Diversity

The article “Diversity, Learning Style and Culture, written by Pat Burke Guild, discusses how each student is an individual learner with his or her own learning style, background, intelligences, talents and abilities, socioeconomic statues and culture. All of this will impact how each student will learn and perform within and outside of the classroom. Part of the teacher’s main responsibility in the classroom is to strive to understand each student and be able to engage him or her in a meaningful way. It is important for the teacher to acknowledge that everyone learns in a different way. The goal is for all students to be successful learners and for each learner to have equal opportunities in the classroom. The teacher must be willing to teach to each individual learner and learning style to ensure that each student is reached.

One thing this article touched upon that definitely had me try to put into perspective for what I would do in my own classroom is concerning student files. If I had access to student files I would question whether or not I should look at them because, as the article discussed, I wouldn’t want it to form the basis of what I expect each student to be as an individual and a learner. But, one must also consider that this information could be useful in the sense that it is providing the educational history of each learner that could save a teacher a good amount of time when getting to know the students and deciphering each student’s learning style. Another topic the article discussed is that usually there is not only one way to learn. When teaching English/language arts, I can already see potential in being able to teach content in different ways for the individual learners I will have in my classroom. I realize how important it is for me to teach in a variety of ways so as to ensure that all learners can benefit and succeed in the classes I teach. I want to be able to teach to the multiple intelligences and engage students in different ways of learning. I would like for students to be able to have their learning styles accommodated in my classroom, but also for each student to experience trying to adapt to learning in other ways as well.