Virtual Mentor Interview 2

For the second virtual mentor interview, I was tasked with asking how my virtual mentors encourage cultural diversity in the classroom and what strategies they use for English Language learners. I was able to have empowering conversions with each of my virtual mentors regarding these important questions.

Global Perspective

I found through my discussions that one popular strategy was to provide global perspectives to different agriculture issues. This opens students up to different cultures and allows them to see the similarities or differences between their own culture and other cultures around the world.

Leading By Example

Another strategy that I found quite useful is to lead by example. By not tolerating exclusion-like behavior in the classroom, students will adopt appropriate behaviors when discussing sensitive topics such as religion, race, language, and culture.

FFA Involvement

Paying attention to FFA involvement is very important. It is important to recognize that all students involved in the agriculture classroom have the opportunity to be involved in FFA. Another way students can interact with different cultures is to participate in a chapter exchange.

English-Language Learners

There were a few very exciting strategies shared regarding this topic. One is to utilize Google translator for difficult questions. Another strategy is to encourage students to ask questions when something is confusing. Finally, there is a really cool program offered at Ms. Kane's school where they have a "Spanish in CTE" program. Once a month, a Spanish teacher will come in and provide vocabulary and content that is the same as what is being taught, except in Spanish. This is a very unique program that allows students to become familiar with Spanish in agriculture.

Conclusion

I am very thankful for Mr. Faber, Ms. Slates, and Ms. Kane to take time out of their busy schedules to answer these questions. I greatly enjoyed the conversations we had and the strategies and resources that were shared. Stay tuned for our final interview recap!