Philosophy of Student Diversity
As an inspired teacher of secondary education /special education, one of the ideas that most appealed to me was working with students of various ages and learning abilities. I’ve come to realize even more so now with the changing demographics in U.S. schools that we are becoming a very diverse population. Within my classroom student’s differences may consist of their academic level, cultural background, personality, religious beliefs, and the list go on. Hence, in today’s classroom as a teacher it is important that I embrace, model the attitude to my students, and make positive use of diversity. When educators value diversity, we recognize and respect the fact that people are different and that these differences are generally a good thing. For example, when attempting to solve a problem, it is better to assemble a diverse team with many skills and many different ways of approaching the problem than it is to assemble a team that has all their strength concentrated in one area. If a student feels uncomfortable, unsafe, or not
I want all of my students to be self-confident, have self-respect, and treat each other respectfully. My students will learn how to be sensitive and caring individuals, and in order for them to do this they need to be exposed to other cultures and differences. If children are not taught to be kind, considerate and caring to individuals who are different, then it is impossible for them to know how to act or react to these differences. Engaging my students in “getting-to-know you” activities on the first day of class is a good ice breaker, and will allow the students to tell a little bit about themselves and to share with their peers. In addition to having respectful relationships with their peers, I will incorporate multicultural education into my
Similar to the intervention mentioned in the article, I would actually make time and learn not only the students’ name, but also get to know a bit more about them as a person. I would definitely be aware of these situations since I know how big of an impact it is in someone’s identity and well-being. There are many ways that educators can establish positive ethnic and linguistic identities in the students’ surroundings. One of them is by asking teachers to create an international week, wherein there would be different programs everyday for the rest of the week that has to do with students’ culture. In one day, students can dress up according to their culture, and then another day can be an international potluck day, where students bring their favorite cultural dish and share it to class, another one is performing a talent that has to do with their culture, and so on. Things like these will make students be aware of the different cultures that surround them, and learn about how other cultures exist, not just their own. Furthermore, just like previous reading we had about Sleeter (2013), students who embrace both their culture and the dominant culture do better than student who do not. In addition, students perform better academically when the topic can be related to their personal situations or experiences, and I believe teaching students in a multicultural way will be best for all of the students. Above all these, students will understand that everyone is equal, and everyone has their own abilities and talents, no matter how you look like, the way you speak, or where you came from, everyone is entitled to be whoever they want to be, without having to adjust and shift one’s beliefs from their
Just because other perspectives are incorporated in the classroom, this doesn’t mean that everyone will become more understanding and appreciative of other cultures. When multicultural practices have rigorous standards, allow the advancement of social communications with other cultures, and allow the advancement social justice concepts both inside and outside of the classroom, this is when students will become more appreciative of other cultures (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p.162).
While differentiating instruction and being able to design lessons geared towards the needs of diverse learners are currently highly prized skills for teachers, this has not always been the case. The history of education in the United States is a history of segregation. Even today, schools and curriculum are designed to meet the needs of a core group of students, which does not include students with disabilities (Hitchcock, Meyer, Rose, & Jackson, 2002). In the past, learners who were different, out of the mainstream, or did not fit into the mold to which teachers taught (were not part of the core) learned how or lost out on learning. This is not to say that teachers of the past did not care about their students, about being effective teachers, or about student learning. However, as schools are mirrors reflecting mainstream societal norms (Chartock, 2010; Delpit, 2006)—and, given that our society has not always valued diversity in people, be it due to disability, class, culture, or race—teachers in the past have largely focused their efforts where they could earn the largest return on their investment: the average student .
A multicultural perspective is an understanding of the similarities and differences across culture, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and more. In short, it is a perspective that encapsulates an open-minded and yet holistic view of other individuals that limits (and hopefully eliminates) one’s own biases in their perception of others. The majority of students come from diverse backgrounds (culturally, ethnically, economically, etc.), and thus it is important to not only bring awareness of the dominant culture’s presence, but also make room for other cultures that are less dominant. With the constant stream of subliminal messages being sent to children, it is important to empower students who do not see their identities in popular culture. Even if children see their identities represented, it is often times a stereotypical representation which can perpetuate a negative sense of self. Additionally, a multicultural perspective is not only for children who are not part of the dominant culture. It is also essential for students
My philosophy of special education centers around three key concepts collaboration, inclusion, and transition planning. Collaboration is getting individuals, who may or may not have similar interests, to work together in an effort to complete a common goal. Inclusion is the full acceptance of all students and leads to a sense of belonging within the classroom community. Transition planning is a process that brings together a student and those individuals directly involved in helping the student prepare to enter a post-school environment. With out these concepts students with disabilities would still be stuck in the dark ages.
Over the past several weeks, I have researched, read, and learned many new things regarding the topic of multicultural education. I have learned that all children should be taught to treat others with dignity and respect not matter what their culture, race, or family structure. I have also learned how important it is for teachers to explore multicultural education on a daily bases because it is necessary for the academic success for students how originate from different backgrounds.
As children growing up, we tend to imitate and aspire to be like the people we look up to. Looking back at my childhood, my passion for teaching and working with children comes as no surprise. When I was in 5th grade a young boy my age was as others stated to be "different." Teaching him, reading to him on the bus, and just always wanting to get to know him made me realize how much I would like to do this professionally. Seeing how the grown ups interacted, and was so effective with children really amused me. I had been surrounded by children my whole life, and as I got older, I would try my best to lend a hand and help all the other children that has disablities. After my first experience in a school, I grew fond of working with students in a classroom setting. I began looking up teacher development workshops, and graduate courses to expand my knowledge about what possibly would happen if I went into the special education feild, in order to support and apply while teaching at the time. After becoming familiar with the different realms of education I became aware of a few things. I ...
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.
There are many challenges that teachers encounter when teaching children with learning disabilities, learners that are English language learners, or learners who are culturally and linguistically diverse. As a nation we are faced with the challenged that our schools are becoming more diverse. The majority of our schoolteachers are still predominately white females, but our student population is slowly changing. We are seeing more minority groups in our schools that are facing different challenges. The scary part of it all is that our teachers do not have the skills to accommodate those differences. “The nation’s changing school demographics are creating a demand for new teaching skills” (Utley, Obiakor, & Bakken 2011, pg. 5). Our student population
It also involves adapting the school structure and culture to fit the needs of diverse students who come from different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. In order for this to occur, there needs to be a collaborative effort amongst school staff and the principle to ensure that every aspect of school life is in line with multicultural education. For example, the school curriculum, teaching materials, teaching strategies, and counseling programs all play important roles in creating a more inclusive environment. Furthermore, school staff needs to be aware of their behavior and how they treat minority students. The goal should be to create an environment that encourages students to grow and foster
The world is currently undergoing a cultural change, and we live in an increasingly diverse society. This change is not only affect the people in the community but also affect the way education is viewed. Teaching diversity in the classroom and focusing multicultural activities in the programs can help improve positive social behavior in children. There is no question that the education must be prepared to embrace the diversity and to teach an increasingly diverse population of young children.
...wn issues and prejudices while expanding their knowledge of the many cultures that make up the classroom. Educators who incorporate multicultural practices in their classroom promote strong cultural identities, positive self-worth, and effective and flexible learning options for all individual and cultural differences throughout their school experience and beyond into adulthood.
Throughout my research, family values, and experiences I will be able to be accepting and understanding of the culturally diverse children that I may have in my classroom. To make my classroom a welcoming and safe environment for those who are different I want to incorporate their culture into projects, lessons and crafts. In doing this I want the class to learn more about each other and their cultural
In fact, at schools there is a lot of diversity. In the classroom cultural diversity should be appreciated because they will want to learn more about themselves and their culture (Borkar). Different groups means that there will be a wide variety of topics to discuss. This benefits the students because they can learn about the many different perspectives of the world around them. They can learn different ways of thinking and n...
Some ways I plan to accommodate student diversity in my teaching is to maintain a diverse learning environment for my students. I understand that not all students learn the same so I plan to use differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction would include using strategies such as a Jigsaw classroom or Cooperative Learning and would allow students to have different opportunities to learn the