I am committed to embracing diversity as a framework in First Year Composition (FYC) programs. I honor all students’ knowledge, educational practices, prior linguistic skills, and cultural heritage, regardless of race, caste, citizenship status, age, language, culture, educational background, gender, religion, country of origin, economic status, or dis/ability. I consider some fundamentals for promoting diversity in my classes.
Epistemological Justice: I support epistemic justice, valuing all students’ diverse knowledge sources and learning practices. I consider students as co-creators and problem-solvers within knowledge-making frameworks.
Axiological justice: I listen, support, create value and help students in the meaning-making of their knowledge.
Ontological justice: I always seek to bring into any academic discussion the ontological reality of community and peoples’ life, language, culture, beliefs, and ethical values.
Methodological justice: I embrace diversity as a framework in my pedagogy, incorporating as much as possible the historical and current texts and lived experiences of students’ own cultures, creating a dialogical environment, maintaining a safe, vibrant environment for personal and academic freedom, and truly listening to and valuing students’ own writing practices.
Justice Policy: I formulate classroom policies (in terms of teaching assignments and assessments) that do not disfavor or discriminate against students who come from non-dominant groups.
Language and linguistic justice: I accept, celebrate, and encourage multiple versions of English in classrooms and in writing. I am actively aware of, consistently honor, and proudly use a diversity of world Englishes in the teaching environment. I accept and equally honor different writing conventions that various students may bring to my table.