1. Running head: ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 1
Addressing Diversity
Amy Maiden
ED 5123- Diverse Learners
July 17, 2016
Dr. Catherine Beck

2. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 2
Introduction
Each year, the United States builds in its diversity. The Census Bureau projects
that by the year 2100, the U.S. minority population will become the majority with
non-Hispanic whites making up only 40% of the U.S. population” (GreatSchools
Staff, 2016). With this growth in the minority populations, schools are becoming
more diverse too. Teachers and students need to learn how interact in a diverse
environment. As the diverse nature of schools increase, schools need to find more
effective ways to help all students to succeed both academically and socially. In this
paper, I will reflect on what diversity is and how it affects me as a teacher and future
administrator.
Part One: Diversity Self Knowledge
To me, diversity means anything that is different. Diversity could be an adverb
that describes the cultural backgrounds of a group, the physical make-up, the economic
status, or even just the ideas that a group of people have. “Diversity encompasses
complex differences and similarities in perspectives, identities, and points of view among
members of an institution as well as among individuals who make up the wider
community” (Luther College Diversity Center, 2016). It is very important to remember
that each person has a diverse background, and to respect their similarities and
differences, but they shouldn’t be used to predict any individual’s values, choices or
responses. Understanding is an important part to respecting diversity, and that these
aspects may be different and/or similar to one’s individual diversity. A school
community is made up of a multitude of people from different backgrounds and cultures
together in the same environment working for the same goal: betterment of their children
as future stakeholders.

3. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 3
It is valuable to recognize one’s own diversity to help relate to others and
recognize similarities and differences between myself and those that I closely encounter.
I am a diverse person. Ethnically, I have half Scottish, a fourth English, and a fourth
American Indian. I have a visual impairment that requires me to wear corrective lenses
in order to drive and read. I am a female. I come from a single-parent home. I speak
fluent English, and polite Spanish. I am in my late 20’s. I am currently single with no
children. I am heterosexual, but my mother is homosexual. Politically, I align with a
moderate point-of-view that leans more democratic that republican. I am a non-
denominational Christian, that believes in a higher power, but does not believe in
attending a weekly church sanction. I am able to read and write, and attended a
university to further my degree of education. I have also been gifted the ability to sing
and play musical instruments.
All of my diverse characteristics come together to make me a unique individual.
My ethnicity makes my face very different than others. I have a dark ivory complexion
that easily tans in the sun. My Scottish background also gives me green/hazel eyes that
are large and that change colors on a regular basis. My single-parent home life made me
to know the power of a woman to work hard and accomplish anything I set out for.
Being in my late 20’s gives me a perspective on life that has seen a lot, but still have a lot
to learn. My musical background has taught me to be outgoing and enjoy finding the
music that happens in everyday life. My faith gives me a moral code that drives me to be
innately good and kind to others. My heterosexuality has led me to fall in love with a
man that I am now engaged to, but my mother being homosexual has made me see that
love is love.

4. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 4
All this makes me to be a well-rounded educator. I have learned to accept that we
all have similarities and differences. Our similarities initially bind us together, and our
differences can either pull us apart, or deepen the bond. As a teacher I choose to
acknowledge the differences in my students as a way to help them grow individually and
to help my students learn acceptance and humility. Knowing my own diversity helps me
to see the diversity in my students. Because I learn differently, I know that my students
will learn in different ways; the experience in the classroom confirms this every day.
Part Two: Personal SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Ability to build a sense of inclusion in my
classroom
- Integrating lessons and activities that
convey a range of multicultural
perspectives.
- Have taught in an economically diverse
school.
- Helping students with diverse learning
needs.
Weaknesses
- Lack of information about other diverse
cultures.
- Have not taught in a culturally diverse
school.
Opportunities
- Different ideas and solutions
- Learning a different language
- Learn about diverse customs
- Seeing different perspectives.
Threats
- Unknown biases toward cultures that I’m
unfamiliar
- Lack of training in teaching diverse
cultures

5. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 5
Part Three: Demographic Diversity Portrait
Madison Elementary
Total Student Population 846
Gender Male: 51% Female: 49%
Race/Ethnicity African
American:
0%
Hispanic:
0%
White:
96.8%
Asian:
1.6%
Multi-
racial/Othe
r:
1.6%
Socioeconomic Status Free/Reduced Lunch:
41.6%
Language: English: 98.5% Spanish: 0% Other: 1.5%
Ability: Regular
Education:
74.5%
Special
Education:
13.5%
Gifted
Education:
12%
Our school has a high percentage of students that are socioeconomically
disadvantage students. The trend from our school report card indicates that this group of
students tends to have a lower attendance rate. With this knowledge, it is important that
teachers find ways to help keep students up to date on the learning’s of the classroom is
sometimes a shorter span of time. Therefore, it is a necessity for teachers to understand
the ways that each student learns in order to teach students effectively in case they are
absent. Our special education and gifted student percentages are also high. We want to
make sure that our teachers are well trained to differentiate their instruction so that each
student is being met at their independent level. There are additionally a very small
percentage of students that are not of white ethnicity, and they may feel excluded from
the classroom environment. Teachers need to include materials in their classroom that

6. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 6
are diverse in culture so that students feel comfortable in socializing with all students
regardless of their ethnicity.
Our school takes advantage of the diverse socioeconomic backgrounds of our
students by providing programs that include everyone. We have family fun nights that
bring together the community, and provide transportation for the families that live in the
trailer park near the school. We also provide tutoring for students in the trailer park
community to promote learning at home. Our school wants students to feel part of a
community. Teachers have been provided workshops to use Responsive Classroom, that
promotes students to be independent thinkers, and still be part of the classroom
environment. It has teaches students to feel empowered and valued.
“According to the National Center on Universal Design for Learning, the
principles and the guidelines scaffolded under them suggest providing a greater variety of
options for how learners are taught information, how they express that they’ve grasped
material and how they’re continuously engaged and motivated to learn more” (Noonoo,
2014). Our school has the philosophy that no student learns exactly the same as another.
Therefore, teachers need to anticipate the needs of all students in their classroom when
planning instruction. Our teachers are encouraged to use technology as frequently in the
classroom as possible, due to its flexibility to adjust to learner differences. Teachers also
provide flexible ways of presenting lesson content. Teachers may use smart board
presentations, or provide a more manipulate way to help engage all students. One aspect
to Responsive Classroom is to provide academic choice in the classroom. This goes with
the UDL notion to provide flexible options for student engagement.
Conclusion

7. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 7
In conclusion, the diverse make up of our school helps to bring character and
different philosophies. It also provides challenges for teachers to use materials and
resources that are diverse in order to make each student feel that they are valued and
respected as individuals. Schools should strive to create an environment where all
children feel valued and all children can learn. Teachers need to be aware of their own
diversities with addition to their students’ diversities. Teachers should also think of
possible diverse scenarios that may happen in the classroom, and how they will address
them so that all students feel respected in the classroom.

8. ADDRESSING DIVERSITY 8
References
Greatschools Staff. (2016). How important is cultural diversity in your school. Retrieved
from http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/cultural-diversity-at-school/
Luther College Diversity Center. (2016). What is diversity? Retrieved from
http://www.luther.edu/diversity/center/
Noonoo, S. (2014). Six ways to engage every learner using udl. Retrieved from
https://thejournal.com/articles/2014/12/03/6-ways-to-engage-every-learner-using-
udl.aspx