Competency 7
Develop and Enact a Social Justice Orientation Toward Teaching and Learning

For the competency “Develop and Enact a Social Justice Orientation Toward Teaching and Learning”, I have chosen Sexuality and Normativity in Education and the Multicultural Teaching Philosophy Statement from EDCI58500 as artifacts. As someone who has always considered themselves to be progressive and well-versed in the practice of inclusion, this class and the corresponding assignments proved to be thought-provoking and challenging. For the first sub-competency, “Develop a critical understanding of changing demographics and the diversity of students, schools, and communities”, the Sexuality and Normativity in Education research paper demonstrates the importance of understanding that diverse students are at-risk. Many are stepping out of darkness and into an identity that makes them comfortable. The classroom should be a safe place for students of all gender and orientation. Teachers do not get to choose their students. A teacher’s job is to embrace the diverse children who come to the classroom and foster their lived-experience with gentleness and respect. This means that, as teachers, we must work hard to create a safe environment where students know bullying is not an option. They must also know that they can safely report experiences that negatively impact them without fear of repercussions. The data presented in this paper was impactful. I was generally aware of the concepts represented by this data, but the research evidence provided concrete details about students who are often mistreated and misunderstood at the hands of their peers and community.

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For my second sub-competency, “Advocate for the values of diversity, inclusivity, and social justice”, I want to revisit my Multicultural Teaching Philosophy Statement. This piece required that I examine myself deeply and determine what connections I have to my own culture. I also had to ask what I bring to the classroom for my students and how do I consider their needs when creating a safe academic environment where they must all exist together. It’s imperative that I constantly reflect and find appropriate ways to supply my students with equity while understanding and appreciating their differences. I can honestly say that this assignment really gave me a push to examine and utilize the possibility of universal design, the intentional creation of a classroom environment where all students can access and understand the provided resources, more often in my classroom. I feel that this artifact contributed to some of my greatest growth while I attended graduate school. Since the end of EDCI58500, I have returned to this document on several occasions for reminders and to look for inspiration that will help me guide my students towards success. I plan to continue this practice. The constant reflection is needed to meet the needs that exist in my school and classroom.