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Antiqua Johnson
October 18, 2011
EDU 290
A Disposition for Diversity: Teaching in the 21st Century
In comparison to past years, during the twenty-first century, diversity is still an important
aspect of life that lies upon our daily activities. Overall, being diverse is an open window of
opportunities within itself. In other words having the ability to broaden your horizons is an
introduction to new ideas, friends, and even a proper resource to bettering the lives of others as
well. A teachers job is not only to educate, but to also provide a sense of security amongst the
teacher student relationship as well as the environment. Although diversity should be displayed
daily amongst the people that make up our society, there are people that can be bias to certain
beliefs and resist being diverse in one or maybe some aspects.
Thinking back to the first years of school, the ice breaker years were critical and
affected the way in which individuals continued to act throughout their other school years and
possibly even in their careers. During these years receiving the proper education was just as
important as it is sitting amongst a college classroom full of students and a professor. However,
teachers and the ways in which they catered to our needs were a little more important to us as
students during that time rather than learning to tell time, play outside during recess, or even
eating lunch amongst our peers. As a young student it is as of importance for the teacher to give
you a smiley face or green sticker for being a good student, the teachers pet was something
every student admired, overall having a strong assured relationship with the teacher assisted us in
sitting and paying attention in class. The level of comfort the teacher provided was reflected in
the amount of respect given by the students.
Overall that was from the students perspective, but what was the teachers perspective?
According to observations and desires for wanting to become an early childhood educator, the
teachers goal is to aid his or her students in reaching their maximum abilities and even going
beyond such factors. They are to learn ways in which they can be constructive as well as
compassionate to the needs of their students. I have been fortunate enough to keep in contact
with my first and second grade teacher, Mrs. K. Hadley for about fourteen years now. According
to Mrs. Hadley, a teachers long life goal is to make a difference overall. As a student I was not
aware of Mrs. Hadleys challenges of being a teacher, but she has expressed the difficulties of
being an educator. Mrs. Hadley exclaims: its difficult to teach a classroom full of students with
one child that acts out frequently throughout the day, having a new student that comes in only
knowing a limited amount of English, and even knowing the backgrounds of the students and
challenges in which they face out of your presence. I enjoyed seeing many of my students come,
although it was hard watching them go off to the next grade and level of school; such as middle
school and/or high school, but it warms my heart to know that I helped them along the way.

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As expressed teachers are to be accepting and understanding to the many different factors
that enters not only their classrooms, but the learning environment as a whole. For instance, a
classroom is made up of many different students possibly from many different places around the
world; however it is a teachers and other faculty in the school setting responsibilty to provide
equality amongst them all. There is no valid reason why a student should feel superior nor
inferior to another student because of their race. Some teachers may get wrapped up into the
material that is to be covered over the course of a school term, however that is no excuse as to
why situations like this occur inside the classroom. No material is more important than the roles
in which people play in society, no matter their color, hair color, eye color, social class, or any
other factor which society place emphasis on.
Not only are teachers to thank for not allowing racial segregation to continue, but Dr.
King spoke out against segregation that took place amongst his generation and those that
followed behind in his speech, I Have a Dream(?), acts such as Brown vs. Board of Education
(1954) also paved the way. These people had to have not only desires for diversity, but diversity
within themselves. People that firmly believed that there was no need for one to be superior nor
inferior to the other stood up and took actions that were deadly so that we can have equality. This
should be a call for ongoing diversity amongst any society.
Along with race, many people have different customs beliefs. I recall an elementary
school friend of mine, Khadijah, who was Muslim. There are some Muslims that may not choose
or have to wear a wrap, however Khadijah was to wear a wrap daily. When she was introduced
to the class on her first day of school, the teacher set aside her lesson plans and taught us about
the Muslim culture, and also allowed Khadijah to elaborate with her personal experience. Such
activity was not to make her feel uncomfortable, but to provide comfort for Khadijah as well as
understanding for us. Because we were aware of Khadijah custom beliefs we accepted her as one
of us although she did not eat many of the foods in which we ate nor wore none of the clothes
that we were permitted to wear. Such factors should not make an individual a loner. Many
teachers may have different ways to display such understanding within their classrooms, but
either way it should be displayed.
