DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION

Introduction

Many scholars have written about their philosophy of education. It is common to find that most of these writers actually derive inspiration from other writers who have written about their philosophies too. This paper shall focus on my professional philosophy of education. It is derived from the teachings and ideas of a great American philosopher; John Dewey. This philosopher detested authoritarian education. Additionally, he incorporated democracy into his teaching approaches. It is these ideas that will form the foundation for the latter paper with specific emphasis given to how these ideas can be applied to diversity in education.

Background Information
John Dewey affirmed that education can only occur through the process of social consciousness. This is seen in almost all spheres of life. For instance, whenever we acquire different habits or whenever an individual’s feelings have been awakened, then that is still part of education. Regardless of the level of strictness in any school environment, teachers cannot claim to deviate from this principle. All people are first educated through the unconscious state.

The latter assertions can be carried forward to the issue of diversity in education. Because all human beings regardless of their race, disability, gender etc go through this unconscious education, then one can assert that they deserve equal treatment if the same principle was to be applied to them. (Neil, 2005)

Dewey also asserted that a child’s social environment was particularly important in ascertaining whether that child was able to embrace true education. Again, this assertion can be related to the diverse classroom because a diverse classroom offers children the opportunity to deal with different demands from the ones that the child had been accustomed to thus giving them room for growth.

Children learn through the various demands that are placed upon them from members of the group. Consequently, if those demands are narrow or nonexistent, then a child’s feelings and action will remain as they were. However, if those demands are much greater than that child had anticipated, then chances are that the child will come out of their narrowness of thought and will embrace their role as contributors to the overall wellness of the group. Therefore, a child will be able to learn what is appropriate or not through the actions of others when they are responding to the former’s deeds or words. For instance, when children are learning a certain language, they rely on the reactions which they get from the people around then in relation to certain actions. For example, whenever a certain activity solicits a certain response, then that child will place the meaning in context. (Neil, 2005)
The latter principles also apply to diversity in education. In essence, diverse classrooms represent society as it is. Compared to conventional classrooms, diverse classes are much closer to Dewey’s ideas. This is because they allow children to learn from one another especially in terms of those who may be different from them.
According to the latter philosopher, education is imparted through two aspects
• Psychological aspects
• Social aspects

The first aspect is more important than the second because of the fact that it incorporates the issue of a child’s instincts. The latter characteristic is usually the starting point in any learning process. If education is conducted independently from the child’s activities, then it can only be regarded as a form of external pressure. If a child has no opportunity to show initiative, then they may simply solve the problems assigned to them by their educators but no meaningful education will have taken place. This is because such educators have not bothered to make an insight into the psychological goings on of the child. When a teacher’s approaches happen to fall in line with a child’s ideas, then chances are that that child will learn. However, if those approach contradict a child’s psychology, then it will create conflict within the child’s mind thus impeding learning. Consequently, there is a need for a merger between these two issues.

One can say that the same thing occurs in diverse classrooms. Diverse classrooms are ways in which the psychology of the members is made to grow. Consequently, teachers who deal with diverse groups are more likely to strike a chord with their psychology than if they were in non-diverse classrooms. (Neil, 2005)

It should also be noted that John Dewey was particularly keen on knowledge about present social conditions. Teachers or educators must be in a position where they can critically address a child’s powers. In order to do this, then that educator must place that child’s words and deeds in context. Every single person has a natural instinct but this can be regarded as a useless thing if it has not been placed in the right social context. Educators use social backgrounds to determine whether a certain activity will be carried forward into the future or whether it is merely a sign of what has been happening in the past.

In other words, the latter philosopher was trying to say that social and psychological aspects are intertwined. None of them can be disregarded in the education process. Also, the same may be said of the behavior of children within diverse classroom. When education is done in diverse environments, then it provides a broader social context against which the psychological instincts of a child can be understood by their educators. Consequently, children’s psychological realms are able to be expanded in the diverse classroom so that it can accommodate the differences in their school environments. This eventually makes the learning process more efficient.

