Many classrooms today are filled with a variety of students
from different backgrounds and cultures. As a teacher, it is important to be
aware that not all your students share your same social or cultural background.
Research shows that many students can be negatively affected by and
disadvantaged by social interaction at school. One reason this occurs is due to
the acculturating function of schooling. This means that schools are operating based
on the majority of students’ social and cultural background. So, students who
do not fit into this majority are often disadvantaged and even excluded from
their peers, teachers, and the school community. These students might be
unaware and uncomfortable with the practices of the majority group. They likely
realize that their literacy practices at home are different from the ones
expected of them at school which can lead to students appearing silent,
uncomfortable, and unwilling to learn. Therefore, teachers need to be aware of all
their student’s backgrounds and make sure that they are creating an open
environment for all students to do their best learning.
If you are interested in learning more about the social,
cultural and racial diversity issues in schools throughout America, you can
watch this Ted Talk by Melissa Crum. Melissa examines diversity training
programs being taught to teachers and what she thinks can be done to improve
biases.
As technology becomes a bigger function in more and more
schools, it is important to remember that there are some schools being left
behind. Schools with little to no technology are often due to a lack of
funding. Unfortunately, in most states, the poorest school districts get the
least amount of funding and these poor districts are often the home to minority
students.
This article also includes a short video about Bronzeville Scholastic
Institute, a Chicago public high school, that is an example of the “digital divide” occurring
throughout underfunded schools in America. Bronzeville Scholastic Institute has
approximately 550 students who are forced to share only 24 computers. In a time
where countless schools have iPads or Chromebooks for nearly every student, how
do we help these schools that are falling behind? Or is this additional
technology not necessary to their success?
I just had this same thought today. With schools wanting to incorporate technology some schools can't afford the same opportunities. I helped out in the summer program in Bridgeport and they had a mobile library bus come each week. The students were able to choose five books to keep. It was such a special thing. They would choose books for other people in their families. If they can barely afford books, how can they afford the technology they need? Because of this experience, I was trying to think of ways to solve this problem. I'm still thinking.
ReplyDeleteI think it is so important as a teacher to keep all social and cultural backgrounds included into the curriculum! We need to make sure to practice our students background throughout the year. It is our job to keep the environment of the classroom welcoming and inviting. We have to create rules in the classroom so students know to respect one another and accept each other’s social and cultural backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteI think this is why creating a classroom community is such a vital piece to being a teacher. Students need to feel comfortable with themselves in order to feel comfortable to take risks in the classroom. One way I have established this is by calling our classroom a family and referring to the students as friends. When a new student joined our classroom, I presented it to my class that they were getting another friend. The students all made cards and were excited about their new friend joining the following day. This student was welcomed into our family with open arms. By establishing a classroom culture were students feel loved and important, they are more likely to task risks which results in great learning. As teachers, we need to know our students as people not just through academics. By doing this, you can make a connection with a child and sometimes that is all he/she needs to feel important and recognized.
ReplyDeleteMy district implements a program called "Open Choice". This program allows families to enter into a lottery of sorts and if they are selected, the students are bussed in from Bridgeport. I think the heart of this program is in the right place, especially in a school where diversity is not prevalent. It's vital for a school community to be aware of the fact that the world is a big place and it's filled with all different types of people, families, and ways of life. The other side of this though is the stigma that follows. I have seen children be exclusive and hurtful to a student who was from Bridgeport, simply because she was different. I make it a priority to create a classroom community that is welcoming, kind, safe, and supportive. A place where everyone is equal and entitled to great friendships and LOTS of learning. :) We need to embrace diversity, not run from it!
ReplyDeleteBuilding on what Katie said, I have worked in Open Choice districts as well, and it can turn into a true have vs. have not situation. While the theory has its roots in what's right, in practice it doesn't always work out that way. I believe overall educators need to do a better job understanding the cultural diversity of their students. In terms of texts, it is vital that kids read books that contain characters that resemble them in terms of language, culture, and lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It connected me to Chapter 3 in our course textbook that explained the diversity among students relating to their ability express themselves in the classroom. The book mentioned how some teachers interpret a student's silence and/or lack of motivation to work as noncompliance or laziness, when in fact it is often that these diverse students to not have the literacy mediums they need for proper communication and understanding of expectations. Addressing diversity, and providing different pedagogy strategies for our students relating to their diversities, is extremely important for us as educators!
ReplyDeleteI think it is beyond important to educate teachers on how to include students of all different cultures and backgrounds in their classrooms without trying to mold them into the majority’s practices and ideals. As classrooms are becoming more and more diverse, this teacher training of this kind is becoming increasingly more important. As far as technology in schools, I believe that every student deserves a equal chance at a quality education and that includes providing access to technology resources. I think we need to examine how funding is handled for education so that the students who need help the most, are getting their needs met. I completed some service hours in Bridgeport a few months ago and though the students did have Chromebooks, half of them were out of date, didn’t work or had missing keys on the keyboards. It was discouraging to see and unfortunately students in underprivileged areas are going to be left behind if we don’t make some changes to our education system.
ReplyDeleteI feel that it is so important to create a classroom community immediately starting on the first day of school. All students need to feel accepted and welcomed in a classroom regardless of their social or cultural background. I do agree with the research, negative interactions at school will definitely impact a student's performance. It is so sad how children do not feel welcomed or feel like an outcast in schools. That is something that needs to change immediately. Schools should do their best to incorporate technology into their classrooms, but this is a hard task especially when dealing with budgets. It is not an easy task to complete!
ReplyDeleteIt is SO extremely important to incorporate cultural backgrounds in classrooms. The video that you shared was very insightful. Teachers and other staff in school systems do not realize the words that they say to their students from different backgrounds can be forever embedded in their heads. All students should be created with equal respect and the same goals fit to what is suited for them as a person, not based on the color of their skin or what their religious views are. I worked at a public school in Hartford for a short period of time and the students always questioned why they don’t have all the same technology and materials like the magnet schools do. This broke my heart because I wondered the same thing, without technology and other materials used in today’s classrooms how are these students supposed to succeed? Every student deserves equal opportunity!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I love how you discussed the importance of social and cultural identities within schools, and how we, as teachers, need to be conscious of the way we interact with each and every student. While integrating technology into education has been a major focus, we often forget about the schools that cannot afford to do so. Your post was an excellent reminder of this, and makes me wonder how we can create an environment within these schools that expose students to various technologies so they do not fall behind.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great point about unfunded schools falling behind with technology. As more and more schools becoming integrated with technology I feel like only the wealthy will rep the benefits. Also you brought up a great point that if the students are not getting the right technology at home their literacy identity will be far different then their classmates. It is important as educators to make sure every student has the same learning experience even if that means doing something their school will not provide.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I honestly believe that additional technology may not be necessary to these students' success, yet it would certainly benefit these students if they had access to it. One day these students are going to be competing on the job market with men and women who were lucky enough to have had access to these various technologies and be comfortable using them in the work environment, which could put their resume on top of someone's who may not be as experienced. I strongly believe that these poorer schools need funding and the same resources and opportunities as other public schools to create a more even playing field where students from all backgrounds can have as equal a chance as possible to succeed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great point you made about there being a "digital divide" among schools across the nations. Here I am talking about how great the use of technology is, yet there are many schools that cannot provide that opportunity. The Chicago high school that you shared is a perfect example. I have a friend who teaches in Hartford and all her students have their own individual chrome books but almost all students have no Internet access or devices at home. Oftentimes she assigns homework that can be hand written and they will type in school. It's unfortunate every individual does not have the same resources in school or at home. However, it's what we do as teachers to modify and make their experiences equally as great, with what we have. I completely agree that a successful teachers needs to be aware of each and every student's background. We need to foster a classroom community that is inclusive of every individual and embraces diversity!!
ReplyDeleteThis is why it is so important to create a welcoming and nurturing classroom community. There are so many different backgrounds in the classroom that's a classroom teacher you do not want anyone to feel out of place. You want you students to feel comfortable to be who they are.
ReplyDelete