TEACHING FOR DIVERSITY

1
TEACHING FOR DIVERSITY

• The Inclusive Classroom

2
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

• Approximately 300,000 immigrant children moved to
  Canada in the 1990s
• Most of these children reside in Vancouver,
  Toronto and Montreal, however there is a
  significant immigrant and First Nations
  population in many communities in B.C.

3
Aboriginal Enrolment B.C.

• Female Male Total Female
  Male Total
• 2001/02 24,076 24,829 48,905 7.8
  7.7 7.8
• 2002/03 24,691 25,668 50,359 8.2
  8.1 8.1
• 2003/04 28,593 29,290 57,883 9.5 9.3
  9.4
• 2004/05 28,717 29,322 58,039 9.7 9.5
  9.6
• 2005/06 28,286 28,943 57,229 9.7 9.4
  9.5
• Notes
• Provincial Overview Comments
• (1) The ratio of female to male Aboriginal
  students has remained stable over the last five
  years.

4
Aboriginal Students - SAANICH

• Aboriginal Students in Aboriginal Programs
• 2002/ 2003 2004/ 2005/ 2006
• 03 04 05 06
  /07
• Total 347 360 365 386 417
• Female 165 173 184 185 203
• Male 182 187 181 201 214

5
Aboriginal Students in Aboriginal Programs -
Victoria

• 02/03 04/05 06/07
• Total 1351 1323 1290
• Female 656 655 630
• Male 695 668 660

6
SCHOOL DISTRICT 61 VICTORIA - Six year Dogwood
Completion Rates

• 2000/01 Non aboriginal 72
• Aboriginal 30
• 2001/02 Non Aboriginal 75
• Aboriginal 33
• 2003/04 Non Aboriginal 73
• Aboriginal 35
• 2004/05 Non Aboriginal 79
• Aboriginal 37

7
VICTORIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

• SD NO. 61 2004/05
• 9,661 Elementary students
• 2, 076 Middle school students
• 8,499 Secondary, Continuing education and
  Alternative program students
• 1,302 Aboriginal students
• 471 Special needs students.

8
Aboriginal students and special needs students
generally

• ADAPTED VERSES MODIFIED
• Students who are on a Dogwood (are expected to
  meet the learning outcomes, even though LD) can
  have their coursework "adapted".  That is it can
  be changed in any way the teacher desires that
  still demonstrates that the child has achieved
  the expected learning.  

9
ADAPTED VERSES MODIFIED

• Modified is for students not expected to
  graduate, but are on a school leaving
  certificate.  Their course work can be changed to
  focus on inclusion and participation, and no
  standard learning outcomes are expected.

10
Aboriginal student issues

• Canada has the HIGHEST adolescent suicide rate in
  the G7.
• Teenage males - 1960 5.3/100,000 1991
  23.0/100,000.
• Teenage Girls 1960 0.9/100,000 1991 4.0
  100,000.
• Aboriginal male adolescents 5 times more likely
  to commit suicide then non-aboriginal males
• Aboriginal female adolescents 8 times more likely
  to commit suicide then non-aboriginal female
  adolescents.

11
Aboriginal issues

• Aboriginal teenage males 6 times more likely to
  commit suicide then Aboriginal female adolescents
  (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples)

12
Aboriginal youth - problems

• Substance abuse, depression, anxiety and low
  academic achievement, high unemployment all
  related to suicide risk.

13
Native Community Values- Saanich School District

• Extended Family

• School Response
• Cultural Peer groupings
• Informal atmosphere
• Teacher warmth and dignity

14
Native Community Values

• Works Cooperatively

• School Response
• Small group work
• Harmonious environment
• Competition between teams
• Use and allow humor

15
Native Community Values

• Individuals valued as a member of a group

• School / Teacher response
• Low key leadership style
• Allow for individual differences
• Praise and discipline individuals privately
• Avoid spot lighting students

16
Dominant Learning Processes

• Reflective

• School / Teacher response
• Adjust initial pace of teaching
• Longer wait time for response
• Allow time to think about response without
  interruption

17
Dominant Learning Styles

• Learning by Observing followed by private practice

• School Response
• Use visual and demonstrations
• Guided practice
• Build in rehearsal time
• Expect demonstration after practice and can do
  the task very well
• Avoid trial and error approach to teaching

