Niles Lavey

July 31, 2017

Reflective Commentary
We discussed how the teacher can best facilitate the diverse learner’s ability to retain content

knowledge and develop socially. As educators we will be challenged daily when it comes to

passing on the information that the students are required to retain. In this class we focused on

diversity in two major ways. We focused on cultural diversity and disability diversity. I will

start with the cultural diversity. In Malachi’s class we talked about the racial imbalance of white

versus minority teachers and we talked about white privilege. What I feel is one of the main

barriers toward diversity in education is simply that the lack of diversity among teachers. As we

learned the teaching pool is majority white and middle class; is this a problem? Well yes and no,

until we have more minorities as teachers we have to work with what we have. This is not saying

a white middle class man or woman is incapable of teaching to a diverse student body, it simply

means that there are hurdles to overcome.

We need to address this issue as a nation if children of color only see white teachers or

predominantly white teachers; this sends an unspoken but none the less strong message. What

message this sends to a young black male is not Germaine to me since I am not a young black

male. However it is not hard to see the implications for a young black male if all he sees in the

classroom is middle class white female teachers, for example. Is this the 25 year old white

female student teacher’s fault? Is it her fault that she spent an easy $30,000-70,000 to achieve

this level of education all in the hopes of bettering society by offering her services to educate our

children? I would say no it’s not her fault that her demographic is over represented. We need to

address the stigma that the majority demographic is somehow lacking in its ability to teach

diverse students and to properly represent these diversities within their curriculum.
In my opinion one of the major issues with our education is the American-centric tendency of

our curriculum. When I say American-centric I really mean our male dominated Anglo-Saxon

western civilization view of the world. I feel that social studies and literature teachers have an

easier time including diversity within their classrooms. As a history major I would be hard

pressed to not be able to find examples of great kingdoms, empires or figures from every

demographic. But ever so we still get the watered down comfortable and socially polite versions

of history we spoon feed our children. We don’t water down or narrow the reality of our past for

their protection, we do it to protect ourselves and our delicate sensibilities.

What I got out of Malachi’s class is this; teachers need to find a way to relate to all of their

students regardless of race, gender, sex, religion or disability. We need to get to know them,

humanize them and we also need to represent them within our curriculum. We need to provide

examples of their demographics’ contribution to society or history. We need to make education

mean something to them and we need to have our lessons relate to their lives personally. We

also need to let them get to know us as teachers in where we come from and why we do what we

do. We need to ask the student about themselves and we need to address the uncomfortable

things in our world openly and honestly. I feel that one way to achieve a more diverse learning

environment is to acknowledge that we have a white privilege and it’s not something that we

chose to have. If we (white people) are aware of this privilege, we can choose not to worry about

race if we want to whereas a young black man cannot. We also need to empathize and try and see

the world from their point of view. Inclusion is another major factor we need to consider for

these diversities and represent them within our curriculum. Inclusion leads me into the diversity

within disability discussion.

During these past classes we have talked a lot about modifications and accommodations and all

the different things we can do to help facilitate the education of ethnic groups and physically and

developmentally disabled people. I see the greatest modification and accommodation to be

inclusion, as we have had the tendency in the past to restrict, separate or segregate everyone who

does not fit the “normal” characteristics within in our education system. All three of the articles

I picked for the lesson plan project focused on how modifications or accommodations focused on

one thing, inclusion. Inclusion, in my mind, is the biggest factor when it comes to education or

facilitating learning for a diverse student. Research has shown that marginalized groups who are

included and allowed to socialize with their peers have marked increases in achievement.

As a teacher I will have to be cognizant of and maintain an environment of inclusion. In

reference to students with 504s and IEPs I will have to be able to provide students on an

individual level with the modifications and accommodations set forth by the 504s and IEPs;

however I do not need a special file on a student to recognize their diversity and I definitely do

not need a special file on a child to understand that we all learn in different ways and we all

come from different places. I don’t need a file in order to empathize and see these kids as

people; I know that I will have to find a way to make school matter to them and I know I will

have to find a way to include their heritage within their education.

References

Buckley, S., Bird, G., Sacks, B., Archer, T. (2006) A comparison of mainstream and special
education for teenagers with Down syndrome: Implications for parents and teachers. Down
Syndrome Education Online, 9(3). Retrieved from http://www.down-syndrome.org/reports/295/
Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. (2010). Supporting the student with Down
syndrome in your classroom. Michigan: Hammer, E.

Vaughan, M., Henderson, A. (2016). Exceptions educators: a collaborative training partnership

for the inclusion of students with Down’s syndrome. Support for Learning, 31(1), 46-58.