McKinley's Blog

In my classroom, I can honestly and wholeheartedly say that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that my students are all given the fair and appropriate education that they deserve. Every student might need different measures taken in order to make this happen as not all students are the same. For example, some students may need more individualized one on one time while other students may thrive in a group environment. In an article titled "I Won't Learn From You!" written by Herbert Kohl, it states that "there were many cases I came upon where obviously intelligent students were beyond success or failure when it came to reading or other school-related learning." This specific quote goes to show that things such as grades on assignments or a students' ability to write an essay does not define their intelligence. Each and every student will be intelligent in their own ways and I think that this is something that is important for educators to realize and acce...

The teaching profession is affected by gender and gender roles in many different ways. For starters, people who choose the profession of teaching are primarily female and with this can come many downsides. The most obvious downside would be the pay gap between women and men. I feel that because teachers are primarily female, the government can get away with giving teachers low salaries, even though they work really hard. Some will argue that the pay grade for teachers is low because they get summers off, but this is entirely untrue. Teachers spend the summer getting their classrooms ready, lesson planning, buying supplies for the new school year, etc.  Another way teaching is affected by gender roles is by the students in the classroom. As a teacher, you will have students in your classroom that may identify as male or female, or they may identify as something completely different. It is our job to make the students feel included no matter what they identify as because that is not ...

Depending on who you ask, there could be a lot of different answers to this particular question. Every teacher, school district, and student will have a different opinion based on their personal schooling experience. In my personal opinion, I do not think schooling is equitable. I have personally witnessed several instances where students are marginalized based off of things such as race, age, sex, etc. I think one of the reasons this happens is because teachers are not called out by students, because most students do not know any better. If teachers are not called out and made aware that they are doing something wrong, nothing will ever change. I also think that many teachers are afraid to make changes within their classrooms. In an article written by Carrie Spector, it states "we're afraid to say it has to be examined and improved." This stood out to me because I found it to be entirely true. Teachers do not want to go out of their comfort zone in their classroom. If ed...

In a classroom, being inclusive and fair to every student is one of the most important things a teacher can do to be successful. Discussing and talking about all different types of backgrounds, religions, and even race is important as it will make all students feel like their personal identity is recognized and acknowledged. In my opinion and personal upbringing, white, middle class children had the most maximized education, while racially diverse students were left in the margins. From what I could tell, this made my classmates feel upset and excluded, and I felt for them as this should have never happened and should never happen again. Making students feel marginalized in a classroom will cause so much harm. They will become disconnected from their classmates and teachers and dread going to school, therefore harming their education- which is highly unfair. In the article "Segregated By Experience", it states that schools "conveniently ignore ongoing effects of historic...

Talking about issues that matter, especially in a classroom setting, can be difficult as well as controversial. Oftentimes, you will find that teachers do not talk about issues that truly matter, simply because it makes them or their students uncomfortable. Although it could make situations in the classroom difficult or awkward, it is so important for teachers to inform their students on issues that matter, especially in today's world. Young children must be informed on what is going on in the world in order for there to be any type of change. These kids are the future, and without knowledge of the issues in the world, they will never be able to influence any type of change for the better.  Although bringing up issues that matter in the classroom can be awkward and uncomfortable for everyone involved, there are ways that it can be done without causing any problems. Firstly, it is important for the teacher to set the tone of respect in the classroom. All students must respect their ...

Ultimately, the purpose of school is to prepare children for the real world, but there is so much more that goes into this. Of course, students take academic based knowledge from school such as math, science, and reading, but the purpose of school is so much bigger than that. Children will walk away from public school with so much more than just how to solve a math problem or how to write an essay. Kids can be expected to walk away from public school with a true understanding of the world around them. Learning things in public school about character, the world around you, and how to be a good human are just as important as learning academic lessons in my opinion. These are lessons that can be taken with children throughout the rest of their lives.  A marginalized student is a student who feels like they are on the sideline during school. This can be caused by many things such as race, disability, sexuality, etc. Students can even feel marginalized by their upbringing such as studen...

 Growing up, school was never my favorite place to be. I always saw it as a place to be bossed around by teachers and principals instead of a place to learn and grow. It was not until 4th grade that this perspective flipped. I had a teacher that did a full 180 on my attitude towards school. She not only taught me curriculum based things such as math and science, but she also taught me that school is a place to gain knowledge and better yourself and not a place to dread going to. She has truly inspired me to become a teacher and continue to share this same knowledge with my future students. I want my classroom to be a safe space that my students enjoy coming in to learn, as my teacher's classroom was to me.  My goal as of right now is to teach kindergarten. Kindergarten is a huge developmental grade and I would love to be a part of that. At this age, it is super important for kids to develop a love for learning because they will take that with them for the rest of their lives. ...