Post 4

 I have not decided yet if reading these articles should make me feel more confident about my teaching ability or question my desire to teach. We have been reading and studying the methods and strategies to teach but when it comes down to the real world, some people cut it and some do not. The Sleeter article discusses the effect of race in a classroom. It is important to know what different classroom atmospheres are like because of ethnic composition and it is also important to be aware of the differences one will encounter in a class.  Race is something that unfortunately is taken into account by others. I know we all had the issue with diversity hours required by the department. Well, as much of a pain that it would have been to complete the 50 hours, it is something that should be implemented in the program here at ISU. I do feel that they need to fix the kinks and get all the preparations done prior to enforcing the change to the curriculum. Race is going to be something we are all going to deal with, considering the fact that we want to be ESL teachers. Whether we are in a rural or urban setting, more and more schools have to ESL classes. It is always better to be aware of differences and be prepared to deal with a miscommunication or misunderstanding in the classroom that can stem from a cultural difference. I often wonder how to embrace a culture without being stereotypical when I'm asking questions about traditions or music for example. I would hope that the atmosphere created in the classroom allows for open discussion and the students would not take offense by my curiosity.