My philosophy of equity and inclusion involves celebrating diversity in the classroom, exploring and honoring other cultures, and creating a safe space for all students, regardless of race, sexual orientation, age, disability, etc. I believe a teacher must show their students they believe in the ideals of equity and inclusion wholeheartedly, and must prove it to them in actions, words, and through the materials they teach.
In terms of gender-identity sensitivity, I make sure students of all sexual orientations feel included in my classroom, by writing my own preferred pronouns on the board, as well as in my email signature, so they know I am aware that people may identify in terms of gender with something other than what they were born with or how they may appear physically. All teachers in the Spanish department are also required to give the students a welcome survey, asking them to choose either masculine or feminine pronouns by which others should address them in class. This is a tricky topic in romance languages, because a gender-neutral pronoun doesn’t exist in accepted use. Therefore, I tell me students that, for the moment, they need to choose either masculine or feminine, and why it is necessary. A later lesson reveals that there is a way to neutralize gender in Spanish, and I show them how this is done, while also letting them know that in the low levels, we will not be using it in class so as not to confuse them while learning the basics of the language.
During the two years of my Master’s program in Spanish Language and Literature, I worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, which meant I had full charge of each class I taught, one per trimester. During this time, I had the privilege of using as my curriculum a course designed by Jenny Ceciliano, which had at its core a philosophy of social justice, inclusion, and cultural awareness.
In Spanish 101, community is the theme. We begin by looking at family, and then expand to school community, our neighborhoods, and the community at large. We look at how each family is different—how families have different customs, and different make-ups. We look at university culture at PSU, what students do and how they live, and how different each student’s experience might be. We then look at the neighborhoods we live in—whether they have a particular ethnic identity and if we are connected with that identity or with another. We finally look at our city as a whole—its strengths and its weaknesses, what it offers and what it lacks. Ultimately, we become a unified classroom community, made up of people and experiences that are very different, each of them valid.
In 102, the theme is Culture. Again, we begin by looking at what culture is, what it means to us, and what culture means to our families. We celebrate all cultures by talking about music, food, customs, holidays, etc. We then move on to talking about cultures in different countries, and within our own country, which is where we’re really able to look at a wide diversity of cultures: Chicano; those in other Latin American countries; various cultures in communities within the U.S., both Latinx and otherwise; immigrant realities, etc. Finally, we focus on the life that we live, which is where we explore daily routines and how they differ from family to family, culture to culture, and country to country.
In 103, the theme is Activism. In this course we look at environmental activism, activism for social justice and racial equality, political activism, and the fight for gender equality and acceptance. We look at real-life struggles in this country and in Latin America and hear testimonies of real people, both in the past and today, who have fought for those things. We look at outstanding women in history and in the present, including people like Marie Currie and Rigoberta Menchu.
This curriculum feels exactly suited to my particular philosophy of inclusion and equity in the classroom. While allowing for students’ varying belief systems, it presents the real struggles of real people in the world for self-worth and equality. As I continue with my career as a teacher, whether I teach this particular curriculum or not (as it belongs to PSU), I will search out materials that reinforce my philosophy and make my students feel included and celebrated for whatever form of diversity they bring to the classroom. Making students feel safe and valued is, and will always be, my priority.
Artifacts:
Examples of the materials used throughout the Spanish 101-103 courses that I taught at PSU during 2019/20 that promote equity and inclusion:
Conversation between two dads and a babysitter
Interpretation exercise/racial inclusion
