Diversity Initiatives

                                 Diversity Statement 

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I celebrate diversity and recognize it enriches academic classrooms and enhances school communities. I acknowledge that the differences students bring to a class are a resource, strength, and benefit and create welcoming, hospitable, and inclusive cultures capable of open and honest dialogues. I use cosmopolitan literacy practices and Rogerian rhetoric to facilitate class discussions that demonstrate honor, respect, and dignity to all members of the class, enabling for rigorous intellectual engagement and a deeper learning experience for all. I promote a respectful, responsive pedagogy that explores writers and theories from different racial, cultural, political, class, religious, and national backgrounds. I discern students' varied learning styles and differentiate instruction and assignments for them. Additionally, I constantly seek feedback from students on ways I can improve the effectiveness of the course for them. I am an effective teacher of diverse populations in the same classroom because I value the unique backgrounds learners bring to a course and create a culture that allows every student to achieve his or her personal best within the realm of each one’s individuality.

I have been a strong advocate of inclusion in my career and an extensive background in planning, organizing, and implementing diversity initiatives to make school cultures more accepting and hospitality. I was the proctor for Students and Teachers Against Racism and Stereotypes (STARS), a diversity club that works to create an accepting culture in order to promote educational opportunities for all. As the STARS proctor, I organized student-focused community-building events that were able to reduce bullying incidents throughout two districts. To learn more, please see below.