Notes for Assignment

8/12/2019 Notes for Assignment

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TOPIK 1 KONSEP DAN TUJUAN PERSEKITARAN FIZIKAL BILIK DARJAH

YANG MESRA BUDAYA

Sebelum kita bermula, fikirkan tentang persekitaran fizikal bilik darjah. Mengapa guru perlu

menyusunkan bilik darjah sebegitu rupa? Apakah aspek-aspek yang perlu diambil kira

apabila ingin menyusunkan bilik darjah anda? Bagaimana anda dapat mewujudkkan

sebuah bilik darjah yang mesra budaya. Mari kita sama sama membincangkan ciri-ciri

fizikal yang perlu diberi perhatian dalam mewujudkan suasana bilik darjah yang mesra

budaya.

1.1 Konsep dan Tujuan Pengurusan Persekitaran Fizikal Bilik Darjah

Konsep pengurusan persekitaran fizikal bilik darjah yang mesra budaya adalah amat penting

dalam pengajaran dan pembejaran dalam abad yang mencabar ini dan lebih-lebih lagi

melibatkan murid-murid dari pelbagai latar belakang etnik. Konsep pengurusan fizikal harus

melewati bukan hanya dari aspek kemudahan prasarana serta kemudahan fizikal sahaja

namun hasil dari pengurusan persekitaran fizikal dapat mewujudkan satu suasana serta

iklim pembelajaran yang kondusif dengan mengambil kira keunikan perspektif dari pelbagailatar belakang budaya dan sosial.

Pengurusan persekitaran fizikal bilik darjah telah di rumuskan oleh Fred Steele(1973)

sedemikian the effects of physical setting in a classroom is a setting for social interaction,

symbolic identification, growth, security,shelter and pleasure. Kenyataan yang diutarakan

oleh Steele (1973) disokong oleh Lambert (1994) yang menyatakan bahawa aspek

persekitaran fizikal seperti dengan siapa dan di mana pelajar duduk dapat membantu dalam

interaksi antara mrurid dari latar belakang lingustik dan kebudayaan yang berbeza. Kriteria-kriteria Fizikal Umum Untuk Mewujudkan Persekitaran Bilik Darjah yang Mesra Budaya

1) Aspek Fizikal :-

Terdapat meja dan kerusi yang sesuai dengan murid dan boleh diubah suai

mengikut keperluan aktiviti.

Mempunyai pencayaan dan pengudaraan yang baik.

Mengecat dinding dengan warna - warni yang ceria dan lembut.

Memasang langsir dengan warna yang ceria, terang dan lembut. Melukis mural diswekitar kelas.


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Keselamatan yang terjamin seperti pelan kebakaran dan pemadam api.

2) Sudut-Sudut Pembelajaran:-

Dalam bilik darjah, terdapat pelbagai sudut pembelajaran dan aktiviti yang dapat membantuperkembangan intelek murid seperti sudut boneka, kognitif, kinestetik serta sudut kreativiti

dan sebagainya. Di samping itu, terrdapat sudut-sudut bacaan seperti buku cerita dan

majalah pendidikan dan sudut multimedia seperti komputer, televisyen dan multimedia.

1.2 Kriteria-kriteria Fizikal Spesifik Untuk Mewujudkan Persekitaran Bilik Darjah

yang Mesra Budaya

1) Aspek Fizikal:-

Menyusun atur tempat duduk semula murid-murid dalam bilik darjah supaya terdapat

kesamarataan taburan di antara murid-murid dari pelbagai kumpulan etnik dan tidak

hanya satu kumpulan etnik dikelompokkan dalam satu kumpulan. Apabila ada

perbincangan kumpulan atau aktiviti-aktiviti kumpulan ahli-ahli kumpulan akan terdiri

dari pelbagai kaum etnik. Secara tidak langsung kepelbagaian kumpulan etnik dalam

satu-satu kumpulan secara tidak langsung dapat mewujudkan serta memupuk satu

suasana mesra budaya secara tidak langsung.

Aktiviti mengecat dinding dengan melukis mural -mural biasanya dilakukan oleh guru

kelas sendiri atau beberapa murid yang menjadi pembantunya. Adalah sesuai

sekiranya tema lukisan mural berkisar mengenai perayaan-perayaan serta

kebudayaan perihal pelbagai kaum etnik di negara ini. Aktiviti sedemikian juga

merupakan salah satu aktiviti yang sesuai yang boleh dilakukan oleh murid-murid

dari pelbagai latar belakang kumpulan etnik supaya dapat memupuk perasaan

kekitaan dalam kalangan mereka. Perbincangan serta persediaan untuk lukisan

mural secara tidak langsung akan dapat memupuk nilai serta belajar untuk

bertoleransi dan bekerjasama. Secara tidak langsung guru telah berjaya secara tidak

langsung untuk memujudkan persekitaran mesra budaya.

