Bella's Blog

  It's 2023, why are schools still segregated?      So it is 2023, and we are taught in schools about all of this so-called progress we have made. People of color are treated equally and so are women and LGBTQ2+ individuals right? We hear about these laws passed in our favor but when you really pay attention you see we have yet to see the change promised. For today's blog post, we focus on why schools remain segregated. And there is no argument against it, schools absolutely remain segregated.      Growing up I was fortunate enough to live in a high-income area. I was proud of my immigrant parents and their work to provide a better life for me. But living in this area always felt as though I was in a bubble. The majority if not all of my classmates were white. And me being a white Latina I saw the difference in how I was treated compared to my brown Latino peers. See, I had seen racism against my parents only a few times when they had a heavy accent, b...

        Being a teacher has to be one of the most rewarding jobs I can think of. We have the opportunity to not only see our students grow but to grow with them. As teachers, we have the job of educating but also being the voice and protectors for our students in any sort of situation. So what lengths am I willing to go to in order to do right for every child? For me, the truth is I can not really think of anything I am not willing to do.      For this week's module, we covered what it is to be a culturally responsive teacher. To be a culturally responsive teacher means to be educated in cultures as a teacher, or cultural competence, and to tie it into their teaching. To have representation of all cultures for their students and to have the students be able to connect their education with their own cultures. To achieve this I want to place importance on how we as teachers must be humble, patient, reflective,  and courageous. Humble in that we...

 Is school equitable? In short, no. To understand if school is equitable you need to understand the definition. Equitable means something or someone is fair, unbiased, or impartial. They treat everyone and everything fairly. In a perfect world, the school would be a safe space for many. Schools would treat all students fairly and teach them to do so themselves. But unfortunately, our reality does not match that. Whether it be because of their race, sexuality, or religion, many students are put in a disadvantaged position solely because of their characteristics. I constantly see others and even myself stereotyped for something that is a part of who I am. I love that I am in these education courses because I am learning that I am not the only one with these experiences. For example, I am in social studies in education class. Recently we had an autobiographical assignment where we dove into our school life and why that brought us to where we are today. Growing up I always loved school...

  As my dad once told me and was also mentioned in the reading, “history is always written by the winners”. When I first heard this statement I don’t think I fully comprehended what my dad was trying to explain. In my head, I figured... Well duh, but it is the truth always right? As I get older and educate myself but am also educated by those around me and the courses I now take in college, I realize that I could not have been further from the truth. But how do we fix that and who is at fault? As children, I think it is rare for us to go out of our way to learn further than what we are taught and what we experience on our own. Thankfully I had a window into my culture as a Latina, my parents always made sure I knew our history and where we come from. But within the school, all I knew was the stories and experiences of historical figures who were for the most part old white men. Back in grade school, I could tell you all about the founding fathers and their achievements. But I could...

 Why Teach?     Hi, my name is Bella and I am very excited about this course. Truthfully, t eaching for me has always seemed like the only choice. Growing up when I would hear my class mate's future job answers being astronauts or singers, my idols were always my teachers. Spending five days a week, and seven hours a day with someone, you spend a lot of time with them. With all that time together, teachers have a huge effect on our lives, not just educationally but developmentally, whether they intend to or not. I have had some teachers that have helped me when I was at my lowest and some I am even friends with today. And others have been not so good in that they have told me they hoped I failed and made me lose my love for learning as a student. As I look back on both types of teachers I am inspired to follow in the footsteps of the ones that loved their students and to be better than those that don't.      When I found out about TXST being a teacher'...