Running head: REFLECTIVE LEARNING LOG: WEEK TWO 1

Reflective Learning Log: Week Two

Kelsi Weakley

University of Memphis: EDPR 7131

REFLECTIVE LEARNING LOG: WEEK TWO

Reflection Learning Log: Week Two

School culture and classroom culture sets the tone for student success. As an educator, it

is your responsibility to set the precedent and facilitate discussions and a neutral setting to have

such a feeling. Educators are responsible to acknowledging the diversity present in the classroom

and to encourage collaboration of ideas from students on varying backgrounds and cultures. In

order to respect one another’s points of view, it is important for students to recognize their own

identity on both a broader reference scale, as well as specific cultural beliefs important to the

individual. The publication Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context,

Identity, and Intersectionality (2017) outlines several guidelines for psychologists and speaks to

the importance of diversity between groups and how one identifies themselves.

Guideline 2 outlines the importance of recognizing one’s own beliefs and perceptions as

psychologists and being cognitive of those in effort to not let it influence your interaction with

that person. We are naturally inclined to let our personal experiences, interactions with others

and professional knowledge influence our views and approaches to others (p. 26, 2017).

Recognizing we each have our own perception of cultures and individuals from certain

backgrounds is important as educators and promoters of learning. Overcoming this barrier can

open up lines of communication and encourage acceptance between culturally different groups.

The country could benefit from this realization and how it plays apart in society’s perception of

segregation. Many views are based on assumptions from previous information learned from a

personal experience rather than factual content. Isolated incidents and interactions often shape

our overview of one group, race or culture preventing us from fully understanding someone who

comes from a different background than us.

REFLECTIVE LEARNING LOG: WEEK TWO

Educators should be equipped with the knowledge on how to recognize these differences

amongst their students and how to incorporate those differences into their curriculum so that

everyone benefits. Each student should be given credit for the knowledge they bring to the table

based on their personal experience and previous education received. Educators should also be

equipped with the tools to adjust the delivery of their curriculum if the student is not grasping the

material based on cultural learning differences. Recognizing this will help the student progress

and be successful in their learning and will help the educator get through to the student.