What Diversity Means to Me by Rhonda Bend Bush

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What Diversity Means to Me by Rhonda Bend
Bush
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Introduction

• Definition of diversity and multicultural
  education.
• Thoughts on Bilingual Education.
• Strategies available to reduce the effects of
  racism in the classroom.
• Recognizing cultural differences in the class
  room.

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Diversity and Multicultural Education

• Diversity is more than just the outer appearance
  of someone, such as skin complexion, hairstyle or
  clothing. Multicultural education includes many
  other differences among students, such as
  language, age, gender, family backgrounds and
  individual beliefs.

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Bilingual Education

• Bilingual Education is going to be a must in the
  very near future. As of January 21, 2003, the
  U.S. Census Bureau released the statement that
  the Hispanic population is now the largest
  minority in the United States. This being known,
  educators might have to include speaking both
  Spanish and English as part of their daily
  routine.

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Bilingual Education continued

• A Bilingual Education Program would include a
  curriculum that allows students whose native
  language is not English, to spend a portion of
  their day learning in that particular language.
  The main objective is to eventually move these
  students into a program where English is spoken
  throughout the day.

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Reducing the Effect of Racism in the Classroom

• Providing several opportunities for students to
  engage in group work will help students realize
  that they are more alike than they are different.
• Introducing different aspects of each students
  culture in a lesson plan (i.e. literature and
  art) will gradually introduce students to each
  others way of life.

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Recognizing Cultural Differences

• Speaking with your students individually on a
  daily basis would allow you to notice individual
  differences between students.
• Having open discussions on various topics within
  the class period will also help to recognize
  cultural differences.

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