Who Are Today’s Students? Welcome to the Diversity Inigma!

Cultural Diversity Cultural Pluralism “Melting Pot” philosophy By the year 2010, the four states of California, Texas, New York, and Florida will have more than one-third of the nation’s young people Youth population will be > 52 percent minority

Diverse needs Students from different family patterns Glasser’s fundamental needs: Survival Love and belonging Power Freedom Fun

Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy Self-actualization Needs Aesthetic Needs Need to know and understand Esteem needs Belongness and Love needs Safety Needs Physiological Needs

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Musical Logical-mathematical Spatial Bodily-kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal

Learning Styles Visual Auditory Kinesthetic-Tactile

Students with Disabilities Mentally retarded Learning Disabled Orthopedically impaired Emotionally Disturbed Hearing Impaired Visually Impaired Speech Traumatic head injury Autistic Other health impaired Multiply impaired

Giftedness “Gifted and talented” or simply gifted? Acceleration Enrichment Acceleration includes grade skipping, advanced placement tests, early college admission Enrichment can include learning centers, learning contracts, learning packets, mentors, community resources

Characteristics of Social Classes Source: Macionis, J. J., (1991). Sociology, 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice- Hall. Pp

Upper class Income is $100, Occupations are corporate, professional, family money Education=prestigious colleges and professional schools Political power at all levels Homeownership=at least one home Health coverage is full Full access to community resources Neighborhoods are exclusive or comfortable Send children to college easily

Middle class $40, $100,000 income White-collar or skilled blue collar occupations Education is high school, college, or professional school Usually own home Health coverage is usually full Access to most community services Comfortable neighborhoods Usually can send children to college P. Power is state or local

Working class Income $12,000 to $40,000 Blue-collar jobs Education is high school About 1/2 own a home Limited health coverage Some access to community resources Modest neighborhoods Seldom have ability to send children to college Limited political power

Lower class Income less than $12, 000 in 1991 dollars Jobs are minimum wage unskilled labor Education is high school or less No home ownership No health coverage Little access to community resources Deteriorating neighborhoods No ability to send children to college No significant political power

Cultural differences Color: the main color difference in the United States is GREEN Socio-economic status predicts much more in terms of student achievement than skin color)

Other noticeable cultural differences Perception of time-- time’s importance, punctuality, wasting time, keeping time Visiting distance--12 inches or 4 feet? Treatment of those who are older--sages or more experienced buddies?

Other cultural differences (2) Differences in literalness or idiomatic speech. How much deep structure? Self determination-- self determined or fatalistic? Attitudes towards exceptionalities Treatment of women

Bilingual Education Transitional model is associated with traditional bilingual instruction Immersion model features a bilingual teacher but English-only is spoken Submersion model is “sink-or-swim” English

Inclusion Least restrictive environment Mainstreaming Regular Education Initiative Inclusion Full Inclusion

Teachers, then, today will need to accommodate a variety of learning styles and capabilities. This will be necessary for the schools to accomplish their mission.