Observing At Clay High School

Before I can delve into my students’ racial and cultural backgrounds, I must first look at my own. I am a white American, born and raised in Minnesota. My ancestors moved to America from France and Norway; however, in my family, our traditions are more Norwegian than French. For example, every Christmas we make lefse and krumkake, two traditional Norwegian foods, as a family. Growing up in Minnesota I have seen many fellow students and teachers who come from similar backgrounds, meaning of European decent. It was not until college that I met people from various locations around the world who have very different cultural backgrounds. It is my belief, that in order for me to be the best teacher I can be, that I need to be open to difference and willing to expand my horizons.

Also within the school is a very diverse group of children with around fifty-seven percent of students identifying as white, nineteen percent identifying as black or African American, and seventeen percent identifying as Hispanic or Latino.

Diversity is a beautiful thing; from religion to physical looks, the differences among people is astounding. The world would be such a monotonous place if everyone were the same. However, many tend to note that diversity in a classroom can sometimes be an issue- especially among the students. From my own experiences within a diverse class, I realize that the contrast between students is a blessing and a curse

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).

Students from various racial and ethnic backgrounds bring different learning experiences, interactions skills, values, languages, culture etc into the classroom learning situation. For example, I am African and my learning experiences are very different from those that are here. Students from different ethnic backgrounds share their language or vernacular in the classroom

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.

Minority students in the United States are never welcomed in the education system as the whites. Language and understanding of ones culture, values and opinions is something that students vs students and teachers vs students and parent have not been as amiable. For a student to truly succeed in an academic setting the student must feel comfortable and feel supported in a neutral environment where they feel treated equally like their fellow peers. Having a more diverse administration, teachers and students will benefit all of these parties for the better. In a country filled with various races, cultures, and values it is important fort students to know how to communicate from different people which will prepare them for

What makes an individual special from anyone else? Is it their physical attributes, their upbringing, perhaps the effect of their environment? All of these things are the just the beginning layers of what encompasses a person’s identity. Identity is the knowledge of who we are and what groups we belong to, and unfortunately, it is not easily determined from person to person. It is a complex, developmental process that begins at birth and continues throughout an individual’s life (Sheets). One’s identity makes every individual unique, and this uniqueness facilitates growth by exchanging philosophies, ideas, and knowledge. Consequently, the most essential environment for these exchanges to occur is within a classroom. In Gregory Michie’s novel, Holler If You Hear Me, he accounts his time spent teaching inner city middle schools in Chicago. During his time in the Chicago Public School System, conflict of identity between teacher and student is present, which ultimately leads him to assess his teaching methods and reevaluate the processes he uses to connect with his students. Because the identities of his students differ from his own, Michie implements cultural relevant and sustaining pedagogy in his classroom in order to combat the students’ apathy, boredom, and lack of interest in school. There is importance in the way in which student and teacher identities intersect, and throughout Michie’s novel he demonstrates that by bringing in material that relates to the students’

It can't be an easy task of taking one kid who is a struggling African-American student and another who is a full understanding Caucasian student, and creating a perfect classroom balance that suits the needs and wants of both students. To be fully honest it sounds as if you are asking teachers to segregate their teaching styles and feelings toward individual students. It may sound as if I am trying to twist the purpose of your article but I must assure you I am not. I and just trying to understand how a teacher can develop certain expectations and standards for students when the educational system has already created the foundation of said standards and

Knowledge doesn’t come from the color of your skin, it comes from your capability to learn and prosper in your learnings. Selecting students based on color is not morally right. Just because you have a different skin color does not make you more or less intelligent than other races. If you are just doing it for diverse enrollment, you need to rethink it. It is not fair to any students, especially those who have the knowledge and experience to have a spot in a class. Favoring those who are minorities and not doing much for those who are not is wrong. I do not see what sets them apart from non- minorities other than the color of their skin. You do not know their capabilities or anything.

Our schools are full of a variety of children who are diverse in their own ways. What comes to mind when you hear the word diversity within schools? Many people think of race or culture, but diversity in our schools is more than that. Diversity can include race, religion, culture, and even learning styles in a classroom. In the past classrooms where not that diverse consisting of white protestant students. Currently diversity in classrooms is on the rise big time. Today’s classrooms are more effective in diversity, learning styles, and influences than past years.

In first place Ur mentions the “richer pool of human resources” (1996: 305) they have within. I concur with her statement; having students from different backgrounds make classes interesting. In my personal experience, I teach teenagers that come to USA from different parts of the world with different levels of previous education and it

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 my hypothesis that diverse backgrounds have a great effect on the ability for a student to learn. I am not suggesting that a student from one background is less likely to learn than the student from a completely different background. I do predict that if educators do not take to heart the diverse backgrounds of their students at both the lower and upper levels of education than the student will suffer in one degree or another.

My identity has shaped my school experience significantly. I come from an affluent school that is predominantly white, being in the upper middle class I fit in perfectly. I could walk down the halls confidently knowing that I wouldn’t be discriminated, because my social class status gave me all the privileges of being able to “fit in”. Without the higher end of the social class it would be impractical to feel like you fit in, because of all the expectations that come with going to a wealthy school. From the costly brands of clothes, to keeping up with the “in season” fashion, the ridiculous expectations for the standard student forbid the “lower end” of the social class to feel welcomed into the school. These expectations come with a great deal of stress. Teachers expected me to be at the top if the class because of my social class status. Also, I was