LaurenN.

Graniela

EDU290

Dr.PatrickPritchard

ADispositionforDiversity:Teachinginthe21stCentury

TheworldisentirelytoodiverseforEducatorstocaternarrowly.Weneedtobe
competentinourknowledgeofdiversityandaidourstudentsinbecomingjustas
competent.Ourdifferencesarewhatopenourmindstonewunderstandings.Asa
civilizationwehavecomeentirelytoofairtoremainignorant.
InIntroductiontoSpecialEducation,byDeborahDeutschSmithandNaomi
ChowdahuriTyler,manydifferencesanddisabilitiesareaddressed.Theeducational
philosophyofUniversalDesign(Smith&Tyler,35)makesfairopportunityopenings
foreveryonenotjustonegrouporpersonbenefits,butalldo.APrimeexamplefortotal
inclusionisthesettlersofMarthasVineyard.ManyoftheseEnglishimmigrantscarried
arecessivedeafgene.Muchofthepopulationwasdeaf,andbecauseofthis,thedeafness
wasaccepted.OthercommunitymemberswhowerenotdeaflearnedSignLanguage
withthosewhoweredeaf.Deafmembersheldjustasmuchplaceandesteeminthe
societyasotherstheywereincludedinthecommunity.Inmainstreamculture,things
havebeendifferent.Justbecausepersonswithdisabilitiesnumbersmaybelessthan
thosewithout,doesnotmeantheyshouldbeexcludedfromsociety.Asshowninthe
caseofMarthasVineyard,theycanbejustasactiveandvalidcommunitymemberas
others.Theybringdiversity.
Studentswithdisabilitiescannotbeleftbehind.Thesechildrensrightsneedtobe
enforcedandprotected.Thankstoseveralcourtcases,therearelawsagainstrestricting

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learningdisabledchildren.Whenthesechildrenareforgotten,theynevergettoorhave
greatdifficultyreachingtheirfullpotentials.
ThecasethatpavedthewayforequaleducationwasBrownv.Boardof
Educationin1954,whichendedracialsegregationofschools.Theperceptionprevious
tothathadbeenequalbutseparateschools.Byseparatingpeoplewithdifferencesa
peoplecanneverfullyachievetolerancefordiversity,andthenotionthatseparate
schoolscouldbeequalwashighlypreposteroustheseparationcausedunequal
opportunities.ThecaseofPennsylvaniaAssociationforRetardedChildren(PARC)v.
CommonwealthofPennsylvaniain1972Guaranteedspecialeducationtoallchildren
withintellectualdisabilities(Smith&Tyler,13).
Wenowhavemanydifferentrulesinplace.ALeastRestrictiveEnvironment
(LRE)providesopportunitiesforinclusiontothebestpossibleextent.Servicesshould
ensureplansandprogramstohelpanindividualtointegrateintogenerallearning.Free
AppropriatePublicEducation(FAPE)ensuresthatindividualsreceivefreeappropriately
equallearningopportunitiesbasedonspecificneed.IndividualizedEducationPrograms
(IEP)areextremelyimportant.Theycatertostudentsspecialneeds,eachstudentis
different.Themoredata,observations,andinput,thebettertheprogramcanhelpthe
individual.Thereisdiversitywithindisabilitiesaswell.Thesechildrencannotjustbe
lumpedinoneclassification.Allchildren,whethertheyhavephysical,cognitive,or
learningdisorders,havemanydifferentvariationsofthedisorders,anddifferent
variationsofneeds.

