Creating A Pl Diversity In The Classroom

Submitted By Mzkimberly1
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university of phoenix | Creating a Plan | AED 204 – Diversity in The Classroom | | Kimberly Thomas | 12/11/2011 |

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The classroom is a child’s home away from home. In the home is where a child is cared for, protected, and taught life lessons. Children spend a large percentage of time with their teacher. “Teachers are a model for the children that they teach” (Sanville, 2003). Knowing these things, it is very important to have the classroom a place where the children feel just a comfortable as they do at home. The opposite to that is there are unfortunately some children who do not experience a caring home setting and coming to school is their only chance to escape any terrors that they may be experiencing at home. The classroom or school for some children is a safe-haven where they gain peace. In an environment where there are different cultures and backgrounds, it is important to prepare an environment for children where they are comfortable. This is critical because they must be able to learn the lessons taught. Setting up the classroom where they know that their culture is accepted will help them feel uncomfortable and will encourage them to be engaged in learning. The classroom will be set up in a way that the children will know that each culture is respected. The children will learn about each other’s culture and background. As a teacher, I will show my students that I care by getting to know their individual needs, strengths, and share their concerns. Children are more interesting in learning and participating when they know a teacher cares and interested in them as an individual. Creating a classroom that contains respect, care, and tolerance is essential for education.
I currently reside in Chicago on the far south side of the city. The Chicago Public School system is one that suffers constantly due to lack of funding. Students suffer in the school system due to the lack of funding and battle other issues such as crime as well as low income households. Some teachers shy away from teaching within the Chicago Public School however, these issues give me the more reason to become a teacher. I was raised in an era where we respected our elders and the elders everywhere helped raised us. They gave us the proper values and taught us how to respect one another which made us the adults we are today. What I have learned so far in my academic time it is my responsibility to instill those things in my students. In a situation that is diverse, where all ethnicities are represented is a great opportunity to teach them all about one another.
Teaching in a diverse setting is not one that is unheard of here in Chicago. In my classroom, I as well as my students will recognize the diverse differences. Materials that are relevant to the student’s culture will be available in the classroom in order for the students to recognize their heritage and different ethnic group. It is essential to learn the students’ background and culture to understand how to organize the classroom setting. The classroom setting will be one that recognizes each student’s diverse background. Students will be taught about their peers backgrounds and culture. The students will also be encouraged to share their particular culture. As a teacher, I will also share my background and culture as well. Parent participation will be strongly encouraged in the classroom as it is essential to academic achievement. I will encourage my parents to participate by informing them how important in their child’s education. It is important to use diverse teaching strategies in order to respond to each student as an individual. The teaching style must be one that supports the student background and culture such as an inclusive curriculum that supports the strengths of students and accommodates the needs of all children that includes children with disabilities, developmental delays, at-risk children, children from different minority