Diversity in the Classroom

LaShelle Stanley
EDU 290
Pat Pritchard, Professor
October 8, 2013
A Disposition for Diversity: Teaching in the 21st Century.
The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding
and recognizing that each individual is unique and different. Aspects of diversity come in
various forms such as race, gender, class, language, cultural and ethnicity, sexual orientation,
faith, socio-economic, age, learning styles, cognitive abilities, affective abilities, and physical
abilities. Students come to teachers with many diverse points of view; searching into these
forms of diversity in a safe, positive, and nurturing classroom environment can enrich
everyone's understanding of diverse subjects as well as prepare students holistically enabling
them to communicate effectively with people of other groups. Making learning possible for
everyone is the main objective of teachers, and is often a dare. At the very least, it is the
educators professional duty to make educational learning equally possible for all students.
History supports diverse learners in a major way with the enactment of IDEA
(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) formally known as Public Law 94-142
(Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, Smith, & Leal, 2002). IDEA assures and insures that children and
adolescents receive free appropriate public education (FAPE) no matter the type or severity of
disability the student may have (Turnbull, et al, 2002). Since IDEA has been in place, students
with disabilities have been and will continue to receive special education services in a general
education classroom where he or she can interact with students that do not have disabilities.
The Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) is another piece of legislation that supports students with
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disabilities. Section 504 is an anti-discriminatory act that prohibits discrimination against
students with disabilities on the account of those disabilities (Turnbull, et al, 2002). This act
guarantees inclusion for students with disabilities, regardless of the disability, within a
classroom among students who do not have disabilities. For example, after having the
opportunity to teach a four week summer camp, and had the pleasure of having Shania in my
class. She was Down syndrome and had a speech impediment, but she received the same
learning opportunities as her peers. According to Oesterreich, it is important to Treat all
children fairly and respectfully (Oesterreich, 1995). After the first week, the mother seemed
apprehensive, however; Shania seemed interested in and participated in all of the learning
activities presented to her in class. I was very aware of characteristics of Down syndrome
after researching with my son on a project titled: Down Syndrome after Age 40 in his senior
year of high school. After careful consideration, Shania and her mother knew she was in the
right class because of my competence and understanding of students with Down syndrome
and, as a result, I was able to communicate with Shania effectively by asking questions,
giving compliments, and positive praise. After dealing with regular education students, I
found it challenging but rewarding to experience Shanias ability to learn quickly. Acceptance
of diversity took place in our classroom when I taught the students that bullying, picking on,
or laughing at Shania would not be tolerated and that Shania was just as special as everyone
else in the class. Oesterreich states, comments based on physical disabilities cannot be
ignored (Oesterreich, 1995). Shanias peers understood she was different and began to
embrace her as their special friend that they needed to assist when necessary.
Racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity is evident in classrooms and so is the insensitivity
towards students who are racially, culturally, and ethnically different. Brown versus the Board
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of Education in 1954 is the historical case in which schools could no longer segregate by race
(Turnbull, et al, 2002). From 1954 until now, diverse students were and are granted access to
attend the same schools and receive the same free appropriate public education as their
Caucasian classmates. Oesterreich declares, Bias and discrimination often stem from
ignorance and fear of the unfamiliar (Oesterreich, 1995). It is important for educators to
discourage students from passing judgment and treating students differently based solely on
their race, culture, and or ethnicity. Instead, teachers should encourage students to value and
appreciate students interconnectedness due to their shared interests as well as their
individuality (Lee, 2010). Competent, open minded educators who respect and treasure
diversity in their classrooms provide equal opportunities for learning, through the concept of
normalization, no matter the different backgrounds of their students (Smith, 2004).
Additionally, they are prepared and able to accommodate and adjust to the diverse student
population in which they encounter (Reiter & Davis, 2011).
Teachers show they esteem and treasure a diverse classroom when they connect culture
and cognition. In other words, educators link diverse methods and practices (pedagogy) to the
learning process (Hernandez Sheets, 2009). According to Hernandez Sheets, teachers who
consistently recognize, interpret, and respond to student cultural displays have more
opportunities and more likely to consider diverse characteristics, strengths, and
competencies of their students (Hernandez Sheets, 2009). In this type of classroom, diversity
is about actively connecting the students with what they learn. The teacher utilizes tools to
help student acquisition of new knowledge by joining prior cultural knowledge with new
knowledge desiring to be learned. Students begin to see and understand relational connections
through what is previously known to gain new information to perform new tasks.
