Essay Sample on Turtles All the Way Down: Aza's Inner Struggle with OCD and Bacterial Ecosystems

Introduction

"Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green discusses the life of Aza, a young girl who suffers from an awful concern and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which makes her feel like she has lost control of her life (Senior, 2017). Aza is infatuated with and disgusted by the ecosystem of bacteria that is within her body. She is continually worried about the rumble in her gut or the chance of getting an infection including clostridium difficile (Senior, 2017). She has to deal decisively with the persistent, unignorable desire to put hand sanitizer in her doorway. Aza really cares about Davis as both endure similar losses; Aza had lost her dad and David had lost his mother which makes their bond grow even more. "Please let me go, I will do anything, I'll stand down" (Stevenson, 2018). Aza speaks to her undesirable opinions at a difficult moment in her life. The paper will analyze how the book portrays the experience of teaching in a multi-cultural classroom.

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In recent decades, multicultural education has increasingly become a norm in many countries' education systems. Huang, Cheng & Yang (2017). discloses that multicultural education is greatly significant when implemented in the classroom as it will help to promote equality among all learners despite their learning disability. All learners, regardless of their cultural background, and learning condition should get the same learning opportunities so as to achieve their hidden potential (Huang et al., 2017). The main objective of multicultural learning is to offer equal educational chances and incorporating child literature such as "Turtles All the Way Down" to enable learners acknowledge the value of cultural diversity as taught in the classroom, and assist those with OCD to heal quickly.

Children's literature like "Turtles All the Way Down" provide an exceptional experience of what it's like to teach students with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. OCD is a neurological condition that mainly occurs between teenage-hood and young adulthood that is characterized by fixations and compulsions (Dufour, 2015). It is the fourth most prevalent pediatric mental disorder in the United States. Most OCD deeds can be simply misconstrued; therefore, teachers must acquire how to detect when a student develops OCD symptoms in the classroom (Dufour, 2015). Enhanced awareness of symptoms can prompt early interventions, thereby reducing the adverse effects of OCD on learning (Dufour, 2015). Scholars with OCD normally develop learning disorders such as nonverbal learning difficulties than those with the disorder (Dufour, 2015).

One of the most credible ways educators can assist children who portray OCD cope with the learning disorder is by detecting the symptoms as and when they appear. Another vital way is through partnering with parents and professionals (psychologists) to develop appropriate interventions to manage the symptoms of OCD (Dufour, 2015). Some of these interventions might include: helping learners' transition from one task to another. Transitioning from a single task to another can be a difficult task for students with OCD, hence teachers may opt to assign them with less consuming tasks that can be boldly completed within the prescribed time span (Dufour, 2015). Furthermore, teachers need to also develop consistent routines, daily schedule to reduce possible stress on students as they try to transition from one task to another (Dufour, 2015).

Another intervention is by teachers assisting students with OCD to develop succinct, practical, and achievable goals. It will greatly help to augment student satisfaction, and self-control (Buchler, 2013). Teachers should impart self-awareness and control skills on students with OCD by giving them the confidence to open up when they are faced with challenges (Buchler, 2013). By incorporating "Turtles All the Way Down" can greatly help to reduce students' terrible anxiety and stress while in the classroom. For the children who are exhibiting complex Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder symptoms there may need to implement Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) (Buchler, 2013). The therapy will help to address the mental, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of obsessive behaviors (Buchler, 2013). The student will be taught to recognize negative opinions and then substitute those opinions with optimistic ones. These strategies may include; modeling, role-play, problem-solving, and contingent reinforcement to help alleviate the negative thoughts (Buchler, 2013).

John Green's "Turtles All the Way Down" resonates with the cognitive challenges that teenagers face in the contemporary world. In students, complex Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and other anxiety disorders create a learning disorder in them (Buchler, 2013). Normally students with a learning disorder may experience prejudice, and discrimination in the classroom a situation that may worsen their condition, and affect their academic performance (Buchler, 2013). Therefore, a culturally responsive pedagogy must be executed in the classroom to improve the classroom experience of learners through appreciating diversity cohesively and habitually (Dufour, 2015). The responsive pedagogy celebrates all learners from different backgrounds, races, learning disabilities, and cultural identity (Dufour, 2015). Even-though, students might have different learning disorders, they still have the cultural knowledge, that emanates through interactions with other learners from different cultures.