The latter philosopher also claimed that the essence of education is to ascertain that children are prepared to meet the challenges of their future lives. However, trying to predict how this future will be so as to teach them may prove to be an unrealistic issue. Teachers need to embrace the fact that the only way they can truly prepare children for future challenges is through giving children the ability to utilize all their powers. They need to be taught how to take control of their prevailing situations and how to tackle some of the most demanding challenges confronting them. In this sense, education is mainly utilized for the purpose of fully arming and training children to exploit their full potential. This cannot be attained by resorting to a set of written down rules. The only way this can be handled is by relying or dealing with the psychological abilities of learners. One’s interests, tastes and powers are the only thing that can be deemed constant and this is what needs to be taken into account during the educative process. Consequently, diverse classrooms allow a greater level of psychological expansion and this better equips the child for his or her future life. (Neil, 2005)

Dewey also points out the fact that all children are social animals. They make up part of society and without these individuals, society would be nothing. Consequently, an education system that does not encompass the social element in their lives can be deemed as an abstract one. Additionally, society as it is depends on different individuals in order to become what it is. Without consideration of individuality, society as we know can be regarded as an inactive body. In terms of diversity in education, care ought to be given to the fact that society is not a huge mass of lifeless beings; instead, it is a combination of a series of diverse individuals who must learn to cope and live together. This aspect must be included in teaching in order to impart real knowledge.

Education must be such that it continually resorts to the following
• Capacities
• Interests
• Habits

When educators continually resort to the following aspects, then chances are that those children who are being taught will have greater opportunities for learning. At every point of the teaching process, educators must make reference to the enlisted factors because this will be allowing them to translate children’s actions to society and thus enabling them to be ready for their future lives. (Neil, 2005)

Problem statement
Student populations within the country are changing by the day. Many classrooms are packed with children who come from different races, ethnicities, disabilities and cultures. Consequently, educators need to be equipped with sound and adequate modes of preparation to cope with these diversities. But the current school environment has not yet been fully organized.

There is a need for members of society to embrace greater levels of cultural diversity. This means that viewpoints and instructional material taught in classrooms needs to embrace these diversities. History needs to be taught in such a manner that it reflects the history of minority groups too. Political science needs to reflect society as it is today and so do many other disciplines.

Future teaching must be such that it is engaged and meaningful to all students irrespective of their race, heritage, ethnicity, gender or cultural background. The question is how can this be achieved today?
Literature review

By the year 1984, twenty percent of the school population emanated from minority groups. It has been predicted that twelve years from today, fifty percent of school environments will be made up of minority groups. As of 1997, almost seventy percent of US’s twenty five largest schools were represented by minority students.
There is also another concept that one must take into account when considering issues of diversity; that of social class. Most of the children who come from minority groups happen to belong to low income households. Social class is an important factor in addressing diversity in education. It also happens that most of these children are academic underachievers. There are a complex set of reasons that could have caused this low academic achievement.

One of the reasons can best be explained John Dewey’s concepts. The latter philosopher asserted that education must be such that it reflects on the concerns, interests and abilities of learners. In most diverse schools, administrators and teachers tend to sideline the cultural experiences of these minority groups. They claim that such children are failures yet this is not a true concept. Such educators have not considered that their languages and their cultures are what has caused them to different from their peers. Instead, the latter group claims that these children are not yet ready learn and this is not the case. (Curren, 2006)

Another reason that could be causing poor handling of the issue of diversity in most classroom environments is brought on by the fact that society itself is racially polarized. A survey conducted in the year 1997 among children of grade six to twelve found that over eight percent of them had some form of racial prejudice. The latter observation can be explained by understanding Dewey’s assertions. The latter author claimed that it is almost impossible for society to be what it is today without due consideration of the constituents that make it up. Also, he claimed that children are also a reflection of society. Consequently, the problems that children coming from perceived negative backgrounds undergo are brought on by race relations eminent in society. One only has to consider what has been happening in the news. The OJ Simpson case’s results brought out a lot of racial tensions. Also, there have riots and other cases in the country’s history that have propelled these differences.
It can also be asserted that many classrooms do not provide equal opportunities to all its learners and it one can thus conclude that they have failed in the process of embracing diversity. Multicultural education is the answer to this problem. The latter term refers to the entire school reform effort conducted in order to provide equity for ethnic, cultural and economic groups. In order to embrace diversity, there is a need for an overhaul of the entire education system in order to accommodate all economic, cultural and ethnic groups within the country. (Saxonhouse, 2002)

Dewey firmly asserted that schools should not be regarded as factories or assembly lines. In other words, he claimed that many institutions believed that they had to create a product that was perfect. The traditional model of teaching was such that it ranked children according to their intelligences, their classes or their overall achievement. Learning styles in such environments are particularly disturbing owing to the fact they are quite limited and leave no room for exceptions or differences. This approach is not appropriate at all for multicultural learning yet this is what most teachers in the past have been taught. According to John Dewey’s philosophy of education, very little emphasis should be placed in a set of rules or guidelines from creating the perfect product. Instead, more efforts should be given to the societal reflection of the learners.

