UNIT 2:
THE GMRC TEACHER
REACHING OUT TO
OTHERS
ABREA, JENNE R.
LESSON 1:
MAKING MEANINGFUL
CONNECTIONS
LEARNING OUTCOMES
value the uniqueness of each person;
accept and respect the differences and
similarities in people;
discuss the value of diversity in the classroom;
explain tips on how to celebrate learners'
diversity and
promote a culture of inclusivity in the
classroom.
The lesson highlights the beauty of diversity and how people
despite the differences of each one can transcend such to be
able to establish meaningful relationships. This will enable the
pre-service teacher to broaden their perspective of diversity
and be open to embrace such inside and outside of the
classroom.
ABSTRACTION
Diversity is everything that makes people different from each other
(Kampen, 2019)
This includes many different factors: race, ethnicity, gender,
ability, sexual orientation, handicapping conditions, socio-
economic status, age, religious belief, or political conviction.
Other demographic factors such as family lifestyles, personality
characteristics, and family composition may also be considered.
ABSTRACTION
The University of Rhode Island defines diversity in the
classroom as "understanding that each student brings
unique experiences, strengths, and ideas to our classroom.
Diversity is the exploration and incorporation of these
differences to enrich learning in our classroom. "All these
factors work together to inform how everyone encounters the
world. Understanding, accepting and valuing diverse
backgrounds can help our learners thrive and survive in this
ever-changing world.
TRYPES OF DIVERSITY
1. Diversity in terms of personal characteristics. These cover
gender, communication socio-economic background, age, style,
and personality.
2. Diversity in terms of student background. These have to do
with culture, ethnicity, language, political beliefs, social class and
religion.
3. Diversity in terms of cognitive aptitude to cover cognitive
abilities, technical abilities and skills as well as social abilities and
skills.
TYPES OF DIVERSITY
4. Diversity in terms of level of motivation and diversity of opinion.
Nowadays, teachers are faced with a classroom that is a melting pot of
learners with a variety of biological, social and cultural backgrounds.
Teachers can utilize these tips or ways to promote equity and
diversity in the classroom:
SELF-AWARENESS. The most basic step in promoting equity
and diversity is for the teacher to develop self-awareness.
There is a need for the teacher to recognize how the
differences in ability, race, ethnicity, gender, religion,
personality, socio-economic status, and being able-bodied
impact one's perceptions.
Get to know your learners. All the learners in your school
are unique individuals, so use that fact to build a diverse
and inclusive school culture. Take the time to learn about
them. When you know your learners in terms of their
strengths and weaknesses, you will be better equipped to
address their diversity.
Class Norms Classroom norms that promote openness are
set. These include being respectful to each other, being
able to share ideas, opinions and values openly and
learning to disagree respectfully. It is important that rules
are set explicitly in terms of showing respect, sharing
opinions and ideas, etc. This should be a collaborative task
between teacher and learners. Flexibility should be
exercised to refine the rules or norms, if needed.
Culturally Relevant Teaching. Teachers are encouraged to
recognize diversity by promoting the importance of
cultural awareness, creating a sense of belongingness
among learners and allowing them to celebrate
differences in traditions, practices, and beliefs. This
pedagogy provides a framework which exposes the learners
to cultural variances in deep, meaningful ways and at the
same time prioritizes academic excellence for all students
Purposeful Planning One important key to promoting
equity and diversity is purposeful and careful planning. If
a particular topic or idea for discussion is sensitive, it would
be good to select the proper text or material to be used, the
ways of facilitating the discussion which would encourage
active listening and respecting of opinions. Collaborative
learning groups can be formed to enable learners to work
together.
Meet diverse learning needs. The teacher can use
different teaching strategies to address the different
needs of the learners. The teacher should make sure that
all learners are actively participating in the classroom
activities and discussion. Technology can also be used to
support especially for learners with special needs
Community Involvement. Parents, family members,
community members or those representing persons ons
with special needs can be invited as resource persons in
class. The exposure of the learners to different kinds of
people will broaden their experiences and will prepare
them for life beyond the classroom. It is best to be able to
connect with parents and the community.
END OF LESSON 1
