Diversity in the Classroom
Delores Harris
November,2013
“To keep the Golden Rule we must put ourselves in other
people’s places. If we had the imagination to do that. . .fewer
bitter judgments would pass our lips, fewer racial, national, and
class prejudices would stain our lives.”
---Harry Emerson Fosdick
 Student teachers should:
 Identify at least four (4) diversities in the Jamaican
society.
 Define the term diversity .
 Identify five (5) diversities in the Jamaican classroom .
 Develop an understanding of attitudes towards
diversity.
 Evaluate how beliefs about these issues impact on
behavior impact on the Jamaican classroom .
 Reflect on and share experiences, memories of diversity
in the classroom.
 Examine strategies for managing diversity in the
classroom.
Definition of Diversity
• The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance
and respect.
• It means understanding that each individual is
unique and recognizing our individual differences.
Diversity.…
• It includes knowing how to relate to those qualities and conditions that are
different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong yet are
present in other individuals and groups..
• We acknowledge that categories
of difference are not always fixed
but also can be fluid
We respect individual rights to self-
identification, and we recognize that
no one culture is intrinsically superior
to another.
 It is the exploration of these difference in a
safe and nurturing environment.
 It is about understanding each other and
moving beyond simple tolerance to
embracing and celebrating the rich dimension
of diversity contained within each individual
Diversity in Jamaican Society
 Gender
 Social class/socio-
economic factors
 Religions
 Geographical location
 (Access, Equality,
Equity)
 Diversity in Jamaica resulted from slavery:-
the coming of Africans to work on sugar
plantations
 Emancipation- the coming of the east
Indians to work in the Caribbean
 Result –an island with many races, cultures,
beliefs, values and interests
Races/ Ethnic Groups Religious groups Social groups
Africans Christians Upper
Chinese Buddhism Middle
Indians Hindus Low
Jews Judaism
Syrians Muslims
Lebanese Rastafarians
 Poverty, often results in crime
 Different family types e.g. simple-parent
households often headed by a female
 Teenage mothers and fathers
 Abused children
 Racial/ social/color class
 Cultural
 Sexual
 Gender role/Socialization
 Exceptionalities (gifted
 Students, at-risk students)
 Festivals and celebrations
 Dress
 Cuisine
 Rites of passages e.g. birth , death and the
coming of age rituals
 Language
 music
Equity
Fairness: actions, treatment of others, or a general condition
characterized by justice, fairness, and impartiality.
Access
 entry or approach: a means of entering or approaching a place.
 opportunity for use: the opportunity or right to experience or make
use of something.
 right to meet somebody: the opportunity to meet somebody.
Equality
State of being equal: rights, treatment, quantity, or value equal to all
others in a specific group.
the right or privilege to approach, reach, enter, or make use of
something.
Behaviors and attitudes related to
diversity in the classroom
 Prejudices/biases
 Opinion formed beforehand: a preformed
opinion, usually an unfavorable one, based
on insufficient knowledge, irrational
feelings, or inaccurate stereotypes
 Irrational dislike of somebody: an
unfounded hatred, fear, or mistrust of
a person or group, especially one of a
particular religion, ethnicity,
nationality, sexual preference, or social
status
 Stereotyping
 Reduce somebody to oversimplified category: to
categorize individuals or groups according to an
oversimplified standardized image or idea.
 Gender stereotypes are broad categories that
reflect impressions and beliefs about behaviour for
females and males
 Labels and the effect they have on students self
esteem and self concept
 Career orientation and subject selection
 Socially sensitive issues
 Professional counseling
 Peer counseling
Managing diversity in the classroom
 Identify your own attitudes
toward diversity .
 Establish an environment where
everyone feels comfortable (non-
threatening) .
 Get to know your student
 Don’t make assumptions
 Value all children in your care and
talk to them all in the same tone of
vice and use the same kind of
words.
 Avoid stereotypes-all jobs in the
classroom should be done by
both classes.
 Use group work and cooperative
learning- that works to improve
relations and create friendships
between the to (2) sexes.
 Treat everyone equally-give
equal time re your attention,
questioning and participation in
class activities
“Aggressive fighting for the right is
the greatest sport in the world.”
