Embracing Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Embracing Diversity - Essay Example In order to teach the future generations successfully, the education structure should be thriving in educating all children to interact and communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities. Early childhood teachers all over the United States should be prepared to educate an increasingly diverse populace of young students. More children from migrant families are taking part in early childhood programs than in the past, and the trend is anticipated to carry on into the next decade. The 2000 population census shows that in only one decade, the number of young students in immigrant households increased by 63%, and not only in large cities, but also in numerous areas of the country. The African American populace both immigrant and nonimmigrant grew at a rate above that of the general populace between 1990 and the new millennium. The Latino population likewise the immigrants and nonimmigrants grew by more than 50% of its original during those same years. The Lati no population is at the moment the single largest cluster contributing to the country’s diversity (Terry & Iriving, 2009). This article concerns the education of children from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds who might or might not have disabilities, which need special education services. For culturally, as well as linguistically diverse students (CLD), issues of difference, diversity, and disability can rather be challenging and complex for classroom teachers (Gonzalez, 2011). This paper, with an aim of easing these challenges, will formulate some methods and strategies of achieving the paper’s objective and discuss how the strategies will be assessed. Researchers have referred to the manner culture plays itself out in a classroom set up as a hidden curriculum. The traditional norms which govern classroom communication are mainly rooted in European or American middle-class principles. Regularly there is an inherent anticipation that every student will use t hese customs, even though they are not openly trained in the classroom. Teachers must know that CLD learners also have cultural values and norms, which they also carry into the classroom and might conflict with the educator’s hopes (Gonzalez, 2011). Educators are in the best position to learn about the norms, values and culture of their CLD learners. By having a concern in who the students are, the place they come from, as well as what their worldview is, educators can demonstrate to them that they essentially care about who they are and not only who they can become. Attitudes associated with privilege, status and power can make it tough for some teachers to value diversity among their learners (Ray & Bowman, 2003). For example, students who might be members of a marginalized racial group, economically deprived, or speak English as a secondary language are frequently labeled as vulnerable, poor, disadvantaged or unfortunate. Rather than centering on what learners cannot do, e ducators are encouraged to recognize more regarding their learners’ abilities and strengths (Ray & Bowman, 2003). Nevertheless, centering on what students know needs learning more concerning their traditions and the knowledge, which they take into the classroom. Teachers can then utilize their students’ interests, experiences and background to grow ethnically relevant pedagogy (Terry & Iriving, 2009). Culturally