Diversity K-12 Education

Running head: PROMOTING DIVERSITY 1

Promoting A Diverse Environment:

Creating a Collaborative Culture

Britney Dabney

EDU 512 : Diversity in K-12 Education

May 28, 2015

PROMOTING DIVERSITY 2

Introduction

Diversity as defined by Webster is “the quality or state of having many different forms,

types, ideas, etc.” and “the state of having people who are different races or who have

different cultures in a group or organization” (Diversity). Both of these definitions are

key to running a successful environment not only in the classroom, but in life after as

well. In this paper I will be developing a classroom plan to promote a culturally diverse

environment for my students. Then, I will be analyzing various implications and

strategies to aid my classroom plan. Finally, I will be forming method to implement my

lesson.

Lesson Plan

Objective:

Students will be able to identify the meaning of diversity and apply it to everyday life.

They also will be able to use strategies learned to encourage diversity throughout their

communities.

Target Audience:

• Students of various backgrounds with ages ranging from 9-10 years of age

• General Education inclusion classroom with both male and female students

• 4th Grade Public School system in a low socioeconomic community

• Primarily African American and Hispanic Students

Plan Overview:

Students will be learning about diversity through a project based group assignment. I will

assign each of them two partners to work with on the project. They then will be assigned

a culture, some represented in the classroom and some not, to research. They will need to

PROMOTING DIVERSITY 3

utilize various research methods to find out key things about their assigned ethnicity to

bring back and share with the class. Sharing will be through presentation using any form

of visual the students choose. Also, exposure is a key when it comes to representation of

a diverse community. Because most of what the students see are similar to them in

culture, a diverse group of guest will come to visit our classroom.

Daily Instruction:

Day 1- Classroom Discussion: What is diversity? What does it mean to be a diverse

environment? What are some cultures we see every day that we want to know more

about?

We will use the answers from our discussion to generate the topics for the projects.

Day 2 - Project Overview: We will talk about the project and assign groups. Students will

begin the research process.

Day 3 through Day 6 - Research and Project Preparation: Students will use these days to

work in their group on their projects.

Day 7 through Day 9 - Presentations : Students will present about their culture to their

classmates through the visual aid they have created.

Day 10 - Reflections and Community Action Plan : We will take this day to reflect on

what we learned from our peers about the various cultures and develop a plan to educate

our community as well. We will also be discussing how we can use what we learned in

our everyday interactions with others. For example, now that we know the meaning

behind the head covering we will no longer make fun of or stare strangely at people we

see with one. We will work on signs and posters to place around the school to encourage

those around us to learn more about others and promote diversity.

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Materials:

• Computers

• Markers

• Colored Pencils

• Crayons

• Paper (Lined, Colored, and White)

• Internet Access

• Library Books about cultures

• Craft Materials (Glue, Scissors, etc.)

• Guest

Assessment:

As an assessment, students will be responsible for writing a reflective journal entry

making an action plan as to how they will carry out their classroom knowledge from the

classroom and school community to their home and neighborhoods.

Implications of Social Class

One major implication that social class has is the lack of resources at home for

the students. “Families from low-SES communities are less likely to have the financial

resources or time availability to provide children with academic support. Children’s

initial reading competence is correlated with the home literacy environment, number of

books owned and parent distress (Aikens and Barbarin, 2008). However, parents from

low-SES communities may be unable to afford resources such as books, computers, or

tutors to create this positive literacy environment (Orr, 2003).” (Education and

Socioeconomic Status Fact Sheet) The fact that they cannot afford these resources at

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home limits the amount of home based enrichment to aid school learning. This lack of

home resources also limits the teacher. We are limited in the assignments that we send

home for homework because we have to think about our audience and their home access

to the necessary tools to complete the assignment.