The CUS has developed a comprehensive framework that will guide teachers on how to successfully implement culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy in the classroom (Dufour, 2015). Teachers are required to apply inquiry-based methods on all students to support learners in making and implementing decisions about their learning that define who they are and what they are already aware of (Dufour, 2015). The educators should also implement differentiated instruction approach, as it will provide a variety of methods and opportunities for learners to demonstrate their learning (Dufour, 2015). It will also ensure that all academic and specialized education resources are all accessible to all learners. The learners should make sure socio-cultural consciousness of learners is incorporated in the classroom through streamlining the curricular approaches to emphasize inclusivity of even students with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It is essential for teachers to identify and build upon learner's prior knowledge, interests, and learning methods as it will impact the skills of social control and regulation in them (Obiakor, Beachum, Williams & McCray, 2006).

The educators should allow cultural familiarity to crop up from learners and their surrounding if they are to implement a culturally responsive pedagogy for students with different learning disabilities such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The educator should also establish a podium where cultural knowledge can be disseminated among the learners (Dufour, 2015). Knowledge building is reciprocal since students play a dynamic role in establishing and creating learning practices for themselves and their colleagues (Dufour, 2015).

Learners with OCD normally have the trouble to grasp what is taught within the classroom since they are engulfed with a lot of negative thoughts (Dufour, 2015). Teachers have designed specific strategies to helps students with OCD become successful in the classroom. The first design is geared towards helping the learner to reduce tension during anxiety-provoking circumstances (Dufour, 2015). The curriculum should be created to decrease the chance of failure, mainly for learners with OCD. Implementing class relaxation exercises (such as muscle relaxation) and creating an interactive relationship with the learners will help them confide in you whenever faced with mental challenges (Dufour, 2015). Teachers refrain from providing any reassurance to students with OCD since it increases a learner's compulsive reassurance seeking. Instead, educators should complement them on the tasks they complete at hand (Dufour, 2015).

While in the classroom teachers should help learners with OCD get unstuck from the obsessions and compulsive behaviors, as it will assist them to transition successfully from one task to diverse tasks (Leininger, Taylor Dyches, Prater & Heath, 2010). These students should stay in the front rows in the classroom, should be placed in group discussions with performing students so that they may be helped to improve their academic performance (Terwilliger, Bach, Bryan & Williams, 2013). Since learners with OCD have low self-esteem teachers must remind them of their strengths, and capacities, which they should focus on improving on to wade off the negative thoughts that may be within them (Leininger, Taylor Dyches, Prater & Heath, 2010). Classroom activities should be regulated closely by the teachers to prevent colleagues from teasing them due to their condition. Using children literature such as "Turtles All the Way Down" will help students with OCD to understand that cognitive disorders can overcome their mind, but cannot stop them from fulfilling their academic aspirations.

The students who have difficulty to complete their assignments orally, teachers can allow them to submit their feedback on tape or type their assignments on the laptop to ensure they feel accommodated like other students (Leininger, Taylor Dyches, Prater & Heath, 2010). In the classroom, teachers should be able to assist students with OCD and other learning disabilities to stay focused and complete their tasks promptly. They will achieve that by providing simple directions and breakdown large chunks of complex duties into minor steps will assist learners to concentrate on significant portions of task (Leininger, Taylor Dyches, Prater & Heath, 2010).

Teachers must provide the necessary support for students experiencing anxiety in testing situations (Huang et al., 2017). In the classroom, they should be allowed to spend more time on tests or examinations than other learners due to their obsessive characters (Huang et al., 2017). To augment the academic performance of multi-cultural learners facing learning disorders such as OCD, there is need to involve the community members and parents must be included. The school heads and teachers should take steps to open lines of leadership communications with parents and community stakeholders to look for ways they can educate better their children (Huang et al., 2017).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the paper has discussed candidly how the experience of teaching in a multi-cultural classroom can be enhanced for learners with OCD and other learning disabilities. "Turtles All the Way Down" is perfect childhood literature that can help teachers deliver a responsive pedagogy that celebrates all students from different backgrounds, races, learning disabilities, and cultural identity. It will help teachers successfully implement it through differentiated instruction approach, and inquiry-based methods in the curricular that will accommodate all learners.

References

Buchler, R. K. (2013). Anxiety-reducing strategies in the classroom. Retrieved from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8900/75dfec8e3c1521c1923ed6b38078240b7cca.pdf

Dufour, E. (2015). Learning Disabilities and Diversity: A Culturally Responsive Approach. Retrieved from: https://www.ldatschool.ca/culturally-responsive-pedagogy/

Huang, H. P., Cheng, Y. Y., & Yang, C. F. (2017). Science teachers' perception on multicultural education literacy and curriculum practices. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics Science and Technology Education, 13(6), 2761-2775. Retrieved from: file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Science%20Teachers_.pdf

Leininger, M., Taylor Dyches, T., Prater, M. A., & H...