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Ofthemanydifferentdisabilities,onerisingdisabilitytofocusonisADHD,
AttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder.Withthisdisordertheeducatormuststructure
learningsothatitflowsatapacethestudentcanfollowalongwithandkeeptheir
attentionon.WiththeInattentionaspectofADHD,theeducatorneedstoinitiatetasks
clearlygrabthestudentsattention.Instructionscanbegivenonebyone,andboth
spokenandwritten.Itisgoodforlearningmaterialtobeexcitingandrelevanttoreal
life.Withthehyperactivityaspect,forcertaintaskthestudentmayneedtobeplaced
closebytheteacher,orinanareathathasnttoomanyvisualoraudibledistractions.
Withtheimpulsivityaspect,studentspreferinstantgratification.Thereforeasuggestion
inSmithandTylersbookisinstantpositivefeedbackandpraiseforthings
accomplished.Thismayhelpthestudenttostayfocusedonthetaskandfollowthrough.
Thisapproachisdifferentfromstandardlearning,buttherearealsodifferences
withindisabilitytreatment.SomewouldagreetheprescribedADHDmedicationshelpto
controlsomeofthebehavior,andhelpwithstimulationoftheCNS,sothestudents
experienceimprovedplanning,memory,andattention.Somearguethatmedication
alonecannothelpwithlearningthroughacombinationofmedication,learning
adjustmentsandbehavioraltechniquesstudentscanimprovefocusonlearning.Another
argumentisnoteverychildrespondstothesametreatment.Techniquesanddosages
havetobeuniquelyformedtohelpastudent.Toomuchcanhaveadverseeffects,too
littlewonthelpatall.Thesideeffectsaretoomuchforsome,whichinclude:appetite
change,sleepingissues,jitters,anddizziness.Theeducatorsmustmonitorcloselyfor

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cuesifthemedicationsareactuallyhelpingorarecausingissues.Incateringtolearning
disabilitydiversity,thereisdiversitywithintreatments.Everyonerespondsdifferently.
Thebookincludesasegmentonculturalandlinguisticdiversityasasegmentof
SpecialEducation.Culturalandlinguisticdiversityisnotadisabilityitisadifference.
Itisincludedinthetextbecausethisdiversityrequiresunderstanding,expertise,and
specificteaching.Weneedculturallycompetenteducators.Educatorsneedtobeaware
ofculturaldifferences,torespectandunderstandthedifferenceinviewpointsandwork
withthem.Educatorsneedtobeawareoftheirownassumptions.Educatorsshoulduse
allofthistohelpinteachingtheirstudentstobecomeculturallyrespectfulandaware.
Allstudentsdeservefairlearningopportunities.Familyandschoolpartnershipis
importanttobuildunderstanding.Theschoolneedstobeawareandunderstanda
familysdifferentperspective,tounderstandstudentbehavior,toaddressthefamilys
needs,torespectculturaldifferences,andtoalsohelpfamiliestounderstandschool
environment.
Ethnicity,culture,language,andsocioeconomicdifferencesareapartoflife,and
Educatorsneedtorecognizethis.Otherwisewenotonlyhavechildrenwithlearning,
physical,andcognitivedisabilitiesanddisorderstohelp,wehavechildrenwith
emotionaldisorders.
Upuntilthe1970sNativechildrenofAustraliawerebeingtakenawayfromtheir
homes,andraisedwithmainstreamAnglofamilies.Thiswashappeningtochildrenof
mixedblood,sothattheywouldberaisedproperly.Theywerealienatedfromtheir
culture,inthehopestoweedouttheAboriginalmores.Thegovernmentbelievedthis

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wasthebestplanofaction,because,pardonthephrasing,therightwayistheWhiteway.
Ofcoursethisdidmoreharmthananygood.Thetruestory,turnedbookandmovie,
RabbitProofFencegivesgreatinsightontheseoccurrencesinAustralia.By
understandingtheimportanceofethnicdiversity,welearnthatthereismuchpositivity
eachgroupcancontribute.Assimilationisnotthekey,butacceptanceandintegration.
EthnicdiversityisanabsolutemustintheUnitedStates.Theseveralhundred
yearsofNorthAmericanimmigrationcanvalidatethisnotion.Somanydifferentethnic
groupshaveendedupintheUS,thatthoughtheWesternEuropeangroupswere
originallythepredominateimmigrants,thehistorywasalsobuiltuponmanyothers.One
ofthemanygroupsthathavebeengrosslyunattendedtoarethenativepeoplesofthis
nation.WhathappenedtotheNativesofAustraliahappenedtotheNativesofthe
Americas.InReclaimingYouthatRisk,LarryK.Brendtro,MartinBrokenleg,andSteve
Bokern,writeofhowimportanttheintegrationofNativeAmericanlearningand
childrearingphilosophiesistohelprecapturesomeofthewaywardNativeyouth.Many
ofthesechildrenhavelostanidentity,andfeelagreatalienation.Theyaredifferentthan
themainstreamEuroAmericans.Theydonotfeeltheyhaveaplace,andsotheyactout,
theyareonlyreactingtowhatnegativitytheyareexposedto.Someyouthfeel
inadequatecomparedtoWesternphilosophybasededucation.
ThenegativityfromWesterneducationiswrittentocomefromtheUnfriendly
School(Bendtro,Brokenleg,Bokern,16),whichhousesnegativeexpectations,
punitiveness,boredom,andirresponsibility.Toelaborateonnegativeexpectations
expectationsofstudentsshouldnotreflectthestudentsupbringing,environment,issues,

