This document discusses issues related to diversity and education. It defines cultural diversity and identity, noting that culture includes values, customs, language and strategies that help groups adapt and survive. A person's cultural identity is based on attributes like gender, ethnicity, religion and influences how they view themselves and the world. The document addresses how schools contribute to identities and discusses challenges like racism, biased attitudes and curriculum. It suggests teachers dispense with stereotypes to help all students. Overall, the document focuses on recognizing individual differences, adapting instruction for diverse learners, and creating inclusive classrooms.

1. Education and Diversity: Framing
the Issues
B. Egbo

2. • Student diversity (differences) is a reality
in Canadian schools
Critical question: what, why and how to
teach children in ways that reflect their
diverse backgrounds?

3. Diversity refers to difference
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Human diversity
Bio-diversity
Religious diversity
Linguistic diversity
Diversity of opinions
Egbo’s focus: cultural diversity

4. Culture is defined:
• “…shared system of meaning and symbols that
account for patterned behaviour between
individuals and amoung groups.” (pg. 201)
• “…as the knowledge, values, customs,
attitudes, language and strategies that enable
individuals and groups to adapt and survive in
their environment.” (pg. 201)

5. Culture is “in us and all around us”
(pg. 201)
• Each person has his or her own cultural
identity (perceptions of who we are)
• Our cultural backgrounds influence our
perceptions of the world and therefore,
constitute an essential part of who we are.

6. People’s cultural identity are based on such things as:
Attributes: some are inherited; some are socially assigned
Social class
Group affiliations
Career
Sexual identity
Psychological
dispositions
Ability
Religion
Education
Age
Race
Community
Language
Gender
Family
Ethnicity
Nationality

7. • Our cultural background is our own personal
possession and influences how we view
ourselves.
• Shared attributes link people to one another.
Culture + biological traits = personal identity

8. Where do schools fit in?
Schools contribute to individual and group
identities

9. How does the concept of race
contribute to diversity and
identity??

10. Does race matter? YES!
• Racism is the continued oppression of
minority groups
• People are not inherently different or unequal
but there are perceived differences.
• Dominant group (superior race) distributes
(and denies) power to other groups.
“…Race is a variable which is commonly
used to sustain inequality in schools.”
pg. 205

11. How does racism manifest itself in
Canadian schools??
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Racially biased attitudes
Culturally biased assessment practices
Unrepresentative curricula and staffing
Harassment of minority students
Streaming of minority groups into non-academic
programs
• Disciplinary policies that target minority groups
• Devaluation of non dominant group parents’ involvement
• Discuss – do you agree with this?

12. Challenge for Teachers!
Teachers can positively transform the lives of
minority children.
Teachers must dispense with prejudice,
stereotypes and cultural assumptions.

13. Hidden Curriculum
* Behaviours, attitudes, and knowledge the
school unintentionally teaches through
content, routines, social relationships.
* HC spreads dominant ideologies- examples:
celebrations, concerts, displays, books, values

14. Prejudice (a set of rigid and unfavourable
attiudes towards a particular group)
and
Stereotyping (generalizations)
can have devastating consequences on teaching
and learning
Teachers are in a unique position to implement
their views (positive or negative)

15. Test of Individual Prejudice
1. Write down your first thought of what comes to
mind when you hear:
- Asians
- Moslems
- Blacks
- Jews
- Christians
- Whites
- First Nations Peoples
- Women
- Gays and Lesbians
- Immigrants
- People with Disabilities
2. What might you say or students say that would
reflect prejudice?
3. As a teacher how would you respond to
comments that were prejudiced?

16. Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner- psychologist
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Linguistic
Music
Mathematical
Spatial
Naturalist
Bodily/Kinesthetic
Intra-personal
Interpersonal
Existential

17. What are the implications for
teachers?
• recognize individual differences in
learning (students not necessarily treated
the same)
• Adapt instructional strategies to the
different learning styles
The result = you will optimize academic
success amoung diverse learners!

18. Gender-Based Differences
Research shows:
• Pedagogical and classroom practices tend to silence
girls
• Boys tend to dominate classroom talk
Recent research/data:
• suggests that variables such as socialization, parental
influence, individual motivation contribute to
differential academic outcomes for boys and girls
• Large gaps that once existed have been eliminated in
most cases

19. “Here Comes Everyone”
Teaching in the Intercultural Classroom - ATA
How does your cultural identity shape your
thinking and guide your actions?
Pointers for teachers:
• Recognize how your personal biases can affect
instruction.
• To nurture a sense of belonging in your
students, get to know them and help them get
to know each other.

20. • Have high expectations of all students.
• Use engaging teaching and learning practices.
• Consider ways to differentiate instruction
based on culture and diversity.
• Believe that all families and community
members want their children to succeed.
• Make instruction and assessment more
meaningful and relevant by learning about
your students’ cultures, languages and
learning styles.

21. Questions
1. What challenges will you face in
ensuring inclusiveness in your
classroom?
2. In what areas do you feel you lack
understanding?
3. What assumptions do you hold in
relation to diversity?