"Privilege Power and Difference" By Alan Johnson (Blog Post #1)

     After reading chapters 1-3 of "Privilege Power and Difference" by Alan Johnson, it is very clear to me that this topic is very relevant in schools today. I was able to quickly relate it to my subbing experiences I've endured recently. Throughout my time subbing so far, I've had the opportunity to teach a lot of different grade levels, ability levels, and social classes. This is such an important topic to teach students about in school as well as teachers since they are the ones mentoring the students. This is something that all teachers need to be aware of because they are going to come across students coming from a variety of backgrounds, social classes, races, genders, and sexual orientations. 

    Some things I immediately related this reading to is having some students that get breakfast each morning, because they do not get it at home. Also, I have had the opportunity to teach in some special education classrooms and have learned that very small tasks can be a big accomplishment for some students, such as putting their backpack away in their cubby. I have had to adjust my teaching style in every different class I have been in depending on their age, ability and social classes. 

   

    Alan Johnson referred to the "Diversity Wheel" as a way to put differences into perspective. This shows you that there are so many different combinations of differences within each individual person. This is something important to consider when given a classroom full of students because they are all going to come from different backgrounds. 

Reflection:

    It is so important that teachers make all of their students feel included, capable, and encouraged no matter their differences. This is something that should be established that the beginning of the school year so that the students know they are a part of an inclusive classroom and being taught by a welcoming teacher. I was able to find a list of "10 Ways to Create a Welcoming Classroom" to assist teachers at the beginning of the school year. I've quickly learned that students can be very exclusive to their classmates because of very simple differences. This should be established at the beginning of the school year in order to avoid issues in the future. Things such as classroom expectations can hold the students accountable for how they treat their classmates and also remind the teacher to be forgiving as well. This was a very eye-opening reading, and I am looking forward to applying what I read to the real world and to my future classroom. The reading gave me a lot of perspective from different angles and allowed me to think about privilege in a new way. 

Introducing Me!

    Hi! My name is Elizabeth Boynton, but everyone calls me Lizzie. I am a new graduate student in the MAT Elementary Education program at RIC. I graduated from University of Rhode Island in 2022 with a degree in Textile Marketing. I worked in the corporate world for 3 years at a few different companies. 

    First, I worked at Ross Simons, a fine jewelry company based out of Cranston, RI where I was a Merchandising Assistant. Then, I worked at a company called American Exchange Group, based out of NYC where I was a Merchandising & Product Development Lead. After that, I moved to Boston and worked at Wayfair as a Merchandising Associate. I learned a lot from all 3 of these jobs, but I always had my dream of being an elementary school teacher in the back of my head. 

    Plans changed with my roommate in Boston, which gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream. I moved back home to Rhode Island and finished out my 1-year contract at Wayfair. I was then able to apply to the MAT program at RIC for Elementary Education, and I was accepted for the Spring 2026 semester! I applied to start substitute teaching in 4 different districts around me and started after winter break in early January. So far, I have loved all of my experiences in different classrooms, and it makes me so excited to have my own classroom in the future!

    I am so excited to be starting classes at RIC to pursue my dream job of being an elementary school teacher. This is the start of my new career path, and I can't wait to learn all of the necessary skills to become the best teacher I can be. I am looking forward to FNED 546 and learning about the Contexts of Schooling. 😊📖🍎