Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Diversity Statement of Informed Beliefs Cofer, Mackenzie Instructor: LueLinda Egbert EDUC 204: Families, Communities and Culture Online: Fall 2011

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Abstract Teachers have a great responsibility to provide an adequate education to every student despite all their different learning styles and abilities. It is up to the teacher to make sure they know and are able to teach many different learning styles and are able to accommodate to all the diverse needs of their students. Teachers also need to be accepting and show appreciation for other cultures besides their own and strive to instill the idea of cultural pluralism in their classroom and students. Students should have attainable yet challenging goals. These goals can help be attained with motivation from the teacher. This will give students a drive and confidence to succeed.

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs Each year teachers experience new faces, challenges, learning styles, and cultural diversity in their classroom. It is a challenge for teachers each and every year to embrace the cultural differences and get their students to embrace and appreciate them as well. Different learning styles and abilities of students are also a challenge each year. It is up to the teacher to make sure each and every student receives a fair and adequate education. I will soon face the responsibility of those challenges with my own beliefs, styles, and expectations. All Students Can Learn Each student has a different learning technique, and it is a major role of the teacher to make sure that all the students are learning despite all these different styles. It is important for a teacher to lead their students to the path of knowledge and know how to motivate and keep them each on that path. Teachers need to know and be able to incorporate many different styles of learning into their curriculum. A teacher should work on their curriculum after getting to know more about how their students learn best. This can include teaching styles like visual, verbal, etc. A combination of direct and indirect instruction could also benefit students. Part of making sure that students learn is assessments. Assessing students dictates instruction. It is vital to do pre and post assessments of students. This will help the teacher understand what students already know and the objectives that they are and are not mastering. A plan for what to do if the students do or do not master the objective is also very important. Socialization is a huge factor in a childs ability to learn. If children are not being taught socialization at home it is crucial they are taught these skills at school. Teachers should find out the socialization patterns that there students have been raised around, so they know which skills they need to work on with that student.

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Motivation and feedback is vital in a classroom. It shows the students that the teacher cares and is willing to help. If teachers do not set goals and have expectations for their students then their students will not set goals or expectations of themselves either. Very clear objectives will help students know exactly what is expected of them. It is important students know exactly what the teacher expects of them and it will keep them determined to do their best. Teachers need to be knowledgeable of students skill levels, ability levels, and potential so that they can set appropriate and attainable goals for each student. Students Social Ecology theory A students social ecology in their life can affect their ability to learn. Bronfenbrenners Biological Model of Human Development shows us different ways children are affected. (Berns, 2007). The structures are the chronosystem, the mesosystem, the microsystem, the exsosystem, and the macro system. The Chronosystem is temporal changes in ecological systems or within individual, producing new conditions that affect development" (Berns, 2007). The mesosystem is the interaction between two or more Microsystems. (Berns, 2007). These can include an interaction of school and family. This can be a positive interaction if the family is involved in the students school life. The microsystem is the experiences, activities, and relationships with significant others in family or school life. The childs family life and experiences can greatly affect their classroom behavior and learning ability. If the child does not receive the affection or nurture they are supposed to receive from their family, the child can have major developmental problems. Students coming from a divorced family can benefit from positive interaction with peers and adults. The exosystem is the structure in which the child is affected indirectly. This can include things like the school board. The last is the macro system, the society and subculture

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

to which the developing person belongs to. An example of a macro system that affects a lot of people is religious beliefs. A childs development can be negatively or positively impacted by their family life. Competent families are able to take care of all their childs developing needs and provide a positive learning environment at home. Incompetent families are not able to do so and the childs school life can be affected by this. Teachers can help children from incompetent families overcome these problems by getting them involved in available suitable programs. It is important for teachers to understand Lev Vygotskys idea of the zone of proximal development. This is the term for space between what a learner can do independently and what he or she can do while participating with more capable others (Berns, 2007). This interaction is very important to a childs development. Discrimination and learning An issue facing American teachers today is incorporating different traditional values into the classroom and getting students to embrace different cultures. In my classroom, discrimination and segregation will not be tolerated on any level. I will practice the idea of cultural pluralism in my classroom and show my appreciation and respect for other cultures besides my own. In order to get my students to learn and appreciate others cultures I will give them opportunities to share their culture through projects, pictures, and artifacts from home. I will encourage my students to have respect and gain knowledge of the macro culture if it is not the culture they practice. Cultural assimilation is very different from the idea of cultural pluralism. In assimilation the minority group is expected to practice the majority groups holidays, language,etc. The melting pot theory is the idea that all the different cultures should blend into

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

one common culture. An idea that fits under cultural pluralism is Bilingual/multicultural education . This is education in the students native language as well as English, respect for the students culture and ethnicity, and enhancement of students self-concept (Berns,2007). I strongly agree with this idea and cultural pluralism. Both of these ideas let students practice their own culture but also let them learn and share in other cultures as well. Sometimes religious practices may not allow a student to do a certain activity. The teacher needs to be sensitive to this and have a back- up plan for these students. Being in contact with these students parents would also be both respectful and useful. Other things that might impact a students learning could be if the child has a disability or giftedness. A responsibility of the teacher will be to make sure these students are in the appropriate class or programs if they are offered. This can include Things like IEPs, individualized education programs. It is also important for the teacher to be able to adapt, modify, and incorporate different teaching styles into their lesson plan to help accommodate each student despite their ability, or disability. Equitable Education for all Students Each student will have different circumstances in their lives that can affect their learning ability. Teachers need to try and be aware of and sensitive to these situations. These can include things like divorce, and socioeconomic status. Teachers need to get to know their students background in school and home life so they are able to better adapt their teaching styles, and are able to know what areas of developmental needs are not being met at home whether they be academic, behavioral or emotional. This also lets the teacher know if a student has a learning exceptionality and what socialization patterns need to be worked on and used.

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

If a child is coming from a low socioeconomic family the teacher could help the student get on the schools food program. If a child comes from a divorce family and is having behavioral problems because of it, the teacher could set up some counseling sessions with the school counselor and try to get them involved in some type of peer group like the boys and girls club. B.F Skinner was a psychologist who believed in the idea of teacher-directed curriculum. In this type of direction the curriculum is planned for all the children by the teacher. This theory is based more on the behavioral aspect. Teaching factual knowledge and preserving American cultural heritage is a main point of teacher- directed curriculum. I believe instruction should be differentiated to meet all students needs to ensure an equitable education for all students. I believe children should be assessed by oral exams, paper exams, computer exams, and teacher observations. Each and every student deserves to have a fair and adequate education despite their learning style, abilities, and cultural and social background. It is important for teachers to make their classroom feel like a safe, fair, and caring learning environment. Teachers need to know how to adapt their teaching styles to fit the diverse needs of their students.

Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

References Berns, R.M. (2007,2010). Child ,family ,school ,and community: Socialization and Support (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomas Wadsworth.