Rationale

Context

This portfolio titled “African Americans” can be used to help teachers, teacher’s aids, administrators, and all those who work with diverse populations to better include those students in the everyday classrooms, sports, activities, and community outreach programs.  This portfolio was created at Appalachian State University under the advisement of Julie Horton, Block I instructor and is intended for the use of educators.  I completed the portfolio as a requirement for CI – 3000, Learner Diversity.

This assignment allows readers to be introduced to various aspects of the African American culture through current research, modifications to classroom management, African American literature, key African Americans in history, and community resources that are available for African American use.  All of these subjects are addressed in the diversity portfolio and are made such that they can be modified due to experience and greater knowledge when dealing with African American students in the context of the classroom.

Impact

By examining various aspects of this portfolio, viewers can become better aware of how to include African Americans in various aspects of the community, emphasizing upon the context in the classroom.  By viewing and studying this literature, readers become aware of current research regarding African Americans, research that highlights upon social behaviors of African Americans, current population ratios, education statistics, and higher education statistics among African Americans.  Viewers can also learn of various classroom management techniques that can be employed to better suit African American in this environment, from science and mathematics, to subjects such as health, art, and music.  Another aspect includes confronting general stereotypes concerning African Americans and how to overcome these stereotypes in the classroom.  African American children’s literature was also analyzed in the making of this portfolio and can be viewed to construct a list of good literature, which can help to actively incorporate African Americans into the classroom.  Community resources were inserted into the portfolio for the use of African American parents and those teachers of African Americans.  These resources can be used to direct parents or caregivers to the appropriate agencies to help fulfill their needs.

Alignment:

This assignment aligns the following program standards:

NCDPI Standard 14:  Elementary teachers develop strategies to address topics that are controversial to diverse groups.

• Indicator 1: During the development of the diversity portfolio, we   were forced to address the different attitudes about the educational process that various diverse groups bring to the classroom, emphasizing upon African Americans.  To accompany those needs two aspects of this diversity portfolio can be very beneficial.  African American children’s literature can be used in the classroom to accompany these differing views as well as altering ones classroom management techniques.  Teacher should supply for the African American student in all content areas from science and mathematics to health, music, and art.  Teachers may need to alter instructional methods or curriculum materials and this diversity portfolio addresses those issues.
• Indicator 4: Through study of this diversity portfolio, I am more aware of the differences in some African American attitudes about various aspects of the classroom and the curriculum being taught.  By becoming educated on these differences teachers themselves become more tolerant of differing viewpoints, and this attitude in turn transfers to the students of each classroom.  Through knowledge and appreciation of differing viewpoints, teachers cannot only, accept these differences in opinion, but also value the family roles in educating children of diversity.  The portfolio addresses the differences of African American in relation to other students in the classroom and can assist teachers to incorporate various opinions.
• Indicator 5: A portion of the diversity portfolio addresses the common assumptions and stereotypes formed about African Americans.  Teachers of African Americans, and any other diverse group, should be aware of these stereotypes and effectively avoid them in their instruction. Through study of this portfolio, teachers can recognize their own personal biases, while working to avoid them, can also stop children from forming these biases’ as well. Working to avoid such biases, whether in instruction or common conversation with the student, teachers can more comfortably incorporate a diverse population into their classrooms.
• Indicator 6: Through the development of each aspect of the diversity portfolio, we have learned to search for more effective means to educate African Americans by creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and skills that can match the diversity of these students.  Through research related to African Americans, knowledge of common assumptions and stereotypes, the search for African American children’s literature, highlighting upon key African Americans in history, and searching for community resources available to African Americans we have learned how best to modify instructional methods, instructional goals, and materials to better include them in the classroom.  Through study of this portfolio teachers will be more aware of each of these aspects and can therefore alter them in accordance to the values and needs of African American students.