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
 Valuing Diversity 4

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.

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
 Valuing Diversity 5

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

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
 Valuing Diversity 6

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.

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
 Valuing Diversity 7

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

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
Valuing Diversity 9