Case Study 5:
This student is a five-year-old (kindergarten) girl. She was born in Pakistan, and has been in this country a very short while. Her parents speak English, but with heavy accents that make them difficult for you to understand. Her father was a lawyer in Pakistan, and left because of a political threat on his life. He now works as a clerk in a convenience store. Her older brother is in fifth grade, and students in his school often call him a terrorist. Her mother wears a head cover and does not socialize with other parents in the school. She is learning English quickly, but has never been in school, or with large groups of children, before, so she is unsure how to interact with the other students in your classroom.
You have spent a lot of time this semester getting to know your particular child, his/her family, and their culture(s).
For this final reflection, I want you to go back and reflect upon what YOU have learned from this entire exercise of learning and writing about your child, their family, and their cultures.
1. How has this experience (and your child) changed you?
2. What have you learned from this experience, both personally and professionally? (questions 1 and 2 may go together.)
3. How will this experience influence your classroom practices and behaviors?
Be sure to give examples and detailed answers.