Diversity in Education

Diversity Being different Unlikeness Variety Multiformity Point of difference Individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation

Sexism Discrimination based on gender Often times teachers will stereotype genders without realizing it Example: Boys are strong in math and science, weak in reading and writing Girls are strong in reading and writing and weak in science and math These stereotypes can inadvertently set teachers’ expectations without the teacher even realizing it.

What can a teacher do to prevent sexism in the classroom? Introduce literature based on plots and not on gender of characters. Make sure material used in class is authored equally by men and women. When assigning groups, make sure they are made up equally of female and male. Devise a plan to call on each gender equally Make sure all questions to both genders are equally challenging

Ethnocentrism Discrimination based on the belief that one's own ethnic group or culture is superior to others Often occurs out of ignorance of cultures different from our own and thinking one’s own culture is the center of the universe Example: A teacher uses materials or texts that deal with culture he/she understands and is most comfortable By doing this students from different cultures and backgrounds will have a harder time engaging, understanding or participating because of their disinterest or feeling of non- acceptance

What can a teacher do to prevent ethnocentrism in the classroom? Address cultures equally by reading various literature selections from different cultures Avoid slang from your own culture Get to know students and cultures and invite them to share with class Make sure one population is not demeaned in any way Set up anonymous question box giving all students a chance to ask questions they may not feel comfortable asking in the whole class situation

Classism Discrimination based on socioeconomic status or social class Often teachers will unintentionally teach to the higher classes, not realizing students in lower class are being left behind Students in higher classes set the norm for the classroom Teachers may assume students who come from higher income families will be the high achievers while lower income students are deemed low achievers Example: Teacher calls on the students who are better dressed, have class materials and are more alert, thinking they are the higher achievers while scolding or possibly not engaging a quieter, not as well dressed or prepared student.

What can a teacher do to prevent classism in the classroom? Always build background knowledge due to students having different previous experiences (ex. Bring in materials, showing photographs to allow all students t contribute to a lesson) Have hard copies of notes, assignments and any other materials that might be normally be otherwise electronic Be mindful of students who are quiet, unkempt, or seem lost

Racism Discrimination based on differences in ethnicities Occurs when teachers have lower expectations for certain ethnic groups Example: a teacher may show favoritism to his or her own when grading or single out certain races when disciplining with or without being aware of it

What can a teacher do to prevent racism in the classroom? Make sure classroom discipline is consistent with all students Call on students in class equally ( incorporate EPR (every pupil response or random calling strategies) Choose texts and class materials written by various authors from various races Be mindful of pre-conceived negative or positive expectations of students of different races

Ableism Discrimination against people with disabilities, physical and otherwise Often teacher assumes disability means inability Example: Teacher doesn’t differentiate instruction enabling all students to be engaged

What can teachers do to prevent ableism in their classroom? Differentiate assignments for those needing instructional support and those needing instructional challenge Have instructional resources and activities for students who have disabilities that make it difficult to move around the classroom, see, or hear, keeping them involved in the lesson Teach class to work cooperatively with each other