3.3: Diverse Learners
Prepared teachers expect diversity, good teachers embrace it, and great teachers depend upon the diversity of students to enhance the learning process. We experience ranges of diversity within a spectrum of factors: socioeconomic, cultural, gender, sexual orientation, motivational, (dis)ability, readiness, aptitude, cognition, learning styles, etc. Recognizing the categorical make-up of a base of students is essential to their success.
Math lends itself naturally to demonstrations we call “multiple representations.” This technique ensures that material is presented and demonstrated in many ways that suit a broader appeal. My lesson plans strive to achieve this goal. Ideas are demonstrated algebraically (numerically), graphically (visually), linguistically (written definitions and theorems), and sometimes actively (activities, games and cooperative learning). Preparing lessons that anticipate the various ways students learn is the first step to engaging the diverse audience.
Beyond the content area, it is important for teachers to understand the dynamics of the larger school community. Where do the students come from and go home to? Familiarizing oneself with the homes, neighborhoods, and issues in the local community can be the key to making meaningful connections with students. These connections can often help identify changes in behavior or academic performance before they become problematic. Connections can also help filter the actions of students before they become classroom distractions. See expectation 10.1: Families as Allies and expectation 7.2: Community Resources for further examples of connections and impact on student learning.
Students come to our classes with a variety of purposes as well. Some strive for perfection, knowledge, honors, etc. while others are frankly looking to get by with the bare minimum. This is a difficult bridge to gap, because the rigor must be weighed against the benefits of the stronger students. The mastery of teaching is finding ways to engage the low-interest-level student in a learning environment that is still challenging for the driven student. One tactic is to employ graduated assignments that pose more difficult problems for the higher performing students. For example, “If you got a “C” or lower on the last exam, do this assignment. If you got a “B,” continue with these additional problems. If you got an “A,” then do this additional set.” Good teachers neither notice nor mind the additional details in grading. Good students want to be challenged, but still need the direction of their teachers to assign appropriate extra work. Rarely, I believe, will a good student trade the challenge and the good grade for a lazier lifestyle (i.e. lower performance means less work). This tiered approach to assignments is just one example of differentiating practice that is highlighted in Differentiation in Practice. On the recommendation of my CoT instructor, I have purchased this book and found it to be loaded with strategies for instruction, assignments and assessments to cater to the diversity in every classroom.
The real reward from the widely diverse student body comes when teacher and student both benefit from it. The teacher makes the difference. Leading questions can be intentionally directed (or misdirected) to students from whom we can anticipate the response we want, either correct or incorrect. Students also play an important role in directing one another’s learning. Expectation 6.2: Learning From Others explains the importance of the impact students can have on the levels of motivation and understanding their peers experience in the classroom. Cooperative learning allows students to both ask and instruct under less intimidating circumstances. Strengths and weaknesses in the class meet compliment one another in ways that serve the greater good of the class.
A recent reading from Big Monday CoT Seminar (Chapter 7, Teaching Diverse Learners) summarizes the diversity issue quite nicely and addresses all areas of teaching: pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, social consciousness, and modeling. By looking at these areas in light of diversity issues from demographics, cultural responses, students with exceptional needs, inclusion, teacher education and self-awareness and growth, and professional development, it not only exposes the true concerns and challenges of diversity with examples but offers insightful ways to address the challenges as well.
Does diversity make teaching more difficult? I think not, but diversity does make learning more difficult. It is the teacher’s job to identify the differences and facilitate their exploitation into meaningful instruction for all students. How does the great teacher do it? Great teachers understand the need to go beyond understanding and exploiting diversity and cater more directly to each individual student. See expectation 7.4: Personalizing Learning for further reflection.
