Running Head: A DISPOSITION FOR DIVERSITY 1

A Disposition for Diversity:

Teaching in the 21st Century

Mellissa Webb

Wesleyan College
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Teaching a diverse population has become the norm in the United States. Every

classroom has a very diverse environment of different races, cultures, learning styles, disabilities,

and many other dynamics. It is important to address students differences but also welcome their

differences with understanding and insight to all types of diversity.

The most common type of diversity found in classrooms today is based on race. This

fall, for the first time, the overall number of Latino, African-American, and Asian students in

public K-12 classrooms is expected to surpass the number of non-Hispanic whites (Maxwell,

2014). This is a milestone, and will mean that more cultural awareness is needed in each and

every classroom. The United States is a country of immigrants; the country of origin for the

immigrants is always changing and now European Americans are not the majority in the

classroom setting.

With the changing of majority and minority, this just means that more teachers need to be

culturally aware of their students and respect each and every students cultural and religious

beliefs. In a thesis about classroom interaction, Cogan says Race, like gender, is a socially

constructed category...but both race and gender are real in their consequences (2006). I believe

this means race and gender are both socially constructed, the stigmas and standards placed on

both gender and race are pressured by social standards. An individual does not realize that they

are different or not the socially accepted standard until he or she figures out the social norms

and standards forced upon him or her.

Gender identity and expression is another issue of a diverse classroom. Gender

expression is often curtailed by our societys gender normsthe expectations and assumptions

that govern how a girl or boy is supposed to look, act, dress and play (Kilman, 2014). Just like

race, gender is also a social standard pushed on to children at a young age. Most children tend to
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identify with the same gender that they are born as, but for some children, they may never feel

like one gender or another, or they may identify more with the opposite gender with which they

were born.

Gender-diverse children face many issues in school; for example more bullying and

social problems than most students around them. Kilman also says A gender-diverse childs best

predictor of success is whether that child receives support at home and from teachers (2014).

The more support a child receives, the more successful they will become, regardless of race or

gender identity. A child struggling with their own identity, they need all the support they can

receive, because if the teachers and staff at the school support them and treat them with respect

and treat them the same as every other student in their classroom, treat them like they are normal,

then so will the students. The students follow their teacher by example, usually doing whatever

their teacher does, especially at a young age when they are most influenced by the adults that

surround them on a daily basis.

Not only are there diversity issues with gender and race, there are diverse classrooms

filled with ESL students, or English as a Second Language students, which are also referred to

ELL, English Language Learners. This poses another challenge in the classroom, as well. As the

minority and majority begins to switch, the classroom setting will encounter many more students

who come to school not knowing English. Unfortunately, "More than 87 percent of teachers in

American public schools reported they received inadequate training in how to teach ESL

students" (Fu, 2013). With this percentage being so high, this is disheartening and is concerning

for teaching a diverse population.

These examples are just some of the difficulties that teachers today face every year. And

every year, it changes. The classrooms diversity changes from year to year. Meaning, one year a
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teacher might have a very diverse population of students in his or her classroom, but the next

year have a classroom filled with all the same type of student. A teacher must stay flexible and

continue to learn different viewpoints for gender identification, race, and English Learners in the

classroom.

I believe race, gender identification, and English Learners are the main types of diverse

students that any one teacher may come across normally. Although having a diverse classroom

can be challenging for the teacher, it can also be helpful. With a diverse classroom, a teacher will

have many different opinions and ways of looking at things from each student. This not only

helps the students broaden their knowledge of other cultures, but helps them extend their views

on certain topics that may come up in an everyday situation in a diverse classroom, making them

more tolerant for different cultures, gender identities, and different races.

Another thing to consider in a diverse classroom, is learning styles. Each student learns

differently and learns better one way compared to another student a different way. Teachers

should be aware of students learning process, review their mode of instruction and adapt to those

learning styles in a conducive environment preferred by the students (Nuzhat, Salem, Hamdan,

& Ashour, 2013). When a teacher is aware of their students best way of learning, his or her

classroom environment is much better for the students. Each student learns much easier and

understands topics much better than if a lesson is just taught one way and only helps a portion of

the classroom. Being aware of different learning styles in a classroom, better helps a student

succeed and enjoy learning.

