Classroom Portraits

While volunteering at an elementary school I came across a bulletin board full of Van Gough inspired portraits completed by a group of grade three students. I remember being struck by how diverse the paintings were. Not only were the students’ individual faces different but also the expressions, artistic styles, and colours they incorporated. Looking back I find myself thinking about how well that board depicted the diversity of that class and how every class that one teaches will be full of unique individuals with varying backgrounds.

In the text Constructing Meaning the authors, Joyce Bainbridge, Rachel Heydon and Grace Malicky pose the question, “Who are the children in front of us?” In their response to this question they talk about the presence of cultural and linguistic diversity and variations in socioeconomic status in the classroom.  After reading this section I started to think about some of the differences teachers encounter under these categories. When I picture a classroom full of students who have varying cultural backgrounds, I anticipate several challenges. I see students who speak other languages or dialects at home, who may struggle when it comes to understanding English in the classroom. Furthermore, when I think about encountering cultural diversity I anticipate varying outlooks on the world due to different upbringings and religious beliefs.

An issue I see arising from variations in socioeconomic status is differences in students’ knowledge and abilities when they enter the school system. For instance, children who come from middle class families will probably have attended pre-school and been involved in activities such as dance. A child who has not had these experiences may be at a different stage in his or her social, physical, and intellectual development. Also, socioeconomics may have an impact on a parent’s ability to contribute to the school community and the availability of good nutrition in the household. If a student lacks good nutrition they may have low energy levels and find it difficult to focus.

In Constructing Meaning the authors also mention that gender plays an important role in students’ levels of achievement. Currently, it appears that classrooms are more conducive to girls’ learning styles. Often boys struggle sitting down to learn, as they prefer more active learning. Although not mentioned in this section of the text other factors that I feel contribute to the diversity of a class include varying personalities, different learning styles, and the presence of students with learning disabilities. For example, you may have one student who is very outgoing who learns best by working with others and one who is very quiet and learns best working alone. On top of this you may have children in your class diagnosed with autism or Down syndrome.

            After contemplating the question, “Who are the children in front of us?” the next question that comes to my mind is, “How does one teach to such a diverse group of students?” I feel that the first thing teachers must do is embrace and celebrate the diversity in front of them and see it as an opportunity instead of a burden. I believe that embracing diversity involves being sensitive and inclusive to the different cultures and beliefs within the classroom. I feel that in the presence of diversity teachers must be observant, supportive, understanding, patient and helpful as it can often be challenging to be the “different” student. When it comes to teaching different subjects I think that teachers need to develop lessons that are accessible to all students. This, I feel can be achieved by incorporating different teaching methods into one’s lessons and making them easily adaptable.