Importance of Diversity Learning for Teachers

Why should teachers continue to learn about diversity in the classroom? Because the world is always changing and here are examples to show:

1) In the 1930’s the average classroom in a rural setting consisted of a one room school house. The teacher was likely caucasian along with her students. The most diversity the teacher was possibly familiar with was her students who came from lower socioeconomic statures. Students that came from lower poverty were fortunate if they were even able to attend school during that time, due to the Great Depression that was happening. Schools began to close down because there wasn’t enough funding and the schools that were able to stay open, their school years were cut dramatically. Some schools only had a school year last

There are at least 9 million students from Kindergarten through 12th grade that cannot speak English. Also children that come from a single parent, or high poverty family is on the rise. 29% of caucasian children live in a high poverty, single parent family. 52% of children whom are either Hispanic or African American come from a high poverty, single parent family and teachers need to be aware of these situations. When a student walks through that classroom door, they expect to feel safe, and welcome, and that the teacher there is a person they can trust. (Saravia-Shore, 2008)

The final question remains; why should teachers know about diversity? The answers are simple:

1) Our classrooms are constantly changing and teachers need to know how to adapt and be sympathetic to the ever changing classroom.

2) Teachers needs to realize that they are the one person that will change a student’s life! If that teacher cannot teach a student something that is relatable them; the student may never understand and will continuously fall through the cracks of the educational