It should also be noted that the most effective way of dealing with diversity in education is through a three pronged approach
• Highly interactive instruction
• Heterogeneous grouping
• Inclusive curriculums

Greater collaboration between educators and the learners is the best method of tackling this issue. In other words, the education system should be transformed in such a manner that it embraces cultural diversity. From this philosophy, it is the right of all children to receive an education that reflects upon their diversity. Also, they need to be taught how to take control of their own lives by embracing their cultural and historical backgrounds.

Additionally, educators need to play their part too. They need to realize the fact that there can be no other solution to diversity challenges without holding the same expectations of all children in their classrooms. Time and time again, educators have been keen on children coming from privileged backgrounds. Consciously or subconsciously, such educators have placed many expectations for the conventional students while writing off those who come from minority groups. Such an attitude needs to be altered so that change can be brought to the education system. There is a need for educators to offer equal challenges to all groups of children irrespective of their background.

It should also be noted that most educators represent a small demographic group. In fact, very few of them are in a position to implement this philosophy of education. A majority of teachers are monolingual. This means that they cannot be able to relate to the language experiences of certain minority groups. Additionally, most teachers come from white suburban middle class backgrounds. The latter demographics do not adequately equip teachers to embrace diversity fully, these educators tend to bring their narrow experiences to the classroom thus putting minority students at a risk of being misunderstood or sidelined. (Guron, 1992)

The latter factors are further compounded by statistics conducted over the recent past. It has been found that sixty five percent of all teachers in the country spend time with members of their own race. Additionally, it has been found that such teachers are also more comfortable or more willing to work with students from similar backgrounds as theirs. The most disturbing fact revealed in this survey was the fact that many teachers asserted that minority students do not possess the academic capability of grasping some of the concepts that those educators were going to teach.

What this brings out is the need for a paradigm shift in teachers’ attitudes. Not only should multicultural education focus on the experiences of the students alone, it also needs to include the experiences of teachers as well. According to Dewey’s education philosophy, educators are the ones with the power to understand some of the cultural instincts, interests and concerns of their students so as to perpetuate learning. In order to do this effectively, greater emphasis needs to be given to the sort of training that teachers receive in their respective institutions. Teachers need to be equipped with the right attitudes, skills and knowledge needed to handle diversity in education. (Ngada & Sevig, 2002)

Teachers need to be in a position where they understand human diversity itself. Consequently, they can be better prepared to deal with some of the challenges that emanate from the diverse classroom through training them in the following;
• Field experiences in multicultural environments
• Assessment of teacher competencies in diverse classrooms
• Including multicultural experiences in curricula
• Liberal arts
• Offering courses in multicultural education
• Etc

Through these initiatives, it can then possible to carry on program in which the most diverse and underrepresented groups are tackled adequately within the classroom.
Given the changes that have been taking place across many spheres of society, one cannot help but realize the changes that are necessary in order to tackle diversity. For instance, in a particular school in California, there had been very little diversity in their classrooms. Most children of school going age came from middle class white backgrounds. However, following an influx of some minority groups, members of society began voicing some concerns. Some of them claimed that they were not happy with the curriculum changes that the new diverse groups had brought to their schools. When asked about this, parents cited the use of a class text known as Huckleberry Finn in the eighth grade. Additionally, other parents complained about increased fighting and indiscipline in these schools.

All these responses put teachers at a loss for words because of the fact that most of them may not be in a position to respond to these fears. However, the issue of diversity need not be a problem in education institutions. If handled correctly, then there will be no cause for concern among members of the community. First of all, it is important for teachers to understand why certain communities react the way. By getting to the root of the problem, then diversity can be a solution not a problem in society. (Rosenberg, 2003)

First of all, when there is high influx of members of another race, ethnic group, social class etc, the recipient group is usually in a position where they feel threatened. Most of them operate under the presumption that they may not cope with these differences. This causes high levels of insecurity amongst members of the population. These feelings are usually vented out on the incoming group and this can spark of a lot of tension, conflict and hostility between these groups.

Consequently, most of the recipients express these sentiments through resentment and uneasiness. By placing these issues in context, teachers can be in position of improving the overall education system.

