Lesson 4

MAKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS

Imagine a classroom of 30 to 40 learners or even more. What do you see?

What have you observed? Perhaps you see a roomful of learners who behave
differently, varying in sizes, color and ability and are unique in their own respective
ways. They come from different families with a distinct packaging. They bring their
personal history to the classroom and each one is different.
This is what the principle of individual variation is all about. No two persons
are exactly alike. Each person is unique. All people are genetically and biologically
different from each other. Even identical twins will have their unique features. In as
much as people differ from each other, no two people can be expected to react in a
similar way to
the same environmental stimuli.
Diversity is everything that makes people different from each other (Kampen,
2019). This includes many different factors: race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual
orientation, handicapping conditions, socio-economic status, age, religious belief, or
political conviction. Other demographic factors such as family lifestyles, personality
characteristics, and family composition may also be considered. The University of
Rhode
Island defines diversity in the classroom as "understanding that each student brings
unique experiences, strengths, and ideas to our classroom. Diversity is the
exploration
and incorporation of these differences to enrich learning in our classroom. "All these
factors work together to inform how everyone encounters the world. Understanding,
accepting and valuing diverse backgrounds can help our learners thrive and survive
in this ever-changing world.

There are different types of diversity which include:

1. Diversity in terms of personal characteristics. These cover age,
communication
gender, style, background and socio-economic personality.
2. Diversity in terms of student background. These have to do with culture,
ethnicity, language, political beliefs, social class and religion.
3. Diversity in terms of cognitive aptitude to cover a cognitive abilities,
technical abilities and skills Sands as well as social abilities and skills.
4. Diversity in terms of level of motivation and diversity of opinion.
Nowadays, teachers are faced with a classroom that is a melting pot of learners
with a variety of biological, social and cultural backgrounds. They bring diverse
characteristics into the classroom regardless of grade or subject they may be
attending. Given the diversity of today's society, the ability to connect with peers,
classmates, co-workers is invaluable or indispensable.
The concept of diversity is oftentimes associated with inclusion. The concept
of inclusion goes beyond diversity because simply having different kinds of learners
in the classroom does not necessarily mean the exercise of inclusion. It is when
people coming from different demographics feel welcomed can say that the
classroom is inclusive. Inclusion refers to a cultural and environmental feeling of
belonging. Thus if a child with hearing impairment feels comfortable inside the
classroom because the teacher and classmates are accepting, then we can say that
inclusion is practiced. An inclusive classroom makes the learners feel valued,
respected, accepted, and encouraged to fully participate in the class activities.
Teachers who recognize and embrace diversity should endeavor to make the
classroom inclusive.
Teachers have the responsibility to make sure that learners can learn and
study in a diverse environment and collaborate with each other. This implies the
creation of a classroom community which is supportive making the children ready to
learn with the prevailing sense of security, support, happiness, excitement, curiosity
and interest. The school curriculum ought to teach learners how to live and work in
a society where every individual's uniqueness is respected and appreciated.
Diversity improves critical thinking skills, builds empathy and encourages students
to think differently.
If a teacher recognizes diversity in the classroom this will enable him or her
to plan for teaching methodologies to maximize learning. This can also help the
teacher
communicate his awareness and appreciation of each one in the classroom. It also
makes the teacher conscious of the language being used, the points to be
emphasized
and the manner of interaction with them.
Pre-service and even in-service teachers ought to be aware of certain
assumptions that might get in the way of building inclusive classrooms and meeting
students' learning needs. They should avoid getting being trapped by these
assumptions. There is a need to be aware of these faulty assumptions
which are:
1. Students are not diverse. Learners may share similarities but this doesn't
mean that they are alike in all respects. Many factors contribute to a diverse
identity and these characteristics influence how learners behave and interact with
each other.
2. Diversity doesn't matter because everyone is diverse. This assumption
surfaces when diversity discussions stop at the idea that everyone is different.
3. Diversity does not have anything to do with learning. Diversity is in action
inside the classroom. The lesson content, the examples being given and how the
teacher relates with the learners are situations where diversity is apparent. By
enabling the learners to take multiple perspectives, they develop critical thinking
and problem-solving skills. (retrieved from University Center for the Advancement
Teaching, Ohio State University, https://www.osu.edu.)

