Valuing Diversity 1

The Importance of Valuing Diversity in Education

Caroline Thompson
Wesleyan College

Valuing Diversity 2

Abstract
A classroom reflects the community that it is in. Each community in America is
extremely diverse in many ways, so classrooms are a diverse place. There are different
diversities such as: culture and ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, learning styles, and
socioeconomic status. These diversities need to be understood and appreciated. Each person has
something special to offer to the world. Learning about people different from ourselves can only
benefit us.

Valuing Diversity 3

America is the melting pot of the world; we have so many different kinds of people and
ideas. Our differences can be seen in our ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, and much more.
The United States is a very special place to live in due to our diversity. The differences between
us are a great thing, but can cause some issues when we dont take time to understand people that
are different from us. Because there is great diversity in America, there is obviously the same
kind of diversity in each the classroom. Valuing and understanding diversity in a classroom is
tremendously important when teaching in a place that is so diverse.
There are countless amounts of ethnicities in the world. The cultures that go with
different ethnicities can be very different from what one person might be used to. Most of the
time there is a different language for each ethnicity. In a school, a language barrier can be a very
hard thing to get past. Although English is the primary language in America, there are a lot of
English language learners (ELL) and children who know English as a Second Language (ESL). I
took a college class with a Latino man and he told me that in his home the only language his
family could speak was Spanish. This poses a problem when the only English that students get is
in school. Thankfully, there are ways to help the ESL and ELL students. But, instead of just
forcing those students to learn English, their language needs to be appreciated and recognized.
There are other cultural differences that should be recognized. What people eat, the music
they listen to, their manners and much more can be different from what one person is used to.
Students need to understand how many different cultures there are and how different from their
own they can be. Having children who are culturally different to share their life is a good way to
expose and inform their peers. That way, children can be aware of all the different lifestyles that
are surrounding them. Children can learn to appreciate differences in culture.

Valuing Diversity 4

There is more diversity in culture and race now than there ever has been in schools.
According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2014 only 62.1% of American are white alone,
with no Hispanic or Latino background. That means that almost half of America is a race aside
from Caucasian. Understanding and respecting race is important. In the past, only whites could
attend school in America. When blacks could attend school, there was racial segregation. The
Brown vs Board of Education case challenged the segregation in schools and won the case. It is
said to be one of the most pivotal opinions ever rendered by (the Supreme Court) (2015). It is
imperative to recognize that race used to be an issue, but now it isnt. Race should be recognized
but no one should be treated differently because of it.
Another difference in people is socioeconomic status. Many times, a student can get
bullied for not holding a high status. They can get made fun of for not dressing the same way or
having the same things as the better off students. It is important for children to understand
different statuses so bullying wont happen. It is never the childs decision of what status they are
born into. Children need to understand that having money or nice things does not make you
better than anyone else. A person can look at a low income family and a high income family and
there could be major differences in what each family holds important to them.
Having a different sexual orientation from the normal can cause bullying issues at any
age as well. Because of the new gay rights, more of this kind of stuff may show up. Sexual
orientation issues probably wont be encountered much in elementary school, but understanding
and respecting them needs to start at a young age. Children might start to understand their own
orientation at this age, so it is vital to inform children about the different orientations. I do
believe parents need to go over this with their children, and I am not saying that parents need to
go into too much detail. Children need to know that a homosexual relationship is just as valid as

Valuing Diversity 5

a straight relationship. I dont think relationships will be much of an issue, but I do think gender
identity may be. At this age, boys may want to wear more feminine clothing and girls may want
to play with more masculine toys. Children need to know that this is okay, that they can wear
or play with whatever they want.
A friend of mine had a student that wanted to wear earrings. This student was a boy and
the school tried to tell him that he couldnt wear them since he wasnt a girl. My friend, the
teacher, had to enforce the rule since her principal made her, but she told her student to look at
Title XI and get his mom to say something to the school about it. This student did inform his
mom and she pointed out that Title XI protects people from discrimination based on sex in
education programs (US Department of Education 2015). The school could not deny the child
the opportunity to wear earrings once the mother brought their attention to Title XI. This is a
good example of embracing a sexual diversity in school.
The last form of diversity, and the one that has probably been around the longest is
learning styles. There will never be a class where all the students have the same learning style.
Some students will learn better by listening and others will learn by doing hands on activities. All
the different styles should be appreciated and understood. Usually at the beginning of the year
teachers do a learning style assessment that informs the teacher and even the student what
learning style they have. It is important for the teacher to know the different learning styles so
she can know how to get information to each student in a way they will understand and
remember it. Students should know all the different learning styles and try to use them as they
learn.

Valuing Diversity 6

A teacher can show that she values and respects diversity by taking time to understand
everyone and how they are different. That means, taking the time to connect with the student and
ask appropriate questions about their life. The teacher needs to take an interest in her students
and understand their unique lifestyle. The teacher also needs to reach out to parents and get them
involved. Having parent involvement will help to understand their childs differences. The
parents can help if the teacher needs it. It is always a good idea to be connected with parents.
An associate professor of linguistics and language development, Rosemary Henze, also
suggest to structure teaching to acknowledge different perspectives (GreatSchools Staff). This
means taking a look at both sides of something when teaching a history lesson. Another
technique a teacher can use is to get students in groups together and share their ideas with each
other. Each student will contribute something different and students will learn how their peers
think and what they have to offer.
Having diversity in a classroom can strengthen the learning environment in many ways.
When students are exposed to diversity, they have the opportunity to learn about different kinds
of people and their way of life. Different experiences can be shared from different people. It can
teach students to help others when they are in need, inside and outside of school. Having
diversity will expose the different ways of learning and may speak to a child in a way that
nothing has before. Nothing but good can come from a diverse classroom when each student is
understood properly.
The dynamics of a diverse classroom are to make learning equally possible for all
students (Harvard University 2015). A classroom with great diversity will have its challenges
when it comes to teaching. With each student being different, the teacher will need to make sure

Valuing Diversity 7

she gets the information to each student in a way that they can understand it. The teacher will
have to constantly assess the students to make sure they are receiving the information. The
teacher will need to understand each students needs in order to teach them. All students deserve
to learn and a diverse classroom will have challenges, but with hard work, success can happen.
In conclusion, there is no way to avoid diversity in a classroom. In the 21st century, it is
essential to understand and value diversity. It needs to be recognized and included in the
curriculum so it can be understood properly. The classroom needs to work at its full potential,
and to do that every student needs to be understood and treated fairly. With America being so
diverse, it is important to teach children about it at a young age and for teachers to know about
the different diversities.

Valuing Diversity 8

References
United States Census Buerau. (2015).State and County QuickFacts. Retrieved from
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
(2015). Brown vs Board of Education: History & Culture.National Park Service. Retrieved
from http://www.nps.gov/brvb/learn/historyculture/index.htm
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (April 2015). Title IX and Sex
Discrimination.US Department of Education. Retrieved
from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html
GreatSchools Staff. How Important is Cultural Diversity at Your School? GreatSchools.
Retrieved from http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/cultural-diversity-at-school/
(2015). Classroom Dynamics & Diversity. Harvard
University, Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from
http://bokcenter.harvard.edu/classroom-dynamics-diversity