Many factors can be the reason why a students learning style is different than another

students including the age, gender, culture, creative thinking and previous academic

achievement of the given student (Nuzhat et al., 2013).

In my opinion, culture is what defines where you came from, who you are, and what you

celebrate in life. I personally came from a very diverse high school. The school population

ranged from doctors children to middle to low class children, and many different types of races.

Also, during senior year, there was a student who had just come out as being gay. He raised

awareness to the lack of acceptance of different sexualities. For the senior prom, there was a very

strict dress code in place. He wanted to change that dress code so he could express how he

wanted to dress. He petitioned to wear stylish pants and a top and heels. He gained a lot of

support from his peers and was able to wear his ensemble of choice to the prom. This was the

first time I realized how diverse my school was and how accepting my school was, as well.

Having a diverse classroom helps other students celebrate different peoples individual

culture and exposes the students to many different types of cultures that, if there were no

classroom diversity, they would not be educated about through experience. Learning in a diverse

classroom helps shape a persons perspective on cultural views. Hearing other cultures

viewpoints helps broaden a persons perspective on many different subjects. Without diversity, a

students education would be very one-sided and close-minded.

People from different backgrounds and different areas of the world, bring in different

ideas and views. They allow people to see different sides of issues and people who are

surrounded by different cultural and religious beliefs tend to be more accepting of other people

and other views that are contrary of their own. Diversity in the classroom setting allows for a

more culturally aware society. Allowing people to broaden their ideals and standpoints on many

different things, especially if surrounded with a diverse classroom at a young age.

However, with more diverse situations, comes more difficulties for educators. The

enrollment milestone underscores a host of challenges for educators, including more students
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living in poverty, more who will require English-language instruction, and more whose life

experiences will differ from those of their teachers, who remain overwhelmingly white

(Maxwell, 2014). With the majority-minority milestone, more students will be coming in to the

classroom with many different challenges. For example, with more second generation Hispanic

American Learners in a classroom, there will be more of a language barrier and more of a need

for English Language instructors. This creates more of a challenge for a relationship to develop

with the teacher and the student who is learning English to create a good environment for the

student to learn normally. With the majority of students not being white in the classroom and the

majority of instructors being white, this creates a bit of a strain on the classroom dynamic and

can pose a difficulty that will benefit from teachers being culturally aware and being trained well

in whatever they need to fulfill their duties as a teacher.

Along with racial discrimination, children with disabilities is a crucial issue that has been

addressed in the past and continues to be discussed today. Public Law 94-142 (Education of All

Handicapped Children Act) is the inclusion of all children with disabilities in the school

environment. It addresses the fact that every child is deserving of an education regardless of their

disabilities. This is very important and helps realize that inclusion of all students helps every

child become more comfortable around other children with disabilities and more accepting of

these students. This helps not only children in the future but also helps teachers become more

accepting, open-minded, and willing to teach any type of child that they will encounter in their

teaching career.

Diversity in the classroom helps create an environment for students to learn about

different cultures, different religions, different races, and even different learning styles. With this,

they become culturally aware and are more prepared to be culturally aware people of society.
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Diverse classrooms create a better environment outside of school, developing a sense of

everyone is alike, regardless of what they look like, where they came from, and how they

identify in society.
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References

Cogan, C. (2006). Teaching issues of diversity: The politics of classroom interaction. (Order No.

1445587, University of Arkansas). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 42. Retrieved

from http://search.proquest.com/docview/305355218?accountid=14961. (305355218).

Fu, J. (2013). Teaching for diversity: Addressing diversity issues in responsive ESL

instruction. (Order No. 3605385, Michigan State University). ProQuest Dissertations

and Theses, , 203. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1490588106?

accountid=14961. (1490588106).

Kilman, C. (2014). The Gender Spectrum. Retrieved October 7, 2014, from

http://www.tolerance.org/gender-spectrum

Maxwell, L. (2014, August 19). U.S. School Enrollment Hits Majority-Minority Milestone.

Retrieved October 6, 2014.

Nuzhat, A., Salem, R., Hamdan, N., & Ashour, N. (2013). Gender differences in learning styles

and academic performance of medical students in Saudi Arabia. Medical Teacher, 35S78-

S82