Graduation Speech : Cultural Diversity

A multicultural classroom needs to provide a safe and accepting environment for successful learning, prevents prejudices and discriminations from the class, and have a strong cultural consciousness. (E.K. Garcia, 2016) To accomplish this, teachers should be integrating a diverse list of reading materials, introduce

When choosing what college to attend I knew I had to go to Spelman. I choose to attend Spelman because of its high scholastic standards for its students and also because of the foundation Spelman bestows among young African-American women. Spelman empowers young women to be the change you want to see in the world. Spelman nourishes students ensuring that they have equal opportunity to be successful. Spelman demonstrates how African American women can not only achieve successful but also gain a sisterhood that will forever live among the students even after graduation. During NSO a quote Dr. Myra Burnett mentioned emphasized on the importance of knowing that you can be and achieve whatever you are willing to work for. Dr. Burnett states, “You can be whatever you want is an incorrect statement however, you can be whatever you are willing to work for. You can have whatever you’re willing to work for” (Burnett). Dr. Burnett explained how you can’t just have whatever you want or choose to be in life without working hard or being willing to do to achieve your goals. It takes hard work and dedication to obtain the things we want in life. Spelman College will impact my life not only through the education but through the high expectations they place upon students from NSO to graduation and beyond.

Diversity is very visible in the schools within the United States. When you enter most classrooms you see students from different nationalities. As the immigrant population continues to grow in the U.S., teachers need to make sure they take everyone’s culture into consideration when teaching. It is important for teachers to create an atmosphere where all cultures are recognized and respected. Teachers should ensure to use culturally responsive practices in order to be able to engage all the student and their families, despite where they come from.

1. “Developing a knowledge base about cultural diversity”Teachers must know that culture is defined by a variety of important factors. “Among these are ethnic groups’ cultural values traditions, communications, learning styles, contributions, and relational patterns” (Gay, 2007, p. 107). Knowing these and how they apply to each culture will help create a stimulating and supportive environment for students.

The United States of America is a perfect example of cultural diversity. Starting with the Mayflower landing in Massachusetts Bay in 1620, to the Great Migration from 1915 to 1930, to the continual immigration into our country today this country has seen its culture grow and reshape itself over the years. The culture of the United States is diverse but understanding and appreciating various cultures does not always exist within today’s classroom or in today’s society. Understanding or even defining cultural diversity , identifying the challenges cultural diversity brings, or how to face cultural diversity are all issues educators face in today’s classroom.

A few weeks ago, I was assigned to give a speech in my communications class about my background. After giving my speech, my professor excitedly approached me and said “wow, that was very inspirational. When I saw you, I thought you were just a privileged, pretty boy whose parents worked in the tech industry.” Believe it or not, this is not the first time I have gotten this reaction.

First I want to thank you for contacting me as humbly requested by my friend, I was very surprised to hear from you but then I am also very grateful that you contacted me. I am 6"1, Irish/English by birth , 55 years of age,  raised in England. I came to the United States a year ago to help a British construction company set up a branch but due to some internal issues between the board of directors in England they had to shut down the company just before it even started so I decided to remain in the United States and started working as an independent Contractor. Currently I am in South Africa busy with a project and after completion of the project I will be back to the U.S in 4 weeks time.  Summerville, SC is home for me when I get back to the states.

Teachers must learn about their student’s cultures if they want to educate them to the best of their ability. Many of the students in culturally diverse classrooms will want to learn in different ways. Some will want to learn in pairs, groups, as a class, or just alone. If the teacher is educated in their culture then lessons can be adjusted to appeal to every student as much as possible instead of forcing some to forget about their culture and learn like others. Students from

Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Diversifying our culture in the world is extremely critical in order to propel to a brighter, better, and fairer future. This became quite essential since the rapid technological advancements led us into the new age of having a globalized society. To keep multicultural alive for future days to come, we must teach our younger generation, specifically the children, about its history and impact in our lives. What other better way to do this than to incorporate cultural diversity in children’s books. These books are the best way a child can gain an understanding about oneself and about the world around them.

In today 's ever changing world teachers need to understand the importance of a multicultural education. It’s becoming essential to provide opportunities for their students to learn about the many cultures represented in america and the world around them. Studies have shown that by the year 2040 as surveyed by the U.S. census bureau, that “white non-hispanics will make up less than half of the school aged population” (Smith) Our country is ever growing and it doesn 't seem right to exclude cultural education to students when our nation was built by immigrants. Building curriculums that acknowledge different cultures,

As educators, it is important for us to understand the cultural diversity we face in our classroom. We can strengthen our relationship by communicating with the student, as well as the family. Cultural diversity can help us when we expand our search in this area to better educate us and help prepare a curriculum to better educate our students in communicating with all cultures.

No matter the grade level, discussing and acknowledging diversity can be one of the most beneficial experiences a student has within the classroom. Not only does it force them to address who they are as individuals, but it also brings forth curiosity for education based topics such as history and literature. However, when speaking with a classroom (especially a classroom of young students), diverse subject matter requires a careful and thoughtful approach. Examples of this approach, as well as proper facilitation, are both outlined by Barbra C. Cruz in her article, The Problem We Still Live With (2015).

Diversity is defined as “a state of being different” however, the meaning extends further than just culture and race. It is a concept which revolves around acceptance and respect. Understanding each individual, their tradition, their belief, their uniqueness, and their importance in the community builds up the true meaning of diversity.

Education is one of the most important factors in every person’s life regardless of where they’re from, their race, or their culture. Becoming educated not only makes life easier for us but also can help people become more successful in all things. However with so many people of various races, ethnicities and backgrounds in the United States it is difficult to create an education system that attends to each student’s individual culture. Ones own culture influences their actions and lifestyle, therefore this can create conflict if it is different from their schools cultural teaching style. Multicultural and multilingual classrooms have become the norm in many educational and professional settings throughout the U.S. because of changing immigration patterns caused by globalization (Institute for Educational Leadership, p. 2). For teachers today, it is essential to understand the role of culture and have the ability to interact interculturally in the classroom to create an effective learning environment. Analyzing cultural issues or differences can help teachers to understand some of the unconscious processes that shape individuals’ actions and interactions, as well as their language use and communication. “Teachers who understand cultural diversity…are more likely to be successful in their multicultural classrooms” (Samovar, Pg.2).

It has been previously proven, that in the first few moments of meeting someone, we form an opinion of them. The problem with this idea is stereotypes. One of our society's biggest mistake is that we judge people based on what they look like, or how they act.