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Diversity in classrooms
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There are many misconceptions about the term student diversity. Student diversity does not only represent the different races of the student body, but also many other aspects that set some people apart from others. The official definition of student diversity is, “The understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies”(Rock). The term student diversity goes back to the days of overcoming segregation and is set in place for several different reasons. The education department is full of obstacles created by the diversity …show more content…
Understanding the full concept of what student diversity really stands for can help aid the teaching process. This understanding can be accomplished by reading and researching several aspects that play a major role in this commonly confused topic such as race, minorities, and low-income families, children with disabilities, religion, and culture. The first thought that comes to mind when thinking about student diversity is race and minorities. Even though this is not the only part of student diversity, it is the most common. There have been more issues and problems deriving from the race and minority category than most of the others. In the education field there have been many tribulations involving race. “For almost sixty years, racial segregation had been established by law in the United States. The Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education changed race relations, mandating an end to segregation in public education”(Burchett, 2008). The system has prevailed through things like segregation. Schools were divided and so where the children. The white race were offered and received a more quality educational experience than the African American children received. The African American children and teachers …show more content…
Learning about them can help create a better understanding for everyone. Student diversity includes a wide range of information that should be considered in full to help combat the issues that seem to fall in the laps of the students and educational staff. With so many obstacles for the student diversity population they have a great number of setbacks. This is why in our current times the programs and special assistance provided for these students is deemed necessary. They deserve to have access to the same education as any other student regardless of their differences. When education is put on the table it should be considered blind. This way every student can receive the same treatment not matter the case. The history of student diversity is very important to study because it provides an outlook of the past struggles and achievements pertaining to diversity. The new research into the topic of diversity in general is also a great aid in the advancements of the educational field. The student diversity population is important and growing with its need to be more recognized. All students’ will have a better educational experience if everyone would put forth effort to be open minded and build positive knowledge of student
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 .
Spring, Joel H. “Chapter 6: Student Diversity.” American Education. Sixth ed. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 145. Print.
The basic idea is that students learn better when they're in an environment in which not everyone is just like them. And we take into account a host of factors. Race and ethnicity are two, but there are many others. The question of bigness or smallness of the--of the factor is not the way to look at it. The--the question is: How much do you value diversity as an educational tool for your students? (Bradley)
This source will equip the argument for utilizing diversity as an educational apparatus that supports student development and learning. The showcase of the impact of diverse student engagement will definitely be useful for providing a strong reasoning for showcasing how the experience of students in the US schooling system shapes the educational experiences of diversified student groups. Dixson, A., & Rousseau, C. (2005). And we are still not saved: critical race theory in education ten years later.... ...
When diversity is being discussed, there are a plethora of ideas that are associated with it. Whether people are talking being put on a waitlist for college, about people of color, or about representation in the media, the subject of diversity is not rare. Recently, the conversation of diversity has become more common because colleges want to demonstrate that they have diversified campus. How would diversity on campus be defined? Most importantly, diversity is more than having an extraordinary personality. Race, gender, sexuality, and social status are a few of the superfluous traits that make an individual unique in a college’s eyes. In Sophia Kerby’s article, “10 Reasons Why We Need Diversity on College Campuses”, she notes that, while there has already been an effort to diversify high schools and middle schools, accepting students of different backgrounds is not as apparent in higher education (1) . A university desires to diversify its campus in order to benefit the students that are attending the college. Students are not only likely to improve
Diversity among students including differences in culture, language and socioeconomic stance is not a new trend. The difference, however, is that today, the school system realizes that all students, including those who differ in some way from the "average" student, or those “at-risk” must be provided with an equal, opportune education (Morris, 1991).
Diversity in a university is so important. First of all “diversity enriches the educational experience”. Students are able to learn from one another’s experiences. Also diversity helps maturity through most students. With diversity, students are able to learn about the other people’s experiences and are able to break down the stereotypical “walls” that our country has built. While students are breaking down these stereotypical “walls”, students will be able to effectively communicate with others of various backgrounds. As students learn about each other’s hardships or success, they will be capable of reaching a state of mutual respect for one another(On the Importance). “The higher education community stands committed to furthering the goals of equal opportunity and diversity on college...
Because of the high amount of diversity within our world and more specifically society it is essential that not only institutions of higher education change to accommodate for diversity but that society also addresses these issues and makes a change as well so that we can ultimately have higher numbers of
Diversity has become an important topic of conversation among members of the education profession, as well as an issue that presents great concern within other areas, professions, and fields of study. While diversity is a multi-tiered entity with multiple elements including but not limited to socio-economic, gender, sexual orientation, religious, physical differences, and cultural intricacies, perhaps the most inclusive of the composition of diversity is that of race and ethnical diversity in regards to a variety of aspects, but none so dramatic as that of the educational process and educational system in general (Jorgan & Ross-Vega, 2010). In addition to the entity known as diversity, an increasingly trending topic of interest, the research has been presented the opportunity to live in what most experts within the context of diversity would consider and refer to as a vapidly diverse geographic location. The location in question is the region known as Appalachia, more specific, Central Appalachia, and within its population of citizens, it has a minute percentage of those that would be categorized as racial minorities. In putting this into context to location would include, African Americans, Hispanics, First Generation Americans(Native Americans), Asian, bi-racial, an d those whom identify themselves as multiracial or considered “other” (Pollard, 2004).
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 is the state of having people who are different cultures in a group or organization. Back home, diversity seem to never be expressed, probably cause the area was majority African American and White. I thought Clayton State University was the same as home but after living here on campus for two months my opinion changed. A diverse college can teach you things you’ve never learned. Knowledge and friends are great things to gain in a diverse college.
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 allowing diversity within the classroom, a sense of community can develop. Diversity encourages an active, not passive, learning style. I believe that the culture of Columbia College Chicago is dependent on diversity. The motto “Create Change,” suggests students actively seek the change they want to see in the world. In order to obtain change a community developed out of diversity must be discovered.
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.
Garcia, E. (2002). Student cultural diversity: Understanding and meeting the challenge (3rd Ed.). New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
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