Ruang untuk bekerja adalah penting untuk memupuk nilai kerjasama dan tolong

menolong antara murid dari pelbagai latarbelakng dan budaya. Tugasan yang di

berikan oleh guru dapat di bincang diruang ini; di mana secara tidak langsung Ali,

Kumar serta Kim Moi dapat berbincang untuk mendapatkan jawapan atau faktauntuk tugasan mereka. Keberkesanan konsep ruang bekerja atau work space ini


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Selepas kita telah dan fahami konsep dan tujuan pengurusan fizilkal bilik darjah cuba anda

bincang dengan rakan anda, Apakah ciri-ciri persekitaran fizikal spesifik selain daripada

yang telah dinyatakan di atas dapat mewujudkan persekitaran bilik darjah yang mesra

budaya ?

1.3 Peranan guru sebagai Physical Enviroment Designer.

Sekiranya anda hadapi murid anda daripada pelbagai budaya, nescaya anda perlu

mengambil perhatian terhadap kepelbagaian / perbezaan individu dalam bilik. Apakah ciri-

ciri yang perlu ada pada seorang guru yang berperanan sebagai Physical Enviromet

Designer agar dapat mewujudkan satu persekitaran yang mesra budaya? Antara ciri-ciri

yang perlu diambil perhatian termasuk:

Perlu mengetahui latar belakang murid terlebih dahulu

Perlu faham dengan mendalam perasaan setiap murid

Mengkikis pra sangka

Perlu mengetahui latar belakang kebudayaan, agama dan adat setiap murid dengan

mendalam.

1.4 Rumusan

Pengurusan fizikal harus mengambil kira bukan sahaja kemudahan prasaranaserta kemudahan fizikal tetapi hasil dari pengurusan persekitaran fizikal dapat

mewujudkan satu suasana serta iklim pembelajaran yang kondusif dengan

mengambil kira keunikan perspektif dari pelbagai latar belakang budaya dan sosial.

Susunatur bilik darjah harus memberi perhatian kepada cara susunan tempat

duduk pelajar harus samarata dari segi kumpulan etnik

Sudutsudut pembelajaran dan bacaan dalam bilik darjah perlu mengambil kira

bahan bacaan pelbagai kumpulan etnik, mural sesuai dengan semua bangsa

dalam kelas.

Guru perlu berperanan dalam mengetahui latar belakang pelajar, dan

kepelbagaian perbezaan individu pelajar apabila mengatur dan melakarkan

pelan bilik darjah serta letaknya sudut-sudut pembelajaran supaya mesra

budaya


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What were the main cultural challenges I faced as a teacher? What were some of the areas

in which my teaching style was in conflict with the learning styles of the majority of my

students? To what extent did cultural differences result in class management problems?

Methodology

I used entries from my personal diary, conversations with colleagues and friends,

evaluations of my administrators, and copies of my disciplinary referrals of students to the

principal's office to identify the major conflictive moments of this year. For most of these

moments, I analyzed whether they were partially or completely based on cultural differences

between my students and me. I also interpreted the results of the Questionnaire on Teacher

Interaction relevant to whether differences in communication styles were partly responsible

for continual conflicts between my students and me.

Findings and Reflections: Sources of Cultural Conflict

The major sources of cultural conflict I identified in my interaction with my students can be

separated into two categories. One relates to the development of scientific concepts and to

ways in which we see the world and try to understand it. I called these "conceptual

conflicts". The other category I called "behavioral conflicts". These conflicts were related to

interpersonal interactions and had to do with general expectations, attitudes and behaviors.

Conceptual conflicts. Conceptual conflicts with my Gunston students arose mainly

because I approached teaching science by facilitating learning based on cognitive patterns

and generalities. I tried teaching science and the world around us more by looking at and

explaining patterns than by concentrating on the details. I had never experienced difficulties

with this approach when teaching in my country. I found that the majority of my students in

Gunston preferred to see the trees before they saw the forest. They were more comfortable

understanding components, facts and specifics of an idea than thinking and talking about

general concepts. I lost them easily because they got impatient and wanted "the bottom

line." They complained that I talked "too big." I discovered the majority of my students

learned through linear logic and I had to adapt my teaching style accordingly.Another source of conceptual conflict arose from the fact that students demanded an

immediate and concrete utility to the material presented to them. They got impatient about

wanting to see immediately "the point" to what I was presenting. This conflicted with the

teaching style I was accustomed to using. Students in Costa Rica trust that the material

taught at school is something you are supposed to know. They do not question its immediate

utility and they are much more willing to go along with a teacher's lesson plan. My Gunston

students lost interest in the subject very quickly and were not willing to explore an idea

beyond its immediate or possible utility.


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I believe that the cultural conflict I felt was partly due to the fact that most American students

view school principally as a means to getting a job and making money. School in my country

is not only about preparing for the job market but also about learning things you did not know

before; therefore, no matter how impractical a topic may look, Costa Rican students try to

learn about it when presented by the teacher. This difference in expectations on the part of

my Gunston students caused frequent class disruption. They refused to discuss a topic if

they saw no practical utility to it or interrupted lectures to ask why they had to learn about a

particular subject. Such conceptual demands generated great frustration for me, and a

general feeling of miscommunication and misunderstanding in the classroom.

Behavioral conflicts.The main source of behavioral conflicts was that students interpreted

my soft speech and calm disposition as a sign of weakness and tried to step over me all the

time. They were very loud and disrespectful at the beginning of the school year, did not pay

attention, nor tried to understand and follow directions. They very clearly needed to hear a

stronger voice and expected me to identify misbehaving students publicly. As the school

year progressed, I had to raise my voice and become more forceful, a communication

strategy with which I was very uncomfortable.

