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Diversity in Schools

The notion of diversity in the earning environment is exciting. Krogh et al. 2015 explain
five types of diversity.
Race and ethnicity
First, parameters of race and ethnicity make students in American classrooms different.
Customs, common history, skin tone, common cultural heritage, and national origin are some of
the attributes that make students different. These attributes can have negative influences on
students especially when they have to deal with negative stereotypes associated with their race or
ethnic origin. the primary role of a teacher is to promote academic achievement among the
students, and this can be achieved through presuming that all students are capable of being taught
regardless of their race or ethnicity (Krogh et al., 2015).
Language
The level of English language proficiency creates diverse student populations in American
schools. English Language Learners (ELL) face challenges that negatively affect their
performance in class compared to students whose native language is English. Teachers cope with
these differences by developing cultural sensitivity, awareness, as well as a strong sense of social
justice.
Religion
Issues relating to religion often divide people in societies, including schools, due to
different religious beliefs. Minority groups and their religious practices are discriminated in

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America. The teacher has a role in teaching cultural awareness and appreciation so that students
can learn to respect other people’s religions even when they do not agree with the practices.
Learning ability
Students have different levels of learning abilities. The use of differentiated instructional
methods helps a teacher meet the different learning needs of students in a diverse classroom.
Sexual orientation and Gender Identification
When a student’s gender orientation does not conform to that of the majority of students,
then such a student is likely to be discriminated against. Teachers must be aware that issues
relating to sexual orientation are sensitive and require the willingness to seek help, tolerance, and
patience.
As a future teacher in America, the issue of gender orientation and gender identification
poses the most challenges to me. It is a challenge because sometimes students may take certain
drastic measures such as dropping out of school or even in some unfortunate instances,
committing suicide. Besides, the school may be unwelcoming to certain students making them
feel rejected and making it difficult for the teacher to assist. Sexual orientation is the most
sensitive issue that I will have to deal with as a teacher. However, I will seek the help of school
counselors and other staff members.
I will apply different approaches to teach students how to become open-minded and
respectful citizens. Open-mindedness is critical in helping students embrace diversity, understand
how different people live and why they engage in certain practices. As such, I will make use of
cross-cultural interactions as they will create a platform for students to learn and understand
other people’s cultures. Also, I will teach the habit of seeking out different perspectives before

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making a decision. This will deepen students’ understanding. Lastly, I will challenge certain
tendencies such as prejudgment, stereotyping, and overgeneralization. Such aspects affect the
victims negatively and could make them have low self-esteem and thus perform badly in their
academics. Overall, I will demonstrate values such as compassion and kindness to ensure that
students are considerate of each other’s feelings.

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References

Krogh, S. L., Fielstein, L., Phelps, P. H., & Newman, R. (2015). Introduction to education:
Choosing to teach. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu