If we were all the same the world would be boring: A student teacher's story

Hi! If you don't follow NutMeg012 on Instagram, you need to. Her positivity and never-give-up attitude are contagious! This week, I thought I would share about her lesson, "Celebrating differences." So, without further ado, here she is, Meg Grannan.

"Hi! Before I begin this post, you must know that I have a rare form of dwarfism called Metatropic Dysplasia. When I walk into a classroom, students look and stare. Children are curious, and they want to know why I am small.

During my student teaching semester, I taught in a kindergarten class. In the beginning, we talked about how I was different. They might be the same height as me or taller, but I was still the teacher. After a month, I realized that some students still weren’t listening or respecting me. My mentor teacher and I talked with the class, and they thought I was a student. I decided to come up with a lesson called.

Celebrating Our Differences

I started the lesson by talking to the class about how we are all different. I asked the students to tell me the differences they see about me. The students said I was small, had blonde hair, blue eyes, and many other things. I then asked them to look at the students next to them and talk about what makes them different. The main theme is that we are all different, but that's OK. We may look different on the outside, but what is on the inside is what matters most.

Afterward, we read the book Not Too Big…Not Too Small…just right for me! by Understanding Dwarfism. As we read, I asked the students questions about what they saw, and we talked about how everyone is different in their own way—and that is OK. Right before we were finished, one student yelled, "He is small just like you!" My teaching heart exploded, and I knew they were getting what I was talking about.

After we were done reading, I wrote their sentence starter on the board so they could see it while writing and drawing their pictures. I used the sentence starter I am different because…

While the students were working, I walked around and listened to what they were talking about and watched what they were writing. Several students shared what they wrote and their pictures. I ended the lesson by saying if we were all the same, the world would be boring! "

Thank you, Megan, for a great and insightful post.

About guest blogger Megan Grannan

I recently graduated from Stockton University in May and am currently substitute teaching while applying for teaching jobs. I am working on my Master’s in Special Education at Drexel University.

Check out her posts on Instagram NutMeg012

Now what? It's time to act. Comment below about how you can use similarities and differences to bond the students in your classroom.

Remember, friends, you have the EduMagic in YOU!