It should also be noted that most fears about diversity are founded upon historical factors. Whenever new sets of immigrants entered the US, authorities normally looked towards schools to integrate these groups. Taking the example of Mexican American families that took their children to desegregated schools; these schools were regarded as avenues for diluting their own Mexican experiences and assimilating children into the conventional culture. Usually when children are taken to highly diverse schools from these minority groups, they are likely to lose touch with the goings on in such environments.

(Gurin & Hurtado, 2002)
The reason behind this is that certain educators and the school environment at large consider the cultural experiences of such children to be inferior to their own. But such an attitude could be used to explain why minority groups perform poorly in schools. Human beings have an inherent need to be treated with dignity and respect. Whenever an individual is regarded as a second class citizen, then chances are that they may feel sidelined. In order to affirm their importance or existence, such children may want to get attention through fights or other undisciplined behavior.

Additionally, children from minority backgrounds may not achieve their potential academically because of the inferiority complexes that have been ingrained in them.
According to Dewey, whenever teachers fail to embrace children’s cultural diversity, then they are likely to propel them into other spheres of life that may not necessarily be the most advantageous for them. Consequently, teachers need to look for mechanisms that can promote greater levels of performance among these various groupings. Additionally, they need to look for ways in which they can boost their self confidence by treating them as equals in the classroom environment.

It should be noted that certain communities in the past have responded to diversity in education through fears and insecurities. They have passed laws that are designed to prohibit aliens from accessing public education. Additionally, such states or counties have passed laws that prohibit teaching bilingual education in public schools. This approach is clearly misplaced owing to the fact that all projections concerning the US population indicate that the overall population will be more diverse in coming years. This means that such rigid approaches are only delaying the inevitable. Additionally, they are merely making life difficult for children in diverse schools but they cannot prevent further entrance of immigrants into the country.

Instead of looking at diversity in education as a problem, it is necessary to look at it as an asset to the nation. Through diversity, it can be possible to gain substantial benefits to society. As Dewey asserted, education is the mechanism that allows human beings to move from knowing nothing to becoming rich in ideas and knowledge. (Rosenberg, 2003)

Educators need to realize the fact that learning institutions are the first points of contact between diverse students. Consequently, if the latter group is not adequately prepared to tackle the problem, then chances are that there will be limited time to deal with the problem by the rest of society. For instance, educators can include both the parents and teachers in the educative programs. For those children who seem to be resisting cultural diversity, teachers can begin by educating and informing their parents about the benefits of this. This is because educators only do half the job, the rest is completed by their parents.

The first step in this process is by telling parents some of the benefits that immigrants have brought in society. For instance, they have assisted in reviving the country’s economy. Again, teachers need to inform parents that contrary to traditional perspectives, Immigrants are not draining away the economic activities within the country and should not be regarded as such. In fact, statistics indicate that even in places where there is a lot of opposition to immigration, most groups tend to depend highly on immigrants for a number of services. The following are just some, of the examples of activities that these groups normally partake in.
Construction industry activities
Hospitality industries
Domestic maintenance

Additionally, higher levels of immigrants imply greater contribution to the overall taxation system and the well being of society. This is especially the case for people who have reached retirement age. The latter groups are highly dependent on social security funds. These funds will only grow in size if the immigrant population is allowed good quality education which promotes them to become respectful citizens of their country and people who make contributions to the overall taxation system. If parents from conservative backgrounds are made to understand these issues, then they are likely to desist from maintaining a hard line stance on the issue.

According to Dewey’s philosophy of education, children reflect the ideas and concepts of society. This society is made up of the people they interact with. Large numbers of them are their parents. Consequently, if their parents hold rigid and fearful ideas, then their children are likely to have the same opinions and concepts too. (Curren, 2006)

It should be noted that diversity in education cannot work if teachers are not willing to adapt to changes in teaching. Most teachers assume that their role is to promote Americanism in the way that they understood it. This approach moves away from John Dewey’s assertions where the child’s psychological and social needs must be constantly included in learning. Many educators have been aiming at minimizing or eliminating the cultural experiences of the minority groups. In fact, most of them may actually call students successful only when they have fully embraced the American version of their culture. Consequently, racial minorities become invisible through the education system.

