Identity Paper

I knew that I wanted to teach from a very young age. I vividly remember
sitting in my grade three classroom and gazing at my teacher Mrs. Carlson, with
adoring eyes. I remember how she would walk in each morning with a huge smile
and exclaim Good morning boys and girls! I am happy to see each of you today!
She always wore the most beautiful skirts they had ruffles and lace and they
reminded me of Josephs coat - they were so colourful and vibrant! I remember how
she would sit and read to us, classics such as Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson
Rawls and Charlottes Web by E.B.White. We would gather at the carpet and the
girls would argue about who got to sit closest to her the one that was the closest
in proximity to her would be the lucky one that got to polish her beautiful, shiny,
black stiletto shoes.
One snowy Wednesday morning in November, I skipped into my treasured
grade three classroom and saw a new teacher standing at Mrs. Carlsons desk! I
quickly walked to my own tiny desk, put my head down and started to cry. What
would I do without my wonderful teacher! Our substitute teacher, Ms. Uhryn, saw
my distress and quickly made her way over to me. I waited for the inevitable
punishment after all, who could possibly be as caring and loving as our beloved
Mrs. Carlson. Through my sobs, I heard her footsteps stop beside me, and then, Ms.
Uhryn placed her hand on the top of my head and said I know that it is hard to
have a new teacher, darling, but I also know that we will learn to be great friends.
At that moment my eight year old self feel in love, again, with another teacher.
I tell this story because I know how important that a caring, considerate, and
giving teacher is to the classroom environment. I believe that great teachers have a

central guiding pedagogical approach to education. Great teachers exercise

fairness, respect, compassion, and share their love of education. My guiding
pedagogical approach to education includes all of these, and also strives to have
children feel comfortable, and safe, in the classroom just as I felt comfortable and
safe the minute that I entered mine.
Fairness
I believe that fairness in the classroom manifests itself through various forms
one of these being through teacher-student interactions. Throughout my
classroom observations, both as a learner and as a teacher, I have seen many
unfair teacher-student interactions. I believe that teachers have a responsibility to
give each and every student the same amount of teaching time. Sometimes, it is
easy to assist the students who are sitting quietly in their desks; students who
appear eager and willing to learn. Teachers tend to gravitate towards those types of
students because they make our job of teaching easier. In actuality, it is the
students that we do not spend enough time with that need our help the most. I
hope to be the kind of teacher that equally assists each child. I want to ensure that
my classroom has a spirit of impartiality and that I am organized in my planning so
that I can devote time and energy into each student. Most importantly, I hope to be
able to recognize that those that are exhibiting inappropriate classroom behaviours
are the students that require, indeed they need, my undivided attention.
Classroom fairness is also shown through the course content and through
procedural contexts. It is important that students feel that the classroom workload
is equal for all. I do not necessarily mean that each student has the same amount of
work, but that each student has the opportunity to show their learnings in ways that

work best for them. A student that has lower literacy skills should not be held to the
same standard as one with high literacy skills. It is important that students have
access to differentiated instructional and assessment methods.
So how can I employ fairness in my classroom? I believe that it is my
responsibility to have classroom rules that create a fair environment. When students
enter the classroom they need to feel safe and encouraged. How can I expect a
child to learn in my classroom if they do not feel that the leader took the time, and
the initiative, to create fair rules? It is also the expectation that the classroom rules
will be posted so that each person who enters will be aware of the classroom
expectations. I say that each person must follow them because I believe that
everyone who enters the environment should be held to the same expectation,
whether they are an adult or a child. It is integral that rules remain consistent for
everyone if one child cannot use the house center, then every child cannot use
the house center.
Next, I believe that I need to employ excellent planning skills in order to
ensure that each child gets some one-on-one teacher time. Ideally, children should
have daily one-on-one time, but realistically, this time will probably occur on a
biweekly or monthly basis. Giving children time to discuss their educational journey
with the teacher allows children to feel heard and they will be encouraged to take
ownership of their own learning.
Respect
Respect in a classroom has different meanings to different people. To me,
respect means that everyone who enters the classroom is met with the same rules
and expectations (as mentioned above) and is treated with dignity and kindness.

The teacher should model respect; teachers who expect to gain respect should
ensure that they are giving equal respect.
As a student, I cannot remember specific teachers that spent a lot of time
creating a respectful classroom climate. I am sure that they did, but it was not
something that was talked about. I feel that as the face of education is changing,
more teachers are realizing how important respectful classroom are important
discussions are being had in classrooms all over the country. The rise of school
violence is proof that society is losing respect for each other, and it is imperative
that children are taught the language of respect from an early age.
Creating a respectful classroom is important to me and there are several
ways that I will incorporate respect into my students vocabulary.

Be polite respect begins with manners. Please and thank you should be a

part of everyday conversation.

