Excerpt taken from Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Assignment for EDUC 490 Fall 2005

1. Excerpt taken fromCulturally Responsive Classroom Management AssignmentforEDUC 490Fall 2005

2. Reflections • Constraints to enacting CRCM strategies • My own preconceptions and biases • Lack of consciousness of my own privilege and how I might use to define and enforce norms that I consider appropriate (Goodman, 2001) • Fear (e.g. avoiding taking a job with diverse cultural needs) • Inexperience – inconsistent administration of rules, lack of culturally representative response to behavioral problems, trying to be the “nice guy” when the situation calls for an authority figure (Obidah & Teel, 2001, p.59) • Possibilities or opportunities to enact CRCM strategies winter term • Although my classes tend to be well-behaved, I believe I will have to establish trust when it is “my class” (Obidah & Teel, 2001, p.61). This will be made more difficult by the natural tailing off of motivation as seniors get close to graduation. I will emulate my mentor’s policies as much as possible to present a unified position that is seamless regardless of who is teaching. Because my tendency is to be less strict than my mentor, I will have to work at this while staying within my own personality. • Personal growth in CRCM understanding during Fall term • I have surprised myself to a degree in that my approach to classroom management changes when I’m the one at the front of the classroom. I’ve noticed that I do have the capacity to be stern yet polite while staying within my personality. I am beginning to bring my biases to a conscious level (Weinstein et al., 2003) so that I can self-monitor my treatment of culturally different students.