---Theodore Roosevelt

Diversity in the classroom

  • 1.
    Diversity in theClassroom Delores Harris November,2013 “To keep the Golden Rule we must put ourselves in other people’s places. If we had the imagination to do that. . .fewer bitter judgments would pass our lips, fewer racial, national, and class prejudices would stain our lives.” ---Harry Emerson Fosdick
  • 2.
     Student teachersshould:  Identify at least four (4) diversities in the Jamaican society.  Define the term diversity .  Identify five (5) diversities in the Jamaican classroom .  Develop an understanding of attitudes towards diversity.  Evaluate how beliefs about these issues impact on behavior impact on the Jamaican classroom .  Reflect on and share experiences, memories of diversity in the classroom.  Examine strategies for managing diversity in the classroom.
  • 4.
    Definition of Diversity •The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. • It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences.
  • 5.
    Diversity.… • It includesknowing how to relate to those qualities and conditions that are different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong yet are present in other individuals and groups.. • We acknowledge that categories of difference are not always fixed but also can be fluid We respect individual rights to self- identification, and we recognize that no one culture is intrinsically superior to another.
  • 7.
     It isthe exploration of these difference in a safe and nurturing environment.  It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimension of diversity contained within each individual
  • 9.
    Diversity in JamaicanSociety  Gender  Social class/socio- economic factors  Religions  Geographical location  (Access, Equality, Equity)
  • 10.
     Diversity inJamaica resulted from slavery:- the coming of Africans to work on sugar plantations  Emancipation- the coming of the east Indians to work in the Caribbean  Result –an island with many races, cultures, beliefs, values and interests
  • 11.
    Races/ Ethnic GroupsReligious groups Social groups Africans Christians Upper Chinese Buddhism Middle Indians Hindus Low Jews Judaism Syrians Muslims Lebanese Rastafarians
  • 12.
     Poverty, oftenresults in crime  Different family types e.g. simple-parent households often headed by a female  Teenage mothers and fathers  Abused children
  • 13.
     Racial/ social/colorclass  Cultural  Sexual  Gender role/Socialization  Exceptionalities (gifted  Students, at-risk students)
  • 14.
     Festivals andcelebrations  Dress  Cuisine  Rites of passages e.g. birth , death and the coming of age rituals  Language  music
  • 15.
    Equity Fairness: actions, treatmentof others, or a general condition characterized by justice, fairness, and impartiality. Access  entry or approach: a means of entering or approaching a place.  opportunity for use: the opportunity or right to experience or make use of something.  right to meet somebody: the opportunity to meet somebody. Equality State of being equal: rights, treatment, quantity, or value equal to all others in a specific group. the right or privilege to approach, reach, enter, or make use of something.
  • 16.
    Behaviors and attitudesrelated to diversity in the classroom  Prejudices/biases  Opinion formed beforehand: a preformed opinion, usually an unfavorable one, based on insufficient knowledge, irrational feelings, or inaccurate stereotypes  Irrational dislike of somebody: an unfounded hatred, fear, or mistrust of a person or group, especially one of a particular religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual preference, or social status
  • 17.
     Stereotyping  Reducesomebody to oversimplified category: to categorize individuals or groups according to an oversimplified standardized image or idea.  Gender stereotypes are broad categories that reflect impressions and beliefs about behaviour for females and males  Labels and the effect they have on students self esteem and self concept
  • 18.
     Career orientationand subject selection  Socially sensitive issues  Professional counseling  Peer counseling
  • 19.
    Managing diversity inthe classroom  Identify your own attitudes toward diversity .  Establish an environment where everyone feels comfortable (non- threatening) .  Get to know your student  Don’t make assumptions  Value all children in your care and talk to them all in the same tone of vice and use the same kind of words.  Avoid stereotypes-all jobs in the classroom should be done by both classes.  Use group work and cooperative learning- that works to improve relations and create friendships between the to (2) sexes.  Treat everyone equally-give equal time re your attention, questioning and participation in class activities
  • 20.
    “Aggressive fighting forthe right is the greatest sport in the world.” ---Theodore Roosevelt