Personal Philosophy

Why I am here...
I am here because I want to become a more aware individual about multicultural literature and by achieving this goal I believe that I will become a more successful teacher. I want to share experiences with my students and have them teach me about their own culture and background. I believe that personal connections are important especially with Special Education!
Connecting to Professional Goals....
I want to use my knowledge learned as a student and in turn teach my own students one day to appreciate diverse literature. I also want my students to appreciate GOOD diverse literature; by good I mean accurate representations of what my student will be reading/learning about!
Roles issues of diversity play in literacy teaching and learning.....
Issues of diversity play a role by informing it's reader. Diverse Literature is widespread. Most books can be seen as some type of diverse literature. Problematic issues of diversity in literacy can teach students and teachers to be more respectful of different cultures and to have an open mind when learning to accept and understand students of different backgrounds.
My personal philosophy about multicultural education....
I believe that multicultural literature can be very challenging however I believe that it should not be omitted in any classroom. Children's literature is a wonderful way to first incorporate an understanding and enjoyment of diverse literature. I want to teach diverse literature in order to make my classroom a peaceful and equality driven leaning experience. With my new knowledge gained and my future knowledge to be gained I believe that my philosophy about multicultural literature will continue to grow and I will continue to learn and gain knowledge.
Concerns, challenges, and interests....
First I believe that the most challenging or concerning issue of diverse literature would be the continuing and battling insider/outsider debate. I have to say that I am on the fence. I want to take a stance but have come to realize that this issue will always be an ongoing debate. I am not sure if there is a right or wrong answer however I would never want to disrespect or upset any one of my students due to inaccuracy or stereotypes sometimes found in children's literature. I am most interested in bringing diverse literature into the classroom because I want my students to engage in literature... ask questions, form opinions. I believe that diverse literature will be rewarding when I can bring a classroom of students together for discussion and teach but learn as well!