Running head DIVERSITY 1

Diversity in the Classroom

By

Megan Heathman

Master’s Portfolio ED 698

Dr. Katherine Spangler, Ph. D

June 16, 2017

Abstract

With such diversity among students in classrooms today, there is an essential need for

differentiation of instruction to effectively meet the needs of each child. Not only do we have

greater cultural diversity in schools, but also students’ experiences, backgrounds, learning styles,

abilities, and interests all affect how they approach the learning process. It is the role of the

educator to create a learning environment that addresses the needs of each student as an

individual. Through this paper I will discuss the research behind differentiation as well as the

practices that I have found effective in my own classroom for creating an environment that

fosters student learning.

Diversity in the Classroom

Goal 3: Adaptation to Diverse Students

A teacher teaches with respect for their individual and cultural characteristics. Candidates

understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning and

create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students.

What is Diversity?

I would like to start this discussion of diversity in the classroom by asking this simple

question: What is diversity? Until we have a clear understanding of what diversity is and how it

presents itself in students, we cannot develop a strategy for create an accepting and tolerant

classroom. Merriam-Webster defines diversity as, “the condition of having or being composed

of different elements, especially the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of

different races or cultures) in a group or organization.” From this definition, we can conclude

that diversity incorporates the different ways that we are all different. Cushner (2002) refers to

twelve aspects of culture that affect each person and their individuality. Some of these twelve

that I believe are particularly prominent in the classroom are race, ability and disability, gender,

social class, religion, and ethnicity.

Of course, it would be difficult to list all the many aspects that affect diversity in people.

The list would be as long as there are different individuals in the world. I would like to

summarize all of these ideas into my understanding of diversity as being the individual

differences that make each student and individual unique. These differences relate to many

factors in the students life, which is why it is so important to know each student as an individual

and understand their unique characteristics. In addition to understanding individual students, I

believe that a large part of understanding diversity in the classroom must include an
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understanding of how these individual differences interact with one another and change how

students approach learning and engaging in a school setting, as well as society as a whole.

Cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, and religious diversity are only increasing in the United

states, including the nation’s schools (Banks, 2013). Studies are projecting that ethnic minorities

will increase from one-third of the nation’s population in 2006 to 50 percent in 2042. Our

classrooms are not going to be unaffected by this increase in cultural diversity; they are going to

become more diverse along with the nation’s population, making the need for understanding and

teaching to diversity that much greater.

A Cultural Metaphor

I remember being introduced to the melting pot metaphor many years ago in my history

class when we were studying immigration and assimilation of many different nationalities into

the single culture of the United States. This concept made sense to me when looking at it in this

historical context. However, I do not think that this metaphor has the same application in today’s

world. When you apply this concept to a country today, or we could even say a classroom, you

end up losing the individual qualities of each student that makes them so special and diverse.

Instead, everyone is blended and assimilated into the same culture, or we could say curriculum,

and no one gains from a unique learning experience.

Rather than thinking of the classroom as a melting pot, I prefer a metaphor I was

introduced to during my studies in multicultural education: a kaleidoscope. Yvonne De Gaetano,

Leslie Williams, and Dinah Volk (1998) describe this metaphor as “many brightly colored

shapes that constantly change to make a more beautiful whole” (p. vii). This metaphor still

acknowledges that cultures interact and influence each other, but they are able to maintain their

own basic characteristics as well. This is how I see diversity in my classroom: as a kaleidoscope
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of different cultures, experiences, learning styles, and backgrounds, all interacting and

influencing one another, yet still maintaining their individual qualities.

Multicultural Education

The increase in cultural diversity among students calls for an increase in the need for

multicultural educational practices. With growing diversity in classrooms, Banks (2013) asks the

question, “How will you teach with excellence and equity?” (p. 45). I believe that the answer to

this question from a cultural standpoint is that you must understand the cultural background of

each of your students and understand how that affects their learning style. It is very clear that

with such great diversity among students, there must also be diversity in the curriculum being

taught in schools.