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Components and dynamics of a diverse classroom complement the identity of student
learners and maintain students approach to learning. In order to prohibit poor performances
within the classroom, students and teachers must teach each other by demonstrating interest and
desire. Although diversity in some cases can cause disruption, students can be taught or learn to
comply with diversity making it work for their benefit. A diverse classroom allows for
expression: language, social interactions, and regulated behavior, without restraint. Diversity in
the classroom opens doors for communication to learn about differences in a safe and nurturing
environment. A diverse classroom allows opportunities for social interactions and the use of
culturally inclusive resources. Smith gives profound tips of effective instruction of diverse
classrooms such as arranging the room with interesting materials and high interest activities,
creating situations in which students have to communicate, to each other, their need for help and
assistance, teaching with real materials, and involving students in the lesson. (Smith, 2004)
Strengthening the learning environment through diversity can begin with parent- family
partnerships especially if English is the not students first language. Code switching (alternating
from one language or dialect to another) is an important skill for children whose first language is
not English for learners to understand materials and academic content. The practice of moving
back and forth between two different languages prevents learners from being lost during the
instructional time (Smith, 2004). According to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity, Educators
should encourage the use of home language learning while fostering the acquisition of English in
order to strengthen ties between programs and families ("Linguistic and cultural," 1999).
Diversity strengthens the learning environment because it prohibits discrimination, provides
inclusiveness, increases the ability to cope with change, enhances social skills, and does not limit
the voices and ideas generated from the students.
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Conclusively, it is important that diversity is prevalent in the classroom so that students
potential is maximized while acknowledging their unique contributions and differences. The
world is ever changing and so are the classrooms in which children and students acquire
knowledge. Diversity is a beautiful thing, not only does it enrich others lives, but it influences
others to become more culturally sound helping them overcome barriers that they may struggle
with in everyday life. In order for people to become more salt than a rigid pillar, Scripture tell us
to love one another because God has loved us hence in doing so we become more acquainted
with the diverse way things and people operate in our everyday life. Being the same could be
very uninteresting; being different can brighten our horizons to higher heights and deeper debts
of learning.
Diversity in the classroom is not a slogan or printed words for approval, but a realization
that affects the success of students. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond
simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within
each individual. "So many differences: our backgrounds, our sex, our education, so much. Yet
somehow, in some way, we had managed to touch each other. Then a flicker of understanding
silenced the two of us as we sat at the table. There was no need for words" (Hayden, 1980). As
an educator I am engaged to look for differences, expect differences and look beyond the brink to
explore the beauty of what is not alike. Diversity in a classroom is like a virus; it spreads when
diffused into the air. Students learning about diversity in a safe, nurturing, and positive classroom
environment can further the winds of change in their lives and those with whom they interact.
The winds of diversity are blowing, be open enough to accept it and catch itGot it?

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References
Hayden, T. (1980). One child. New York, NY: An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublihers.
Hernandez Sheets, R. (2009). What is diversity pedagogy? Multicultural Education, (Spring),
11-17. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/
Lee, S. (2010). Reflect on your history an early childhood education teacher examines her biases.
(Spring), 25-30. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/ (1999).
Linguistic and cultural diversity-building americas strengths. Precious Children Diversity in The
Classroom, Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/ktcs
Oesterreich, L. (1995). Insensitivity to physical, racial, or ethnic differences. Precious Children
Diversity in the Classroom, Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/ktcs
Reiter, A., & Davis, S. (2011). Factors influencing pre-service teachers' beliefs about student
achievement evaluation of a pre-service teacher diversity awareness program. (Spring),
41-46. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/
Smith, D. (2004). Introduction to special education: Making a difference. (7th ed.). Boston MA:
Pearson Education, Inc. Turnbull, R., Turnbull, A., Shank, M., Smith, S., & Leal, D.
(2002). Exceptional lives special education in todays schools. (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall.