The Roles of Diverse Schools in America - Essay Example

Roles of diverse schools in America Introduction Schooling, since times immemorial, is one of the most basic necessities nowadays that need to be fulfilled. Educating children and enlightening them with useful information and knowledge is the right of every individual. Imparting education does not only reduce burden from the economy, as the children, once educated, contribute a lot to the economic development, but also, make nations to progress by leaps and bounds. Since times immemorial, we have seen that developed nations have always given special importance to education. In every country, there are people belonging to different back grounds such as Hispanic, Spanish, English, Black and so forth. Educating children, belonging to different cultural backgrounds, is crucial and special efforts need to be carried out in order to educate them as their future and career is at stake. For the sake our discussion, I will shed some light on the roles of diverse schools in America. Role of any school in treating and educating children, belonging from different backgrounds, is of extreme importance. A country having many states, and is populated by people from different backgrounds, cannot overlook this aspect while educating children. Managing diversity requires serious and sincere efforts on part of schools. Children cannot feel motivated and encouraged until and unless they have a sense of worth in them. When they feel that they are considered important, even if they belong to minority groups, only then they strive hard towards achieving their targets. Thus, this thing takes us to the point that one of the roles of schools in America is to manage diversity. There are few underlying concepts that need to be addressed while talking about roles of diverse schools in America. At the start of 20th century, there occurred a gender gap in attainment of education, with women striving more towards acquiring higher education than men in US (Lopez, 2002). However, race and gender differences are not biological, rather they arise because of difference in perceptions, experiences and response of a particular minority group towards another. Statistics have shown that by 2007, this gender gap in attaining education reached to a level of 2.3 million with 9.6 million women and only 6.3 million men that were enrolled in college. However, incorporating the racial aspect it was observed that this trend of acquiring higher education was more common in “white” women than their male counterparts. Similarly, talking about African- American population, women were double the times the men going to college. This is evident from the statistical framework as well that there were 100 black and Hispanic males for every 180 Hispanic females (Lopez, 2002). These findings made by Lopez (2002) take us to the point that diverse schools operating in USA need to cater for this gender and sexuality gap among minorities. Similarly, it is important for the schools operating in USA to take into account the issue of bilingualism. Bilingualism refers to the phenomena of knowing and speaking more than one language. However, schools are making special efforts for those students that are not native English language speakers and are learning English language. Schools should introduce such programs that do not distinguish between English language speakers and non-white people. Introduction of the programs that educate children after their school timings can boost their English language skills. However, many public schools in USA have introduced many programs such as submersion program, pull-out program, transitional bilingual education also known as early exit and so forth, that work in the best interest of ELLs (English language learners) (Garcia, Klelfgen and Falchi, 2008). Culturally relevant pedagogy is one of the roles that should not be overlooked. Culturally relevant pedagogy refers to the teaching style or instructions that are relevant to the culture of students being taught. Statistics and surveys, conducted by various researchers for different ethnic groups, have shown that teachers, who adopt teaching style thats relevant and related to the culture of students, have enabled them to achieve standards higher than predicted (Billings, 1995). However, it has been observed that teachers, who maintain class room environment coherent with the culture of students being taught, increase their interest and let them interact in a way that conforms to their respective cultures, making them motivated and resulting in high achievements. Concept of plurality basically refers to the human actions. We all are same i.e. human, but in terms of actions, nobody has ever been same and nor will be (Greene, 1993). Cultural pluralism refers to the fact that everyone, no matter of what race, sex, color and culture he belongs to, should be seen as equal to the native people. One of the challenges that America is going to confront in near future will be of difference in cultures of people living there. We know that things do differ and because of differences in perceptions, experiences, and cultural backgrounds, but then we maintain that we all are human. Even a ground full of people can have different perceptions about flowers and trees growing there, but then again, they all are same. Taking and implanting this point to the schools teaching methods, and also, the interaction of teachers should promote pluralism in culture rather than promoting singularity. Multicultural education is also one of the most important aspects. Teachers and students, no matter from which background they belong to, need to maintain a collaborative environment that not only strengthens the relationship between a teacher and a student, but bridges the gap between them as well. Collaborative professional relationships are, if not becoming a norm, and then at least are getting common. Teaching and studying, irrespective of cultural backgrounds, enhance confidence and helps in achieving targets. Here, I am going to shed light on various aspects of PS 129 John H. Finley. Talking about its faculty, the human resource department of this particular school employs teachers belonging to different backgrounds and different cultures. They have approximately 80,000 teachers currently employed. Among these, there are Africans, Americans, Latin Americans, African American and Muslims too. This takes us to the point that they do prefer teachers from different ethnic backgrounds. School is located in Manhattan in New York. It has extensive network of schools across New York. However, there are many other schools surrounding this school. Location of apartments surrounding the school provides accommodation solution to students as well as to the teachers. People coming from far flung areas live in apartments near schools. Similarly, their extensive network of schools also invite huge number of students, about 1.1 million, belonging to different backgrounds and it is not possible for them to come each and every day from the areas that are far apart from school, so they also live in apartments near schools. Thus, this takes us to the point that most part of their teachers and students come from the community nearby the school. Physical environment: Talking about the budget and resources that the school is having, and is utilizing, for the betterment of community is huge. It is evident from their extensive network and satisfaction level of parents and students, that school is incurring huge cost on its each and every student. In addition to this, teachers are also paid well in order to keep them motivated. However, in addition to this, regular parents and teacher conferences and meetings also showed that school is allocating huge budget in order to keep parents updated regarding their child’s condition. Initially, there was a criticism that school is investing more time and budget to the other subjects being taught and is ignoring arts. Now, this aspect has also been taken into account and teaching of arts subjects is also made compulsory. Talking about average size of the class, they prefer to enroll less number of students in each grade so that every student is given full attention and each student works with full concentration. During 2006 and 2007, the average class size was of 24 students and that remained in 2008 as well; but in 2009, it became 22 (Accountability and overview report, 2008-2009). School is regarded as third in number among 5 star schools, so this shows that school is working above their capacity and is putting all its efforts to educate students from different cultural backgrounds (NYC School report, 2009-2010). Moreover, arranging meetings, introducing student enrichment programs, ensuring safety measures for students and teachers, promoting student engagement in different assignments and non-curricular activities, and efforts to bridge communication gap between teachers and students shows that school is working above their capacity in order to promote higher education and making individuals to contribute at their best in well being of their economy. The hallways decorated with black history month shows that school promotes multi cultural curriculum and is making their students to promote cultural pluralism. Also, making them strive hard towards achieving their goals and objectives. There is no discrimination between white and black and all are treated equally. Use of multi cultural curriculum is limited to the hallways only, and classes are not decorated in a way that reflects multi cultural curriculum. Moreover, in addition to this, the arrangement of tables does show a progressive environment thereby, inculcating a team spirit in students. Giving assignments to the students and making them to sit in form of groups shows that school is promoting team efforts and inculcating in them the spirit of team work to make them good and responsible citizens. However, multicultural curriculum is not promoted at class level decoration, which needs to be taken into account. Class interaction: Talking about class interactions, school aims at promoting creative and innovative thinking among students by using the inquiry based approach. They are making efforts to promote critical thinking. This is why, teachers use inquiry based method, so that students think over the question and then answer thereby, enhancing their cognitive development. Grouping in school is of such a nature that it disregards the differences in abilities, knowledge, skills and cultural backgrounds. Groups are made and they remain consistent throughout the academic period and spread awareness of the importance of group. Work assignments are assigned to a group in order to enhance their ability of doing collaborative work. Each group has its own strengths and abilities and they put their efforts coherent to their skill set. Talking about responding to the individuals, there is no gender and sexuality differences that are taken into account by teachers. They treat all individuals equally, no matter to which culture they belong to, with all respect and full attention. No discrimination is made among students on the basis of their gender and they are being responded and treated by teachers on equal basis. However, no racial and ethnic discrimination dominates in class environment and all are considered important, irrespective of them being white or black. Similarly, school celebrates all the events of all the students belonging to different backgrounds. Such activities are promoted that are related to an event of any particular culture, and assignments are assigned on cultural related topics, in order to motivate and encourage students from different cultural backgrounds as well as to enlighten them with the knowledge of other cultures. This is evident from the practices conducted at school that they do respect the cultural differences and do not make students realize the differences that they have with the native students. Instead, when their events are celebrated and topics are assigned for assignments or speech, it makes them feel worthy. Students do commit mistakes and sometimes, abuse other fellows, but this practice is not at all promoted by teachers. They make them learn to respect others irrespective of cultural differences and promote such actions that makes the one, who is being abused, feel worthy. However, school does apply such strategies that make a particular student, committing mistakes, to realize his mistakes. Such practices and strategies are implemented by teachers to maintain harmony among students. Conclusion: The mission statement of the school is as follows: “We believe that all children are entitled to a quality education. We are committed to developing a child-centered environment, and an instructional program which will result in a community of critical thinkers and lifelong learners. With the collaborative efforts of parents, faculty, students and community, we will empower our students to become responsible, productive, enlightened citizens. We are committed to an instructional program which will accomplish the following goals: Staff, parents and community is involved in a collaborative decision-making process. All students, regardless of their learning style and/or, needs will develop skills that will enable them to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. All students are expected to reach high standards of achievement: 90% of our students will achieve levels 3 and above in reading and mathematics standardized tests” (Web 1, 2009-2010). This mission statement does not show anything related to educating the children from different cultural backgrounds. Question arises that when mission statement does not state anything about children from different ethnic backgrounds, then how they can practices cultural pluralism. However, from the information provided, it is concluded that class environment is maintained in such a way that teachers promote cultural pluralism and motivate individuals belonging to different cultures by maintaining an environment, which is coherent with diverse cultures and interacts with them, irrespective of their cultural backgrounds and educates them by giving cultural related examples. However, managing and imparting education to students from diverse cultures can become more effective if several other techniques like, introduction of several programs coherent with respective cultures are carried out. Similarly, while teaching giving culture-based examples can also encourage students. However, a good teacher is one which treats all his students like a garden where there are flowers and trees of different nature, trees of different fruits and flowers of different fragrance, but all located at one place and appreciated by all the visitors. References Accountability and Overview Report (2008-2009). The New York State School Report Card, New York. Billings, G. (1995). Towards a theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Journal of American Educational Research, 32, 3. Garcia, O., Klelfgen, J. A. Falchi, L. (2008). From English Language Learners to Emergent Bilingual. Columbia University. Greene, M. (1993). The Passion of Pluralism: Multiculturalism and the Expanding Community. Journal of Educational Researcher, 22, 1. Lopez, N. (2002). Race, Gender Experiences and Schooling: Second generation Dominican, West Indian and Haitian youth in New York City. Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Culture, 5, 1. Web 1, NYC School Survey Report. (2009-2010). Department of Education [online] Retrieved 15 December, 2010, from: http://schools.nyc.gov/OA/SchoolReports/2009-10/Survey_2010_M129.pdf Read More