1. Section1 : Defining Diversity
Diversity is the acceptanceof race, ethnicity, values, culture, social class,
beliefs, gender, and experiences in hopes of equality in our schools and society .
Diversity is inclusive, equitable and intentional. Diversity isn’t silent, it is very
vocal when it needs to confront racism and biases in schools and society that
people have about different groups of people. Diversity doesn’tignore the past but
embraces it to discuss and learn from the errors of the past. Diversity includes
educating and learning about other cultures in the classroom. Teachers implement
a diverse and truthful curriculum instead of white-washing or avoiding the history
that has taken place in America. Black History is American History and should be
taught throughout the schoolyear instead of only in February. Black history goes
beyond Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez. There are many
more heroes of every ethnicity that should be brought to the forefront that will
inspire students to learn and become great humanitarian in society. When we are
intentional to give students all the information they are better equipped to navigate
their own ideas to be productive citizens.
Diversity is respectful and just to everyone; it is a defender of justice and
equality. The schoolstaff should be a reflection of the students they serve.
Students enter our schools with various experiences from many people and have
developed misconceptions about teachers; therefore teachers need to be welcoming
and build positive relationships with their students. All stakeholders have a
responsibility to confrontinstitiuional discrimination within schools. These biases
and racist behaviors are in our society and spill into our schools. This is one of the
reasons students of color feel they need to overcompensate or go over and beyond
their white classmates to prove they are equal. This behavior or thought process
continues to happen even in the workplace. It has been systematically established
from the moment they enter the schoolsystem or interact with others outside of
their race. These behaviors are also influenced by what they observein society or
on television. That’s why a different mindset has to happen and that difference
starts within our schools.
Section2 Diversity and Curriculum
The criteria I would use to evaluate diversity within my school's curriculum
address these questions: Does the curriculum allow all students to learn from a
cultural base? Does the curriculum acknowledge their ancestors and people like
2. them truthfully? Does it develop pride and understanding in their culture and is it
easily accessible and user friendly?
Diversity in schoolis very crucial to the learning of all students. Diversity
isn’t only reflective in hiring practices, board members and district personnel it is
visible in the curriculum that is multicultural. A curriculum that includes cultural
backgrounds, interests, lived experiences, acknowledging and embracing different
cultures than the dominant culture of society. Diversity in planning that treats and
respects all students, staff and parents equally by avoiding stereotypes in curricular
resources and examples. Based on my findings I’ve discovered that the curriculum
impedes the learning of Spanish speaking only students and general ed students lag
behind also. The school’s demographic is predominantly of Hispanic descent.
Spanish speaking only students are given the Lexia Literacy program to help them
learn English; however, the program isn’t user friendly for these students and staff.
Students struggle to complete assignments or avoid the program altogether and
teachers need to balance time to focus on this group. Speaking with Ms.Levell she
uses a variety of resources that make comparisons with other cultures in the world.
She states this benefits student learning because they can learn the similarities and
differences of cultures compared to their own. I incorporate multimedia with
closed captions into Spanish and translate some documents into Spanish for my
ESL students which can be a daunting task or I group them with bilingual students
to translate for me. Some teachers have a minimal Spanish background to help
students get through lessons but it’s not enough to give them the equity they
deserve.
To meet the criteria mentioned above teachers, administrators and districts
should have a multicultural perspective on learning and teaching.The administrator
should hire a bilingual teacher and have a designated classroomto pull out ESL
students to strictly address their needs to learn English. Pushins don'twork as well
due to distractions. Teachers need to be empathetic and caring, They need to be
more reflective and knowledgeable about people from other cultures. Teachers
need to allow students to have more input in their learning and include text that
address diverse cultures and interests. The curriculum has to be relevant to increase
engagement. Cultural relevant content builds and strengthens the self esteem of
students. Positive ethinc affiliations, influences the development of students’
values, attitudes, lifestyle choices, and approaches to learning (Gollnick & Chinn,
3. 1990). Teachers can personalize the content by using places, locations, and names
familiar to students in addition to using analogies to relate new concepts to
experiences within the students' backgrounds (Tinajero, 1984). Students should see
their ancestors or people from their culture reflected in the curriculum without it
being frowned upon as negativity. For instance it seems taboo to talk about slavery,
Jim-Crow laws because how it may make others feel. African American history is
American history and should be taught truthly whereas we can learn from our past
to embrace our future as a nation. Diversity shouldn’t mean we only teach about
African Americans during black history in the month of February only and we
teach about Hispanic culture during Cinco De Mayo. These topics and other
cultures should be embedded into our curriculum throughout the schoolyear.
Many students can’t go beyond what they observe in their communities or what
they see on television which help perpetuate these biases or prejudice even with
adults. Educators need to provide students with a well rounded multicultural
education to enhance their educational experiences.
The curriculum should be transformed through a multicultural perspective.
