Running head: DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 1

Diversity Statement of Informed Beliefs

Demers-McFarland, Stacey J.
Instructor: Dr. LueLinda Egbert
EDUC 204: Families, Communities, and Cultures, Fall C03W










DIVERSITY STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 2

Statement of Informed Beliefs
A classroom is made up of unique individuals, who all have the ability to learn. Their
very differences are what unite society. Being an educator requires knowledge of these
differences and also ways to accept and incorporate them into the learning environment. It is
important that a teacher demonstrates excitement for education, passion and empathy for
children, and also the constant striving for a successful future. Embarking on my teaching
journey, I look forward to the challenges and many years of learning to take place, not only with
the children, but with myself. My statement of informed beliefs will cover the notion that
regardless a students ecology, all children have the ability to learn, and an equitable bias-free
learning environment will facilitate successful education.
All Students Can Learn
All children help to form the diverse world we live in. Children represent different races,
religions, sexes, socioeconomic status, and abilities (to name a few) that influence how they
learn. All children exhibit differing learning styles, or ways they think, process, and react to
new information. As a teacher, it is your professional responsibility to honor these differences
and foster an appropriate learning environment for the education of all children.
A teachers ethical duty is to display a lack of bias and the desire for all children to
succeed. All students have the right to a free and public education (FAPE) as governed by law.
A responsible teacher needs to ensure that no children are left behind. As such, a teacher
needs to instruct with passion, advocate for education, and persevere in the face of great obstacle.
Howard Gardner discussed the idea of multiple intelligences. He identifies specific
intelligences that encompass human capability to include logical-mathematical, linguistic,
bodily-kinesthetic, musical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist, (Berns, 2013, p.
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230-231). When a teacher considers the multiple intelligences theory, a teacher can find
individual student qualities that will help build upon each childs sense of self.
When dealing with student teacher interactions, it is important to understand that the
teacher affects the student, and the student affects the teacher; it is a reciprocal relationship that
occurs. Knowing this, a teacher can reflect on his/her teaching style and learn to understand that
how the children react to him/her can encourage behaviors, positive or negative. A teacher must
be mindful that his/her verbal actions, as well as nonverbal language, all incorporate into how a
teacher influences a students ability to learn.
Developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) lay down the foundation for creating
educational goals. According to Berns (2013) effective teacher are warm, enthusiastic, and
generous with praise, and have high status, (p. 245). With this in mind, creating education
goals around a positive attitude and a desire for all children to succeed becomes an important
mission. A teacher is a model (children will imitate actions), provides guidance (children search
for advice and understanding), and leads (the teacher is in charge of a classroom and takes on the
important role of educating our future society). In all, it is important to set expectations high,
although realistic, to achieve a successful education for all children.
Students Social Ecology Theory
A teacher must understand the complex inter-weavings of a childs social ecology in
order to facilitate an appropriate learning environment. A students ecology is the
interrelationships between them and their environment (as cited in Berns, 2013). According to
Berns (2013) Bronfenbrenner developed a, conceptual model for studying humans in various
social environments [and it includes] four basic structures, the microsystem, the mesosystem,
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the exosystem, and the macrosystem, (p. 17). All these parts contribute to a childs
socialization. The influences of the microsystem include family, school, peer group,
community, and media. The mesosystems are the, linkages and relationships between two or
more of a persons microsystems, (Berns, 2013, p. 20). A childs exosystems can include
things such as, parents work, school boards, community boards, federal/state commissions,
and/or social services, (Berns, 2010, p. 22) that the children are not direct participants in but
still have an effect on them. The macrosystem of a childs ecology consists of , the society and
subculture to which the developing person belongs, with particular reference to the belief
systems, lifestyles, patterns of social interactions, and life changes, (Berns, 2013, p. 22). All of
these systems function as forces that can impact a childs learning in positive or negative ways.
A childs first teacher is their family(which can be represented in several different way
such as the nuclear family including a mother and father, or perhaps a grandparent raising their
grandchild, or even a same sex couple). A childs family sets the foundation for learning. The
diversity presented in various families, cultures, and communities must be understood and
implemented into learning. Knowing whether or not a child comes from an example of a
competent or incompetent environment directly relates to how well the child will function in a
learning environment. When a child is born into a competent environment the child will
demonstrate characteristics that will help foster the childs learning and develop into a positive
sense of self. Erik Erickson was an important contributor of explaining how, the personality
development of individuals [explains] the outcome of their interactions and social
environment [He identified] eight critical stages of psychosocial development in a humans
life that affect the self-concept, (Berns, 2013, p. 37). Erikson helped to demonstrate that from