In the schools I had attended and taught in Costa Rica, respect for the teacher is a given.

The teacher is the authority figure. In Gunston, I spent a great deal of effort and class time

trying to maintain control of my students. By the end of the school year, I perceived that my

students had a very ambivalent feeling regarding classroom power structure. I felt that my

students needed and wanted a very strong teacher figure, but at the same time they

resented the power of a teacher and needed to feel they were in control.

My students sent a loud and clear message that they wanted more freedom in the

classroom. But I did not find them willing and able to take responsibility for their own learning

and they very seldom showed me they would use their time and resources wisely. They

needed constant, direct, clear and very specific directions in order to complete any assigned

task. They wanted to get from me the specific answers to the exercises presented to themand they felt very uncomfortable when I told them that several different answers would work.

I found myself spoon-feeding them more times than I felt was reasonable.

This need for constant supervision was new to me. Eighth graders in Costa Rica

are already in a high school setting and do not expect so much individual attention. My

Gunston students, on the other hand, demanded lots of individual attention. Many times

they screamed for it! This constant need for attention and the way in which it was demanded

resulted in many class management problems. Students wanted me to attend to them

constantly and simultaneously. They also wanted to have instructions repeated individually

and then given the answers to the written exercises quickly. Few felt challenged to try to


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figure out a problem on their own before calling me. Many chose to misbehave to get my

immediate attention. For example, if I did not attend to a student immediately after he/she

had called me, she/he began playing, walking around the classroom, or calling me loudly

and repeatedly.

Practice and repetition are important aspects of the learning process in the Costa

Rican school system. It is how students master a new skill. Conflicting moments arose in my

Gunston classes when students refused to complete exercises because they felt they were

too many or because they did not see the point in doing more if they got the first ones right.

My insistence on having the students do multiple examples produced negative reactions that

frustrated me and created an uneasy atmosphere in the classroom. For example,

sometimes students began screaming, "This is boring" or "This is stupid" or "What is the

point?" interrupting students that were working and inducing others to quit doing the

exercises. Students would also yell, "This is boring" anytime an assignment was difficult,

long, or self-directed.

As a general rule, students may be more inclined to learn when engaged in fun activities.

But students in many countries do not expect to have fun every day and every minute in the

classroom. They would not refuse to complete a task just because they do not find it

entertaining. I was very puzzled and frustrated by the complaints of my Gunston students

that we did "too much work." Any difficult or challenging task was not fun and therefore was

not worth doing!

Another area of cultural conflict was my students' need for individual recognition, constant

praise, and instant material rewards. This need for instant gratification was alien and

surprising to me. For example, at the beginning of the school year I almost had a revolt in

one of my classes because I did not give students a pizza party the day after I returned from

a leave of absence. They said they were very good with the substitute teacher and

demanded a pizza party. When I said I was glad they were good since I expected them to

do just that, and that a pizza party was not necessary, they felt I was being unfair to them

and began screaming at me. They also complained that I did not give them candy whenthey behaved well. I realized that I had to adapt my style to meet the needs and

expectations of the students, and as the year progressed I began giving treats to my

students. However, I believe they remained with the feeling of not being rewarded in my

classes and I never felt comfortable with the idea of providing rewards for everyday tasks

that they were expected to complete. Not being aware of these student expectations created

many behavioral conflicts and increased my frustration.

Communication in My Classroom

A 64-item Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction was applied to two of my classes:

one class of Spanish immersion students and another of regular Physical Science students.


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This questionnaire is designed to measure classroom interaction. The results describe how

a teacher interacts with her/his students and basically maps teacher behavior. Before

applying the questionnaire, I hypothesized that I was communicating more effectively with

the immersion students because (a) I was teaching them in my native language and (b) I

was developing my own curriculum and materials for the class. Interestingly, there was little

discrepancy in the way my two classes perceived me as a teacher. The figures obtained in

both classes were almost identical. Teaching in Spanish did not give me any particular

advantage when communicating with my immersion students. Although I thought my

lessons were more effective with these students, they saw me in a very similar way as the

students I instructed in English. In general, communication was not felt to be antagonistic

and the students did not have as bad an image of me as I thought they did by the way they

behaved in class.

When comparing my results with the students' opinions, I found that the students and I

agreed on the areas where most of the communication was taking place but disagreed on

the intensity of the interactions. I thought I was being more assertive and stricter than the

way the students felt I was. A very positive result was that despite all the frustration I was

feeling at that point, my communication with the students was taking place in a general

framework of cooperation.

Also noteworthy was a major discrepancy shown in the results of the Questionnaire

concerning the perception that I had of myself as a teacher halfway through the year

compared to the one that I had before I began my year at Gunston. I began this year feeling

I was a tough, yet amicable and organized teacher. Halfway into the year I was seeing

myself much more softened (more willing to give breaks) and helpful than I used to be. My

teaching and communication styles were not working at Gunston and I had to adapt quickly,

but such adaptation brought feelings of uneasiness on my part that remained throughout the

year.