Teachers teach about geographical regions and the cultural experiences of the
people to develop robust questions and understanding about specific groups of
people; however, they must be careful about colorizing the curriculum which can
lead to discouragement and perpetuate stereotypes. Teachers can develop problem-
posing questions to stimulate students' thinking when they are unfamiliar with a
particular subject. Attentive teachers create a trustful, respectful, dialogue and take
a social justice stance. They make statements to introduce the topic to stimulate
intellectual growth, deepen understanding and supportcuriosity. Teachers should
use thematic topics as guidelines to plan their objectives for daily lessons and
activities that uncover specific content. The curriculum should have big ideas to
build from and have various assignment options for students to choosefrom.
Section3 Diversity and Instructional Practices
Educational practices and curriculum strategies have failed to meet the needs
of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students. Educational
researchers have documented social injustices, educational inequalities and the
need for intentional reform on diversity in general education and special education
(Artiles, Kozleski, Trent, Osher, & Ortiz, 2010; Blanchett, 2009, 2013). Many of
them have advocated for the development and adoption of multicultural and
4. cultural responsive practices and strategies (Blanchett, 2009; Irvine, 2013).
However, development of instructional practices and service delivery models still
remain an issue teaching responsively with fidelity. Research based strategies
developed to meet the needs of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse
learners with exceptionalities are slim to none in the classroom. Therefore, the
authors of Multiple Voice issue are devoted to examining practices that explore the
interrelationships between culture, language and exceptionality by taking action to
address inequalities in education. They also address strategies to enhance the social
and academic needs of ethnically diverse students. They encourage families to
work collaboratively with special education teachers. Advocating for equality is a
plan of action that educators take to improve the learning of diverse students;
therefore, examining the school's structure and how it impacts student learning is
essential. Correa and her colleagues examined the effects of adapted dialogic
reading intervention on oral language and vocabulary skills of Latina students at
risk for English language delays. After their observation they designed dialogic
reading strategies and literacy games that improved students language and
communication skills. Other researchers like Sayman have targeted the needs of
Latina students in STEM and developed questioning and advocating strategies to
promote family engagement going beyond the status quo to ensure all learners
receive an equitable education that is evidence-based.
Diverse learners are students that need special instruction which includes
students with disabilities, students from other cultures other than mainstream, at
risk students, English learners and those that fall below the academic performance
average etc,. These students spend the majority of their day in general education
classrooms receiving instruction which has been an ongoing problem. A survey
done by the Department of Education (1991) found that 69% of students with
disabilities spent all or part of their day in general education classrooms and the
percentage is even higher for other diverse learners. This is problematic because
general education teachers use traditional curricula and conventional teaching
methods and instructional materials which fail to produceacademic results among
an increasingly heterogeneous student population (e.g; Boykin, 1982; Ciborowski,
1992; Ciborowski, Antes, Zorfass, & Ames, 1989; Cummins, 1984; Delpit, 1988;
Villegas, 1991). The root of the problem is the state and district adoption process,
selected material and purchasing decisions to be inclusive of diverse students
learning in general education classes.
5. The general and special educators need to collaborate on textbook decisions
to accommodate diverse students that would help them be successfulin a general
education classroom. Special educators need to have a major role in adopting and
selecting materials and assisting with development of the curriculum because they
are the voice for special learners. Research on textbooks and students with
disabilities has focused on modifications of existing textbooks (e.g., Lovitt, Rudsit,
Jenkins, Pious,& Benedetti, 1986) or special strategies or materials to supplement
the textbooks (e.g., Horton, Lovitt, Givens, & Nelson, 1989).
Textbooks should include teaching strategies designed to accommodate
students with disabilities which will also supportother learners. Teachers can
include instructional practices such as allocating time to tap prior knowledge and
the use of graphic organizers and ongoing assessments that would supportall
learners. Having small groups and cooperative learning environments are also
instructional practices that can supportdiverse learners; however, some students
may require one on one or pull-out services. Students should have input in their
education to increase a level of engagement. They should be given options on how
to articulate or distribute their understanding of the content being taught.
Responsive teachers use visual aids such as pictures, drawing, diagrams and
graphic organizers for students that aren’t auditory learners (Carrie, 2005; Curtis &
Bailey, 2001). Therefore, teachers should allow students to use hands-on
experiences to engage with materials to enhance learning of diverse students. This
bridges the gap in multicultural classrooms. Differentiated instruction should alot
for differentiated assessments which can document a story about students progress
over time instead of numerical data from traditional assessments. Some examples
include student-teacher conferences, presentations, non-verbal responses, role play
and written narratives. Organization and classroommanagement is very critical to
the learning environment; therefore, teachers should organize the environment to
encourage and nurture student learning. Learning is taking place through
productive interactions, collaborations, cooperative groups, negotiations and
problem solving tasks. All learners begin to share delegated authority to become
independent learners within their groups. Teachers must know that learning is
happening therefore, they should use data from a variety of sources like
homework, quizzes, group problem solving and practice exams to address
individual students’ learning styles and needs.
