Lessons with Miss Manners

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to visit the Black Student Union, a club of BYU students from African-american and other Black backgrounds. They meet on a weekly basis and hold activities and service projects that help to unify them at a university where they are a minority.                                     This poster represents the union. They recently had this poster made by a fellow member of the union. As pictured, an outline of the African continent as well as an African art inspired image of a woman have been chosen to represent the Black Student Union (a.k.a. BSU). The union also have an Instagram page (which I now follow).  Arriving at the activity, I felt nervous. I really do not like being one to stand out at activities (because there is comfort in blending in).  I wasn't quite sure what to expect and hoped that the members would not be offended by my attendan...

This is my culture:  It is built up of many different aspects, including my heritage, my religion, my surroundings and my experiences. The following pictures demonstrate my culture:  I love to spend time in nature with friends and family. Every opportunity to be outside is embraced. This is a part of my culture because doing active things is a way in which I find energy and come to understand myself. It's a way in which I build my social capital as I find time to connect with my friends and learn more about them and their social capitals. I feel privileged to be able to do this often and know that as I share experiences like this with my students, I can help them to find more ways in which they may interact with the world around them and also build their social capitals.  Christmas is celebrated by visiting markets, sipping hot fruit tea and singing carols in the snowy cold nights. Although my family no longer lives in an area where Christmas markets are ...

The following text is a description of my imagined future classroom:  As my students enter for the day, they enter into a room that has become a safe haven of learning. The sign on the door, made by the students reminds them that they are a part of a learning family: I always try to help them to see their understand their importance in the classroom, even from their first step into the classroom.  (source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/8c/07/838c0712bf01739bda13c4d614bdea24.jpg) Their creativity is sparked as they are inspired by the colorful banners that promote positivism and potential. The paper clouds and birds remind them that they can 'fly'. The flower pom poms we made as an art project show them that we are proud of our work. A large rainbow rug displaying the letters of the alphabet is spread across the floor, where my students sit each morning as I read a poem to spark our learning for the day. We recite the alphabet to show our progress and use our d...