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ethnicity,orgender.Allofthesearethingseducatorsneedtounderstandaboutthe
student,becausetheymayaffecthowtheybehaveandlearn,buttheyshouldnotcreate
negativeexpectationsofourstudents.Weneedtoberealistic,buthopeful.Weneedto
believeinourstudentsandcareforeachofthem.Ifwedontbelieveinthemwecan
actualaidintheirbeingunsuccessful.Eachchilddeservesourtimeandenergy.
Childrenwillrespondbettertoanadultwhoseopinionisvalued(Bendtro,Brokenleg,
Bokern,70),soapositiverelationmustbeformedsotobetterhandleunwantedbehavior,
insteadofwithdrawingfromthechild.
Withinthepunitivesystemsinschools,somepunishmentsareharsh,dontmake
sense,ordontmatchtheactionbeingpunished.Educatorsneedtoseparateemotion
fromreactiontonegative/unwantedstudentactions.Wearehumans,wewillgetangry,
butinsteadofgettingangryandseekingtopunishunwantedactions,weneedtoaddress
theactionsgettotherootoftheproblem.Insteadofpunishingweneedtofindreason
fortheaction,andhelpthechildtofindasolution.Weneedtohelpthechildfindbetter
actions,reactionsandcoping.
Theissuewithboredomisthatwelearnbydoing.Childrenlearnbyexperience,
bydiscoveryandadventure.Byrealizingthis,institutionscouldaddsomeappealto
learningforstudents.Itishorribletobestuckinadull,strict,militaristicform
environmentthisisboringandrestrictivetonaturallearninginclinations.Actionneeds
tobeaddedbacktolearning.Childrenlearnbydoing,theylearnthroughactions.
Lastlytobeaddressedistheirresponsibilityinschools.Responsibilityisformed
throughactions.Havingasenseofresponsibilityhelpsachildtotakechargeoftheir

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selves,theiractions,theirfuture.Afunctionaladultisresponsible,notoverlydependent
onotherstheydonotrestblameonothersbutownuptotheiractions.Insteadof
childrenbeingtaughttotakeandobey,theyneedtobehelpedinfindingouthowtoget
andthinkforthemselves.
TheseconceptscanbeappliedtonotjustNativeAmericanchildren,butany
childrenthathavedifficultylearningthroughthecurrenteducationalsystem.Thisnotion
ofacceptingotherethniclearningstyles,leadsintothefactthattherearedifferent
intelligences.InSevenKindsofSmartThomasArmstrongwriteshowthereareseven
differentintelligences.Everyonehasabitofeachoftheintelligencesinthem:linguistics,
spatial,musical,bodilykinesthetic,logicalmathematical,interpersonal,and
intrapersonal,butsomepeopleareinclinedmoretowardsparticularintelligences.Thisis
basedonGardnersmodelofthesevenintelligenceswhichisbackedbyagreatdealof
researchincludinganthropology,psychometrics,biographicalstudies,animalphysiology
andneuroanatomy.Theseintelligencesaresonatural,yetsocietyhastendedtouseIQ
andothernotfullyadequatetestingtomeasureintelligences.Thishasledtopeoples
naturalabilitiestobeignored,smothered,andunderdeveloped.
Ihavealwaysfeltmyleastdevelopedabilitywasthatinmathematicalthinking.I
haveneverbeentooadeptatjustknowing,asArmstrongwrites,whenitcomesto
math.Ihavetoooftennotbeenabletoseethesamewayaspeoplewhogetmath.While
performingsomeoftheexercisesinthisbook,IfoundthatIrelyheavilyonthephysical
andvisualproblemsolvingskills,sensorybasedskillsLogicalthoughtinitially
developsinearlychildhoodthroughdirectsensorycontactwithconcreteobjects

