Running head: CLASSROOM CULTURAL DIVERSITY 1

Classroom Cultural Diversity

Sarah Martin
California State University Chico
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Abstract

This paper reflects my understanding of a diverse classroom at work. It also reflects on how and

educator should interact with a diverse set of students. I received this information through a

thirty-minute observation, where I took notes when I saw effective teaching methods for diverse

students. In my writing, I reflected in the manner in which I saw diversity and diversity learning

methods. I then reflected on what I learned, and analyzed what I saw to be most important in this

observation, as well as what it meant to me and how I could apply it to my future teaching. My

findings suggested that it is essential to not only recognize that there is diversity in a classroom,

that it is also essential for a teacher to know the differences and their students and how to treat

those differences in an equitable, rather than an equal manner.

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Classroom Cultural Diversity

The students I observed are all in a sixth-grade English class. Finding diversity in a

charter school is a challenge, and is found mostly in my school in the form of low socioeconomic

status. It is difficult to get a diverse population of students due to the fact that parents with high

social capitals are the ones who seek out charter schools. There is one second language learner

that I was made aware of in the class, but this was not made out to be a concern from my

placement teacher. With my own observation, I found that ability levels are mixed in the

classroom, there are definitely students with different levels of strength in their writing. This was

made apparent to me after checking students work and aiding them and improving their skills

prior to this lesson. In sixth grade, there is certainly a mixed range of personalities. Students are

trying to find out where they stand with their peer groups and are developing their personalities

to be more mature, yet at the same time they still want to hold on to their child-like personality. I

was made aware of two students with home trauma, whose needs arent being met at home. One

student reacts in anger and distrust in others. The other doesnt get enough sleep at home,

resulting in sometimes having a lack of attention in class.

The teacher engages all students in the lesson by creating an activity where students can

choose what they want to write about, this activity is known as Writers Workshop. Each student

is supplied with a Chromebook to complete the activity. Different learning styles are addressed

since each student is at their own writing level pace. By creating their own writing, they can

improve their experience and level of writing at their own pace. If I was a student in the class I

observed, my learning style would be addressed in the sense that I can work either

independently, or co-write a piece of writing to see others writing skills and capabilities at work.

Students were very involved in the learning activities because they could write about what
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interested them, they were not limited to a prompt. What made me notice that students were

involved was the silence in the room, as well as the sound of typing and evolving of writing I

saw from students computers. This only differed for one student, who was falling asleep due to

their home life.

Every classroom comes with its own challenges, yet I feel as though my placement

teacher is so aware of the challenges of her students face, that it comes natural to her to address

them. My placement teacher worked with the reluctant learner by monitoring each student. She

makes positive comments and suggestions to students who seem to be stuck. While the English

learner is helped by simply exposing themselves to more writing. The teacher will then

encourage the students writing by making positive comments about the content or subject of the

writing. The physically/emotionally challenged student is helped in the sense that there is a

smaller level of trust with the student towards their teacher, so the teacher is careful in their level

of conversation. The student doesnt like speaking to other students in the class, unless it is their

best friend. As a result, the teacher will speak to them as a couple, instead of commenting on the

physically/emotionally challenged students work alone. Then there are the academically

challenged students, who have a parent volunteer help the students one on one to improve their

writing skills.

My placement teacher did not modify instruction since the activity could be taken at

many different levels of learning, the students writing skills can only improve with this activity.

A culturally diverse student could take this chance at free writing to write about what they

understand or are passionate about in life. I did not observe any instances of students being

excluded from learning because their needs were not being met from the teacher. Every student

receives positive comments from the teacher and is encouraged to do their best. While I did
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notice an instance of a student being excluded from learning because their needs were not being

met at home. One student has a bad home life according to the teacher, and will fall asleep in

class. It did impact the student in the sense that they were not mentally prepared for the day. The

teacher let the student wake up on their own, knowing that they would not put in good work

when they were tired. I have always noticed that my placement teacher does a good job in

understanding her students and instinctively reacting to whatever needs they have.

When teaching a diverse group of students, there will be many challenges that come

along. For one, it is important for an educator to teach their students equitably, and not equally.

When first getting to know a group of students, it may be challenging knowing how to give

students an equitable balance of focus. Every classroom has their own differences in students,

which is why it is important to know the circumstances your students face. The reason a student

may not be doing well in class or is acting out can likely be because of trauma. My placement

teacher has such a great understanding of her students and I want to replicate the same

understanding that my teacher has in her classroom. I noticed that she instinctually knows how to

interact with each student and how to treat them, depending on the lesson or activity. This is the

same type of relationship and understanding of students that I want in my classroom. I have such

respect for my placement teacher and her passion for her students and their education. The

positive effect it has on students truly shows when I observe her and I hope to have the same

effectiveness in my future teaching.