Firstly, I must understand my students and their culture. Students are intimately

connected to the different factors that make them who they are as an individual. I must

understand those factors if I am to teach effectively to each student as an individual. De Gaetano

et al. (1998) emphasize this idea in that teachers should “observe children carefully, seeking the

essence of who and what students are, their strengths, and their world” (p. 5). This

understanding of students’ culture is not something that I do once and move on with my teaching

practices, but it is an ongoing process of learning and discovery throughout the school year. This

process starts all over again each year with every new batch of students.

The Jellybean Game

One way that I like to begin to get to know my students at the beginning of the year is

with what I like to call the jellybean game. I have the class sit on the floor in a circle and pass

around a bowl full of jellybeans, telling each student to simply take what they “need.” After

being approached with some confusion and questions, students pass around the bowl, taking
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what they need of jellybeans. Invariably, some students take just one or two, some don’t take

any, and some take a whole handful (with a sly grin on their face as the excitement of getting all

these jellybeans builds). After each student has taken their share of jellybeans, I explain the

purpose of the activity: to get to know each other a little better. For each jellybean that a student

took, they must share one thing about themselves with the class. They can be simple facts or

more detailed experiences, but they must share one thing for each bean. As the grin on the

students’ faces who took a whole handful disappears, I reassure them that they will have no

problem coming up with facts, and I will go first to show them how it is done. As a few students

begin to share, you can feel the camaraderie in the classroom growing, as we are able to learn

things about each other that we did not know before. Students laugh together as they come up

with silly facts about themselves, “My favorite food is pepperoni pizza!” or “I have six pets at

home!” I cherish every bit of information I can get from this activity, as I realize that this is my

opportunity to begin to know who my students are, their likes and dislikes, their experiences, and

where they come from as an individual.

Utilizing the Community

Another resource that I have available to me in learning about students’ culture is their

family and the community that they come from. This can be one of the greatest sources available

to me by bridging the gap between home and school and truly learning where students come

from (Smith, 2010). The more that I can connect with students’ families and communities, the

more access I will have to learning about this unique culture. I encourage this connection in my

classroom through constant communication between home and school. I sent newsletters home

regularly, discussing what is happening in the classroom and inviting parents to join in activities

they are able to attend. I will call parents regularly to discuss their student’s progress and
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different ideas that we might share to be more effective in the learning process. I want to know

as much as I can about the students home and family and how I can incorporate the experiences

they have there with what is happening in the classroom.

Here in Sitka, we have a great opportunity and vast resource for bringing multicultural

education into the classroom. Alaska has a vast and rich native culture present in classrooms and

throughout the community. Many students in my classroom are Alaska Native and identify with

this culture. The curriculum that I bring into the classroom should be rich with connections to

this culture and its importance to Southeast Alaska. Roby Littlefield (1999) emphasizes the

importance of bringing Elders and other family members into the classroom to teach and share

on different topics. She states that these connections to older generations and experiences can

benefit the entire class and add to the learning process of all students.

I’ve had the opportunity to utilize some excellent community resources within my

classroom to teach about local culture. During our study of salmon and their connection to the

community, we are able to visit the local Sheldon Jackson Museum. Here, students listen to a

presentation about how salmon are connected to the local Tlingit culture and their history.

Students are also able to interact with some of the artifacts that show how the Tlingit culture

used salmon, such as a fish wheel, salmon skin clothing, and basket traps. This learning creates

a unique connection for those students who share the Tlingit culture in their own household and

can relate to the stories and experiences they’ve had in their own homes. It also benefits students

who may not have a connection to Tlingit culture in their own home, but now have a connection

to our community as a whole and can understand how we all must depend on one another.

Differentiated Instruction
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As a teacher, I am faced with the challenge every day of engaging twenty-plus students

who all have individual interests, backgrounds and learning styles. There is a quote from Sousa

and Tomlinson (2011) that has always stuck with me when I think about differentiation in the

classroom. They state, “Differentiation is neither revolutionary nor something extra. It is simply

teaching mindfully and with the intent to support the success of each human being for whom we

accept professional responsibility” (p. 9). Differentiation is something that is embedded into my

teaching practice. It shouldn’t be something that I try to add in after the fact. It is my role as an

educator to take on this responsibility, and I must teach with the goal of reaching each student at

his or her level of understanding and experience.