Conclusions

My personal experience as a first year teacher at Gunston Middle School has led me torecognize the important role culture plays in the teaching-learning process. I was able to

identify conceptual and behavioral differences between my students and me in teaching and

learning science that I believe were culturally based. Some of the differences impacted

negatively on general class management.

I believe I was not the only one that was experiencing culture shock. My students'

perceptions and awareness of cultural differences were strong and permeated the

classroom. I also felt many times that my expectations and demeanor were out of sync with

the cultural environment at Gunston. In addition, I found it interesting that students and

teachers at this middle school live in a culturally diverse environment without being fully


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aware of what makes us different and how we can transcend these differences to

communicate better with each other.

When we compare cultures we should not look for differences that make us better or worse

than each other. No culture is better than another and no communication style is intrinsically

wrong. My teaching and communication styles are deeply rooted in the way I have been

socialized and a year of teaching at Gunston reminded me that my students' communication

and learning styles were different from mine. Perhaps the most important lesson I learned is

that I must adapt to this new environment and change the way I communicate if I wish to be

an effective teacher. In the future, I hope I will be able to create classrooms where different

cultures converge and where individuals are willing to reach out and meet on the common

ground that we all share as human beings.

References

Dunn, R. et al. (1990). Cross-cultural differences in learning styles of elementary-age

students from four ethnic backgrounds. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and

Development, 18(2).

Gudykunst, W.B. et al. (eds). (1996). Communication in personal relationships across

cultures. SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Guild, P. (1994). The culture/learning style connection. Educational Leadership, 51(8).

Hilliard, A. G.III. (1989). Cultural style in teaching and learning. Education Digest, 55(4).

Janzen. R. (1994). Melting pot or mosaic? Educational Leadership, 51(8).

Lampe, P.E. (1988). The problematic nature of interracial and interethnic communication.

The Social Studies, 79(3).

Lawton, M. (1993). Differing on diversity. Education Week, 13(13).

Manning, M.L. & R. Lucking. (1993). Cooperative learning in multicultural classrooms. The

Clearing House, 67(1).

Samovar, L.A & R.E. Porter. (1997). Intercultural Communication -A Reader. 8thEdition.

Wadsworth Publishing Co.Samovar, L.A. et al. (1998). Communication between cultures. 3rd Edition. Wadsworth

Publishing Co.

Trachtenberg, S.J. (1990). Multiculturalism can be taught only by multicultural people. PHI

DELTA KAPPAN, 71 (8).

Wilson, A. (1982). Cross-cultural experiential learning for teachers. Theory into Practice,

21(3).


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Creating a Multicultural Classroom Environment

Breeding a multicultural environment in a classroom today is the most important thing. The

environment for children coming from different cultures should be friendly, warm and

comfortable. They should also be given the freedom to understand and learn in a way they

are comfortable in.

As the world is turning into a smaller place, diversity of culture becomes an integral part of

today's society. Everyone is everywhere! You will find Americans, Europeans, Asians,

Africans, Hispanics etc., all together under a single roof in schools, universities and work

places.

Accepting a multicultural environment can be easily inculcated in today's youth through their

classrooms. It is the best and most important place to teach about different cultures, as

that's where you'll find kids from diverse cultures growing up and learning together. If

children are exposed to a multicultural environment right from their academic years, it will be

really easy for them to get along with children from other cultures. It will also cultivate in

them the value of respecting other cultures and religions.

The responsibility of creating a multicultural environment in a classroom, lies mainly in the

hands of the teachers and the management of the school. It is important that the school

authorities and teachers themselves believe in a healthy multicultural environment which

treats everyone as equals. There should be no sort of bias based on cast, creed, color, race,

etc. It is easy to identify who comes from which culture, just by their appearance, though

accepting them as they are is what needs to be taught to the young ones.

What A School Can Do

Language

A school should facilitate its students with an option of choosing a second language, which

could be their native language. Children may not be well-versed with English but with otherlanguages like Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, etc. Therefore, students should have an option of

learning and studying in their own language too. It is certain, that if they were tested in their

native language, they could do equally well.

Library

A library should have books and other study material for children from all cultures.

Translation books and dictionaries should be made easily accessible in the library. It will

certainly be difficult for a kid to read, write and speak in English, when he/she has used

Spanish as his/her first language all his/her life.


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Celebrate and Familiarize with Different Cultures

Every culture has some unique features and practices. Schools should celebrate the main

festivals of students coming from different cultures in a small way. This can be done by

asking students to describe their festivals to the class and to showcase the staple things that

belong to their culture. In this way, children from different cultures will feel important, other

children will get an opportunity to understand different cultures, and the overall interaction of

the kids will increase.

Strict Action Against Racism

Racist comments are very common in schools, especially for children of different races.

Strict action should be taken against anyone who is found making racist comments or acts.

A racist act on anyone in the form of an action or words can be very hurtful and demoralizing

for the victim. Giving punishments to the wrong-doer will bring a sense of security to the new

students and will teach students to take responsibility of their own actions.

Academic Curriculum

The academic curriculum will have to be structured in a way, that it does not focus or brag

about any one particular culture or community. To make a multicultural classroom

environment, a little bit from every culture should be embedded in the academic curriculum.

This way, a multicultural view and perspective will dwell in the minds of children.

