Barbra C. Cruz: Article Analysis

I realized that accepting differences and valuing diversity is what helps me become a more dynamic and flexible as a future teacher. Especially when it comes to teach a diverse classroom, recognizing pluralism and divergent perspectives on educating students is the foundation of designing effective lessons and instructional practices for diverse students. (CSU San Marcos, 2017, p.4) If a child has a hard time to show his or her real identity, it will be misleading for teachers to design an appropriate instructional activates. The refusal to acknowledge differences often results in schools and teachers labeling children’s behaviors as “deficient” ( Nieto& Bode, 2008) I think my experience and my diverse

In a world that is becoming increasingly dynamic and interconnected where each of us are becoming more dependent on each other, diversity is a crucial element of life. Never in human history have students had available to them the

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

Teaching in racially diverse classrooms often leaves educators feeling uncertain about how to proceed and how to respond to historically marginalized students. There is pressure to acknowledge and accept students of color with different perspectives, to diversify the syllabi, be more aware of classroom dynamics, and pay attention to how students of color experience the learning process.

This course included lessons in both written and oral communication to increase the understanding of student diversity. I participated in discussions on the issues of diversity that affect student learning from diverse groups. With the use of Ruby Payne’s book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, I examined and reflected on the ethnic and economic diversity in schools and students.

This foundation promotes values of tolerance, respect, and appreciation of all differences and helps people to be more accepting of variety. Ruby and her first grade teacher Barbara Henry go to schools around the country today and educate students on the importance of respecting the variation of others and their values. They inform the youth about ways to end racism and conflict in diversity. Their goal is to create change in the educational system and inspire people to be more susceptible to those that may be apart from others. They encourage people to accept difference because a world without contrast would be lifeless. Ruby and Barbara hope that their further education on diversification of characteristics will help the younger generation to stand up for equal

Consequently, a benefit of a racially diverse environment is students performing better academically. Students would then thrive at a university filled with people different from themselves. In a study named Effects of Racial Diversity on Complex Thinking in College Students, a student from Stanford University, revealed that the presence of a minority in a group resulted in more complex discussions and different solutions and perspectives being voiced (Antonio). This reveals that racial diversity on campus is important in classrooms because different solutions can be approached. A classroom filled with people from similar backgrounds would have a high chance of coming to the same conclusions in a discussion. However, students that have had a different life experience can offer valuable, new ideas. Additionally, different perspectives being offered can lead to people being more open and considering new mindsets. People can adopt new views that are

However previous to this discussion the classroom was a learning environment that was systematically equipped to assimilate. We as students fell into the curriculum but often times had difficulty identifying with the material presented. Essentially, the presence of diversity is useless if we do not dig deeper into each culture represented. Equally important, is the significance of each culture finding themselves within the curriculum. When topics such as racial tensions in America are presented in the classroom individuals from different cultural backgrounds and walks of life are not only present but seen vividly throughout the courses of society. This transition from a homogenous community to an imagined community can at times be

Developing the ability to communicate with culturally diverse students allows for teachers to create a positive learning experience for every individual. The author states that not only is it important for teachers to be prepared to work with students from different backgrounds, but also from a young age students in today’s generation should be developing an understanding of the world around them. Dr. Keengwe refers to multicultural scholars as he

In trying to understand how to improve the way in which students learn about diversity so that they reflect on their own viewpoints, it is important to realize who the modern day student is. First student affairs professionals need to understand that the traditional age college (ages 18-24) student is a millennial (Broido, 2004). This generation views diversity much differently in all things including race, gender, sexual orientation, social justice issues, political ideology, and much more (Broido, 2004). One critical point to know is that while the United States is becoming a more diverse population, segregation among neighborhoods is increasing, thus lots of students have a very limited depth of interaction of different backgrounds (Broido,

When looking at the different groups in our school and community the layers of variety that they provide create a surplus of educational expansion that could be used to forge deep and insightful conversations on the importance and contribution they provide, in not only our society, but in a national or international outlook as well. When listening to the voices and concerns when such conversations arise in a classroom setting one of two situations tend to occur: 1) the students do not create a setting where education is the main priority by not comparing and contrasting both opinions to decide on a conclusion alone or 2) the class finds the topic to be to argumentative to discuss, which is the most unvaried educational setting to have in such situation. Now while I do find that students try and develop an idea on a contentious subject they aren’t being deductive thinkers by comparing both opinions to make their own, they are defensive thinkers, that rely on the safety of what they already believe. The disadvantage of not probing discussions that allow for such comparison and judgment to be developed leads to a lack of misunderstanding and leads to no framework for students to analyze the differences that will arise in a societal context when they retire to the workforce or greater educational institution. This

So we have learned that learning styles including gender are a big part of diversity and how as a teacher to incorporate effective learning into the classroom. Now we switch gears and think about a multicultural classroom. Multicultural refers to race, ethnicity, and culture. Race is a group of persons sharing a common publicly determined category often connected to genetic characteristics, physical looks, and heritage. Today, about one in three Americans are of color (Sadker, p. 76). Ethnicity refers to common cultural behaviors such as language, religion, and dress. Culture is a set of learned beliefs, values, symbols, and behaviors, a way of life shared by members of a society. This is a category altogether referred to as multicultural and is the common thought when diversity is said. Multicultural individuals were in the past and

The ease of travel and the growth of populations have lead to more diverse communities. These circumstances seem to create new and different concerns than those that occur in more traditional communities – concerns that often require special solutions. A common challenge for schools today is the need to educate diverse populations, and there are many theories on the subject. Educators should develop strategies to use in the classroom to help teach diverse students, but must realize that some populations are likely to receive different degrees of attention, due to the unique influence of each group within a community.

Since I started this class, I have a learned a great deal about cultural diversity in the classroom and abroad. My perspective has changed slightly but my knowledge of this subject has improved. In my family, my father taught me about the civil rights movement and the evils of segregation in the U.S. My parents taught me to be tolerant of all humans, no matter what they look like, how they dress, or their sexual orientation. My family has always been liberal thinkers who taught me the dark history of racism and bigotry in this country. As an educator I would be accepting to all race, creeds, and religious peoples.

I possess a diverse background of experiences that I bring with me to the classroom. I lived in Wheaton, Maryland until the spring of third grade. I was immersed in diversity at school and in the community. Additionally, my family engaged in frequent weekend trips to Washington, D.C. We frequently visited the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo. My family lived in a lower middle class neighborhood. At one time, a family that had defected from the Soviet Union lived next door. I had been exposed to a myriad of different cultures and ethnicities by the time I was eight years old. In general, I had been taught to value this diversity, although particularly my father held some stereotypes and prejudicial beliefs. In 1980, my family moved to rural Spotsylvania County Virginia. During this time, the area was predominantly White and African American. There was very little diversity and the majority my peers had never travelled outside the county and the neighboring city, Fredericksburg. My parents grew up in rural Ohio. My father was the son of a tenant farmer, and my mother’s father engaged in a variety of agricultural industries. My father served in the United States Navy during Vietnam and this experience led to upward mobility. When we moved to Spotsylvania, our family was considered middle class. While the majority of my public school experiences occurred in a relatively homogeneous environment, my experiences following public school were more diverse. The most diverse