18
Dominant Learning styles

• Simultaneous/Global /Right Brain

• School response
• Whole language approach
• Inter relate uses of reading, writing,
  speaking, listening
• Language experiences
• Active reading
• Personal meaning
• Creative problem solving
• Multi sensory instruction
• Discuss, content , details and feelings

19
Dominant Learning styles

• Metaphor / Story telling, use of imagery

• School Response
• Use analogies
• Give comparisons
• Incorporate literature with historical/real world
  examples

20
CULTURAL VALUE - FRIENDLINESS

• School Culture
• Teaching content maybe more important than
  knowing about the students personally

• Indian Culture
• High priority placed on knowing others by name
• Trustworthiness of teachers and counsellors very
  significant

21
Friendliness

• School Culture
• Groups of students who know each other well, may
  take no notice or interact with other students

• Indian Culture
• When others take no notice and make little effort
  to be friendly, actions may be interpreted as
  active rejection or prejudice

22
School / Teacher Accomodation

• Important for teachers to convey their sincere
  interest in students and deal with the students
  on a one on one basis where possible
• Facilitate events/activities which allow students
  and teachers to get to know one another

23
TASK ACHIEVEMENT

• School Culture
• Teachers emphasize task achievement over social
  harmony

• Indian Culture
• Teachers ability to establish appropriate inter
  personal relationships may be a necessary
  condition for teacher effectiveness

24
Task achievement

• School
• Problem solving and solution seeking are values.
  Problems are not accepted but attacked and solved

• Indian culture
• Uncomfortable or unpleasant circumstances may be
  endured because they have always been there
• Making the best of things and patience highly
  valued

25
School / Classroom accommodation

• Engaging in social conversation/ acknowledgement
  maybe a necessary condition for starting a task
• Establish classroom situations which value both
  aggressive thinking and patience..

26
Requests for Assistance

• School culture
• Students are expected to indicate if something is
  not clearly understood

• Indian culture
• Students may expect that the teacher will observe
  their lack of success and initiate help

27
Teacher Response

• Teacher anticipates difficulties and provides
  helpful information

28
Speaking and Silence

• School culture
• Main way to get to know others is through
  conversation

• Indian culture
• Students may wait until they know each other
  before initiating conversation

29
Listening Skills

• School
• Generally , interaction is controlled by the
  teacher who may address one or all of the
  students
• Students generally address the teacher but not
  each other

• Indian culture
• Talk tends to proceed at a slow pace
• Pauses a little longer
• Talk tends to be more evenly distributed , i.e.
  may wish to talk to another student

30
SOME KEY CONCEPTS

• Know your students ethnic and cultural
  backgrounds
• Treat each student as an individual
• Respect
• Teach all your students, set high but realistic
  expectations
• Emphasize meaning rather than memorizing

31
EQUITY IN THE CLASSROOM

• Gender stereotyping careers and roles
• Sexual harassment put downs, sexist comments,
  inappropriate boundaries
• Sexually offensive language, pictures in the
  classroom
• Anti- harassment policies in your school district
• Edmonton Bullying is now a criminal offence

32
GLBITTIQQ

• G Gay
• L Lesbian
• Bi Bisexual
• T Transgendered
• T- Trans-sexual
• I - Intersex
• Q- Queer and Questioning

33
Transgendered

• "Of, relating to, or designating a person whose
  identity does not conform unambiguously to
  conventional notions of male or female gender
  roles, but combines or moves between these."1
• "People who were assigned a sex, usually at birth
  and based on their genitals, but who feel that
  this is a false or incomplete description of
  themselves."2
• "Non-identification with, or non-presentation as,
  the sex (and assumed gender) one was assigned at
  birth."

34
Gender Issues

• Transsexualism is a condition in which a person
  identifies with a physical sex different from the
  one that they were born with or assigned in cases
  where ambiguity of the child's sex organs led to
  assigning them a physical sex

35
Intersex

• An organism with intersex may have biological
  characteristics of both the male and female
  sexes.This is also known among the latest
  researchers as the Claus-Groot syndrome named
  after the famous homosexual Dutch researcher.
• Intersexuality is the term adopted by medicine
  during the 20th century applied to human beings
  who cannot be classified as either male or female.

36
Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgendered Students

• Exploration and experimentation with sexual
  orientation in adolescence common
• Homophobia , Heterosexism
• Attempted suicide rates in gay and lesbian
  adolescence three times higher than heterosexual
  peers
• Zero tolerance in your classroom/school for
  demeaning , teasing or bullying based on sexual
  orientation

37
Gay Lesbian BI Sexual students Teachers role
in creating a positive classroom environment

• Provide safe , non discriminatory environment
• Learn about the social , psychological and
  educational needs of these students
• Do not assume heterosexuality. Use language that
  is inclusive
• Provide all students with confidential access to
  materials that address their needs
• Challenge homophobia, heterosexism and
  stereotyping in school /society

38
Gay Lesbian Bi Sexual Students

• Help students obtain services from agencies and
  individuals who are sensitive and trained with
  respect to gay, lesbian and bisexual issues
• Make it clear that language has power and that
  sexist abusive language will not be tolerated
• Examine the curriculum for bias against gay and
  lesbian issues

39
Gay , Lesbian and Bi sexual issues

• Discuss diversity in families and family
  structures
• Enforce sexual harassment, anti violence and anti
  discrimination policies in your school

40
Culturally sensitive classrooms

• Creating culturally sensitive classrooms
• Must avoid stereotyping.. Ethnic group
  differences in learning styles may very well be
  over stated
• First Nations primarily oral tradition rather
  than written but not exclusively. Tend to have
  above average spatial abilities which should be
  recognized. Once again not always true.

41
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

• Teachers are legally required to report suspected
  or known incidents of abuse or neglect
• Child abuse usually reflects patterns of
  behaviour rather than an isolated incident.
• The vast majority of child abusers are parents,
  relatives, or trusted adults, not strangers.
• Children rarely lie about abuse. They are more
  likely to deny abuse and take back truthful
  statements than to make false reports.
• Child abuse knows no class boundaries.

42
Neglect Failure to give due attention or care to
a child resulting in serous emotional or physical
harm.

• Behavioral Indicators
• pale, listless, unkept
• frequent absence from school
• inappropriate clothing for the weather
• dirty clothes
• inappropriate acts or delinquent behaviour
• abuse of alcohol/drugs
• begging /stealing food
• frequently tired
• seeks inappropriate affection
• mature for their age
• reports their is no caretaker

43
Physical indicators

• poor hygiene
• unattended physical or medical needs
• consistent lack of supervision
• underweight, poor growth, failure to thrive
• constant hunger
• under nourished
• Emotional Abuse Verbal attacks or demeaning
  actions that impact on a childs self esteem and
  self worth.

44
Emotional Abuse Verbal attacks or demeaning
actions that impact on a childs self esteem and
self worth.

• Behavioural Indicators
• depression
• withdrawal or aggressive behaviour
• overly compliant
• too neat and clean
• habit disorders (sucking, biting, rocking, etc.)
• learning disorders
• sleep disorders
• unusual fearfulness
• obsessive compulsive behaviour
• phobias
• extreme behaviour
• suicide attempts

45
Physical Indicators

• bed-wetting
• headaches
• nausea
• speech disorders
• lags in physical development
• disruptive behaviour

46
Physical Abuse the intentional use of force
against a child resulting in injury or causing
bodily harm.

• Behavioural Indicators
• inconsistent explanation for injuries or cannot
  remember
• wary of adults
• flinch if touched unexpectedly
• extremely aggressive or extremely withdrawn
• feels deserving of punishment
• apprehensive when others cry
• frightened of parents
• afraid to go home

47
Physical Indicators

• injuries not consistent with explanation
• numerous injuries in varying stages of recovery
  or healing
• presence of injuries over an extended period of
  time
• facial injuries
• injuries inconsistent with the childs age and
  developmental phase

48
Sexual Abuse any form of sexual conduct
(touching, exploitation, intercourse) directed at
a child.

• Behavioural Indicators
• sexual knowledge or play inappropriate to age
• sophisticated or unusual sexual knowledge
• prostitution
• poor peer relationships
• delinquent or runaway
• reports sexual assault by caretaker
• change in performance in school
• sleeping disorders
• aggressive behaviour
• self-abusive behaviours
• self mutilation

49
Physical Indicators

• unusual or excessive itching in the genital or
  anal area
• stained or bloody underwear
• pregnancy
• injuries to the vaginal or anal areas
• venereal disease
• difficult in walking or sitting
• pain when urinating
• vaginal/penile discharge
• excessive masturbation
• urinary tract infections