Variety of Instructional Approaches

Children coming from different cultures will have different understanding levels and grasping

capacities for different teaching methods. It is very important to improvise the way children

are taught and instructed. Use of PPTs, movies, audio clips etc., should be made to describe

and explain different concepts and things. For, if one has not seen or known one particularthing, then merely reading up on it will not make him/her understand it. Many times a visual

or an audio clip helps in understanding a concept better.

Keep a Variety of Activities

There should be a variety in the activities performed in school because, children can be

good at different activities. By adding a variety, kids are exposed to all sorts of activities

which enhances their overall development. Therefore all sorts of activities like sports, drama,

singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, etc., should be inculcated in the curriculum.

Varied activities bring children together leaving behind their differences. In this way, children


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with similar interests will come together, creating a healthy multicultural environment.

What Teachers Can Do

To bring a multicultural environment into a classroom, it's not just the structure of the

academic curriculum and the activities organized that need to be changed, but also the

approach of the teachers toward the students. A teacher plays an important role in the

upbringing of the children and in bridging the cultural gaps in them. It can also be difficult for

the teacher to adjust with kids from different cultures, as they behave in a different way, and

can be considered as rude or harsh. Here's what teachers can do to build a healthy

multicultural environment in the classroom.

Learn About Different Cultures

As the first step to create a multicultural environment, teachers should first learn about

different cultures. Once they have understood how people from different cultures behave, it

will be easier for them to understand what a child is trying to communicate. Also after

teachers know how children are, he/she will not get offended by their opinions and reactions.

Appreciate the Differences

As a teacher, they can learn to appreciate the differences that pertain in children coming

from different regions. They can have a different tone and diction while talking, and

expressing themselves. Also, how they perceive the term 'school' or 'a teacher' can also be

different. Many students blindly believe their teachers, assuming that everything that they

say is correct. A teacher should show gestures of appreciation and understanding in front of

the class, so that other students can see it and learn the same.

Variety in Teaching Technique

There should be a variety in the techniques used by the teacher while teaching. This is

because many children will not be able to understand everything taught through speech orreading. It is essential that video, audio clips, and other means of technology are used

whenever possible. These methods increase the understanding of whatever children learn in

class.

A Teacher Should Choose the Project Partner

It is obvious that a student will choose his/her friend when a project or a group assignment is

assigned to him/her. But what a teacher can do is, instead of giving this option to the

students, she/he can pair students coming from different backgrounds. Even if they initially

refrain or look hesitant in communicating and approaching each other, soon they will get


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talking and will try to explain things to each other. This will definitely increase the interaction

and the understanding between the kids. The teacher meanwhile should observe how

children are behaving and reacting, and then make changes accordingly to help them out.

There are many benefits associated with creating a multicultural environment in a classroom.

It encourages cooperative social skills in children, and creates the feeling and understanding

of unity in diversity. It also helps the children coming from different walks of life to feel

comfortable with other children and have a boosted self-esteem. All of this in turn only does

good to the society on a whole, as tomorrow these children are going to be the citizens of

the world.

By Foram Mehta

Published: October 6, 2011

Read more at Buzzle:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-

environment.html

Building Blocks: The First Steps of Creating a Multicultural Classroom

byLarri Fishof Siena College

Discovering diversity takes creativity, extra effort, diligence, and courage on theteacher's part. Thus, American public schools have rarely offered an enthusiastic

welcome for student difference. However, a multicultural classroom must thrive on

these differences and use them as a foundation for growth and development.

Differences command work, resolution, openness, and understanding. Teachers who

address these differences and add them to the curriculum will succeed in creating a

multicultural classroom that will advance the educational goals of all students. The

following essay discusses some of the very basic elements of a multicultural

classroom and a brief reflection on observations made at Hackett Middle School in

Albany, New York.Teachers in multicultural classrooms must be open to their students and put forth the

effort needed to get to know their students inside and outside of class. If a teacher is

hesitant about being open, the class will reciprocate and the students will become

estranged from one another and the teacher. In order to be open, teachers must be

interested in their students, fearless, willing to try new and different things, sure of

themselves in order to avoid taking things personally, and non-judgmental of his or

her students (Canning 196). Also, openness is not making assumptions and being

prepared for the unexpected (Canning 199). In the Mexican-American culture,

children are accustomed to hugging, kissing, or touching (arm squeezing or rubbing

the back of) figures of authority. Christine Canning (author of "Getting From the

Outside In: Teaching Mexican Americans When You Are an 'Anglo'") writes of her
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-environment.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-environment.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-environment.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-environment.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-environment.htmlhttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/creating-a-multicultural-classroom-environment.html


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experience, "I noticed that students touched my hand or arm while talking to me. I

was feeling uncomfortable with this until it occurred to me that touching might be a

cultural behavior" (197). Canning's initial close-mindedness toward the touching

could've caused an awful situation especially because the students were doing their

best to be absolutely respectful. After discussing the students' behavior with a fellowteacher, Canning learned that the students were showing her respect and in no way

trying to make her feel uncomfortable. Many cultures have many different mores and

folkways. Teachers must be open to what the students are doing and find out why

they do what they do. This openness will create communication in the class, which

will ultimately develop into a classroom that is learning, understanding, and culturally

fluent.

