3. A teacher teaches with respect for their individual and cultural characteristics.

Candidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to

learning and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students.

Some of the challenges of student diversity are creating an environment that is inclusive

for everyone, adding to a child’s sense of culture instead of taking away, giving each student the

same opportunity, and being cognizant of the power of my words. Student diversity is a huge

opportunity to introduce students to the enormity of the world and inspire them to think in terms

of what role they want to have in it. Embracing diversity forms a generation of human beings

who are empathetic to others and curious about other cultures different from their own.

Diversity should be presented in a way that is inclusive and celebratory. Students should

see a reflection of themselves in the classroom and curriculum. Open communication about

what makes people unique and the pride that should be felt because of those qualities, not

embarrassment. Diversity takes all forms in the classroom and each one of these forms is an

opportunity for learning. Every classroom is an opportunity to build unity amongst students that

includes acceptance of each other’s cultural beliefs. As their teacher role modeling my interest

in their culture by accepting invitations to celebrations and getting involved in community

activities that reflect their traditions.

For so many years I think multicultural teaching was considered achieved if you

discussed different cultures’ holidays. If you discussed and acknowledged Chinese New Year,

The Day of the Dead, or Kwanzaa in your classroom then you were successful in teaching

students about cultures other than their own. I don’t think that proved to be a way to build

empathetic citizens or understanding adults. Teaching students about the holidays of other
cultures is a brilliant tool for modeling to students’ interest and curiosity about another culture

instead of placing judgement, however it is just a start. I believe diversity instruction must also

include a celebration of what makes your own classroom unique. My students and I live on an

island 1,200 miles from the closest restaurant, Wal-Mart, or movie theater. Our shared

experiences of earthquakes, wind storms, trapping rats, and living thousands of miles from our

extended families, binds us together in a way so many will never understand. This is why I

created a lesson plan that I felt highlighted a version of Cinderella that might be more relatable to

an Alaskan student than the original. It was a way to show our bond as Alaskans and a

classroom, and build a sense of community. “People in a school are bound together by a

particular vision and an overall structure of community.” (Kafele, 2016) I feel that when we first

identify what we have in common, we are more accepting and curious about what makes us

different.

Another positive aspect to teaching in a multi-grade classroom is that we have absolutely

no choice but to create an inclusive environment for all students. Whether a child has an IEP or

is identified as an English Language Learner, everyone is in the same room working to reach the

same goal of improvement. In A Letter to Teachers Vito Perrone discusses the negative effects

of removing a student from his general education classroom and the belief that classroom

inclusion is too difficult, “yet, is seldom tried.” (Perrone, 1991) I understand that my classroom

may seem the ideal environment for inclusion as I only have twelve students, but it is important

to keep in mind that I am teaching students with ability levels that span 6 or more grades. All

classroom teachers must find a way through scaffolding and differentiating to meet the needs of

all their students and I believe this is an opportunity to once again use it as a positive in creating

your classroom community.

 Lesson Plan Template: MAT/Certification Elementary

Candidate Molly Lashier Host Teacher Katy Spangler

Name: Name:
School: Adak School Grade K-4 # of 11
Level: Students:
Date & Time of 10/1/13 Length of 30-40 minutes
Lesson: 10:00am Lesson:
Topic of Lesson: Fairy Tales Content Area: Language Arts
Materials: Include all Original Cinderella picture book, The Salmon Princess,
materials including whiteboard, Venn diagram worksheets
technology

Standard: Language Arts Standard 2: Recalls simple facts in a story.

Standard 4: Describes elements of various literacy genre in fairy
tales, fables, folk tales, and legends.
Mathematics Standard 6: Answers questions and displays data using
a Venn Diagram.
Methodology: Direct Instruction, Guided Practice, and Social Learning
Learning Constructivist
Theory

STAGE ONE STAGE TWO:

Objective(s):
Student can identify elements of a fairy
tale.
Student can accurately tell a simple fact
from a story.
Student can identify and answer
questions using a Venn diagram.
Student Assessment:
Observation of student understanding.
Student identifies two or more elements of a fairy
tale, verbally or written.
Student recalling simple facts from a story by
writing, drawing, or verbally stating.
Student created Venn diagram.
STAGE THREE: Learning Plan
Activities: What will the teacher and children do to address the objectives?
Introduction
Review with students the elements that define a fairy tale. Have students retell the classic
tale of Cinderella with visual clues from the picture book we have previously read. Record
important details on the whiteboard.
Learning Activities Differentiation
Read to students Alaskan Cinderella tale, The Student seating chart used to help engage
Salmon Princess. students by making it easier for them to see
the pictures.
Discuss important details of the story and
record on the whiteboard. Include drawings to make them easy
identifiable for emergent readers.
Ask students if they can think of a tool we
can use to compare these two stories. Talk Clues provided for younger students that may
about the benefits of a Venn diagram in help them recall previous Venn diagram
comparing Cinderella stories. lessons.

Create a Venn diagram to compare Cinderella Lists of the details from each story remain on
stories. the whiteboard and can be used by students to
fill in their own diagram. As details are used,
check them off or cross out to show they
cannot be used again and help decrease
confusion.

Model a Venn diagram on the board for

students to refer to in creating their own.
Provide pre-made Venn diagrams with lines
and without for varying levels of ability.

Closure
Determine whether the two Cinderella stories have more in common or differences from
the Venn diagrams students have created. Discuss with students which version of Cinderella
they preferred.
How is this lesson sensitive to cultural and language issues?
It gives students several opportunities for exploring language but is not mandatory for
successful display of meeting lesson objectives.
Many cultures learn by modeling and this lesson provides instruction in this way.
Attachments: 3 artifacts of student work

Reading The Salmon Princess to students

Class created Venn diagram on the whiteboard

Student created Venn diagram

References
Kafele, B. K. (2016). The Teacher 50: Critical Questions for Inspiring Classroom Excellence.
Alexandria: ASCD.
Perrone, V. (1991). A Letter to Teachers. Jossey-Bass Publishers.