The United States’ School System’s main importance is to prepare students for what comes after school. Not only do students need to know basic skills such as reading and writing, they also need to know how to overcome diversity. Contrary to some beliefs, not all skills can be taught in a classroom and U.S. students should not be compared to students in other countries as policy makers try to do. “How important is cultural diversity at your school?” talks about how school employees and parents can help students learn how to function in multicultural, multiethnic environments. This skill can benefit students greatly since the Census Bureau estimates the minority population will become the majority population by the year 2100. So schools are having to be proactive in acknowledging diversity. New teachers are being taught ways to adapt to the cultural differences in the classroom, but some have also stated that their training has not helped with these challenges. One way for teachers to …show more content…
Some aspects of that include asking questions about the education his or her child and minority children are receiving, making sure the school is achieving AYP, and express concern when he or she sees something they believe is not correct. There are also several other questions that a parent can ask listed in the article. The next article titled “Bringing It Back Home” focuses on three main arguments. The first argument is “Policymakers are not correct in concluding-based on international tests- that U.S. students are failing to make progress in mathematics and reading.” The second argument states “It is extremely difficult to learn how to improve U.S. education from international test comparisons.” And lastly, “Focusing on U.S. states’ experiences is more likely to provide usable education policy lessons for American schools than are comparisons with higher-scoring
Currently, general education classrooms have increasingly become diverse with both disable students and students from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In order for educators to ensure that they effectively teach these classrooms, meet the needs of each student both successfully and individually, effective research that is based on strategies need to be implemented. The U.S. Department of Education suggest that, the current school-age population is becoming more diverse as time passes, yet, majority of the teachers in these schools are white non-Hispanic women. According to another report by The Condition of Education in 2006, American schools are portraying increased diversity and growth. The report suggested that, forty two percent of students in public schools were ethnic or racial minorities in the year 2003; this increased from twenty two percent since 1972. Owing to these reasons, teachers in these schools are expected to educate a diversified class of students including those that come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Teachers are therefore, required to implement a number of key strategies that will ensure that every student in specific classroom feels that he or she belongs there (Worrell, 2010).
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,
Essential to the work of school administrators and other school leaders is the support of diversity, equity and accessibility within a school’s culture. In order to do so, they must set the tone for how to consider diversity, equity and accessibility with faculty, students, parents, school stakeholders and themselves. Throughout this course, Diverse Learners, our learning has focused on conducting and applying research as it relates to the education of diverse learners. In this reflection, I will discuss what I have learned about diversity and student achievement.
America’s schools are challenged to meet the academic and interpersonal needs of all students regardless of culture, race, or ethnic background. Hawley and Nieto (2010) claim that race and ethnicity significantly impacts students’ learning in their article, “Another Inconvenient Truth: Race and Ethnicity” (p. 66). They contended that educators should be “race and ethnicity -responsive” to effectively understand the challenges students from diverse races and cultures face (Hawley & Nieto, 2010, p. 66). Moreover, the article noted that schools should have practices in place that promote an inclusive, supportive, and enriching learning environment for all students including students from different races and ethnicities.
Public schools are beginning to see a shift in demographics in the United States. There is now a culturally diverse student population and educators need to respond to this shift in order to ensure an equal education for all students. Culture aids in determining how students learn, and culturally responsive teaching is a way teachers can educate culturally diverse students and provide an equal education for all. Culturally responsive teaching is defined by Geneva Gay as using the various characteristics, perspectives, and experiences of many cultures to effectively teach culturally diverse students (2000). Culturally responsive teaching prepares teachers to work with and teach a culturally diverse classroom of students and allows teachers to create a classroom environment that is similar to their students’ home environments so students do not have to assimilate to the dominant culture or change from their home culture to their school culture depending on their setting (Brown). Multicultural education is not only important for ensuring equal education for all students, but also creates youth who will be able to function and be effective citizens in a pluralistic society (Gay 2003). In order to implement culturally responsive teaching, teachers must acknowledge potential biases and reconstruct their attitudes, create a diverse knowledge base, be caring and empowering, and create a classroom environment that is conducive to a culturally diverse
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.
All educators need to be made aware of all types of diversity they may encounter with their potential students. An educator does not need to have mastery of diversity, but they need to beware. Furthermore, once I retire from the United States Army I will start the next chapter of my life by being a high school teacher. Since being in the Army I feel I have been exposed to all types of diversity and I feel this will be a big advantage as I transition into teaching after my military carrier. The other experience that I was exposed to while being in the military is being selected to be a basic training Drill Sergeant, this assignment was like being a teacher because I was charged with the responsibility of transitioning civilians into Soldiers. This assignment was challenging as well as rewarding. Teaching is dedicating one’s self to lifelong learning, as educators, we have to continuously evolve in order to prepare our students for life’s many challenges. Furthermore, through my personal experience of dealing with various types of diversity I will give my personal assessment of my own cultural competence, also I will describe at least two strategies that will enhance my own
Education in the United States has long been a concerned issue for teachers, parents, and communities. It is a major political topic, in which government has shown continuous efforts to compare and evaluate standards from state to state by creating and monitoring various programs for overall academic improvement across the country.