In addition to openness, teachers must know the learning patterns of the students in

their class. Teachers must understand the learning patterns of the students who

grew up in a culture other than their own. Israeli children, for example, are taught to

readily criticize an instructor who they feel is saying something that is incorrect while

Vietnamese children will not say a word during class unless called upon to

regurgitate memorized material (Jones 10). Students from Israel differ greatly from

students from Vietnam, which may create a culture clash in the classroom.

Vietnamese students will think the Israeli students are rude, brash, unnerving, and

extremely obnoxious. In fact, the teacher may find that they feel the same way about

the overly critical Israeli students. However, if the teacher knows that Israeli students

tend to criticize their professors and is open to the fact that they do this because it is

socially encouraged and acceptable in the Israeli school system, than the teacher

can calmly explain to the students that while critical thinking is wonderful it is notokay to openly criticize the teacher in front of the entire class on a consistent basis.

Therefore, readjusting the participation structure of the classroom in a calm and

professional manner.

Vietnamese students can be hard for a teacher to understand and grow accustomed

to, as well. If a teacher uses instructional methods like group discussion, student

presentations, and tries to activate students as they lecture, the teacher may

become frustrated, disenchanted, and may even think that Vietnamese students are

below average students with below average intelligence. This is not the case,

Vietnamese students are taught to sit, listen, and recite memorized information.

Students in Vietnam do not participate in the class and believe everything that the

instructor says is absolutely true. Teachers who open themselves up to cultural

difference will effectively handle culture clash while teachers who assume that Israeli

students are rude and Vietnamese students are dumb will close communication in

the classroom and destroy any hope of having a multicultural classroom. The best

way to handle culture clash is to be open, knowledgeable, and not be afraid to talk

about the cultural differences in class no matter what discipline the teacher is

teaching (Jones 12). An open teacher will create an open class and an open class

will have open lines of communication that will create a positive and beneficial

learning environment for everyone.


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and learn information through the interaction of the group. Lesson plans that can do

this and interest students will become invaluable for teachers to posses as the need

for teachers to become culturally fluent continues to grow.

Hackett Middle School, located in Albany, New York, is one of the most diverse

schools in the Albany area. The student population is mixed between students ofLatino, African-American, European-American, Asian, and Mexican-American

descents. While observing a team of 7th grade students on the dates of February 27,

2002 through March 1, 2002 I found their attempts to create multicultural classrooms

noble and quite good but the potential for improvement is immense. The first and

most striking observation I made were the percentage of White students to the

percentage of students of color in the honors and "slow" classes. In the "honors"

group, there are thirteen White children and only eight students that are of a different

race. The "slow" class, on the other hand, is comprised of two White students and

nineteen students of different races (mostly Latino and African-American). Clearly,

there are some inequities in the evaluation process. The White students are probably

receiving better grades because the make-up of the "honors" and "slow" classes are

determined by the students' averages. However, as a teacher or an administrator,

one must look at why the White students are receiving better grades. Is the

evaluation process fair to all races and ethnicities? The evaluation process is too

complicated and lengthy to observe in three days but if some data and observations

were made at Hackett Middle School over a long period of time, investigation will

probably show that the evaluation process favors the Caucasian students. Along the

same lines, the two days I spent tutoring children in I.S.S. opened my eyes to

another possible bias at Hackett. All the students (16 total) in I.S.S. on both dayswere of either African-American or Mexican-American descent including the

teachers. In a school that has such a large population of White students, why are

none of them in I.S.S. while sixteen students of color were currently serving time in

"In School Suspension." A long investigation would be needed to find out if there is a

bias among the teachers who send the students to I.S.S. but the evidence that I

gathered on my brief observation is mildly alarming.

Teachers at Hackett are doing a great job of using multicultural literature and the

other basic principles listed earlier in this paper. While I observing Mrs. Anderson's

English class, the "honors" class was reading The House on Mango Street by

Sandra Cisneros, which is a story about a Hispanic girl named Esperanza and her

search for identity while growing up in a town of mixed races. However, I saw no

math, science, or history books written by authors of color while I was a Hackett.

This is a huge step in creating a multicultural classroom that all teachers can do.

Additionally, putting students into bi-racial groups is an area where Hackett needs

some improvement. In science class the students sit two per table and only one table

in the whole classroom of twenty-three students (fourteen White and nine African or

Mexican-Americans) was comprised of a White student and a student that is either

African or Mexican-American. Also, in an English class with a similar ratio of White

students to students of color, Mrs. Anderson split the class into groups and only one


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group was comprised of students of different races and it was the "who's ever left"

group.

Creating multicultural classrooms is a growing priority for all teachers and

administrators. This includes restructuring classroom evaluation and punishment

techniques, but, more importantly, it includes embracing difference and opening upthe classroom for communication. Schools like Hackett Middle School in Albany,

New York are making vast improvements in this area but more still needs to be

done. This is a colorful world let us, the future teachers, make sure that we paint our

classrooms with these colors every single day.