No gossiping gossip will be left at the door. This hearkens back to the old

adage If you cant say anything nice, then dont say anything at all
Be morally courageous if students see an injustice happening towards one
of their classmates, they will be encouraged to assist their peer and to seek
adult help if necessary. Included in being morally courageous, is knowing how
to be a self-advocate. It is important that children are taught to stick up for
themselves and to know when they need to seek adult help.
Love of Education
As I write this paper, I realize that guiding children to learn to have a love of

education will be paramount to who I am as a teacher. It is probably true that

students who do not enjoy a particular subject have not been taught to love, and
perhaps to appreciate, the beauty of education. Teaching students to love education

means that classrooms have to encourage learning; fun and creative stations allow
inquisitive children to maintain a learning attitude. It is also imperative to maintain
activities within the classroom that involve all learning styles, cultures and family
values. If students do not see themselves in the classroom, and in the course
content, then they are less likely to love what they are learning about. It is also
important to teach children to be critical thinkers; when a child is able to work
through a difficult puzzle or worksheet on their own, they feel proud and justified. I
also hope to always remember that education is a journey, and what happens along
the way is just as important as the end result. I think that too often students are
asked to concentrate on the end result, tests and reports etc. and we often forget
the pleasure that was derived from the lessons learned along the journey. I feel that
children are born to love learning it is an innate sense within them and that as
educators it is our responsibility to encourage that love. Encouraging free
exploration allows children to feel that they are making decisions about their
learning.
How do my invisible identities affect my pedagogical approach to
education?
So, to recap, I know what some of my pedagogical approaches to education
are: classroom fairness, respect for those around us, and encouraging a love of
education. I also know how my own educational experiences have affected my
pedagogy. Finally, I have thought of some ways that I hope to implement my
pedagogy into my classroom granted this is an adaptable list and can be changed
depending on the needs of the learners within the environment. So, now I need to
seriously think about my invisible identities and about how they will affect my
teaching and my education pedagogy.

The first invisible identity that I can see affecting my teaching is that of being
a white, Canadian woman. Classrooms in society now are representative of many
different cultures. As a Canadian citizen I have never had to experience the trials of
entering a room where I was the minority I have simply always been part of the
majority. It is important that in my classroom all student cultures are represented. In
the past, teachers have tended to embrace color-blindness or the Golden Rule,
treating others the way we would want to be treated
(http://www.tolerance.org/culture-classroom). In reality, teachers should be

embracing cultural awareness and incorporating it into everyday classroom life

instead of dancing away from the topic.
In an effort to show that culture is part of the interconnectedness of my
classroom, I will celebrate all aspects of culture not just the traditions, ceremonies
and languages. I hope to teach my students that culture manifests itself in many
forms in each persons life. According to the Center for Advanced Research on
Language Acquisition, culture is defined as the shared patterns of behaviors and
interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding that are learned
through a process of socialization
(http://www.carla.umn.edu/culture/definitions.html). In other words, the interactions
and behaviour patterns that we exhibit at home, with our families, is also a large
part of our individual culture. Having classroom discussions about the definition of
culture will allow each student to identify the cultural aspects of their own lives.
When students realize that culture is not just about what we wear and about what
we look like, then they will understand that each individual comes from a different
culture allowing us to create a classroom inclusive of every student.

Another invisible identity that I must be aware of is my identity as a middle

class income earner. Middle class Canadians typically earn an income that allows
them to feel stable and comfortable. According to a study done by MoneySense
magazine, a middle income family has an average net worth of $61,929 - $88,074.
The editors also state that only 20% of Canadian families fall into this category.
According to Canadian 2011 statistics, 40% of Canadian families are well beneath
the middle income earners net worth (http://www.moneysense.ca/planning/the-allcanadian-wealth-test-2015/). So, how does this translate to my invisible identity and
to my classroom? As a middle income earner, my family and I are always fed
healthy food, we have a comfortable home and we can afford to do extra-curricular
activities. As a teacher, I need to remember that not every child has those basic
needs met. Many children arrive to school without having had breakfast. Many have
not had a comfortable sleep their shelter and safety needs are not met on a
nightly basis and many cannot afford to go on extra field trips or even the required
school supplies.
What can I do to ensure that every student has the same starting point in
my classroom? And to ensure that my middle income values do not detract
from my classroom time?
The first, and perhaps the easiest classroom change, is to ensure that there is
time for a quick snack each morning it is important that every child is given the
opportunity for extra sustenance. I have often seen children arrive to school who
have had a delicious breakfast, but the long bus ride has make them hungry again.
Giving each child time to eat allows for an equal learning starting point. It is truth
that children who do not have adequate nutrition during the early years of life, are
generally less able to concentrate and therefore are less able to learn. My middle

income stomach needs to remember that every child has not had the same morning
nutrition that I have had.
Next, I can ensure that the safety and security needs of the students in my
class are met. Children from lower socio economies often stress about household
issues that children from middle income families do not: Will the heat be on when I
get home? Will I have a warm bed to sleep in? Will mom or dad be home when I get
there? Children who experience high amounts of stress often come across as
chronically worried and often fidget and cannot concentrate. I hope to ensure that
my classroom is a place of comfort; a place where children want to come to.
Creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment will assist children living
stressed lives to feel a few moments of reprieve. When children feel safe and secure
they are more apt to engage in the classroom lessons. As a middle income parent, I
need to stay grounded, and to metaphorically hold those children close.
Finally, I need to remember that not all of my students will be able to afford
the same opportunities. When I ask for classroom supplies, or when I think that a
parent paid field trip is necessary, I need to remember that not every family can
afford the extra expense. I am not completely sure how to work around this.but I
think that the first step is to really think about the intent behind the request. For
example, do I need to have students attend an expensive garden tour at Butchart
Gardens? Or, will a free forest tour suffice? Is the learning intention of the trip to
make myself look good to parents and administration? Or, is the learning intention
to learn about the growth of various plants and flowers? Ensuring that I have clear
learning intentions will allow me to decide which supplies and which experiences
are most important.

To me, teaching has always been, and always will be, a passion. I feel blessed
that I am able to pursue what I love to do. I have had MANY dedicated, encouraging
teachers as a child, and that has continued throughout my adult educational
journey. With careful thought, complete awareness and my love for children, I hope
that I will be able to become the teacher that I have always hoped to be.