Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 1

Diversity Statement of Informed Beliefs

Crissie Gard
Instructor: Dr. Egbert
EDUC 204: Families, Communities, and Culture

DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 2


Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to state my opinions on the diversity of learners. It is also to inform
the reader that I have the knowledge to provide a specialized curriculum that will fit each
students needs and learning style. I will supply information on methodology and pedagogy.
Every student is different but every student is capable of learning. As an educator it will be my
job to make sure to adapt to and support each child in their learning process.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 3



Diversity Statement of Informed Beliefs
Every child is capable of gaining knowledge when they have the right tools. Everything in a
childs life will affect how that specific child will learn and process information. As an educator,
it will be my job to provide the tools and support for each and every student to gain information.
It is also my job to know how to adapt to any student whether they have a disability or
difficulties in their home. I will modify curriculums and teach each child regardless of their
differences or disabilities. I will provide a safe learning environment where each and every child
is appreciated and is an important part of the classroom.
All Students Can Learn
All students have the capacity to learn but some students acquire information differently than
others. It is my job, as an educator, to find how each student learns best and how to get them
involved and interested in their own education. Some students gain knowledge best through sight
or sound. Most students learn best through tactile means, such as touching or actually doing what
is being shown, or modeling. I will make sure that each and every student is engaged. If students
are actively engaged they will enjoy what they are learning and want to continue learning.
Children are like sponges, they soak up everything around them, so make the most of every
opportunity to teach them.
To ensure that all students learn, an educator must address each student differently according
to their needs. If you have a student who is falling behind, you must find out why and help that
student get back on track. It may take the help of an Individualized Education Program, or a
DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 4

form of communication between school and family, developed by the group of people
responsible for the education of a child with special needs, if necessary. I will make sure that all
of my students see the lesson presented in a variety of ways so that I know each student will get
the most out of each lesson.
Jean Piagets theory on cognitive development (Berns, 2010) is about how children learn by
visualizing and imitation. Students learn according what stage of cognitive development they are
in. All children start out in the sensorimotor stage when they are born and learn only by their
five senses. When the child gets older, they start learning through appearances or the
preoperational stage of development. Then as the student reaches school age they change to
concrete operational, where they can apply logical reasoning but cannot distinguish between
assumptions or facts. The student then switches to formal operational, throughout adolescence,
where they can think logically about abstract ideas and hypotheses as well as concrete facts.
Theories help us realize that children are always finding new ways to learn and that we, as
educators, need to find the best way to teach them.
An educators expectations of a student directly affects the student. If an educator thinks that
a child is not capable or unwilling to learn, the child will feel the same way about him/herself as
in self-fulfilling prophecy. Teachers must learn how to give adequate praise. Educators must
also help each student reach his/her full potential by giving each student multiple ways to
connect to the lesson and the classroom. A teachers expectations directly relates to the students
educational goals as well. If a teacher thinks that students cannot perform a task and doesnt
assign the task, the students will never have a chance to prove the teacher wrong. The students
will also agree that they cannot perform the task and will not challenge themselves. With the
DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 5

teachers guidance, or direction and demonstration, every student has a chance to challenge
themselves and learn to their full capacity.
Students Social Ecology Theory
Each student has a system of social ecology. According to Urie Bronfenbrenners Ecological
Theory of Human Development (Berns, 2010), everything from our microsystem, which
includes our home life and family, to our macrosystem, which includes our government,
customs, and values influence each child differently. The ecological system starts with the
microsystem, which takes place inside their own home and between family members. The largest
section of the system is the macrosystem. This part of the system takes place around the child
and is not directly related to the child. Each and every system is interconnected and works
together to influence how the child thinks and learns. Everything in a childs life will affect how
s/he learns to think about the world around them. The childs family places values in his/her life
from the very beginning. The child is taught a certain way of life within their microsystem,
mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosytem. The child learns to interact between these systems to
obtain other information. A childs family, community, and culture can impact a child and how
the child thinks and learns.
A study done in 1964 by Rene Spitz (as cited in Berns, 2010) compared infants and the
relationships they form with their care-givers and whether or not the relationships could be a
cause of cognitive impairments. Half of the infants were raised by their own mothers although
the mothers were incarcerated at the time. The other half were raised in an orphanage by a single
caregiver to at least eight infants. The infants who were raised by their mothers had more one on
one time with their mother and seemed to develop normally. The infants who were raised in the
orphanage had less one on one time and seemed to develop at a slower rate and eventually
DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 6

