DDP Log Entries

Ethnic

The ethnic background at Buffalo ISD population is growing in the Hispanic realm. As a teacher, it is my duty to meet the physical and emotion needs of these students making them successful within their educational experience. Their culture expresses a lack of individuality but yet a focus on the family as a whole. The families speak their native language at home as if to refuse to learn the English language like their children. As we feel comfortable speaking our own so do the Hispanics students. When given the opportunity they revert to Spanish over English. In order to understand their culture and language, throughout lessons I often ask the students to give an example of how the content relates to them personally. The language barrier between school and home causes conflict in school assignments/homework.  Students lack support, understanding and assistance at home on assignments since parents have little or no knowledge of curriculum content.  As a teacher, I extend assistance to help the Hispanic student to assure they understand the lesson being taught.  Most students’ need materials read to them then explained.  The content does not translate easily in their language when they lack a strong background in the English language.  Hispanic students seem to prefer cooperative learning instead of independent and do not like to be singled out. Their religious beliefs focus on the Virgin Mary as a center of their daily lives. The Hispanic populations is a minority within our school but numbers continue to rise expanding the need hire ESL teachers to assist students throughout the transition. Communication with families of ESL students is crucial to the student’s success therefore a translator must be used to ensure parents are aware of their child’s progress and needs.

Exceptionalities

Many students at Buffalo Junior High have IEPs to meet their personal learning needs.  Teachers work together to assure that students are successful in completing assignments at their level of learning.  The Special Ed teacher offers assistance during class period or within the learning lab to focus on the diverse learning abilities through interdependence.  Students with IEPs range in ethnic background, race, culture and diversity.  The African-American population expands on a high level of students with IEPs or lower level of learning. Studies show that these students receive lower scores on test therefore modifications are needed to reach their level of learning.

Most African American students live in the home project section of town, experiencing some sort of poverty.  As individuals they need to feel important as well as equals among their classmates. Discretion is applied when students lack the ability to answer questions correctly. Teachers search to ensure their success by allowing students the opportunity to be successful among their peers.  As a teacher, I seek personal growth in respecting the students’ level of learning, striving to help them succeed and expand their knowledge throughout the year.  As a teacher, I adapt instruction to meet the varying needs and abilities of my students, while holding all students to a high level of expectations, without bias or prejudice, extending fairness to all.
By assessing their progress through documentation per six weeks, allows for notation of strengths and weaknesses or areas of concern. Modified assignments decrease materials and emphasis content, expresses objectives required to master the concept.

Gender

Throughout the years students appoint to Student Council or the National Honor Society within our campus consist of both boys and girls in grades 6^th thru 8^th. The diversity within the groups expands from different cultural backgrounds, race, gender, and even minorities. Regardless of students backgrounds many succeed within their group of peers by achieving high grades or courtesy and manners.  When the sponsor request nominations for these groups they require an explanation of character.  This allows for identification of exceptionalities among students with diverse background. Girls tend to have lower self-esteems then boys so as a teacher it is critical

to create lessons and opportunities to raise all students self-esteem and confidence within themselves.  Roles of boys and girls need to be displayed as equal, allowing students to take on leadership roles within the groups. Through the nomination process students receive notification of the selection, feeling a sense of honored and achievement. As the students fulfill the requirements as members, they grow in self-esteem, self-confidence and satisfaction as a teacher models the desire character required.

Geographic