Classroom Dynamics
Teachers are faced with the task of instructing students with a wide range of diverse learning abilities.
Teaching students with a broad range of abilities requires educators to be more creative and modern in
how they handle the challenges they are faced with and how learning opportunities are presented.
“Howard Gardner of Harvard University in his book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple
Intelligences, suggest that there are at least seven human intelligences, two of which, verbal/linguistic brain and logical/mathematical intelligence, have dominated the ordinary pedagogy of western societies.”( Bruce Campbell The Learning Revolution Winter 1991)
The Effects of Diverse Learners in the Classroom
The consequences of having so many unique types of learners in the same class can be a great learning opportunity for the teacher and students. If a teacher does not plan appropriately having multiple intelligences can also be defective for the learning environment. When you have this many different types of learners you must use a variety of different methods of teaching the same information. When differentiated instruction is achieved we as teachers can maximize the learning experience for every student. The students become fully engaged in the lesson and have a better chance at success. However, if we continue to try and teach the same information in the same way to all students we run the risk
Today’s classrooms are becoming more and more diverse with students that have disabilities and those that come from different cultures. It is important for educators to ensure that their teaching strategies are appropriate for all of the children in their classroom. When it comes to the classroom there can be many cultural challenges that educators will have to address to ensure that all students are growing and developing appropriately. Educators need to make sure that they are capable of addressing each of their
I believe it is important to first analyze the word diversity when examining the need for diversity within a classroom. According to Webster's New Pocket Dictionary, diversity means variety, a number of different kinds. I often discuss and read about diversity in terms of cultural backgrounds; the unification of histories and stories from people from all over the world. Although, I believe that in a higher-educational setting, diversity can also be discussed as the acceptance of the various minds within a classroom. I believe that it is important to recognize the thoughts and experiences of others in a learning environment. Collectively, students learn from teachers, teachers learn from students, and students learn from their peers. By
Gravells (2014) states: ‘You are not teaching your subject to a group of learners who are all the same, but to a group of individuals with different experiences, abilities and needs, which should be recognised and respected’.
The theories of Howard Gardner and Urie Bronfenbrenner are at the heart of my educational philosophy. I firmly believe in Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory, and his perspective that everyone has their own individual learning style. This is important to know, especially when working with children. Understanding how each child learns best and the way they process information provides teachers with a unique viewpoint into each student and allows for opportunities to teach in a way that fosters many benefits for everyone. Using Gardner’s theory as a basis for my teaching, allows me to plan meaningful, curriculum and create a classroom environment that encourages success for each child and their families. Following the ideals of Bronfenbrenner will allow me to see who the child is, and what his or her influences are. Knowing the traditions and culture the child comes from, will give me a better understanding of their life experiences and the belief system of their family.
1. The maintenance of cultures as parallel and equal to the dominant culture in a society is?
This will also promote a student to work independently.Different ways of Learning-Teachers will provide more than one way for each child to learn appropriately.-Teacher will recognize that each student is different and come from a different background in life, so several outlooks on certain subjects will be used.
This learning experience is designed for a year 1 class (middle of the year) with diverse learning needs. The lessons take into account Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory and caters for EAL/D, students who are ready to move beyond the lesson and students who are not ready to move beyond the lesson. The activities seen in the three lessons may be modified to suit the needs of individual students (refer to catering for diversity).
Diversity encompasses numerous characteristics including socio-economic background, ethnicity, special needs, gender, and giftedness (Cazden, 2001). Today, classrooms are getting more varied and diverse with students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and students with a disability. It appears that teachers must meet the needs of all students successfully and individually to effectively teach a classroom of diverse students. This paper will first identify three challenges involved with ensuring that teaching strategies are
Not everybody is the same. "Research indicates that individual learning styles vary, that all people do not learn in the same way. Of particular interest to multicultural education is research suggesting that learning styles may be related to ethnicity in some ways (Hale-Benson 1982; Shade 1989). On the basis of this research, schools can reject the notion that all students learn in precisely the same way. For too long, educational practices have reflected such universal views of learning and have expected all students to conform to them. Schools should recognize that they cannot treat all students alike or they run the risk of denying equal educational opportunity to all persons. Educators should be aware of behavior that is normative and acceptable in various ethnic and cultural groups. The practices of multicultural schools must be both responsive and adaptive to ethnic differences". They have said that different ethnic groups may have different studying or learning abilities. Also, in the classroom, there will be the task of seating everybody in a spot where there will be no trouble. The idea of favoritism may come up, along with the idea of racism. There are many ways the schools can be affected.
Literature if used correctly can enhance a child’s life. It can become a valuable tool in helping children to understand their home, communities and the world in which they live. Through literature children’s vocabulary, imaginations, and self understanding is built. Children should be exposed to literature that is age appropriate and within the context of learning respect for themselves and others by the diversity of the books. My literature plan is based upon multicultural diversity which reinforces reading readiness, read-along that emphasis multicultural songs and rhymes, build self esteem through art, music and movement and responses to literature.
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.
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
If a teacher is having difficulty reaching a student in the more traditional linguistic or logical ways of instruction, the theory of multiple intelligences suggests several other ways in which the material might be presented to facilitate effective learning.
Diversity in classrooms can open student’s minds to all the world has to offer. At times diversity and understanding of culture, deviant experiences and perspectives can be difficult to fulfill, but with appropriate strategies and resources, it can lead students gaining a high level of respect for those unlike them, preferably than a judgmental and prejudiced view.
Teaching students with different levels of academic talents can be a very difficult task because there are students who can be really smart and others who are really challenged in the classroom. To be a “poster teacher” for teaching academically diverse students is a great honor. You have to be able to challenge the gifted students as well as help to educated the students who are struggling. They have to learn how to ask the correct questions instead of questions that are demeaning. They have to focus on positive aspects of eduction challenges instead of the negatives. They have to focus on the needs of each student as an individual. They also have to have principles that promote success and achievement.