INDIVDIUAL DIFFERENCES AND DIVERSITY

Individual Differences and Diversity

Individual Differences and Diversity

Introduction

In this paper, we will discuss the case studies, which define the experiences of students belonging to different background. Today's student population is becoming more and more diverse, and classrooms are reflecting this diversity. At one time, it was thought that only urban schools and urban educators needed to be aware of, and address, issues of diversity. In contemporary U.S. society, however, it is recognized that, ideally, the ethnicity, background, and culture of all students will be addressed. Notwithstanding, in some education settings diversity is accepted and its value is promoted, whereas in other settings diversity is not valued, even to the point of being ignored.

Learning environment

In case of defining the learning environment of Patricia and Mark, they were moved to post-primary school. Traditionally schools in the past were mostly homogenous, but with demographic shifts, schools are becoming more ethnically diverse, disadvantaged, and multilingual. In contrast, the teaching population still reflects that outdated homogenous template: "predominantly white and female," middle-class, and unilingual (Creswell, 2007).It is generally accepted that the term diversity is used to recognize student differences, including physical and mental abilities, gender, ethnicity, race, language, religion, class, sexual orientation, and age. The term diversity simply means that people are different. While diversity has become the term used to recognize student differences, other terms have been used to describe minority groups or those considered less advantaged. Those terms include culturally deprived and culturally disadvantaged and previously were used to describe low-income students or those labeled socially disadvantaged. Later the term at risk was used to describe students considered less fortunate. There are two concepts that need to be considered when looking at racism—institutional racism and personal racism. Institutional racism occurs when schools either knowingly or unknowingly prevent a certain group of students from having access to the same learning experiences as the dominant group. Institutional racism is often difficult to identify. Personal racism, on the other hand, is easier to identify, but both contribute to racial discrimination. The persons responsible for the education of all students can promote fairness and equity but may not even be aware that they are part of an education system that continues a bit of the racist past.

Social Skills for Patricia

Since Patricia was, shy so there was more need of developing social skills for her. Therefore, the teacher should focus on developing social skill for her. Moreover, the teacher should consider the possible match between their current practices of socialization of students (behaviorists) and expectations of the "Training" in this matter (constructivist), combines these opposing views, and justified, and the need to maintain the status quo with regard to classroom management, despite some awareness of the importance of the relational aspect of teaching. The personal and social skills students should, as such, be developed, rather than the traditional way, drawing mainly behaviorist techniques, but in a social constructivist perspective of learning. Research reveals that when students are given the skills and confidence to respond to the ...