Texas Schools and DIversity Essay

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).

I do not believe Texas with its changing demographics and social climate will be on the brink of another switch in party dominance anytime soon as immigration, guns and education are major factors. The demographics of Texas deal with the rising growth of the minority population throughout the years. In my opinion, I think minorities make up roughly half of Texas’s overall population. According to utexas.edu, “[a]s the reality of demographic changes set in during the late 1990s, part of what defined many Republicans as moderates was an emphasis in both rhetoric and policy toward increasing the party's appeal to Latinos and other ethnic and racial minorities”. Although the Democratic Party is known for receiving votes from minorities, the Republican

In 1836, Texas won their independence from Mexico and one of the main reasons why is because they wanted to establish public school system for education. The first public school establish in Texas, Anglo-American, was in 1840. Five years later, Texas became an official state of America and continues their development in public education for children.

Although there are many different religions celebrated in Texas, there are different ways they were brought to Texas and how they're celebrated. Along with many other American states, its diversity is large. There are religious and nonreligious activities that are associated with Texas in general. Non-religious cultural activities are celebrations that are sole to only Texas or a specific region in it.

In order to develop an effective culturally responsive framework, Utely, Obiakor, and Bakken (2011) define culture as the “unique blending of characteristics among individuals within groups and may include variables such as socioeconomic status, life experiences, gender, language, education, sexual orientation, psychological state, and political viewpoints.” Culturally responsive teaching principles are used to empower the student by using their cultural background. Teaching is based on their strengths to include various learning styles, cultural knowledge, and it should be “actively construed” so students can

My ethnic, racial, and cultural identity as an African American is the primary anchor and explanation for what I emphasize in analyzing current educational realities and future possibilities for marginalized students of color. All students should have the opportunity to live, dream, and achieve all they can in life. For educators, whose backgrounds and experiences are different from students, it is critical to acknowledge sensitivity. I know from personal and professional experiences the transformative benefits of culturally responsive teaching and the devastating effects of continuous failure due to educational irrelevance and ineffectiveness. My advocacy for cultural diversity to improve the achievement of ethnically diverse students is

4. Culturally responsive teaching – when educators recognize the incongruence between the voice of the school and the voices of the students.

I recognize the two stories above have a connection to early childhood practices and culturally responsive curriculum. Classroom educators must recognize that they are cultural beings and they each come with their own identities, perspectives, ideas that can influence their praxis. The ideas and perspective we hold can influence what we believe students can accomplish. If educators cannot see students from diverse or different identities then themselves completing goals and/or assignments then educators fall into the trap of deficit perspectives.

In today’s society, minority students are more likely to be severely judged than Caucasians. This is true even in America’s educational system. Someone's race can determine their achievements. This is how the dreaded achievement gap enters into America’s schools. “The achievement gap is discrepancy in educational outcomes between various student groups, namely, African Americans, Native Americans, certain Asian Americans, and Latino students on the lower end of the performance scale, [Caucasians] and various Asian Americans students are placed at the higher end of the academic performance scale.”(Howard, 2010, p.10) Due to the achievement gap, “Blacks and Hispanics are less much likely than whites to graduate from high school, acquire a college or advanced degree, or earn a living that places them in middle class.” (Chubb & Loveless, 2002, p.1) The effect that the achievement gap has on minority students can last a lifetime. The achievement gap also affects current minority students in testing and grades. Not only that, but the achievement gap brings up the issue of civil rights. In spite of all the issues there might still be a way to bridge the achievement gap.

Both Ladson-Billings (2000) and Gay and Kirkland (2003) wrote culture both “constructs” and “constricts” the lens humans use to understand their world. Consequently, it is vital for educators to understand their identities and how they influence their understanding and beliefs about teaching students from diverse communities. McKenzie and Scheurich (2004) noted educators who do not recognize their constructed assumptions about race, class, and ethnicities will

In today’s society minority students are more likely to be severely judged than caucasians. This is true even in America’s educational system. Someone's race can determine their achievements. This is how the dreaded achievement gap enters into America’s schools. “The achievement gap is discrepancy in educational outcomes between various student groups, namely, African Americans, Native Americans, certain Asian Americans, and Latino students on the lower end of the performance scale, [caucasians] and various Asian Americans students are placed at the higher end of the academic performance scale.”(Howard, 2010, p.10) Due to the achievement gap, “Blacks and Hispanics are less much likely than whites to graduate from high school, acquire a college or advanced degree, or earn a living that places them in middle class.” (Chubb & Loveless, 2002, p.1) The effect that the achievement gap has on minority students can last a lifetime. The achievement gap also affects current minority students in testing and grades. Not only that, but the achievement gap brings up the issue of civil rights. In spite of all the issues there might still be a way to bridge the achievement gap.

With society becoming more culturally diverse, so are the makeups of classrooms, there are students from varied cultural backgrounds. Meeting the needs of all students can become a challenge; it is a teacher’s responsibility to effectively teach a class that is made up of diversity in culture. According to Gonzales (2009) diverse individuals commonly find themselves challenged with understanding a different language and also with new ways of life they have yet to understand and accept. There are three main challenges that accompany the appropriate teaching strategies for cultural diverse children, these consist of; cultural disproportionality with teachers and students, cultural responsiveness classroom management (CRCM) and overcoming stereotypes in the learning process.

Culturally relevant pedagogy has emerged as an effective way of centering the cultures, languages, and experiences that diverse students bring to classrooms so as to increase their engagement and academic achievement (Irvine & Armento, 2001).Culturally relevant pedagogy builds on the understanding of “how people are expected to go about learning may differ across cultures, and in order

Disregarding culture in an educational setting instigates reinforced negative attitudes that affect how teachers and students understand the value of culture to curriculum and instruction. This typically leads to trivializing culture and relegating it to stereotypical acknowledgment. “Merely providing access to information can provide a superficial view of culture that increases students’ awareness of cultural differences and diversity but runs the risk of reinforcing negative stereotypes” (Ebersole, Mossman & Kawakami, 2016, p. 98). When teachers fail to validate students’ culture they are indirectly forced to relinquish their individuality to conform to a restrictive approach to curriculum and instruction. Culturally responsive methods recognize and celebrate cultural diversity through an interdisciplinary approach to instruction; while using extension and enrichment activities to foster mastery through experience.

Students do not all come from the same backgrounds with the same values. Education is not about compliance and control, but instead it should allow all students to have the same opportunity at learning. There are five components to Culturally Responsive Classroom Management. First, one should recognize their own Biases and values. Second, they need a knowledge of their student’s cultural backgrounds. Third, there is an awareness of the political context relating to social and economic life. Fourth, there needs to be a willingness to follow strategies that are culturally appropriate. Finally, their goal should be an accepting and encouraging community. A teacher’s environment can make or break a student’s success. Being open and accepting of other backgrounds will allow their hearts to be more open to what the class has to offer (Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Strategies, 2008).