The United States is a melting pot of diverse cultures, a fact that has always aroused great pride among Americans. As more and more diverse cultures begin to settle in America, the diversity of the American people flourishes more than ever. Although this influx is a nod to the greatness of this nation, the ever-increasing cultural differences come with problems that need to be addressed, especially in education. The reality is that for most students outside of the dominant culture, achievement gaps are present and cultural ties are rejected. For too long, diversity in classrooms has led to feelings of frustration from educators who do not understand the need to be culturally sensitive. Diversity within the educational setting is not a negative concept, but it does bring challenges that need to be addressed by educators and schools as a whole when it comes to ensuring effective education and equal opportunities for all. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay As diversity becomes more prevalent in U.S. schools, achievement gaps continue to be observed between diverse groups of students due to a number of factors. . It has been said that "by the time the 2020 United States Census is conducted, more than half of the nation's children are expected to be members of a minority race or ethnic group." Unfortunately, as student populations become more and more diverse, the number of teachers continues to shrink. This is evident from Robinson and Clardy's (2011) studies: “The disparity between the cultural and linguistic diversity of the teaching population and the student population continues to grow as teacher preparation programs recruit and graduate primarily teacher candidates white (83.7%). ". The problem is glaring and the only solution is to educate teachers and school leaders in the art of accepting diversity. When it comes to diversity in education, it is unfortunate that issues such as classism and racism have a profound negative effect on diversity. student success. Research has shown that “inadequate wages, substandard housing, and poor health care create living conditions that place many poor and racial/ethnic minority students at a disadvantage from the start of their formal education” . Students have no control over their societal circumstances, and educators having no control over those same circumstances can often make bridging the gap seem impossible. Whatever the reason for academic failure, learning gaps cannot be accepted by educators as a consequence of diversity. Instead, diversity should be celebrated sincerely, a strategy that can only serve to mitigate achievement gaps. Since educators are often ill-equipped to understand different cultures and to best interact with students from minority groups, one of the top priorities for schools seeking meaningful change should be to train teachers to teach from appropriate manner for diverse groups of students. In fact, the reality is that many teachers strive to appear to embrace other cultures by hosting events that include food, dancers, and guest speakers that reflect diverse cultures. Smith (2016) goes on to call these events “simplythe superficial surface which extends and offers a glimpse of appreciation.” Teachers who are part of the dominant culture cannot afford to offer only a superficial understanding of what their students identify so strongly with. Hawley, Irvine, and Landa further emphasize this point: “Culture is not just a list of shared holidays or recipes, religious traditions, or language; it is a lived experience unique to each individual.” Educators must move beyond a superficial understanding of diverse cultures in order to truly grasp the concept of cultural responsiveness. Only when students feel safe, accepted and confident can they learn without limits. As mentioned earlier, teachers must be trained to be culturally responsive in order to reach all students and treat them fairly. Acceptance of all students is a huge responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. A first step toward greater cultural responsiveness is self-reflection: “Learning to teach diverse students requires teachers to examine their beliefs about teaching and explore the effectiveness of their practices in adapting to diverse cultures, modes lifestyles and learning styles of their students” (Vandeyar, 2017, p.377). No one wants to admit they have biases when it comes to diverse students, but sometimes educators don't even realize their own biases. When an English-speaking teacher first deals with a non-English-speaking student, it is easy to let frustration set in and cloud judgment when it comes to making decisions that are in the student's best interest. pupil. For this reason, it is imperative that educators take a step back and think about their own possible misconceptions when dealing with students from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Not only is it important to recognize one's biases, but it is also crucial to make an effort to understand the cultures of minority students, especially when it comes to different communication styles. Many students from the dominant culture feel the need to quickly raise their hands or blurt out answers immediately; However, if teachers continually appeal to the same groups of students without addressing others in the same way, then students may have the mistaken impression that their contributions are not important. While some students are all too eager to participate in classroom discussions, others strongly believe that silence should precede vocal communication. “For example, introverts and students from certain cultural backgrounds are accustomed to the need to allow silence before speaking.” In this article, it is suggested that teachers take this into account and allow a brief period of time where all students take some time to think before being allowed to speak. By making small changes like this, educators take into consideration the culture of all students and reshape the atmosphere to ensure inclusiveness. Furthermore, fostering a clear understanding of different communication styles is crucial in order to avoid the violation of cultural values ​​and “better decipher their intellectual abilities, needs and skills; and teach them style or code-switching skills so that they can communicate in different ways with different people in different contexts and for different purposes” (Gay, 2002, p.112). In a globalized society, it is imperative that students have the ability to understand andcommunicate effectively. This type of culturally