Change in the Workplace
EDU 675: Change Leadership for Differentiated Educational Environment
Teri Engleman
September 18, 2011
In a world as diverse as ours, it is important to be aware and respectful of other cultures. Educators should become more familiar with the different cultures in their schools so that they are more able to help children to make sense of their world, ease the transitions between home and school, and teach acceptance of differences. A child’s culture influences his/her home, school, and social life; all of which educators should be aware and sensitive to. For students to truly be successful in life and education, teachers need to be aware and knowledgeable of different cultures.
Cultural influence has a profound effect on education. Today, children from non-mainstream cultures are often misunderstood because of their culturally specific learning style. In public education there are the norm learning styles that teachers are trained for and prepared to teach to, when a new style is introduced, teachers misread a student. This wrong impression can lead to “culturally inappropriate interaction, assessment, instruction, or discipline” (McIntyre 1996, p. 1). Unfortunately, this can lead to self-esteem issues amongst these students and result in behavioral problems. Due to the actions of the educators, the potential of these students developing an emotional or behavioral disorder increases. It is widely known that culture has a big impact on learning and is a primary factor in developing a learning style. Children develop these learning styles based on the cultural practices they were exposed to.
To meet the needs of these students more thoroughly, teachers need to adjust their instructional strategies to align with all learning styles and differences of the diverse classroom. McIntyre (1996) discusses the differences of field-independent and field-dependent learners within the classroom. He describes field independent learners as those who do well in “individualized work, personal achievement, and competition between students,” which is primarily seen in European American and Asian Americans (p. 2). On the other hand are the field-dependent learners who view the whole picture, are unable to tune out distracters, and are greatly influenced by the teachers' expression of confidence or doubt in their ability (Anderson, 1988 as cited in McIntyre 1996, p. 3). Teachers need to consider these types of learners while planning activities.
Teachers faced with the challenge of being more culturally sensitive in the classroom can use two important objectives to meet those needs: Use culture specific educational accommodations to connect with students and incorporate student values, beliefs, families and perspectives. To incorporate cultural accommodations teachers can do as the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP) in Hawaii
Families from different cultures may not always speak their native language within the home homes but most do teach the language to their children. As an adult, it is more difficult for an immigrant to learn English, but the children within the household usually grow up learning English and their native language (Hispanic and Latino 2011). To combat the difficulties with language acquisition, teachers can incorporate a variety of languages into the classroom. A print rich classroom can have items labeled in more than one language just as seen on a word wall. Documents sent home to parents can be offered in multiple languages if possible. All of these accommodations ease the communication barrier and build a stronger relationship between home and school.
Incorporating additive multiculturalism is becoming a necessity. With the U.S. becoming more diverse every year, “many educators, sensitive to the needs of students who must be able to function emotionally and academically in our pluralistic society, recognize the need to expose students to instruction based on multicultural/diverse perspectives” (What is Multicultural 1997, p. 1). To truly implement multicultural/diverse perspective instruction teachers must be sensitive and non-biased to cultures. When teaching, it is important to offer a diversified perspective about a specific culture’s views, problems, and beliefs. Finally, to equally meet the needs of the diverse learners, teachers “must modify their teaching in ways that will facilitate the academic achievement of students from diverse racial, cultural, gender, and social-class groups” (What is Multicultural 1997, p. 1).
After determining objectives to implement in order to become more culturally sensitive in differentiated instruction, developing strategies to implement is the next step of action to create change. The first strategy would be to unite home and school. Parents are the first and primary educators of their children. Teachers need to create opportunities for school and home learning environments to overlap. To do so, teachers need to meet with parents and discuss their cultural backgrounds. This is the time to learn about family values, beliefs, and traditions that are important concepts to take into consideration when planning and implementing activities.
In order to be receptive to the families from different cultures found in the classrooms, teachers need to become proficient in and sensitive to intercultural communication. “Communication between people of different cultural backgrounds involves much more than overcoming the language barrier,” because “hidden cultural differences often cause a great deal of misunderstanding and friction” (Wederspahn 2001, p. 1). Teachers need to be self-aware in the sense of understanding how members of different cultures perceive them. These cultural differences affect everyday communication and interactions between home and school. To effectively communicate across these cultural lines, teachers need to develop skills to communicate with non-native English speakers “using gestures and body language understood across cultures, and matching voice tone, volume, and pacing” (Wederspahn 2001, section Overcoming the differences, para 1).
To truly be a culturally sensitive classroom, teachers must discuss and display different cultures within the classroom. To do this culturally diverse materials are needed. For example, in the preschool environment baby dolls of different ethnic groups should be present. In Dramatic play ethnic food should be available along with traditional American foods. Culturally specific clothing can also be on display in the classroom. These items can be used as an introduction to cultural topics or an enhancement/extension activity. Teachers can also incorporate cultural language, customs, traditions, foods, cultural activities, etc.
By creating a multicultural classroom, students are exposed to the cultures around the world and learn to respect them. They learn to understand the different perspectives that come from different backgrounds. Teaching acceptance early on is much easier than in older children. Teachers should introduce each culture individually to discuss the importance of and reasoning for traditions and customs. With this variety of knowledge, children will be more successful in a multicultural environment (Staff 2011).
An incredibly important part of implementing change is the assessment process. Teachers need to know what kind of progress they are making and how well their instructional strategies are working. Before beginning any changes teachers need to perform a pre-assessment to have a baseline to compare to in the future. In this case, the teacher can assess his/her multicultural knowledge and find where he/she needs to improve.