Cultural Sensitivity in the Classroom

Classrooms in the 21st century are melting pots of different cultures and racialbackgrounds. In order for all students to achieve their full potential, teachers mustcreate a welcoming and supportive classroom environment where culturaldifferences are respected and celebrated. Teaching students to be respectful andsensitive toward other cultures is an important part of this process as it creates apositive and inclusive learning environment.

1. 1Introduce the idea of respect. As a class, brainstorm the meaning of the word"respect" and why it is important in the classroom and wider world. Ask students fortheir ideas on how to be respectful to other people. Ideas like "always use manners"

or "never use violence" can then be the basis for a set of classroom rules.

2. 2Teach students about diversity. Ask the students to make short presentations to theclass about their family history, country of birth and any special customs or traditionsthey practice at home. After the presentations, ask students what they have learntabout one another. The aim is to show the breadth of diversity among students andthat even those of the same ethnic or social group may have very differentbackgrounds.

3. 3

Celebrate a world festival or holiday. Select the festival or holiday that the classwould like to celebrate, such as the Sikh festival Baisakhi. Teach students the historyand significance of this festival and how it is celebrated in its country of origin. In thisexample, Baisakhi celebrates the Punjab New Year and the birthday of Guru GobindSingh. Raise awareness of this event around school and devote an afternoon to itscelebration.

4. 4Decorate the classroom. Promote awareness and sensitivity by getting students todecorate the classroom with objects that reflect different cultures and societies.Country flags, maps and photographs can make the classroom environment more

culturally friendly. Ask students to bring in an item from home that represents theirculture and use it to make a display.


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5. 5Go on a field trip. Take students to a museum to experience and learn about a localculture. After the visit, ask students to write a one-page summary on the history andvalues of that culture. Compile their reflections into a file or binder to make a classculture book.

The Multi-Cultural Primary Classroom

Submitted by admin on 2 February, 2012 - 14:18

Introduction

You may find in your primary English class that you have children who struggle with

the school language in their first year of primary school because they have a

different home language. How will this affect your classroom when teaching English

to 1st year primary? How can you cater to their needs? How can you simplify the

language so that all your 6 year olds can learn?

With a culturally rich class like this I believe it's especially important for the children

to be aware of their cultural differences and the value of having difficult cultures

represented in one class. Children should respond positively if you make them feel

lucky for having differences. The following tips will help you move towards a positive

multi-cultural learning environment.

Objectives To promote cultural differences

To create a safe and positive learning environment

To encourage collaborative learning - i.e. working together and helping each

other

Tips

Maps

I have seen two examples of maps being used with young learners.

The first situation was a map of Europe and was being used with 4 year olds.

They followed an imaginary character as he travelled to different countries in

Europe. Every 4-6 weeks he would go to a new country and take' the children

with him. They learnt about Big Ben and London being the capital of England.

They sat in their homemade gondola and they tasted foods from different

cultures.

The second classroom where I saw a map being used was with a mixed class

of 4 year olds and 5 year olds. Here the map was stuck on the lower half of

the window. When I asked what the teacher did with it the answer was: The

first day I put it up because one girl came from China and we wanted to know

where it was on the map. Otherwise I've left it there because it stops the

children waving to their parents as they arrive to pick them up.'


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Show the demonstrators four actions and number the actions as you say them

such as 1. Open your books', 2. Close your books', 3. Draw', and 4. Cut'.

They should repeat and do with you a few times.

Then they teach the four actions to their partners.

You say 1. and the demonstrators say and do action number 1. Their partnersshould copy.

After doing this a few times you can let them try it on their own.

Repeat the activity for other important classroom language and let the other

half of the class become the demonstrators.

Greetings

Include all the children in the class community by making them feel important.

If they can teach the class how to say hello in their own language they will feel

valued rather than isolated.

You can display the different greetings on the wall and during the year add to

this display with different ways of saying please and thank you.

They can teach the words by playing Chinese whispers in teams.

The winning team is the one whose team members can all say the new word.

This will promote working as a team.

When they are playing Chinese whispers they can shake hands and whisper

the greeting at the same time to help them understand the meaning.

This activity can obviously be recycled using English words and

accompanying mimes to again help with meaning.

Festivals

During the year you'll teach your children about some of the major festivals that wecelebrate in English-speaking countries.

I wouldn't expect in a 30 minute English class with 6 year olds to teach them

about all major festivals from all cultures that are represented in the class but

when you do start a festival lesson or project you should ask the children if

they have the same celebration in their culture, if they don't then do they have

a similar one?

This is a simple move towards recognizing their differences and showing

interest.

By Jo Bertrand

How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment

By: Colorn Colorado (2007)

Watch a video clip on Pat Mora's school experience, and gettips on creating a

welcoming classroom environmentfrom a fellow teacher.

Chances are that your English language learners (ELLs) come from a culture withtraditions and family values that differ from mainstream American culture. These
http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming#videohttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming#videohttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming#videohttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming#videohttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming#videohttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/reachingout/welcoming#video


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young children not only have the challenge of learning a new language, but also of

adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system. Imagine what it would

be like to step into a foreign classroom where you didn't understand the language,

rules, routines, or expected behavior.

On a daily basis, ELLs are adjusting to new ways of saying and doing things. As theirteacher, you are an important bridge to this unknown culture and school system.

There are a number of things you can do to help make ELLs' transitions as smooth

as possible.

Stages of Cultural Accommodation

In the same way that ELLs go through stages of English language learning, they may

also pass through stages of cultural accommodation. These stages, however, may

be less defined and more difficult to notice. Being aware of these stages may help

you to better understand "unusual" actions and reactions that may just be part of

adjusting to a new culture.

Euphoria:ELLs may experience an initial period of excitement about their

new surroundings.

Culture shock:ELLs may then experience anger, hostility, frustration,

homesickness, or resentment towards the new culture.

Acceptance:ELLs may gradually accept their different surroundings.

Assimilation/adaptation:ELLs may embrace and adapt to their

surroundings and their "new" culture.

Classroom Strategies: Helping Your ELLs Adjust to New Surroundings

Although there are no specific teaching techniques to make ELLs feel that they

belong in a new culture, there are ways for you to make them feel welcome in yourclassroom:

Learn their names

Take the time to learn how to pronounce your ELLs' names correctly. Ask them to

say their name. Listen carefully and repeat it until you know it. If a student's name is

Pedro, make sure you do not call him /peedro/ or Peter. Also, model the correct

pronunciation of ELLs' names to the class so that all students can say the correct

pronunciation.

Offer one-on-one assistance when possible

Some ELLs may not answer voluntarily in class or ask for your help even if they

need it. ELLs may smile and nod, but this does not necessarily mean that they

understand. Go over to their desk to offer individual coaching in a friendly way. For

convenience, it may be helpful to seat ELLs near your desk.

Assign a peer partner

Identify a classmate who really wants to help your ELL as a peer. This student can

make sure that the ELL understands what he or she is supposed to do. It will be

even more helpful if the peer partner knows the ELL's first language.

Post a visual daily schedule

Even if ELLs do not yet understand all of the words that you speak, it is possible for

them to understand the structure of each day. Whether through chalkboard art orimages on Velcro, you can post the daily schedule each morning. By writing down


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times and having pictures next to words like lunch, wash hands, math, and field trip,

ELLs can have a general sense of the upcoming day.

Use an interpreter

On-site interpreters can be very helpful in smoothing out misunderstandings that

arise due to communication problems and cultural differences. If an on-siteinterpreter (a paid or volunteer school staff position) is not available, try to find an

adult - perhaps another parent who is familiar with the school or "knows the system"

who is willing to serve this purpose. In difficult situations, it would not be

appropriate for another child to translate.

ELLs can make unintentional "mistakes" as they are trying hard to adjust to a new

cultural setting. They are constantly transferring what they know as acceptable

behaviors from their own culture to the U.S. classroom and school. Be patient as

ELLs learn English and adjust.

Invite their culture into the classroom

Encourage ELLs to share their language and culture with you and your class. Show-

and-tell is a good opportunity for ELLs to bring in something representative of their

culture, if they wish. They could also tell a popular story or folktale using words,

pictures, gestures, and movements. ELLs could also try to teach the class some

words from their native language.

Use materials related to your ELLs' cultures

Children respond when they see books, topics, characters, and images that are

familiar. Try to achieve a good balance of books and materials that include different

cultures. Visit our recommendedbilingual bookssection.

Label classroom objects in both languagesLabeling classroom objects will allow ELLs to better understand their immediate

surroundings. These labels will also assist you when explaining or giving directions.

Start with everyday items, such as "door/puerta," "book/libro," and "chair/silla."

Include ELLs in a non-threatening manner

Some ELLs may be apprehensive about speaking out in a group. They might be

afraid to make mistakes in front of their peers. Their silence could also be a sign of

respect for you as an authorityand not a sign of their inability or refusal to

participate. Find ways to involve ELLs in a non-threatening manner, such as

throughTotal Physical Response activitiesand cooperative learning projects.

Involve ELLs in cooperative learning

Some ELLs are used to working cooperatively on assigned tasks. What may look like

cheating to you is actually a culturally acquired learning style an attempt to mimic,

see, or model what has to be done. Use this cultural trait as a plus in your

classroom. Assign buddies or peer tutors so that ELLs are able to participate in all

class activities. Also, check out thesecooperative learning strategiesyou can use

with ELLs.

Help your ELLs follow established rules

All students need to understand and follow your classroom rules from the very

beginning, and ELLs are no exception. Teach them your classroom management
http://www.colorincolorado.org/books/recommendedhttp://www.colorincolorado.org/books/recommendedhttp://www.colorincolorado.org/books/recommendedhttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/oralhttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/oralhttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/cooperativehttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/cooperativehttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/cooperativehttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/cooperativehttp://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/oralhttp://www.colorincolorado.org/books/recommended


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rules as soon as possible to avoid misunderstandings, discipline problems, and

feelings of low self-esteem. Here are a few strategies that you can use in class:

Use visuals like pictures, symbols, and reward systems to communicate your

expectations in a positive and direct manner.

Physically model language to ELLs in classroom routines and instructionalactivities. ELLs will need to see you or their peers model behavior when you

want them to sit down, walk to the bulletin board, work with a partner, copy a

word, etc.

Be consistent and fair with all students. Once ELLs clearly understand what is

expected, hold them equally accountable for their behavior.

Notes for Assignment

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