Diversity In Education

Sean Reardon of the Center for Education Policy Analysis wrote, “If we do not find ways to reduce the growing inequality in education outcomes – between the rich and the poor – schools will no longer be the great equalizer we want them to be.” President Obama’s “Race to the Top” policy will perpetuate race and class inequality in America’s education system. Low-income students as a group already have poorer academic performance, grade point averages and standardized test scores, than higher-income students. In “Ain’t No Makin It,” author Jay Macleod depicts the Adjustment Class taught by Jimmy Sullivan as an example of how “culturally responsive pedagogy” can motivate students academically while helping them maintain their street identities. The Obama Administration’s 2009, "Race to the Top" competition has been greatly damaging to lower income schools around the country, by enforcing policies that making it much less likely that students will have minority teachers with shared backgrounds like Jimmy Sullivan.

The argument Tyrone C. Howard tries to make in his article, Powerful Pedagogy for African American Students A Case of Four Teachers, is that effective learning occurs when different cultural background and experiences are incorporated in teaching. He shares that the rate at which African-American students learn is fifty fifty on part of the teachers as well as the students. While Howard believes that there are many quandaries to be addressed in the schooling system, only a part of it is reflected in the academic underachievement of African-American students. Howard states, “socially and emotionally, African American students struggle to adjust in US schools” (page 180, paragraph 2). This is not to say that African-American students have learning disabilities, but more so the teachers. The problems faced by African-Americans, too often are identified, but not addressed. Perhaps, the reason for this lies in the cultural and racial disparities in the US education system. A lot of African American children are sent to elite white schools because parents believe this is a better way for their children to obtain a good chance of moving up the social ladder. However, often times, these schools fail to supply such need and the children struggle because of the difference in ethnicity. People typically tend to believe that their way of life is better than others. What is worse is when children are taught that their culture is inferior in comparison to others. Being submerged in one 's

The author, Amanda Lewis, conducted a study in the 1990s to examine how race and racial inequality are reproduced on a day-to-day basis in schools. She argues that the curriculums, educators, and the children themselves create and reinforce racial lessons. She picked three elementary schools in Southern California: Foresthills, West City, and Metro2. The schools were selected based on their location and cultural composition. At each school she was paired with a teacher who would be the best help for the study. She observed the behaviors and interactions of students in fourth/fifth grade classes. Interviews were conducted with the students, teachers, members of the school community, and parents as well.

Schools systematically subjugate minority and black students when a school’s enrollment contains a huge racial majority. If students have no exposure to persons of different ethnicities, cultures, races, and religions, then these students will experience culture shock when they confront “other” people. Even in our class, we talk about black and minority students as another group, one that differs from “us.” We think about the inequalities in school systems as problems we need to fix, not as problems that have influenced our thinking and affect us as prospective teachers. For example, a white graduate student with

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.

By both crowds believing that their way of teaching and classrooms routines is the best way to go, these walls are created, blocking communication and instructors of color feel that the white instructors think they know everything and the teachers of color are not being listened to. The author also states concerns about skills as opposed to process methods to writing lessons in respects to exactly how these methods impact students who do not belong to what the author often refers to as the culture of power. The culture of power is present in many schools and universities which creates the silenced dialogue. The silenced dialogue emanates from the African, Native and such American educationalists that feel totally estranged from the dispute on what is the most productive way to teach minorities

African Americans are not the only ethnicity group to be singled out with behavior. Racial and ethnic minority students report experiencing low teacher expectations, having less access to educational resources, being placed on lower educational tracks, and being steered toward low-paying employment (Kozol, 1991; Olsen, 2008).This low expectation is causing

According to Class Reproduction (2017), “Students in the working-class schools, for example, learn to comply with authority and are taught the basics or mechanics of schooling. They are not encouraged to think for themselves, but rather to go through the motions of regurgitating rote knowledge.” The teachers were drill sergeants, not asking the students if they understood the lesson and telling them “if you don’t do it this way, you’re wrong.” The teachers were not creative and they did not allow the students to be creative. Visit any inner-city school and compare it to what Anyon would call an affluent school, the inequities are still there. There are fewer challenging classes and preparation for college, there’s little to none technology, etc. Minority students are not being groomed to be doctors or lawyers, however, there are students that thrive despite their

