Social disadvantage, inequality and cultural diversity have the ability to critically impact the quality of a child’s education. Each one of us is born into a specific social position and this is extremely important when it comes to educational outcomes (Ewing, 2010. p. 84). When we look at statistics of the entire population there are strong correlations between upper class having higher achievement and lower class having poorer achievement (Ewing, 2010. p. 84). Issues such as purchasing power, dominant culture and cultural capital all play a role in putting low social classes at risk of having a less than satisfactory education (Ewing, 2013. pp. 73-84). Differences and diversity pose important questions for educators how best to respond to …show more content…
pp. 82-83). Teaching students to challenge stereotypes and help children acknowledge they exist is important in developing children’s understanding and acceptance of individual’s differences in society, however, these are not issues that are covered in formal curriculum documents (Gobby, n.d.). An interview was conducted with a white Australian female who completed her primary education in Brisbane, Queensland in 2012. This interviewee has experienced first-hand, inequality and difference in her own classroom and the ways that students, teachers and the greater community has dealt with these differences. The aim of this essay is to critically analyse the interviewees experiences with inequality and difference of social status and culture to determine if her curriculum experiences reflect the use of inclusive perspectives of and approaches to education and diversity, or if they reflect problematic personal and cultural assumptions and …show more content…
Educator’s need to understand how to respond to these differences as they can affect the educational outcomes of these students (Gobby, n.d.). The interviewee explained that within her school community there was a Muslim family and the students of the family were required to take time off during class to perform prayer multiple times during the day. This prayer is called Salat (BBC, 2009). It is essential that children learn to respect differences in individuals at a young age (Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke, 2004. p. 22). Saraj-Blatchford and Clarke (2004. p. 23) explain that children can be tolerant, can challenge stereotypes and learn inclusiveness form a very young age and this is what the aim of the school seemed to be in this instance. The response that the school had to Salat was to ensure that this time was given to these students, in addition, the students were also given an opportunity to explain their culture to their peers to give them better understanding. The school reflected inclusive behaviours to the differences in the students’ background and did their best to support their differences by helping the other students understand and respect these differences by giving them an opportunity to explain what these differences were to their peers, which as stated, is extremely important to develop early.
An educator who understands issues of diversity and difference will make the classroom a more enriching environment for all of the students in it, and will ensure those students who are adversely affected by such diversity and difference are given the opportunity and encouragement to overcome challenges they face. Socio-economic disadvantage among students has an impact in the classroom in terms of the ability of a child to gain an understanding of the knowledge and skills required to be a successful student. Gender issues can be one of those concerns in a classroom that, unless they are quite obvious, can be almost disregarded because they are not acknowledged as a concern, for example, asking boys to move chairs. Stereotypical roles can be ingrained in an educators psyche. Cultural diversity is becoming more prevalent in our classrooms; it is the educator’s responsibility to ensure the classroom is a welcoming and diverse environment. When considering how to approach these issues in a classroom and incorporating support for students, an educator would benefit from consulting the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) or the Australian Curriculum (AC). These documents provides frameworks for working with diversity and ensuring students succeed within their given circumstances with the support of both their educator and their school. It is imperative educators understand the effects of socio-economic disadvantage, gender issues and cultural diversity when creating an
Poverty is a serious issue which our society and children faces every day. It is a constant struggle that shouldn’t be ignored. UNICEF states “The study of OECD countries in 2007, over fourteen percent of Australian children under the age of eighteen are currently living in households who are defined as poor or with incomes less than half of the median national income”. The increase in the number and percentage of children living in poverty within our society has contributed to making today's classrooms more diverse than ever it has been. This highlights and makes both teaching and learning more challenging. Diversity exists in the students who are living in poverty and the education assistant and teachers must provide the concept of diversity
Students have their own best way in effectively learning the lesson. With the diversity of students, the problem is each student has a preferred learning style. It becomes undeniably one of the reasons that make it difficult to achieve the best expected outcome out of teachers’ effort. However, teachers try to incorporate various teaching techniques to make every learning opportunity become productive, meaningful, and relevant for the learners.
