Diversity in classrooms can open student’s minds to all the world has to offer. At times diversity and understanding of culture, deviant experiences and perspectives can be difficult to fulfill, but with appropriate strategies and resources, it can lead students gaining a high level of respect for those unlike them, preferably than a judgmental and prejudiced view. Diversity has broad ranges of spectrums. Students from all across the continent; students from political refugees, indigenous Americans, and immigrants bring their culture and linguistic skills to American classrooms. Students do not only bring their cultures and linguistic skills, but they bring their ethnics, talents, and skills. In addition, their age and gender are two …show more content…
Every student and teacher has a cultural identity. Their cultural identity is defined by their beliefs, values and behaviors. Their cultures can be different among others, which creates diversity. Classrooms full of students and teachers with different backgrounds can be beneficial for students and teachers themselves. By exploring and accepting many differences and cultures of people among them, they are taught to understand cultural differences, they from a strong sense of their own cultural identity. Once students and teachers are aware of cultural differences, they become aware of racism and can fight to eradiate it. Through their unbiased understanding of the differences between cultures and races, they are able to come to a point of acceptance of themselves and others. If you noticed in my previous paragraph, I mentioned the different types of diversity. Diversity emphasizes how different students and teachers are, but when explored in a classroom, can be used to reveal our similarities. Once students and teachers grasp the concept of diversity, displayed through everyday interactions with diverse groups of students and teachers, racism begins to disappear. In addition, positive sense of self can be developed once students and teachers have an understanding of their own uniqueness through experiences and understanding of diversity. Once teachers and students
Critical to our education today is the way in which diversity matters. In order to have a positive effect on student
The United States population is filled with diverse individuals. It is important for educators to understand that diversity in classrooms is not just based on race but ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, economic status, learning disabilities, and etc. It may not affect your student directly but it can be a part of their family background. Educators may assume that students have the same social or educational status of each other which in some cases is not true. If they assume that every student is on the same academic level, the students may suffer educationally or emotionally. Teachers need to understand that all students grow and progress at different times and it is up to an educator to help start their growth in the right direction and to make each child feel accepted. Yale University () discussed how it can affect teachers if they do not understand how to assess diversity, “teachers may themselves feel out of place based on their own ascriptive traits (i.e. differences based on class, privilege, etc.).” Diversity in classrooms is becoming more frequent and educators need to understand how to properly assess their student’s based on their educational needs and how to teach other students how each of them are different individually. There is no right choice to teach diversity but it is something that needs to implemented in classrooms.
I believe it is important to first analyze the word diversity when examining the need for diversity within a classroom. According to Webster's New Pocket Dictionary, diversity means variety, a number of different kinds. I often discuss and read about diversity in terms of cultural backgrounds; the unification of histories and stories from people from all over the world. Although, I believe that in a higher-educational setting, diversity can also be discussed as the acceptance of the various minds within a classroom. I believe that it is important to recognize the thoughts and experiences of others in a learning environment. Collectively, students learn from teachers, teachers learn from students, and students learn from their peers. By
Diversity is a beautiful thing; from religion to physical looks, the differences among people is astounding. The world would be such a monotonous place if everyone were the same. However, many tend to note that diversity in a classroom can sometimes be an issue- especially among the students. From my own experiences within a diverse class, I realize that the contrast between students is a blessing and a curse
Students from various racial and ethnic backgrounds bring different learning experiences, interactions skills, values, languages, culture etc into the classroom learning situation. For example, I am African and my learning experiences are very different from those that are here. Students from different ethnic backgrounds share their language or vernacular in the classroom
We all have a sense of cultural identity, which is clearly defined by our values, behaviours and beliefs that develop from childhood. A classroom literally or as a metaphor, filled with students from different backgrounds is very beneficial as it helps learners understand and appreciate cultural differences, as they develop responsiveness of their cultural beliefs.
