
refugees often experience a culture shock as well as feeling disconnected by the language.
In addition to ELL students, there is a disconnection and educational gap between First
Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) students and other students in Alberta (Alberta Education,
2016). Additionally, FNMI perspective and education are not being effectively delivered to all
students in Alberta. FNMI students often do not have equal opportunities or access to quality
support systems to experience academic success. In 2006, Statistic Canada shows that one third
of FNMI people had less than a high school education and seen to have lower literacy and
numeracy skills when compared to other Alberta students. This clear educational divide is a
result of cultural and language context, which disadvantages this demographic of students.
inclusive environments to ensure all students are successful academically and socially. Several
different contexts affect students lives both inside and outside of the classroom. Inclusivity
extends beyond differentiation and a multicultural day but establishing a learning environment
6
that fits the needs of all students. When considering various aspects that influencing our student
environment. When teachers have a lack of knowledge towards these different cultural, political,
economic, and social context they risk the ability to segregate and disadvantage a large
Inclusivity through language is a powerful tool teachers can utilize to both model
inclusive behaviour but also give regularly excluded students a feeling acceptance in the
community. In her novel, Power of Our Words, Paula Denton discusses that by paying attention
to teacher language can positively affect success in students where they feel safe, respected, and
engaged. Denton continues to argue that, careful use of language, [teachers] can support
students as they develop self-control, build their sense of community, and gain academic skills
and knowledge (2013). Other examples of using mindful and informed language, is when
teachers are referring to the LGBTQ+ community and youth. Teachers need to have sufficient
knowledge when use LGBTQ+ inclusive language to both model behaviour to other students but
ensuring that this demographic of students feel they are accepted and cared for. Acceptance is a
top-down attitude and school needs to support students both on learning and social development
(Luecke, 2010).
Gender inequalities also play a significant role in the experiences of young students. In
the article, Reconsidering Gender Equitable Education Wallace gives strategies to improve
literacy in boys. These strategies include, using boy-friendly book, promoting technology, and
increasing the number of male elementary teachers and male role models. Other strategies
include, literacy task with purpose, student control, inquiry-based learning, and research projects.
In her TEDtalk, All Carr-Chellman discusses how boys culture is unrepresentative and embraced
7
in school. She argues that we need to design better education games to re-engage these students
In the context of race and culture, Smith finds that there is a bias against black and other
minority males shown that black youth are suspended four times more likely than white youth
and Latino youth two times more likely (2015). The diversity of race and culture in our schools
is important to recognize to develop and implement real and successful strategies to ensure that
all students are learning and engaged. Students are more likely to be motivated and close the
gaps of inequalities when students feel like they are cared for (Weinstein, Tomlinson-Clarke &
Curran, 2004). Our classrooms can be intentionally designed to be culturally inclusive and
responsive by treating diversity positively to nurture all students sense of belonging. Teachers
also need to ensure that they are using a variety of teaching strategies and resources to represent
all students culture. Resources include, books, articles, case studies, and different ways of
knowing.
Poverty also affects the classroom and the engagement levels of students who come from
lower-income homes. In his chapter of his book, How Poverty Affects Classroom Engagement,
Jensen firstly suggests that teachers need to take the time to get to know their students before any
other strategy can make a difference. The seven differences that Jensen gives that teacher can
have an affect on to lessen the gap between middle and lower class homes are explicitly given in
his chapter. Educators need to teach students that their brain can grow and influence children to
be aware of their growth mindset to cultivate a positive attitude (Jensen, 2013). Students from a
lower socio-economic status often test at a lower intelligence and academic achievement.
Teachers need to guide students to learn different and effective executive skills for example,
organization, and task switching, problem-solving, and emotional control, to build a foundation
8
of these higher-level skills. By implementing executive skills, students are more likely to achieve
academically. As discussed above, children in poverty are most affected by the high levels of
acute and chronic stress, which affects brain development, academic success, and social
competence (Jensen, 2013). Teachers can develop strong relationships to help alleviate student
stress. Teachers can use strategies like brain breaks, student control and choice, and teaching
students can help engage FNMI students and also give other students a sense of cultural
awareness and understanding. Teachers can effectively integrate FNMI perspectives by using
FNMI resources, creating partnerships with the community, ensure that they are including FNMI
learning styles and introducing student to different FNMI people. By respecting and appreciating
FNMI culture, stories, and language we are better to foster the relationships in our classrooms
and bridge the connections within the curriculum to enhance learning for all students. Creating
an inclusive environment using strategies to encourage FNMI learning can be done by including
holistic view to concepts, small group work, visual-hands on activities, and allowing reflective
Research shows that the most effective way to build an inclusive classroom environment
is building relationships with all of their students. Taking the time to get to know our students
and portray that teachers are caring and aware will take steps towards an inclusive classroom.
The use of an inclusive classroom benefits all students and all student learning. An inclusive
classroom will exposed students to different teaching strategies, learning executive skills,
becoming more culturally aware, and being respectful to all demographics of people.
Additionally, teachers actions toward equality and inclusivity are modelled to students and this
9
behaviour is seen as a norm. This gives students a clear representation of how relationships are
built and to look beyond bias and judgement. By teaching to the edges we are able to reach all
students, privileged or not. The power of inclusion can create high expectations for all students;
however, still reinforce a more compassionate society. By moving diversity and inclusion from
theory to practice, we are fostering towards a better learning environment for all students. The
need for inclusivity gives students the opportunity to be literate of diversity and become blind to
differences and focus more on similarities. Inclusive classrooms pave the way for a future of
REFERENCES
10
Carr-Chellman, All. Gaming to re-engage boys in learning. Retrieved February 21, 2017,
fromhttps://www.ted.com/talks/ali_carr_chellman_gaming_to_re_engage_boys_in_learni
ng
Darling-Hammond, Linda. (1998). Unequal Opportunity: Race and Education. The Brookings
Denton, Paula. (2013). The Power of our Words: Teacher Language that Helps Children
x/2015001/education-eng.htm
English Language Learning Standards. (2001). Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-
12/english-language-learners/standards.pdf
Jensen, Eric. (2009). Teaching with Poverty in Mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
LGBT Youth. (2014, November 12). Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm
Luecke, J. C. (2011). Working with Transgender Children and Their Classmates in Pre-
Partnerships and Collaboration | First Nations, Mtis & Inuit Policy. (n.d.). Retrieved
nations-m%C3%A9tis-inuit-policy/
11
The Alberta Teachers Association. (2016, December 14). Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
https://www.teachers.ab.ca/For%20Members/Professional%20Development/Diversity
%20and%20Human%20Rights/Sexual%20Orientation/Safe%20Spaces
%20Initiative/Pages/Index.aspx
The Alberta Teachers Association Safe and Caring Schools for Lesbian and Gay Youth A
https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/For-Members/Professional
%20Development/Diversity,%20Equity%20and%20Human%20Rights/Safe%20and
%20Caring%20Schools%20for%20Lesbian%20and%20Gay%20Youth-%20SACSC.pdf
Weinstein, Carol. S., Tomlinson-Clarke, Saundra., & Curran, Mary. (2004).Toward a Conception
25-38.
What Works? Research into Practice. (2008, March) Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/Toulouse.pdf
Wallace, Janice. (2007). Reconsidering Gender Equitable Education. ) Retrieved February 21,
%20Development/Diversity%20and%20Human%20Rights/Gender
%20Equity/BoysandLiteracy/Pages/What%20About%20What%20about%20the
%20Boys.aspx