I have carefully created some back to school resources for early numbers, letter, reading, writing and counting practice These printables are wonderful for the beginning of the year during literacy centers, math centres, independent work, morning work, practice, and so much more! They really help with students handwriting, fine motor skills, writing letters, writing numbers, and letter/number recognition.
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Micro-aggressions have been defined as brief and common daily verbal, behavioural  and environmental communications, whether intentional or unintentional, that transmit hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to a target person because they belong to a stigmatised group.

As an immigrant child adopted into a UK family, initially my white peers relentlessly laughed and joked about my accent and my lack of ability to speak proper English. There were constant sly and negative comments about my physical appearance. Comments such as: you are pretty for a black girl or you are a pretty black girl as well as been placed in the bottom groups that didn’t not reflect my true abilities. To be honest I knew something was wrong but I did not really know how to respond or what exactly was wrong. 

Eventually, when my confidence grew and I began to improve on what they perceived as proper English, They began to inquired, how come my English is so good for a Jamaican. I began to realise that my abilities were beyond the intellectual expectations of people who look like me. The comment were getting worse you read well for a Jamaican you don’t sound like a Jamaican.

As I got older and have a better understanding of who I am, and how people of my race are seen my others. I realise I needed to find a way to respond and educate them using the correct vocabulary, and most importantly express how their comments made me feel.

The majority of the time these deeply offensive remarks were unintentionally. So I am in no rush to conclude that any of these people are bad, but I sure did educate them and call them out privately, and I gracefully accepted their apologies.
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​The Diverse Classroom
 
Generally, diversity can be best described as the similarities and differences amongst human beings. It is primarily about empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them similar or different.
 
 What does diversity look like in the classroom? From experience, I would say it present itself in many ways. Such as; different races, cultures, religions, various learning styles, distinctive personalities, various capabilities, disabilities, abilities, socio-economic status, gender and ethnicity.

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Who is responsible for ensuring diverse is embraced to full capacity in the classroom? The teacher of course is responsible for this huge and complex task, which is not easy to implement; however, it is fundamental.
 
Research have shown that, in order for all children to have outstanding academic experiences that embrace equality and diversity, the teacher have to take the time to understand each child has an individual and not just as a group. Tecahers have to remove all stereotypical thinking and practices to embrace diversity to full capacity. Adopting this mindset is the first step to establishing a diverse classroom. 
 
Why is diversity paramount in the classroom? When I look at my classroom, I see individuals who bless my classroom with a range of unique qualities, personalities, experiences, view, upbringing, like and dislikes, etc. As a teacher it is my duty to embraces all this beautiful distinctiveness that they bring into my classroom. I have to ensure these humans are proud of who they are regardless of their similarities or differences. This ensures that student learning process is maximised to enable them to achieve their full potential.  Consequently, it is important for students to feel a sense of belonging and valued in the classroom. 
 
 
While it is almost impossible to treat all children the same, due to their various abilities, capabilities and disabilities. Teachers have to rethink how they perceive the notion diversity. Various research carried out in the UK shows that children who feel excluded or not belonging to the classroom; there is a noticeable decreased in those children’s participation, engagement, behaviour and self-esteem. Therefore, creating an inclusive classroom environment is paramount to children’s learning and development.