Teachers need to embrace more critical thought in the education environment. If they can teach children about reflecting on the country’s past, then it is likely that these children may treat others equally. Additionally, these sentiments will trickle down to the rest of society by making equitability an important concept in society.
Benefits of diversity

While this argument may seem rather conservative, some people have argued that diversity in education may not be very beneficial. However, such a viewpoint is not founded on solid proof. In the year 1996, it was found that diversity in education had a profoundly positive impact upon the lives of students. This was made possible by the fact that diverse classrooms improve the way in which people interact and socialize. (Rosenberg, 2003)

Additionally, diversity promotes a student’s overall social and academic well being. Through interaction with members of another race, ethnic group or social class, children are able to discuss issues concerning race. They are able to see the other side of the coin and understand the perspective of the minority groups. This is especially the case in high school or in higher institutions of learning such as colleges. Through diversity, students can learn how to be committed to racial awareness. Also, they can also be cultural aware thus making them very academically rich in the process.

There are certain attributes that come with learning in diverse institutions and they include;
• Involvement in cultural awareness workshops
• Greater concern on racial and gender issues in classes
• Strong commitment to multiculturalism
• Better student retention
• Better social confidence
• Better college satisfaction
• Better grades
• Better intellectual self confidence

There was also another survey that had been conducted within the country in 2001 to determine whether students actually benefit from diversity in schools. It was found that interracial interactions by white students in diverse classrooms were highly responsible for creating students who had greater level of social responsibility. Additionally, these students also participated in a lot of community service later on in life. This research shows that one cannot underscore the benefits of learning in a diverse classroom. (Curren, 2006)

According to these studies, it has been shown that studying in diverse classrooms can have educational benefits. According to John Dewey, educational and social factors are one and the same thing or are highly interdependent. Consequently, if an education system promotes greater social interaction, then it also promotes greater learning.

By having underrepresented members of society in institutions of learning, it is possible to increase the opportunities available to them. Additionally, one is able to boost the educational benefits of those children who had been overrepresented in schools.

It should also be noted that promoting inclusion in the classroom environment does not just mean focusing on desegregation. Research has shown that the latter phenomenon alone is not sufficient to enhance educational experiences in society. Instead, more emphasis should be given to promotion of diverse experiences. It has been shown that in order to fully benefit from diverse environments, there ought to be intimate interactions between the classroom entities, there should be pursuance of common goals between the differing groups and there should also be equality in status between these participating groups.

Consequently, diversity is beneficial in education when it is combined with positive conditions. One might ask how this is achievable. John Dewey as an education philosopher was instrumental in applying workable or practical solutions in education thus making it socially feasible. This same approach should be taken by teachers when handling diverse classrooms. In order to appreciate the benefits of diversity, it is essential for all the groups that are implementing this system to understand that there can be no other alternative to practical applications. For instance, teachers need to look at co curricular activities that can encourage interaction between diverse groups. By promoting this interdependence then it is likely that more and more people will benefit from the initiative. Additionally, teachers may also look for some curriculum activities that they can use to enhance this pursuance of common goals or promote greater interaction. (Rosenberg, 2003)

Some people may not be able to understand the kinds of benefits that diversity can bring. First of all, diversity promotes corporate citizenship. It makes children grow to be responsible members of society. Additionally, it makes them more aware of the issues faced by other communities and expands their minds. There are many more benefits that come with diversity and these must never be underscored

Conclusion
My philosophy of education is guided by the views of John Dewey. He believed that the child should be the center of the education system and this is only possible through reference to his environment. Consequently, diversity will promote greater socialization and hence better education. Additionally, in order of diversity to produce substantial results, it needs to be grounded on pursuance of common goals, genuine interactions and promotion of self respect.

References

Neil, J. (2005): John Dewey, The Modern father of experiential Education; Free press
Rosenberg, M. (2003): Life Enriching Education; Puddle Dancer Press
Curren, R. (2006): A companion to the philosophy of education; Blackwell publishers
Ngada, B. & Sevig, T. (2002): An education model of cultivating engagement cross differences’; Equity and Excellence in Education Journal, 35, 1, 17
Saxonhouse, F. (2002): Fear of diversity in education; Chicago University Press
Gurin, P & Hurtado, S. (2002): Diversity and Higher Education; Harvard Education Review, 71, 3, 333
Guron, G. (1992): Experiences of first year students with diversity; Michigan Univers
ity Press

The author of this article is a holder of Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University and currently pursing PhD Program. He is also a professional academic writer. ResearchPapers247.Com>