infancy a person progresses through challenges in life that are influenced by environment
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resulting in competent or incompetent characteristics. Coming from an incompetent
environment the child may be at a disadvantage, however all children can succeed if given the
chance. Knowing the struggles a child has/is facing will help the teacher develop the appropriate
individualistic goals needed for that child to succeed.
The interactions of the various systems can foster positive socialization, or how children
acquire knowledge, skills, and character traits that enable them to participate as effective
members of groups and society (as cited in Berns, 2013). By warm, loving, attentive, and
encouraging environments (competent environments) where the child has developed secure
attachments (bonds), it improves the childs learning by alleviating external stresses. When
there are external stresses such as divorce, poverty, neglect, or war (to name a few, or
incompetent environments) the child may enter into the learning environment at a disadvantage.
Discrimination and Learning
Appreciating cultural diversity is a great way to develop teaching styles that are inclusive
and celebrate the diversity our society demonstrates. I advocate for the incorporation of
unbiased learning environments, to include the absence of racism and sexism, as well as
including all abilities and religions. The presence of family trees and understanding of childrens
histories are important in celebrating students as individuals, and a great way to inform the
classroom of various traditions of cultures. Familiarizing yourself with each individual child
fosters positive communication and acknowledgment of a students ecology.
Honoring diversity, it is important to identify what discrimination may look like.
Cultural assimilation, according to Berns (2013), is the process whereby a minority
(subordinate) cultural group takes on the characteristics of the majority (dominant) cultural
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group, (p. 191). Up until recently, this represented the norm of American society. We valued a
conformist immigrant population. This could be viewed as a discriminatory action where we
were asking culturally diverse people to forget their heritage and traditions and develop into the
All-American. Society is now seeing the value in cultural diversity, and the notion of cultural
pluralism, or the mutual appreciation and understanding of various cultures and coexistence in
society of different languages, religious beliefs, and lifestyles, (Berns, p. 191), is being honored.
Knowing what individualistic and collectivistic cultures look like is also important in education.
This will help to avoid biases. Our Western society features focus on me tendencies to include
according to Berns (2013), emphasis on individual fulfillment and choice, (p. 103), whereas
collectivism focus more on the we. This helps explain why in our Western society we would
take it as rude to not look someone in the eyes when we talk, but possibly a child coming from a
more collective orientation would divert eye contact when talking to an elder. Knowing the
subtle differences in how Gesellschaft (Individualistic) and Gemeinschaft (Collectivistic)
groups value socialization characteristics will help prevent bias.
Equitable Education for all Students
A teacher must be aware of the risk negative social and environmental experiences, such
as discrimination, divorce, and poverty have on a child. Discrimination can affect the childs
sense of self, making them feel inferior enabling them to not live up to their full potential. That
is why a teacher must diligently assure that the learning environment presents no biases. Divorce
is a complicated matter for children. When dealing with divorce, it is important to reiterate to
the child that they are not to fault, a teacher must be sensitive to a childs emotional state, and
knowing how boys versus girls and how different ages respond is advantageous to a teacher.
Providing a stable, safe, secure learning environment is extremely important. Poverty
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unfortunately affects many children. As stated in Berns (2013), One is six children in the
United States live in poverty, (p. 353). This economic factor spills over into community.
Children who deal with this are at a disadvantage academically, making them prone to dropouts,
substance abuse, psychological disorders, and run ins with the law to name a few. However,
there are several resources that are available. A teacher must also be aware of disabilities and
practice inclusion when possible. Student with disabilities often time have an individualized
education plan (IEP) which outlines the learning goals for that specific child. It is important to
remember that even children with disabilities can learn. Our government stresses the importance
of providing a free public education to all, no matter what challenges a child is facing. Often
times the school itself becomes a safe haven for children, it becomes the most stable and safe
environment some of them have.
A teacher should take pride in being considered a caregiver. A successful teacher is
dedicated to ensuring that all children who enter into a learning environment will feel safe and
will experience a positive learning environment. It just takes one person to care. Taking time
for self-reflections, analyzing your teaching methods through feedback and assessments,
encouraging cooperation, valuing individualism, and honoring diversity are just a few qualities a
successful teacher demonstrates. Understanding the history of education, the diversity of our
society, and each individuals personal culture and history can make the difference in providing
the successful learning environment to teach each unique child. I have identified what is
important to me to create this successful learning environment that promotes education for all.


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References
Berns, R.M. (2013, 2010). Child, family, school, community: Socialization and support (9
th
ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth