For my logo project, I decided to make my own logo using the paint program on the computer. I saw many examples on the Internet, but I couldn’t find one that really seemed to touch on all aspects of multiculturalism. I decided to include a variety of colors and designs, which all work together to make a logo that, to me, represents what it means to have a multicultural classroom.

The first aspect of my logo is the circle of dots that forms the border of the logo. I chose to make it a circle for a few reasons. The first reason is that a circle is unending. I believe that multiculturalism is a never-ending process of trying to understand and relate to one another. There are so many different cultures, values, interests, hobbies, learning styles, and learning levels — and I believe that learning about each other is an ongoing process.

I also chose a circle because everything in a circle is connected. Every little dot in the circle is connected, either directly or indirectly, to every other dot, which is representative of multiculturalism. Even though each dot is different, they are all connected in some way. Multiculturalism means finding some way to connect with each other, and that’s what these dots represent.

Another aspect of this circle that I find to be particularly relevant to the idea of diversity is the color of the dots. The dots follow no specific pattern, but the colors are the colors of the Olympic rings. In the Olympic logo, each ring represents a different culture, and I chose to use these colors in my logo as well. I wanted to use the colors from the Olympic rings because I wanted to represent the many cultures that will be present in my future classrooms. I know that my students will be from many different backgrounds, and I want to be able to incorporate the different cultures of my students in my lessons.

The last aspect of my logo is the middle of the circle, which is filled with various pieces of knowledge that students learn in school. Again, I used the colors from the Olympic rings because I wanted to acknowledge the fact that students from many different cultures will be learning all of this information in school. The United States is a melting pot of cultures, and it’s important that every culture be represented as much as possible.

Also, the various colors in all of the logo could represent not only the many cultures of students, but also the many interests my students will have. There are many different colors, just as my students will have a variety of interests, talents, skills, and hobbies.

I also wanted to include examples of what students at all levels will learn in school. I did this because I wanted to represent all of the different subjects in school, as well as all ages and learning levels. For example, there is a simple mathematical equation, 1 + 2 = 3, which represents the learning that children experience when they are very young. Other representations of this concept are the ABC and the shapes in the design.

However, there are also more difficult equations, such as y = mx + b and 3 (x + 4) = y, which represent the more difficult information students will learn when they get older and more advanced in their learning. I believe that this mixture of basic knowledge and higher level thinking represents both the progress that students have in school and the learning levels that students might be on. Some students learn more quickly than others, and I believe that this mixture is a representation of that.

I tried to represent all kinds of diversity in my design, and I believe I have been able to do so. I have represented all types of cultures, learning levels, interests, and age groups, and I hope that I am able to do this in my classroom as well.

January 31, 2009

A is for American,
            Which I am first and foremost.

B is for Barry,
            My dad and my favorite guy.

C is for college athlete,
            An experience I will never forget.

D is for decorations,
            Something that my classroom will be filled with on holidays.

E is for engaged,
           The status of my relationship which will change in July.

F is for Fayetteville,
           My home away from home.

G is for girl,
            Something I am, but don’t necessarily always act like.

H is for hot summer days,
            Which I spent with my parents as a child.
            (Be thankful we’re teachers!)

I is for ice cream
            The food that my family always eats on the 4th of July.

J is for J Dawg,
            The nickname I have for my favorite little niece.

K is for Katie,
            My great grandmother after whom I was named.

L is for Lou Gherig’s Disease,
            A terrible disease that changed my life.

M is for middle class,
            My economic status.

N is for Native American,
            The blood that runs through my father’s family.

O is for Oklahoma,
            The state I love more than any other.

P is for Poteau,
            My hometown and the place where I learned about life.

Q is for quickness,
            A trait not found in either side of my family.

R is for the Razorbacks,
            Who I will support always and forever.

S is for Southern Baptist,
            My viewpoint on life.

T is for travel,
            Something that my athletic ability has allowed me to do.

U is for unrest,
            Something that I’m experiencing
            because of my many commitments.

V is for vacation,
            Which is what I wish I was doing right now.

W is for Walls,
            My future last name.

X is for Xanax,
            A drug that the MAT is starting to make me consider.

Y is for young at heart,
            Which I will hopefully remain.

Z is for zealous,
            An approach to life and teaching
            that I learned from my mother.

February 18, 2009

For a printer-friendly copy
of the Multicultural Issues logo
R U B R I C ,
click the MC icon.

For a printer-friendly copy
of the Multicultural Issues logo
A S S I G N M E N T ,
click the Adobe logo.