When I first began teaching, this seemed like a very daunting task. How was I to take a

single curriculum and structure it to the individual needs of every student? Would this not

require me to create twenty different lesson plans? However, an effective model of

differentiation does not require me, as the teacher, to be all things to all students at every part of

the day (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011). It requires me to simply teach in a mindful manner, being

aware of where my students are and addressing individual needs and interests as they arise.

For example, this is a situation that arose during a math lesson that I was teaching. We

were in the middle of a unit studying fractions, a topic that many students approach with some

fear and uncertainty. The particular lesson that we were covering one day was that of equivalent

fractions. We had already covered material on how fractions are represented and understanding

their value. As I began teaching the lesson, I realized right away that some students were

struggling with the concept quite a bit. It was apparent to me that several students still didn’t

have the base understanding of fraction values to move on to comparing fractions. However,
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there were other students in the class who were catching on right away and moving quickly

through the material.

After school that day, I looked through each student’s Quick Check (a short exit ticket

that students complete at the end of a math lesson to show me their understanding of the

material). I separated the students into three groups: those who were struggling with the concept,

those who were pretty close to understanding with just a few misunderstandings, and those who

clearly understood the lesson that day. I knew that the next day I was going to have another

adult in class during the math lesson, so I created a new plan. I took those three groups and I

made a separate activity for each one. For the students who were struggling, I pulled out my

fraction strips and planned on having them work with comparing fractions using the

manipulatives and whiteboards directly with my helper in the class. For the students who were

very close to understanding, I had a brief review activity, followed by a game where they would

continue to practice their skills comparing fractions. For the students who had a clear

understanding of the topic, I also had a review activity and then I was going to work with them to

take their understanding a step further by trying to place fractions on a number line. Using these

three groupings, I was able to rotate around the room, checking in on individual students and

groups to see how they were progressing. I didn’t have to create an individual lesson for each

student, but I was able to address the individual needs of learners in my classroom through

differentiation.

Creating Authentic Content

Differentiation not only includes how I teach, but also what I teach my students. A

healthy classroom is rooted in the idea that the content being taught is authentic, applicable,

relevant, and opens students’ minds to new ideas (Tomlinson, 2014). Differentiation would be
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useless if the content being taught was not relevant and interesting to students. I can say from

my own experiences that the best learning in my classroom always happens when students are

excited and interested in the topic being covered. This seems like it would be an obvious

statement, but it is surprising how easy it is to focus so much on the standards and curriculum

that needs to be covered in the year that you forget to make sure it is engaging to students.

One of the most engaging and fun lessons I taught so far was during a reading lesson with

a group of students. We were covering a unit that was addressing the big question “How does

matter change?” With this question to guide us, we were reading several books and completing

activities looking at the various states of matter and how they affect the world around us. During

one of these studies, the students got to read a book called “Ice Mummy” (Dubowski &

Dubowski, 1998). Every student was simply engrossed in the reading of that book. They were

able to see actual pictures of the mummy and discover the story of his death and scientists began

to unravel the mystery. It was such an engaging lesson, that I couldn’t just leave it there. I went

on to do some research of my own. I found several videos from National Geographic and other

resources showing the history of what began to be known as the “Ice Man.” Since the book that

the students read was written, scientists had made several more discoveries about the history of

the mummy and the story behind how he died. I printed off recent news articles, which we read

together to find out more of the recent developments to the story. Overall, it took a lesson that

was originally supposed to be covered in a day and spread it out over an entire week. However,

I wouldn’t have changed that at all, because it was still something that the students talked about

later in the year as being one of their favorite books that we read in third grade.

That is the type of authentic content that engages and appeals to students’ interests.

Rather than reviewing content with no real-world application, they are able to look at actual
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news articles, photographs, videos, and research that applies what they are learning. These are

skills that they will continue to utilize outside of school and as they move on with their education.

A Classroom Culture of Respect

The roots of an effective classroom lie in creating a culture of respect and understanding

among students (Tomlinson, 2014). My classroom culture is essential for how my students

approach learning and each other when they are at school. Creating a positive classroom culture

must begin at the top, with me. Teachers have such a huge impact on the culture of a classroom,

and I cannot underestimate the power of that influence (Miller, 2008). What I choose to say and

do in my classroom has a huge impact on how my students view their teacher, themselves, and

each other. I must start by setting a tone of respect and acceptance for every person that is in our

classroom.

Classroom Meetings

Every week in my class we have a classroom meeting. During these meetings, students

are able to share important things that have happened in their lives, we are able to address issues

and concerns in the classroom, and we are able to celebrate our successes together. During all of

our classroom meetings, I have everyone in our classroom sit on the floor in a circle, that way we

are all on the same level and everyone is able to see each person in the group. Sometimes during

these meetings I like to address certain issues that I may see arising in the class and practice

different skills that we could use together to solve them. One specific skill that we worked on

during several meetings was that of active listening. We discussed together what if feels like

when someone is really listening to you and how it feels when someone doesn’t really listen to

what you are saying. I brought into our circle meeting the definition of active listening. I started

this discussion by role-playing with another student a demonstration of active listening. I then
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asked students to tell me what kinds of things I was doing to show them that I was listening.

“You repeating back what they were saying,” was one response. “You were looking right in her

eyes and not out the window,” said another. One student says, “your body was pointed at her”

and another adds, “you were nodding your head up and down to show her you understood.” We

looked at all these observations and then I gave them a chance to practice on their own.

We formed what I like to call “a circle inside a circle” where each student in the inner

circle is facing a student in the outer circle. Students in the inside circle started as listeners while

students in the outside circle discussed this question: What is your favorite subject in school and

why? I gave students about a minute to discuss and listen, and then we switched roles. After

completing the activity, I asked, “How did it feel to be the listener?” Jack responded, “It felt like

I was really able to get to know more about Josh, I learned things that I might not normally pay

attention to.” Lilly added, “Yeah, it felt a little weird at first, but it felt good to show her I cared

about what she was saying.” Then I asked another question, “How did it feel to be the person

being listened to?” Most students responded with something like, “good” or “nice.” Zach added,

“I really felt like she was paying attention to me, and what I was saying was important to her.

That made me feel good.”

I closed the circle by leaving them with a challenge. I told them that I wanted them to

take one opportunity that night to actively listen to someone. It could be someone at home, like

their parents or a sibling, or it could be someone at school like a friend or a teacher. The

important thing was that I wanted them to pay attention to the different things we had talked

about, and really try to practice active listening. The next day I was going to check in with them

and ask them how it went. The following day when I checked in, not every student had an
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example of trying active listening, but a few did, and it was great to hear how they had tried to

use those skills at home or after school.

Examples like these are small ways that I would help our class build skills to create an

accepting and respectful classroom environment. I want my classroom to be a place where every

student feels like their voice is heard and that their opinion and thoughts matter. Those

expectations need to start with me and my actions, and then will trickle down to my students and

their interactions with each other.

Conclusion

Differentiation is essential to having an effective classroom for student learning. It

begins with understanding each student and their individual needs and experiences. Once I know

who my students are and how they learn, I can begin to differentiate my instruction through

content and structure to reach them and their individual needs. This all begins by creating a

classroom environment that fosters respect and acceptance of every person in our classroom.
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References

Banks, James A. & Banks Cherry A. McGee (2013). Multicultural education: Issues and

perspectives. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Cushner (2002). Cushner’s 12 aspects of culture.

De Gaetano, Y., Williams, L., & Dinah, V. (1998). Kaleidoscope: A multicultural approach for

the primary school classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Diversity. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary online. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/diversity

Dubowski, M., & Dubowski, C. E. (1998) Ice Mummy: The discovery of a 5,000-year-old man.

Logan, IA: Perfection Learning.

Littlefield, R. (1999). Elders in the classroom. Sharing our Pathways, 4(2), 145-147.

Miller, D. (2008). Teaching with intention: defining beliefs, aligning practice, taking action.

Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Smith, S. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching. The Education Alliance, Brown University.

Sousa, D. A., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience

supports the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners

(2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.