Diversity Conference

I found the diversity conference to be extremely helpful to me as a future teacher. It is interesting to hear the way poverty plays a role in student learning, and the way that it impacts students regardless of student mentality. Many students are unable to go home and study or even focus due to various factors, thus it is our responsibility as teachers to help students move beyond these challenges. I think one of the most interesting things discussed during the conference was the student’s perception of their lives at home. An interesting way of doing this was to ask students to take pictures of items which represented their homes. One which remains on my mind was a student’s decision to capture a picture of the family’s couch, showing that this was the focal point of the family. This shows that students are not resentful of the lives that they live, but may simply wish to move on with their lives. Many stated that they wished to go to college, yet they intended to return home after college. Much of this was due to a student’s hope to help their families in the future. Thus, our biggest goal is not to push students to move away from their home life, but instead to broaden their own world.