Race and custom beliefs make up the obvious in which diversity is needed; however a
factor that may tend to be ignored or maybe not stressed could be situations such as behavioral
problems. In my personal opinion some individuals can put a clinical title such as ADHD or
ADD on students within a twinkling of an eye. In some instances teachers go along with such
diagnosis, while others refuse to let mild behavioral problems defeat their purpose of being an
educator. Teachers that take the time to find constructive punishments: give the student or
students work and possibly even a different environment where they cannot be distracted nor
distract their peers, are often times admired while those that may put a student out the classroom
daily after the pledge of allegiance without work are often times frowned upon. Furthermore,
ADHD, ADD and other disorders such as bi-polar has its restrictions and levels at which it is
almost or even beyond impossible for a teacher to educate the others around them, in such case

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they should seek other resources and ways to obtain the problem. This was an inspiration to start
schools and classrooms that specialized in meeting the different needs that such students require,
however still not making them unequal.
Cognitive and learning disabilities sit widely among us in every generation, social status,
and even race. In such cases, students are not able to retain information at the rate in which
others are, however they are not to be considered incompetent. This is something that happens
on the daily basis. In my field experience at Woodfield Academy I often times get the
opportunity to speak with Mrs. Canipe, the teacher whom I observe about the students and how
they became Woodfield students. I have heard many different reasons as to why they were
enrolled in Woodfield, but there was one reason that struck me internally; according to the
parents of one of the students in Mrs. Canipe class, their child was always sat in the corner away
from the other students to color pages from a coloring book in the first grade while everyone else
in the classroom were afforded the opportunity to learn the required material. The parents were
aware that there child had minor difficulties learning new things, but firmly believed that the
teacher would assist them in teaching the child new material, as any parent does sending their
children to school daily. Mrs. Canipe exclaimed, the parents spoke with the teacher at open
house expressing the possible needs of the child and offered to help in any way they could, but
grew angry when they discovered that their child was singled out from the other students that
were receiving the education they were sent to receive, while their child was to color from bell to
bell. The teachers response was, I could not take away from the majority to focus on the needs
of one student; my job is to assure that all of my students get my attention as well as constructive
tasks. Your son is being constructive at his own rate. Where is the diversity? What would have
happened if the parents never took the time to pop up to see what their child was learning? If the
parents had not discovered this at that time, their child could have been far behind and left to fail
instead of succeed in which he is continuously doing at Woodfield Academy.
Not every child may have the ability to open a book and read that book and perform well
on a test, some students struggle in subjects others are likely to excel in, however again they are
not incompetent. Seven Kinds of Smarts, a book I read in EDS 114, exemplifies such beliefs. This
book express the different smarts an individual is likely to have; not to say that they are
dumb in any area, but instead they have different ways of learning and interpreting material.
The seven kinds of smarts listed in the book were: linguistic, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic,
logical-mathematical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Such intelligences allow the individual to
obtain information and even regurgitate information in their own ways.
Our current book, Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference express the
many different disabilities amongst us and the challenges the individuals with such disabilities
face as well as the ways in which they are accommodated such as; teaching styles and school
systems made particularly to meet their needs, even accommodations that we may take for
granted such as ramps on sidewalks, warning signs that signifies a deaf child is in that area, and

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even long term opportunities offered to these individuals that consist of living arrangements, job
opportunities, and overall being afforded equal opportunities.
Many situations in which diversity should be exemplified can be caught and corrected at
an early stage such as elementary school and middle school, if it is not already displayed. But as
people grow older different aspects of life arise and take a toll. Such aspects can include: sexual
preference, hygienic situations, and even hormonal circumstances. In either case every individual
are to be considered equal. In todays society, typically at high school level these things occur;
some may choose to be homosexuals or maybe even bi sexual and because of this they are likely
to be judged and even as adults protested against. Again, where is the diversity? Such individuals
came from a mothers womb just as any other individual, they have succeeded academically at a
normal rate as their peers, and even were possibly best friends of those that turned their backs on
them. Because of the negative outlooks that many individuals that make up our society place on
them, they become ashamed and withdraw from many communities, but this is unfair!