After the No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2002, the U.S. dropped from 18th to 31st place in the world in math with a similar decrease in science, and no change in reading. Standardized tests are not objective and focus on a narrow curriculum. This limits America’s ability to produce critical thinkers. Although many believe standardized tests are a reliable and effective way to measure a student’s abilities, standardized testing only measure a small portion of one’s capabilities, don’t prepare students for productive adult lives, and are an inaccurate measure of teacher performance.
Possibly one of the most critical issues the nation is faced with is public education in the United States. One time declaring the United States as a “Nation at Risk”, the educational commissions started to carry out one reform policy after another. With attempts to improve education, there have been reformers have modified class sizes, graduation requirements have been revised, and standardized testing implemented. Proponents of the policy feel that America’s public education system has improved, children are receiving the best instruction from the most qualified teachers, because of the increase in funding students receive extra help and parents now have a choice in what is best for their students education.
Education is the essential foundation for the progressing of our nation as well as the stimulation for our children. Now, as some may or may-not know that learning gives forth children the accessibility to succeed in physical, intellectual, and even emotional endeavors. Education tends to incline us to widen the door towards attainment in the future. As individuals receive an education, they are more capable to obtain better employment. Views tend to be various to our educational system. Throughout America’s history, students, parents, educators, and government authority have discussed what changes must be made in America’s public school system. We agree changes need to be made to reach goals that will prepare our future for the future properly. However, the voices and cries for positive changes have yet to be heard. Sometimes, many of those changes are established far too quickly for results to be thoroughly examined. The most popular cries for education changes comes from Geoffrey Canada’s stating that “billions of dollars spent on testing, the data cannot be used, because the results come back too late (Canada, 2013). Now, the average person may not be too alarmed, but when companies, like Microsoft or Apple, has to hire computer programming engineers from other countries to fill positions since American’s are academically unqualified, which brings this education system to light on such topics (Moore, 34-36). In all, the public school system is
Education is the essential foundation for the progressing of our nation as well as the stimulation for our children. Now, as some may or may-not know that learning gives forth children the accessibility to succeed in physical, intellectual, and even emotional endeavors. Education tends to incline us to widen the door towards attainment in the future. As individuals receive an education, they are more capable to obtain better employment. Views tend to be various to our educational system. Throughout America’s history, students, parents, educators, and government authority have discussed what changes must be made in America’s public school system. We agree changes need to be made to reach goals that will prepare our future for the future properly. However, the voices and cries for positive changes have yet to be heard. Sometimes, many of those changes are established far too quickly for results to be thoroughly examined. The most popular cries for education changes comes from Geoffrey Canada’s stating that “billions of dollars spent on testing, the data cannot be used, because the results come back too late (Canada, 2013). Now, the average person may not be too alarmed, but when companies, like Microsoft or Apple, has to hire computer programming engineers from other countries to fill positions since American’s are academically unqualified, which brings this education system to light on such topics (Moore, 34-36). In all, the public school system is lacking government
Over the past decade American schools have been struggling to achieve the success rate of other countries. In the past 15 years the United States has stayed stagnant while other countries pass the U.S. in math, reading, and science. (SOURCE) Stagnant test scores and poor performance globally have educators, politicians and businessperson concerned about the future of education.
Majority is defined as a number or percentage equaling more than half of a total, however, According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2014 there were more than 20 million children under 5 years old living in the U.S., and 50.2 percent of them were minorities. America is transitioning to a minority-majority society, which is progressively changing the school system and its processes. While taking cultural issues, my eyes were opened to the influence that culture has on the education system and the impact that this influence has on youth, educators and society as a whole. It also shined a light on what it means to be a culturally diverse educator while encompassing the full understanding of the effectiveness of being a teacher fully equipped with the knowledge components and competencies of cultural education. As we transition to a country with predominantly minority individuals, we must transition everything else about society to
There are many factors that play a role in the learning process for every human being. Race, religion, language, socioeconomics, gender, family structure, and disabilities can all affect the ways in which we learn. Educators must take special measures in the delivery of classroom instruction to celebrate the learning and cultural differences of each of their students. As communities and schools continue to grow in diversity, teachers are searching for effective educational programs to accommodate the various learning styles of each student while promoting acceptance of cultural differences throughout the classroom. It no longer suffices to plan educational experiences only for middle-or upper class white learners and then