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(Armstrong,97).Onceonereachesacertainage,itisoftenuniversalbeliefthatone
shouldnothavetoarriveatanswersthiswayanymore,whichcausesalotofstressfor
individualslikemyselfwhentheneedtoperformthesetaskarrive.
ThoughIhaventfelttooadequateinmymathabilities,IfoundthatIamableto
arriveatsomeanswerswithsomeeasebecausemathematicalandscientificthinkingdo
involvespatial,kinesthetic,linguisticandmusicalelements(Armstrong,96),allof
whichIfeelastrongerabilityin.HoweverArmstrongquotesHowardGardnerinthatit
requiresasensitivityandcapacitytofigurenumbersandlogicthroughindepth
reasoning.InoneofthebooksexercisesIwouldhavebuiltmyanswerthroughtrialand
errorexperimentation,whichisapparentlyaformoflogicalmathematicalthinking
characteristicofchildrenundertheageofthirteen(Armstrong,98).Itisaformof
systematicexperimentationinwhichfactorsaremanipulated.Thisembodiesthestudyof
heuristics,aloosecollectionofstrategies,rulesofthumb,guidelines,andsuggestionsfor
problemsolving.Only30to40percentofadolescentsandadultsusethisthinking
peopleoftenlosetheirabilitytouseformaloperationthinking,butthosewhocontinueto
useitareconsiderilldevelopedwithinWesterneducationalphilosophy.
Theabilitytonumerate,anumberoffacts,algorithmsandformulassimply
committedtomemory(Armstrong,100),thoughaveryoutstandingability,isonlyone
sideoflogicalmathematicalintelligence.ArmstrongwritesofJohnAllenPaulosbelief
thatthereismuchfailureinmathatschoolsbecausethereistoomuchfocuson
numeration.AllensaysTheconnectionisrarelymadethatroundingoffandmaking
reasonableestimateshavesomethingtodowithreallife(Armstrong,101).WhatAllen

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suggestsisthatestimationisanactualgoodlifeskill.Manyculturesaroundtheworld
useestimation,andreachbetterestimatesthanwedo.Armstrongwritesthatbecauseof
innumeracymuchofsocietygiveintophonyadsandschemes,andcannotadequately
graspimportanteconomic,political,andsocialissues(Armstrong,102).Hegoeson
towritethatMathphobicindividualsmayneedtofocusmoreuponprocessthanupon
gettingtherightanswer,allowplentyoftimeforcalculations(Armstrong,104),
andusecalculatorsandothermethodstohelpsolvedifficultproblems.ThoughIhave
yearsagoacceptedandbegantoopenlyadmitmyslowmathskills,thisallisahuge
reassurance.Ihopetohelpmystudentsovercometheirfearsandstigmas.Thereare
manydifferentwaysoflearning,andmanydifferentskills.
Educatorsshouldbeabletoidentifytheirstudentsabilitiesandhelpthemtohone
inontheirskills.Educatorsshouldhelpthemapplytheirskillstoreallife,sothatthey
mayfunctionasadults.Eachpersonhastheirowninnateabilitiesthathavehelpedus
flourishasahumancivilization.Wehavereachedsomanyheightsthroughour
differences.Differencescanbuilduponeachotherdifferencesexpandinguponother
differences.Throughimmigrationandintegrationofcultureswehavesomuchmore
knowledge.Forexample,Romeadaptedmuchfromotherculturestobecomeasvastas
itwas.LatinisbehindmanyoftheEuropeanlanguagesoftoday.Throughtradeand
travel,wehavesomanydifferentformsofcuisine.Differentintelligenceshaveledto
somemanyamazingtechnologicaladvances.Asoneprincipleofmath,scienceand
artistryisdiscovered,togethertheyleadtomorecomplexprinciples.Thoseofuswho
learndifferentlyorwithdifficultly,ifgiventheopportunity,canreachourpotential

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insteadofbecomingoneofthemanyflounderingmembersofoursociety.Byexcluding
diversity,weleavepeoplebehind,andclosedoorsofexpansion.Thehumanraceisa
communityandweneedoneanother.

Reference:

1. Smith,D,Tyler,N.(2010).IntroductiontoSpecialEducation:Makinga
Difference.7thEdition.BostonMass:PearsonEducation,Inc.

2. Bendtro,L,Brokenleg,M,VanBockern,S.(1990).ReclaimingYouthatRisk:
OurHopefortheFuture.Bloomington,Ind:NationalEducationService.

3. ArmstrongPH.D,T.(1999).SevenkindsofSmart:IdentifyingandDeveloping
YourMultipleIntelligences.NewYork.Plume.

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