Heterosexual couples are often times considered cute and adorable; they are able to hold and
swing hands freely, be out in public with no negative remarks, or even encouraged to become
one. On the contrary, some homosexual couples feel the need to only act as friends in public or
maybe not have casual conversation as though they do not know one another, and even have to
travel long distances not to be married, but to be considered a civil union. Any individual
should feel comfortable and proud to say that they are in love; achieving a new goal as they grow
older no matter if they are a mixed couple, homosexual, or even bi sexual.
There is still a call for people of authority and admiration to stand up and exemplify such
diversity during the twenty-first century. Not to say that such people have to rally or protest for,
nor against such situation, however they are to not assist those that make these lifestyles difficult
for the individual. During todays society teachers should hold a strict teacher-student
relationship and not go outside of certain boundaries, but accepting a student for who he or she
is, acknowledging that they are an individual in comparison to the other students that make up
the class makes a difference.
As individuals continue to grow they are automatically placed under a socio-economic
status by society whether they wish to be or not. Socio-economic statuses are placed on an
individual according to their highest level of education and financial benefits. This is often times
where the phrase you cant judge a book by its cover is used, this phrase simply states that
everything may not be as it appear. Some people are considered low class, middle class, or high
class by the clothes they wear, car they drive, friends in which they socialize with, and even
place of residence. Not every individual that has a high class economic status drive a Range
Rover nor have a house on the hill; instead they may prefer to live in an apartment, small house,
or even a condo that fits them and their families comfortably. However, those that may not have
the diversity it takes to see an individual for just that, an individual, continue to judge a book by
its cover.

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The passion to make a difference has to live within the teacher however, I am quite sure
many of us has had teachers that seemed as though they were only there to benefit financially.
Such teachers also made differences in the lives of their students. Such difference may differ
widely from ones in which our society yearns for, but as individuals we are taught to often times
take things, people, and situations for what they are and not allowing them to be milestones that
cannot be defeated within oneself. Such teachers are not to blame, however they may not fit the
characteristics nor expectations of an educator in its entirety. These teachers can be depended on
to provide an adequate education for their students, however they ignore the other important
factors of life.
Overall, in the twenty-first century, there are many ongoing calls for diversity amongst
us, but more importantly amongst those who make a difference; in other words teachers.
Teachers should provide a home outside of their students home where they feel loved, inspired,
and even capable of mastering and overcoming every obstacle life is sure to bring. People like
Martin Luther King, members of the Board of Education, members of the Brown vs. Board of
Education, and our presidents has helped pave the ways for teachers to exemplify and be
passionate about such actions. Individuals commonly hear a teachers job is never done or
even a teachers job goes far beyond education. This is a true factor and there is a desperate
need for more teachers of such characteristics and beliefs to continue paving the way of life for
their students and other students and individuals around them.
Even as college students or even employers in todays society, individuals yearn for
acceptance which derives from diversity that began as early as day care possibly. The ways in
which diversity was portrayed amongst individuals during those times set standards and
expectations that will follow an individual throughout their life time. Because of that or those
teachers who were diverse as well as properly displayed such actions, individuals has grown to
be diverse, expect diversity, and even stand up for such beliefs. But if it had not been for such
teachers this society could possibly be made up of more bias people than we experience in our
society today. This is an inspiration to become a person that provides the warmth and comforting
feeling that you have when entering new environments; for instance confidence during the
transitions from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and high
school to college or the work industry. Diversity goes far beyond measures of a classroom, which
is why it is important to stress such issue in the twenty-century within the classroom. Equality is
the way of life; it keeps society revolving and is needed even today. There is no way possible an
individual can be considered equal without meeting the qualifications of being diverse.