Another major implication on social class is the lack of parental involvement in

those areas. Whether it be because of the parents heavy work load to provide for their

family or their disinterest in the children’s education, it is a known fact that areas with

lower income have a harder time getting parents involved. “Several studies find that the

social class of working class parents structurally limits parental involvement (Lareau

1987, Mehan et al. 1996). For example, in their study on African American and Latino

working class families, Mehan et al. (1996), argue that “asking low-income parents to

attend school events and to help in the classroom…[makes] demands on the time and

disposable income of parents,” which are more easily fulfilled by middle and upper class

parents. In other words, they argue that working class parents are unable to be as

involved in traditional ways in their child’s education due to the constraints of their jobs”

(Garcia)

Using the lesson I created I plan to address some of these issues. By figuring

out a plan at school for how the students can realistically implement a plan for promoting

diversity in their neighborhoods and homes. Also, I can send home materials necessary

for implementing the plan so the lack of resources at home won’t be an issue. Secondly

we can record our classroom reflections, plans, and guest input and provide it to parents

for home view at their leisure. By bringing the discussions home to them they will not

have to take off of work to attend a school meeting during school hours. Also, it gives the

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parents the freedom to watch it on their own time. Hopefully it will generate a dialogue

between the student, parent, as well as other household occupants thus spreading the

word about diversity.

Addressing Gender Bias

When thinking of diversity when tend to only address ethnicity, race, and

culture, however we mustn’t forget that gender is also a component that need not be

neglected. “In the 1970s and 1980s, it was not unusual to see attempts to increase

diversity in education or workplaces described as outreach to women or minorities, as if

these two groups were mutually exclusive”(Banks 145) “however, in heterogeneous,

multicultural societies, inequities often exist around race and ethnicity as well as gender”

(Banks 145) therefore posing the need to address the two as its own issue. In my lesson, I

plan to directly address cultural diversity and indirectly put plans in place to avoid gender

bias throughout the lesson.

The first strategy would be to make the students aware in our introductory

discussion that gender is in fact part of being diverse. We can then look at our classroom

dynamic and really see that even though the class may be composed of mostly the same

race we are still diverse in our own way. The second strategy to avoid gender bias would

be to make sure the student work groups have both genders represented so that during

research they both can have input. Lastly, for our closing reflections I will make sure our

guests are not only culturally diverse but also representing both genders. By having this

gender component present when talking to those of other cultures, they may be able to

share with the class some specific gender traditions and issues of those cultures.

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Implementation Plan

In looking at my lesson plan I feel as though it is very attainable. In order to

implement my plan in the classroom I plan to do a number of things. One thing I would

need to do is to make sure I have access to all the resources needed. Most of the supplies

I already have, such as computers, internet access, glue, scissors, etc., but I will ask

around to my colleagues for things students want to use for visuals that I may not have.

For example, if a group would like to use feathers to represent a cultural mask or festival,

I would reach out to the art teacher to attain those supplies. Another thing would be to

make sure I have a diverse group of guest. I foresee this as the most difficult portion of

the project but not impossible. Many friends of mine are of different cultures and I know

they would be more than willing to help out. Also, I can reach out to the local college’s

education department to gather volunteers for our discussion and presentations. Finally, I

will have to work with my media specialist and principal to create the home visual for

parents to view. Many of the supplies needed for that aspect might be rather expensive

for me to supply, however our media specialist and technology person may be able to

help with some suggestions.

Conclusion

Teaching students about the importance of diversity and how to promote it

is just as important as a Math or Science lesson. These “side lessons” are key to

becoming a productive member of society as they move on past my classroom. My lesson

would open their hearts and eyes to all forms of diversity and educate them on the various

cultures.

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References

Banks, J. A. and Banks, C.A. (2012). Multicultural education: Issues and Perspectives,

8th Edition. Wiley, 2012-09-14. VitalBook file.

Diversity. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity

Education and Socioeconomic Status Factsheet. (n.d). Retrieved from

http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-

education.aspx

Garcia, N. (2013, December 4). Understanding Working Class Parental Involvement in

the College-Going Process. Retrieved from

http://thurj.org/ss/2013/12/4586/

Great paper that was well written. You performed well with adhering to the assignment

guidelines.