6. Section4 Diversity and Classroom/SchoolPoliciesandProcedures
The criteria I would use to evaluate classroomand schoolpolicies and
procedures on diversity issues:
1. Policies that supports a climate free of harassment and discrimination and that
values the contribution of all forms of diversity.
2. Policies that supportclimate for working and learning in a diverse setting.
3.Policies and plans to develop, review and maintain curricula and other service
learning that build competencyin diversity and cultural consideration.
4. Policies and plans to recruit, develop, promote and retain a diverse faculty and
staff.
5. Ongoing evaluations of the effectiveness of the above listed criteria.
There are state and district policies that supporta climate free of harassment
and discriminination of any kind. Professional development and assessments are
done on these topics at the beginning of the schoolyear and your signature is
required to reference your completion and understanding about harassment and
discrimination. A diverse setting for learning and working should involve
community participation and representation of diverse perspectives. Teachers,
parents and students and other stakeholders like business leaders, community
organizations should all be included in providing the best education for all
students. Community engagement is necessary to build a collective understanding
of how diversity plans advance the equity of the district and community as a
whole. The community can share resources, create educational opportunities that
benefit all students. Working with faith based leaders, businesses and policy
makers can develop community buy-in and public will. During our schoolcarnival
local vendors participated and we discovered there were parents that didn’t know
the schoolwas part of their neighborhood. Ongoing community events can build
engagement and lasting diverse relationships.
A positive schoolclimate is a schoolthat focuses on providing an
environment that is safe, supports academics, disciplines, respects, trusts and cares
for all students. The schoolfollows many policies and procedures from state and
district guidelines; however, in my observation I’ve noticed some inconsistencies
with the previous administrator concerning behaviors of students and how they are
disciplined or not. These inconsistent actions lead to mistrust, complaints, gossip
and chaos among students, parents and staff. Policies and procedures need to be
clear, conciseand consistent. As an administrator I would ensure that I am fair and
7. transparent and actually follow the guidelines established; everyone needs to be
held accountable in ensuring a safe and productive learning environment for
students and staff. Developing a positive schoolculture and climate, including
addressing bullying and harassment is important to help students and staff feel safe
and comfortable.The district has special services and a mission statement to
identify and meet the diverse needs of each child through high quality instruction
and supportservices whereby all children are empowered to reach their individual
potential and becomelifelong learners. We will provide a world class education to
all students regardless of their circumstances.
All students can build on their experiences and culture;therefore, teachers
should provide culturally responsive instructions. I do as much as I can to provide
my English learners with culturally relevant resources and instruction during RTI;
however, it’s not enough because of disruptive behaviors and distractions. These
students need to be pulled out so they can receive the appropriate instruction as an
English learner.
The schooland district is short staffed but teachers just press through but
they are burned out and ready to resign. Which brings me to my next point:
recruitment and retention. The district, board and teachers are trying to find ways
to attract new teachers by adding more money to the base salary. I believe the first
thing would be to conducta rootcause analysis on the reasons teachers resign. In
speaking with many teachers that are leaving my current schooland teachers
within the district, behaviors and inadequate administrators was the number one
complaint. Teachers felt like they are not being heard and disciplines aren’t being
handled appropriately. Money didn’t come up at all in my conversations. The
teachers that are remaining are vested and almost ready to retire. Districts and
administrators need to be diverse in their hiring practice to reflect their campus
diversity.
As an administrator I will listen to my staff, be present on campus and in the
classrooms. I will make sure I build positive relationships with my staff to ensure
they are included in any decision making. I will provide them the supportthey
need to be successful. An ongoing assessment should be established to determine if
we are meeting the criteria mark. For best practices, I would establish teams that
include all stakeholders who will develop benchmarks to ensure policies and
programs are making an impact or if adjustments need to be made. We could
measure success orfailure from a diversity benchmark in different areas such as
8. discipline rates, teacher instruction, resources, participation in advanced
coursework, extra-curricular activities, absenteeism achievement gaps and special
education rates. This information can be used as a starting point to increase
diversity, equity and excellence within our school.
References
Evans, L. M., Turner, C.R., & Allen, K. R (2020). “Good Teachers”with
“Good Intentions”: Misappropriations of Culturally ResponsivePedagogy. Journal
of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research, 15(1), 51-73.
Fiore, T.A., & Cook, R.A. (1994). Adopting Textbooks and Other
Instructional Materials: Policies and Practices that Address Diverse Learners.
Remedial and Special Education, 15(6), 333-347
Howe, W. A., & Lisi, P. L. (2018). Becoming a multiculturaleducator (3rd
ed.). SAGE Publications.
Shealey, M. W., Blanchett, W.J. (2015). Advocacyin Action: Examining
Service Delivery, Instructional Practices, and Engagement for Ethnically Diverse
Exceptional Learners. Multiple Voices for Ethnically Diverse Exceptional
Learners, 15(2), 1-2
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of
Education, U.S. Department of Transportation, Dear Colleague Letter,
Washington, DC, (June 2016). Improving Outcomes for All Students: Strategies
and Considerations to Increase Student Diversity