Teachers must have a full understanding of their student’s cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds in order to become socially conscious of the power relations among their students. In order for teachers to learn to lose their own biases, I will host after school teacher trainings where I will facilitate discussions about race and class. This is important because according to author Gilda Ochoa, if teachers hold on to cultural assumptions they run the risk of sending racialized messages to their students, who then internalize them (Ochoa 165). In her book, Academic Profiling, she provides examples of how students pick up on such messages. For instance April Lee, reveals how she is aware of her teachers’ expectations of Asian Americans when she states, “When a teacher looks at you and your face, [they think,] “oh, you’re Asian.” She must be really smart, or she must be really good at math” (Ochoa 165). These stereotyped messages or “ideological assaults” often translate into the differential ways teachers treat their students and is known to create resentment in the students treated inferiorly (Ochoa 172). Clearly, in order for

In the United States, there is a long history of unequal treatment among ethnic minority groups, particularly for African Americans. Unfortunately, this injustice also appears in education. Sociologists have affirmed the importance of education in shaping the economic and social prospects of individuals. As all communities in the United States have been diversified, it becomes crucial to recognize and properly deal with diversity within the classroom. All students should be guaranteed to have equal opportunities for quality education at school. However, racism is still prevalent in many schools today (Beswick, 4, 1990, Pennino, 2007). Racism now has different forms, like the individual instructions student can get from their teachers, and the acceptance of students among their classmates. These can have negative and lasting effects on students even when they leave school. Students must not experience any type of stereotyping, ethnic prejudice or racial violence in schools. Asante (2003) said: "Racism in education can not be overcome by the expression of goodwill, it must be constantly confronted in all conscious ways" (p.223).

As someone who has attended public schools in low-income communities, it is now clear that there is an existence of militaristic approaches to the treatment of students. We are taught that we should be quiet at all times, to stand in line with our hands in our backs, speak when spoken to, and many more practices. By the time we would get to middle school, we knew how to behave and treat our teachers as the rulers of the classrooms and they would have no trouble with us because we had been conditioned to act a certain way. Having this approach prevents students from exploring their creativity or their own freedom. We, low-income individuals, do not think that we are being oppressed by individuals who look like us, but we are. The sense of oppression

In 2014, MSNBC reporter Trymaine Lee wrote a post on the racial achievement gap. In the post, he briefly discusses how African American students are less likely to be placed in an academically rigorous course. This claim was reiterated in a study conducted by Allen (2015) some teachers use preconceived notions of Black male students and reduce academic expectations. Black boys regularly find themselves placed in remedial, or special education programs instead of higher ability and gifted programs (Ford, Harris III, Tyson & Trotman, 2002; Harry & Klingner, 2006; Oakes, 2005). Because a majority of African American students are taught my White middle class teacher, some can come with preconceived beliefs about the academic capability of African Americans thereby not expecting and pushing for anything greater. However, an African American teacher can bring a cultural understanding that may inspire or motivate African American students to strive for greater

Janet opened my eyes to a very frank sort of view, that teachers are there to teach, and the misbehaving or the lack of attention that these students give teachers that Delpit correlates to poor teaching is really a parent failing to parent their child to behave in society. That no matter the background, a student from a minority can succeed if they have the personal drive and seek help from those that are around them. As well as the fact that these students can excel in any sort of situation when in school. To say that whites have a better opportunity today is a cop out. Yes, some schools may not have the best equipment, and they may not have the best supplies. But it doesn’t mean that should stop a student from thriving, from grasping that urge to learn. That is taught at home, that drive, the commitment that is needed in schools. Delpit depicts that white teachers can’t possibly teach minority students and that those minorities don’t feel like their students are being educated effectively. But from a minority student who grew up in a time of racial divide in this country, (Janet is an older lady) if she could overcome this to be a student who excelled at school then what is the excuse students today use? While I am not saying that there isn’t a divide, yes we both agreed that there are some schools that do a

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

Researches have found that teachers are being bias towards African American students as young as preschoolers. There has been many studies that investigated this situation. It has been said that teachers watch the behaviors of students, but watch some students more closely. It is quite unfortunate, but is a real problem in today’s society.