 Diversity in the Classroom The importance of developing learner centered curricula that engages students in a variety of culturally responsive, developmentally, and age appropriate strategies.

The Foundation  “It’s not about race, it’s about culture.”  Although I couldn’t tell you where I came across these words, they have served as my foundation for understanding in this course.

The Five Dimensions Content Integration Knowledge Construction Equity PedagogyPrejudice Reduction Empowerment

Cultural Competence  One’s ability to form authentic and effective relationships across differences  Building this competence has been my primary objective in this class  Not only should teachers have it, they should understand it deeply enough to pass it on to their students as well.

My Story  From a small with little cultural diversity and almost NO racial diversity.

My Story

Classroom Application  Build personal relationships  Try and identify your students diverse backgrounds  Vary instruction so it meets the needs of all students.  Invite students to share information about their own culture  Implement a range of cultures into your curriculum  Especially those that are present within your classroom.

Classroom Application: Specific Example  Rotate culture of focus every month.  The learning segment would crosscut content in the course with cultural information about whatever the focus culture was.  Provide students who identify themselves with that culture an opportunity to present information about it to the class.

Conclusion  No two students look the same or learn in the same way.  Catering to their individual needs is what is expected of educators in today’s diverse society.

Conclusion “ If students can’t learn the way we teach them, then we must teach them the way they learn. ” - Dr. Rita & Ken Dunn Click Here for a Celebration of Diversity