According to the 2014 Public School Review Diversity Report, the state of Maryland is rated the third most diverse public school system in the nation, with 43% White students, 37% African American students, 11% Hispanic students, 6% Asian students, and 3% Unknown. With a significantly higher population of African American students compared to the state average, the Baltimore City School District is a far less diverse agency than the state school system as a whole. Collectively, the Baltimore City Public School District is comprised of 85% African American students, 8% White students, 5% Hispanic, 1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and less than 1% American Indian, Multiracial, Native Hawiian/other (Baltimore City Public Schools, 2013a). Considering
Markedly, there is a huge difference between a want and a need; therefore, teachers the distinctive concept of equality and fairness is not synonymous. For instance, if a student needs to put on glasses when in class to see the board clearly, equality would suggest that all student in the classroom are given glasses, on the other hand, fairness would be to ensure that the child is in a position to where his or her glasses. In essence, teachers must foster and create an opening and nurturing classroom environment for their students in order for them to successfully distinguish the teacher’s definition of fairness and the child’s definition of fairness. Arguably, this is one of the biggest challenges faced by teachers in ensuring that teaching strategies are appropriate for children who are culturally diverse. In conclusion, a teacher cannot effectively teach students to his or her fullest potential without having a fundamental understanding of a child’s disability or ethnic and cultural background. Therefore, it should be every teacher’s goal for all students in his or her class to exceed
A strong sense of belonging helps children understand and appreciate differences in themselves and others, which ultimately benefits their mental health and wellbeing (DEEWR, 2009). This means that as an educator, I need to ‘think about my own values, beliefs and attitudes related to diversity and differences and acknowledge and address any bias that we may hold. As well as critically examining our own assumptions, ‘cultural competence’ requires us to take a strong approach to countering racism and bias when we encounter it (Miller, 2013). This is a long way from ‘live and let live’ attitude. It involves
The world is filled different cultures, races and ethnicities, and it is crucial that our higher education institutions reflect this diversity. Representation matters. We are a country filled with diverse cultures all of which whom need to be represented. The purpose of this literature review is to explain why and how diversity in a higher education setting is important. Students learn better in such an environment and are better prepared to become active participants in our pluralistic, democratic society once they leave school Diversity is not only important among the student population but also within college curriculum. It is an important issue regardless of the setting. However, when it is applied it to a place where people come to learn,
Fostering cultural awareness in children has many benefits that contribute to the overall development of children. Educators encounter challenges that may include academic pressure, collaborating with diverse families, and meeting the needs of the students. This paper examines theoretical perspectives using a longitudinal study. The study examined the experiences of children ages 3.5 to 5.5, by using their everyday experiences of race and ethnic diversity in their classroom setting.
Like it or not, there has always been diversity among students in the classroom. It is the fact that each and every student is unique. From every circumstance, students bring a varying set of values, perspectives, and beliefs to the learning environment. Understanding the character of students is important in order to become a competent teacher. In fact, teachers should be aware and recognize students, as unique individuals, all acquire information differently than others. Some of these differences are due to developmental variations in cognitive, physical, intellectual, moral, emotional, and social changes caused by maturation and experience. And this reality of classroom conditions makes instruction much more challenging for teachers and
It is claimed by Kerr and West (2010) that children are more likely to attend a low performing school if they are from a disadvantaged background, and therefore will achieve poor academic outcomes. However, this should not be the case as a 'good teacher' should provide good quality education no matter whether they are teaching in a high or low performing school, meaning that every child should have the same opportunities no matter what their socio-economic status may be. Sanders and Horn (1998) support my argument that it is the quality of education provided by teachers which contributes to pupil's progress and achievement rather than any other
Within the core of many educational institutions, diversity is a commercial tacit. While every institution cannot offer the same kind of diversity, the endorsement of such exists through various definitions. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges define diversity through the various classes: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and age (“Statement on Diversity”)
The subject of social inequalities in public schools affects all social classes and the learning experience by students coming from different social groups. A great curriculum taught by talented teachers can reduce inequality, helping students manage their learning skills and achieve their goals.
When we look at the people within our world, you can see all of the differences we have between us. While some differences are physical, others are hidden within the people we meet. We are all different from one another, but why can’t these differences be seen as a strength within us, rather than the deficits that we label them as? In this paper, I will be touching on the wide variety of differences that students bring into a classroom and how we view those differences as deficits rather than strengths. Those differences could vary from language, culture, home environment, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, gender, etc. In Other People’s Children Cultural Conflict in the Classroom, Lisa Delpit discusses her experiences with
As of July 1, 2011, there are 36, 708, 083 people in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2017a). 1.2% higher than the population last year, which was 36, 264, 604 people of all ages and both sexes (Statistics Canada, 2017b). The growth of population in Canada, which in this case powered largely by immigration, increases not only the human capital, but the diversity in every province as well. Hence, as diversity expands, there is also a rampant growth in religion. In 2011, there are 108 religions observed in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2011) - Christianity, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu – to name a few. These demographics have connotations on how diversity in school is also evident.
Social inequalities are present in all forms of personal and professional aspects of society. As an educator, efforts must be put forth to recognize and eliminate inequalities that exist, analyze educational structures that limit the human potential, examine the role of culture in learning, and explore linguistically diversity and learning. Therefore many individuals are not willing to develop relationships of trust due to the human inequalities or personal biases towards others. Likewise in many communities, there is the lack of support from the community stakeholders’. In many instances, students are stereotyped and labeled as lower class, middle class, and upper class.