Blog Post #1
Prompt: How do personal experiences and identities impact one’s professional role as a teacher? How do names and labels influence perceptions and one's educational experience? Are labels helpful or harmful in educational settings? Personal experiences and identities influence everything from the attitude an educator has when presenting subjects to the type of information they choose to share. Race, gender, sex, sexuality, socio-economic status, and political affiliation are just a few of the things that can shape a teacher’s beliefs and biases, especially regarding the labels given to their students. With the potential to aid in the cultivation of individuality in the classroom, labels and names that we gather throughout our lives aid in helping us define ourselves with loose terms. A teacher can utilize these identities and allow students to celebrate their differences. Additionally, in schools with large class sizes where it becomes more difficult for a teacher to focus ...