This course focuses on important to teach students about diversity to help them develop empathy for others. We will read about diversity and cultures to help students understand what diversity really means and how it applies to them. Diversity focuses on race, gender, ethnicity, and cultural and how it pertains to the classroom and everyday life. This course is here to enlighten students of the differences of others and how to be sensitive to everyone’s cultures and beliefs. Consists of developing positive relationships among diverse groups and individuals to fight stereotyping and promote unity (Bank & McGee, 2013).
Teachers must learn about their student’s cultures if they want to educate them to the best of their ability. Many of the students in culturally diverse classrooms will want to learn in different ways. Some will want to learn in pairs, groups, as a class, or just alone. If the teacher is educated in their culture then lessons can be adjusted to appeal to every student as much as possible instead of forcing some to forget about their culture and learn like others. Students from
This paper will be discussing a recent fifteen hour field experience I participated in which I observed a classroom which included many students of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. I will discuss any prejudices/discriminations I observed in the classroom based on ethnic and cultural diversity. I will also describe how this experience has made me determined to try to create a positive learning environment for students of diversity in the classroom.
Diversity extends beyond race or ethnicity, religion, culture or newcomer status to include factors such as geography, language, politics, gender, beliefs, sexual orientation, economic status, abilities, skills and interests.
However previous to this discussion the classroom was a learning environment that was systematically equipped to assimilate. We as students fell into the curriculum but often times had difficulty identifying with the material presented. Essentially, the presence of diversity is useless if we do not dig deeper into each culture represented. Equally important, is the significance of each culture finding themselves within the curriculum. When topics such as racial tensions in America are presented in the classroom individuals from different cultural backgrounds and walks of life are not only present but seen vividly throughout the courses of society. This transition from a homogenous community to an imagined community can at times be
As we have learned this week, the meaning of the term diversity has evolved throughout the years and has a plethora of different definitions. Diversity can include students that are exceptional learners; multiple intelligences and learning styles; different ethnicity, race, and culture; different gender and religion; and even different socioeconomic status (“Notes On Diversity,” n.d.). According to Florian (2012), “the increasing cultural, linguistic, and developmental diversity of today’s classrooms demands more inclusive approaches to schooling, but classroom teachers often report feeling unprepared for inclusive education”. The articles’ findings that I read, Preparing Teachers to Work in Inclusive Classrooms: Key Lesson for the Professional
Diversity incorporates different races, religions, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. It is the understanding that every individual is unique. The real world has a variety of different races, genders and cultures. According to data collected in 2010, there has been five U.S. States where the population is considered a majority-minority (U.S Census Bureau). The United States is leading to a more diverse future that is why it is so vital for people to learn to respect and tolerate different cultures and religions. Schools play a big part in embracing and introducing diversity to learning children. For this reason, I believe diversity in education should be supported by school administration and understood by children.
Walking around campus I observe everything and everyone. I look at outfits, the way people interact, the clothes a person wears, and even the way they walk. Every once in awhile, one would see white person around campus and in a class the average white people in the room is one person. It's not just whites, it's other races too. The population of hispanics at Morgan State is no more than five students. The diversity going on at Morgan State is low in my eyes, but I am seeing it increase slowly. This topic relates to our class because diversity is a major part of our world. Having different cultures be expressed and other races getting along with each other is key. Our history has shown us how hard it was for African Americans to finally be considered citizens and now Barack Obama is our first African American president. There are still people who do not like the idea of diversity going on in our school systems and I truly believe they are the reasons why diversity in schools are not very high. Schools who accept and encourage to increase the population of diversity would become very successful in the future because their students would learn how new cultures are expressed and learn how to accept other with different perspectives on the
Our schools are full of a variety of children who are diverse in their own ways. What comes to mind when you hear the word diversity within schools? Many people think of race or culture, but diversity in our schools is more than that. Diversity can include race, religion, culture, and even learning styles in a classroom. In the past classrooms where not that diverse consisting of white protestant students. Currently diversity in classrooms is on the rise big time. Today’s classrooms are more effective in diversity, learning styles, and influences than past years.