Divesity in the classroom

Schools today are becoming increasingly more diverse. Due to this increase we, as educators need to be prepared and educated ourselves as to how best include all students. This week we read about the alienated apathetic student. Many times when a student feels like they are the minority they begin alienating themselves from learning and other aspects of the school experience. The article I read covered some important techniques that teachers can use to increase active learning from all students.

The first step educators can take to increase active learning is by recognizing biases or sterotypes that they themselves may have absorbed. They need to examine how these biases effect how they talk to different types of students. All students need to be treated as an individual, not as a part of a minority or majority group. An example of this would be teachers discouraging women from persuing math and science classes. Although many minority students tend to stay in groups it is important to realize that even within these groups each student learns and is motivated at different levels.

Teachers also need to include every student in changing the cultural climate in the classroom. It is important not to avoid talking about the differences that exsit in the classroom. Use lesson plans to examine these differences. More often than not, prejiduces stem from ignorance. When students are allowed to ask questions it opens up the lines of communication between students, increasing the understanding, and thus the unity in the classroom. One way to implement this concept is to introduce a lesson about Plessy vs. Ferguson or women’s sufferage. When students are educated about the history of diversity and what struggles each marginalized group has gone through to earn certain freedoms they have today, understanding and unity can begin to occur.