develop cognitive disorders. A child needs love and affection from their mother, or another
devoted adult, to grow and learn. Children who are given love and affection become caring,
nurturing adults, themselves. A child who doesnt receive the affection or attention they need
while young could be more at risk for developing mental disabilities or cognitive disorders.
Discrimination and Learning
Each and every student is distinct and will learn in different ways from their peers. Their
differences start from birth and depend on what type of environment they grew up in. The way a
child acquires knowledge, their character traits, and skills is how they are socialized. We, as
educators, need to make sure that we include every type of learning style in our instructional
teaching. We also need to make sure we strive to teach each and every child in the way that best
suits their needs as individuals. Each student, regardless of race, disabilities, giftedness, or
limitations deserves the best education possible. I will try to instill altruism, or the act of doing
things for others without hopes of a reward, in all of my students.
As I have discussed prior, each learner is different based on how they were taught and
socialized starting from birth. Helping each student learn which type of learner they are, such as
a collectivistic or individualistic learner, will help them decide how to take on other tasks.
Collectivism emphasizes interdependent relations, social responsibilities, and the well-being of
the group, whereas, individualism emphasizes individual fulfillment and choice. Socializing
children in school, using the appropriate methods, will ensure that they grow into functioning
adults in society. As an educator, I have a responsibility to society, and to each child, to help
make sure they are capable to sustain themselves in adult life along with the help from parents
and the childs willingness to learn. Each student is different and, as an educator, I will have to
make sure that I employ a number of instructional models so that every student has a fair
DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 7

advantage. I will try to have an even number of activities that use individual, competitive, and
cooperative learning methods.
Equitable Education for all Students
Unfortunately, we see a lot of broken or blended families now days. We cannot let this stop
us from trying to educate each and every student and teaching each child empowerment which
enables them to have control over resources affecting themselves. Divorce, low economic status,
discrimination, and poverty all have a direct impact on a child and how well they will do in
school. These situations cause stress for families which in turn carries over onto a child. The
child has all of these stresses at home and may be preoccupied during school time. If a child is in
emotional distress because of home life it will affect how the child reacts to different stimuli in a
classroom. The student might act out or be angry for reasons they dont even understand
themselves. As educators, it is our job to make school a safe place where discrimination and
poverty dont exist so that any student can learn regardless of what is happening in their home
life. I hope that I can provide a safe and caring place for students to come and learn and not think
about what troubles lie outside of the classroom. I hope my classroom is a place they feel like
they are welcome at all times and that they are an integral part of the class. I will be fair and treat
each child with respect and compassion. I will, to the best of my abilities, keep all students
engaged and interested in every lesson. I will accommodate every childs needs and provide a
specific curriculum, the goals and objectives of an educational program, for every type of
learner.
According to Maslows hierarchy of needs (Berns, 2010), all human beings have to have
basic needs fulfilled before they can move up to the next level. The hierarchy is a pyramid
diagram in which psychological needs are the base in which we need to live. Those needs
DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 8

include air, food, water, and sleep. The second tier is our safety needs which include shelter,
security of body, structure, order, and predictability. The third tier is love and belonging. This
level has friendships, family relationships, identification within a group, and intimate
relationships. In the fourth tier is the need for esteem. This includes self-esteem, acceptance,
confidence, achievement, and respect of and for others. The last tier is self-actualization. This
tier is where humans have morality, creativity, lack of prejudice, and acceptance of facts. All of
the lower levels have to be intact and mastered before we can move onto the next level. In a
classroom with students, depending on their age, they are struggling with some of the most basic
needs like security and belonging if they are not receiving these things at home. So as an
educator, I know that helping students fulfill basic needs will be a very important part of my job
every day.
In conclusion, it is my informed belief that all children are different from each other, but all
children are capable of learning. Each child also has their own learning style. A style of learning
in which I, as an educator, must decipher and cater to. Every student has been socialized
differently and those differences make them a vital part of any classroom. No matter what their
background, every child deserves a chance at having the best possible education provided for
them. Tailoring the lesson plan to the student will ensure that they absorb as much information as
possible. Making sure every student has their basic needs fulfilled, so that they can better
perform in a classroom, will be one of my main goals as an educator. Every child is different but
all children are capable of learning with the right teacher and the proper tools.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 9

References
Berns, R.M. (2013). Child, family, school, community: Socialization and support
(9
th
ed.). Belmont, Ca: Thomson Learning, Inc.