Teaching Diverse Students

     Lynne Casey is an 11-year-old student who suffered severe burns when her house caught fire. More than 35% of her body was burned, but her face and hands are what she seems to have the most difficulty with. I think this story is amazing because, very seldom, do we realize that we will encounter issues beyond just cognitive impairments and home-violence. As future educators, we want to know all about socio-economic issues, domestic violence, etc. But by focusing in on these broader issues, we are overlooking others such as family rejection, not knowing where they will sleep at night, and coping with the death of a family member.
     In addition, I think that we often associate bullying with some huge child that picks on a much smaller child. However, just as in Lynne's case there are children that pick on other children because of their struggles. Regardless of whether it's a child who likes to intimidate others with their size, or a child who laughs and teases another's physical appearance, we need to make sure that students are comfortable and welcome in schools. 
     I know that there are counselors that usually assist with these sorts of things, but I think it is essential for teachers to learn about how to handle varied situations. This is mainly because we will not show up on the first day of school, and get a list of each child with EVERY personal family issue that have or had. So, we must do our homework and make sure that we are conducting a fair learning environment for everyone. We do not want to treat these students in a "special" kind of way, but we do want to take time to ensure that they are getting the best out of their learning experience.
     Even though the fire changed some things about Lynne, we need to make sure that we are elaborating on her strengths instead of her weaknesses. For example, the fire caused her to not be able to play the piano, so her parents are motivating her to stay active in other ways. This is a perfect example of how differentiation can apply outside of the classroom. 
     After learning about diversifying literature for students, I thought that it would be a good idea for Lynne's teacher to bring in a book that relates to what she is going through. However, I recognize that there could be issues if the student does not feel comfortable discussing such a story. I also think this is where the teacher steps in. It is their job to create an environment where these things can be discussed, especially when it involves a student personally. I would also incorporate literature that deals with other things that may make children different. This will "lighten the load", and make it easier for students like Lynne because they will be able to relate but not feel like they are being called out.