Culture and Diversity

By: Ashlee Kolles

Today’s Diverse ClassroomsAs future teachers how can we ensure we are creating a

welcoming, inclusive environment?• Promote equality, encourage cooperative learning, and

interdependence between groups• Educate students on prejudice, discrimination,

oppression, stereotypes• Teach students to think critically, to empathize, to

recognize moral choices, and to make their voices heard• Teach Students to respect differences

Class ActivityRespecting Differences

I think cats make great pets

Vanilla ice cream is delicious

Red is my favorite color

I enjoy watching sports

Two Classroom Methods To Reduce Racism, Prejudice, and

Student Exclusion• Small team method• Facing history

method• http://www.facinghi

story.org-MichelleObama

Economic And Social Class Differences

Social Class For most, social class means just how much money

one has or doesn’t haveEducation, income, occupation, and wealth (resources, characteristics, or attributes that

people “have”) are common criteria for gauging social class

Socioeconomic StatusRelative standing in the society based on income,

power, background, and prestige

Poverty And School Achievement

By 2010, it is likely that 40% of all American children will live in

poverty at some time in their lives (koppelman,

2008)

About one in five Americans under the

age of 18 lives in poverty.

Most success remains linked tightly with a

student’s social class status.

Contrary to many stereotypes, more poor

children live in suburban and rural

areas than in central cities

Ethnicity and Race in

Teaching and Learning

By 2020, almost 2/3 of students will be from African American, Asian, Latina/Latino, or other Ethnic

groups” (Meece & Kurtz-Costes, 2001)

With about 65% of the students in the classroom coming from these ethnic

groups, what percentage of the teachers will come from a similar ethnicity?

Ethnicity vs. Race – What’s the Difference?

Ethnicity- A cultural heritage shared by a group of people.

Race- A socially constructed category based on appearances and ancestry.

Melting PotFor years, the goal of

American schools was to be the fire

under the melting pot and get new

immigrants to assimilate.

• The students needed to change – not the schools• Educators believed some students to be

“culturally deficient” or “culturally disadvantaged”• The belief that the student’s home life was inferior

because it did not prepare him for education

Multiculturalism

“Ethnic groups today want to maintain their culture and identity while still being a

respected part of the larger society. Multiculturalism is the

goal” (p.168).

• Multiculturalism supports a society that values diversity.

Achievement Gap based on raceSome ethnic groups consistently achieve

below the average for all students (Okagaki, 2006; Uline & Johnson, 2005).

Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

1996 2000 2003 2006

Asian/PacificIslander

White

Hispanic

Black

Research indicates 4 main causes of achievement gap

• The Legacy of Discrimination

• Cultural Mismatches

• Language Differences

• Poverty

The Legacy of Discrimination

Desegregation ofSchools begin

1954- Brown vs. Board Of Education

1969- Alexander vs. HolmesCounty Board of Education

Segregation Today

Black and Hispanic students• Chosen less

often for gifted classes

• Chosen less often for acceleration or enrichment programs

• More likely tracked into “basic skills” classes

Stereotype Threatan apprehensiveness about confirming

a stereotype (Aronson, 2002)• Short-term Effects: Test Performance

• Long-term Effects: Disidentification

• Combating Stereotype threat: changing the students beliefs

“The message is for teachers to help all students see academic achievement as part of their ethnic, racial and gender identity”

Impact of Stereotype Threat

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

StereotypeThreat

NoStereotype

Threat

AfricanAmericans

Caucasians

Cultural Mismatches

• Schools are designed with the white middle-class student in mind

• Lim, Jae Hoon (2008) ‘Double Jeopardy: The Compounding Effects of Class and Race in Schools’ Equity & Excellence in Education

How do we meet the needs of all students?

Create culturally relevant classrooms

• Students must experience academic success

• Students must develop/maintain their cultural competence

• Students must develop a critical consciousness to challenge the status quo

Teaching Every Student

• Know your students

• Respect your students

• Teach your students