While implementing change, teachers can use portfolios to document and follow students’ understanding of the cultural inclusion efforts. This alternative to traditional assessment has become popular because it allows for teacher to take into account individuality while addressing improvement, effort, and achievement. This “ongoing collection and appraisal of students’ work” allows teachers to document progress, showcase accomplishments, and/or evaluate status of each student (Popham 2011, p. 212). Through portfolios teachers can follow student’s progress through their work.
Through observations, teachers are able to see if students are assimilating the new knowledge of cultural concepts in everyday life and play. By establishing measurable objectives teachers can easily assess students with observations. Simple observations, such as those gathered while students are on the playground or playing in centers, offer insight into a child’s mode of thinking. Teachers can see how students have processed what they have learned about cultural diversity and see how they interpret and project their new knowledge.
Lastly, one of a teacher’s most influential resources is a student’s family. Communication with family allows teachers to determine if concepts are being retained and used at home. For older students, parents are the ones who help with homework; for preschoolers, parents are the ones who review and reinforce new information. Parents can act as a second set of eyes and ears for teachers and help determine strengths and weaknesses.
When meeting the needs of a diverse community, teachers need to first make themselves aware of the cultures within his/her community and ultimately, within his/her classroom. To overcome barriers that are most often seen within diverse areas, teachers need to be more receptive to “issues of culture, language, race, and ethnicity, also known as cultural competencies,” in order to “meet the needs of diverse learners by using the strategies of culturally responsive instruction, which builds on students' cultural knowledge to enhance academic success” (Culturally Responsive Teaching 2011, p. 1). All teachers need to be prepared to teach culturally diverse classrooms. They need to be taught how cultural differences can affect and control the learning process.
As an educator, being “color blind” to race and ethnicity is not the best idea. First of all, acknowledging race and ethnicity helps ensure equality and avoid discrimination. Acknowledging these differences helps teachers reshapes assumptions and biases. Students need their racial and ethnic background to be recognized and understood. By acknowledging race and ethnicity in the curriculum a teacher creates an environment where all students race feel a sense of belonging.
To teach educators how to properly develop objectives, implement strategies, and utilize assessments to assure cultural sensitivity in the differentiated classroom, and effective professional development training session needs to be selected. Regardless of the training session chosen, it should cover most-if not all- of the topics to follow. First, educators need to be aware of the fact that “they may hold attitudes and beliefs that can detrimentally influence their perceptions of and interactions with individuals who are ethnically and racially different from themselves” (APA 2002, p. 3). Teachers need to be aware of their perceptions and make the cognitive effort to accept individual differences.
The second factor stresses the importance of knowledge. Teachers need to “recognize the importance of multicultural sensitivity/responsiveness, knowledge, and understanding about ethnically and racially different individuals” (APA 2002, p. 3). In regards to this, it is important that teachers understand and respect the differences of his/her students. Being multiculturally sensitive helps teachers build positive relationships with students and families and earn the family’s trust. This level of sensitivity also increases the level of understanding between teacher and student and/or family.
Thirdly, teachers need to “recognize the importance of culture–centered research among persons from ethnic, linguistic, and racial minority backgrounds” (APA 2002, p. 3). Research has shown that different minority backgrounds have different beliefs on everyday concepts such as beauty. In Ecuador
The fourth concept teachers need to be trained in is how to “apply culturally–appropriate skills in practices” (APA 2002, p. 3). While planning teachers have to take into account the diversity within the classroom and prepare lessons and activities that will ultimately meet the needs of each student. Every child learns and interprets information differently. Taking into account these differences will allow teachers to meet the individual’s needs more thoroughly. Differentiating content offers more opportunities for students to access information.
Lastly, the fifth concept to be taught to educators is “use organizational change processes to support culturally informed organizational (policy) development and practices” (APA 2002, p. 4). Teachers and staff should implement the skills and techniques they have learned throughout the professional development to support the culturally sensitive practices that are polices of the program. Having staff abide by policies strengthens a program and ultimately helps achieve the program’s vision and mission.
For students to truly be successful in life and education, teachers need to be aware of and knowledgeable about different cultures. Student diversity is not just limited to ethnicity; it can also include language and ability. With diversity encompassing such a large portion of life it is difficult to think of a time when diversity was not shaping education. Diversity teaches us that there are more than one way getting a task done, it motivates us to improve ourselves, strive for change and make a difference. It is important to be aware and respectful of other cultures.
References
American Psychological Association (2002). Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists. Retrieved 18 September 2011 from: http://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/policy/multicultural-guideline.pdf
Culturally Responsive Teaching (2011). Retrieved 18 September 2011 from: http://www.lab.brown.edu/ae_dlearner_crt.php
Hispanic and Latino Resources (2011). Retrieved 18 September 2011 from: http://studentaffairs.odu.edu/oir/cultures/latino/
Masi De Casanova, E. (2008). "No Ugly Women": Concepts of Race and Beauty among Adolescent Women in Ecuador
McIntyre, T. (1996). Does the Way We Teach Create Behavior Disorders in Culturally Different Students? Retrieved 18 September 2011 from: http://www.behavioradvisor.com/C-Learn.html
Nieto, S. & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: The Sociopolitical context of multicultural education (5th ed.). San Francisco
Popham, J. (2011). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know. (6th ed.). San Francisco
Staff, G. (2011) How important is cultural diversity at your school? Retrieved 18 September 2011 from: http://www.greatschools.org/find-a-school/defining-your-ideal/284-cultural-diversity-at-school.gs?page=1.
Wederspahn, G. (2001). Cross-Cultural Communication Between Latin American and U.S.
What is Multicultural/Diverse Perspective Instruction? (1997) Retrieved 18 September 2011 from: http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/multi5.html
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