The teacher's openness to classroom diversity leads to positive outcomes.

First,
it builds better thinkers. Learners who are in a diverse classroom are better able to
appreciate different perspectives and draw stronger conclusions. The challenge to
consider different perspectives enable them to develop social skills useful for the
rest of their life. Second, appreciating diversity improves academic outcomes.

Children in a diverse classroom do not only learn social skills. They also learn
to
become critical thinkers that encourages academic confidence. Third, it involves
more students. Learners in a diverse classroom where acceptance prevails are more
likely to feel safer, less lonely and less bullied in school.
It is imperative that the acknowledgment of one's diversity begins with the
teacher. Once the teacher acknowledges one's diversity it will be easy to
acknowledge the learners' diversity, too. Children can also be introduced to
appreciating diversity at a young age. Tominey & O'Byron (2017) outlined a number
of simple strategies which can be tried out by a teacher in the early childhood and
elementary levels. These include helping children learn one another's names as well
as the names of the teachers in school, providing children with the opportunity to
get to know each other and discover similarities and differences, and choosing
classroom themes that highlight similarities and differences within the classroom. In
addition, teachers can give children the chance to share to class what makes them
special as a means of building personal identity and boosting self-esteem. They can
also be taught to engage in open conversations about stereotypes and biases such
as those pertaining to skin color, of being male or female, of having special needs
with the intention of helping them adopt less biased viewpoints.

One very interesting activity can be introduced using crayons. The children
will be instructed to draw something and color it using only ONE color. They will not
be allowed to use different colors. After this, they will asked to make a second
drawing and would have the freedom to burst it with varying colors. They will later
be asked what drawing do they like and why. Chances are they would like the
second drawing because it is colorful. This can be a take off point to discuss
diversity inside the classroom.
As the teacher holds the key to celebrating diversity in the classroom, s/he
must
convey a positive perspective toward the presence of diversity in the class.
Diversity is a strength which every teacher can harness to ensure that the learners
will find the classroom a secure and happy place for learning as well as develop
positive social relationships.
Given that accepting diversity leads to positive outcomes, teachers can
utilize these tips or ways to promote equity and diversity in the classroom:
1. Self-Awareness. The most basic step in promoting equity and diversity is for
the teacher to develop self-awareness. There is a need for the teacher to
recognize how the differences in ability, race, ethnicity, gender, religion,
personality, socio-economic status, and being able-bodied impact one's
perceptions. The teacher ought to acknowledge one's biases and seek to
understand people with different experiences.
2. Get to know your learners. All the learners in your school are unique
individuals, so use that fact to build a diverse and inclusive school culture.
Take the time to learn about them. When you know your learners in terms of
their strengths and weaknesses, you will be better equipped to address their
diversity.
3. Class Norms. Classroom norms that promote openness are set. These
include being respectful to each other, being able to share ideas, opinions
and values openly and learning to disagree respectfully. It is important that
rules are set explicitly in terms of showing respect, sharing opinions and
ideas, etc. This should be a collaborative task between teacher and learners.
Flexibility should be exercised to refine the rules or norms, if needed.
4. Culturally Relevant Teaching. Teachers are encouraged to recognize
diversity by promoting the importance of cultural awareness, creating a
sense of belongingness among learners and allowing them to celebrate
differences in traditions, practices, and beliefs. This pedagogy provides a
framework which exposes the learners to cultural variances in deep,
 meaningful ways and at the same time prioritizes academic excellence for all
students.
5. Purposeful Planning. One important key to promoting equity and diversity
is purposeful and careful planning. If a particular topic or idea for discussion
is sensitive, it would be good to select the proper text or material to be used,
the ways of facilitating the discussion which would encourage active listening
and respecting of opinions. Collaborative learning groups can be formed to
enable learners to work together.
6. Meet diverse learning needs. The teacher can use different teaching
strategies to address the different needs of the learners. The teacher should
make sure that all learners are actively participating in the classroom
activities and discussion. Technology can also be used to support especially
for learners with special needs.
7. Community Involvement. Parents, family members, community members
or those representing persons with special needs can be invited as resource
persons in class. The exposure of the learners to different kinds of people will
broaden their experiences and will prepare them for life beyond the
classroom. It is best to be able to connect with parents and the community.