responsive teaching can only take place when educators are well trained in diversity. The problem is that too few districts offer this type of training for educators. In a study by Robinson and Clardy (2011), they found that student teachers were often ill-prepared to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students: “…their attitudes and dispositions toward students are essential, because their thoughts about their current and future students greatly impact their willingness to learn and employ the pedagogies necessary to effectively teach CLD students. They demonstrate their attitude toward diversity long before they enter classrooms as teachers.” This highlights student teachers' needs for early support and training around diversity, as their biases can affect their willingness to learn. This particular study highlights the ignorance of mindsets that believe every child should do their best to fit in with the dominant culture. This is a gross misrepresentation of what it means to be culturally sensitive. It is also worth noting that diversity is not limited to classism and racism. “Diversity in schools includes sexual orientation, gender and gender identity/expression.” Teachers need to be sensitive to the fact that they may very well be teaching students who have difficulty identifying with their natural gender. Some students will live in homes with two mothers or two fathers. Although this can be confusing for many teachers, it is the students who become victims if they are not treated fairly, regardless of their background. Lilienthal et al. (2018) then point out that the extent to which teachers choose to support students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning may contribute to the level of minority stress a student experiences (p. 14). It goes without saying that stress can have a significant impact on student learning. Glickman et al. (2013) support this assertion by outlining the problems associated with stress that LGBTQ students may experience: “frequent absences, less involvement in school activities, lower grades, and a higher dropout rate than heterosexual students ". If the goal is to close the achievement gaps for minority groups, then teachers must find ways to support students from all backgrounds, even if they do not fully understand or agree with the choices regarding sexual identity or orientation. From a scriptural perspective, the fair treatment of all students can be seen as a moral obligation for those who have been called to pursue education as a profession. Treating students honorably is not an option, but a duty. Romans 15:5-7 is an inspiring verse focused on this very topic: “May God, who gives you this patience and encouragement, help you to live in perfect harmony with one another, as becomes the disciples of Jesus— Christ. Then you will all be able to unite with one voice to give praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (The Holy Bible, New Living Translation). It is clear that Christians must live in harmony with others. There is no mention of qualifying characteristics in this verse. We are also exhorted to welcome one another just as Christ welcomed us. Christ's love is unconditional. No one needs to look a certain way or speak a certain language toto be eligible for the love of Christ. Therefore, this should serve as an example of how Christian educators should welcome diverse students. Although it can be a challenge, becoming culturally responsive is an obligation that educators must be willing to take on, even if some of the life choices students make seem irrational or immoral. From a Christian perspective, some of the decisions students make are foreign and challenge the belief system of some educators. This may add to the challenges of teaching diverse students, but Christians are still expected to speak the truth in love. Teachers can and should make their own views known responsibly without trying to impose them on others. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, Paul says, “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, because I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save a few. I do everything to spread the Good News and share its blessings.” These words reflect the importance of establishing a relationship with others. The idea of ​​finding common ground in order to “save” some is so adapted to the context of teachers and their relationships with students. No matter their diverse backgrounds, students deserve to be saved. Educators have a responsibility to give their best to all students, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, linguistic diversity, or sexual orientation. It is imperative that all students are seen as equally capable and worth the investment. With this in mind, educators are not the only ones with a responsibility to serve students impartially. Schools as a whole must be involved to foster a climate of equity. This is beyond the scope of the teacher in some situations. For example, many schools adopt the attitude that minority students must adapt to the dominant culture. According to Gay (2001), “…to date, American education has not been very culturally responsive to ethnically diverse students. Instead, these students are expected to separate themselves from their culture and learn according to European American cultural norms.” Expecting students to blend into the dominant culture is an outdated and inappropriate approach. Many schools are exploring the idea of ​​implementing bilingual education to encourage diversity and learning among student groups. This is a step forward in the fight to eradicate cultural bias and encourage learning for all students. However, this is not an easy solution. The lack of bilingual teachers and necessary resources creates barriers to bilingual education that are difficult to overcome. Additionally, public schools are required to meet accountability standards that shift attention away from diversity and focus their efforts on achieving high-stakes testing goals: “Instead, professional development time is often devoted to data analysis and a narrow set of interventions aimed at increasing student achievement on assessments. Bilingual education requires a significant shift away from these practices” (Kotok & DeMatthews, 2018, p. 4). This is probably one of the biggest obstacles to creating culturally responsive schools. Until district administrators realize the importance of implementing programs that train teachers to demonstrate culturally responsible behaviors, there is little hope that.2017.2.0314