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Culture and Inclusion

Reflection

Responsibilities in Teaching Diversity

The El Dorado Union High School District in California has 6,847 students enrolled, 74 percent
of which are white. Our number of English Language Learners (ELLs) is very low. It is
challenging to grade the school where I substitute teach, for multiple reasons; one of which is
that I am not full-time and I do not have my own classroom with student/teacher responsibilities.
From what I do know, and based on the Likert Scale, I would grade my school as a three,
Having some characteristics of an effective school. Because it lacks a diverse population, El
Dorado Union High School District has an added responsibility to teach diversity and tolerance
to prepare our youth for their future.
There are several ways in which our district is effective in serving a diverse student population.
Within a week of starting school, students and their parents must complete a form that identifies
them as ELL. Once they are identified, a counselor is assigned and they take the CELDT exam,
to help place them in a language instruction program. Their progress is tracked as their English
Language fluency changes. Teachers are expected to update their progress regularly through
an online program called Aeries. Those statistics are recorded and given to the government.
Finally, a Learning Center is provided for students who may need additional time to complete
assignments or for extra help with classes. This program works well to assist the small percent
of ELLs in our district.
Because our district does not have a diverse population, I feel an even stronger responsibility to
teach tolerance and diversity. One of the ways I propose is to incorporate more multicultural
literature. Not only teach to this subject, but include books written by authors from diverse
backgrounds. Currently our literature includes authors like Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne,
J.D Salinger, and Harper Lee. It should also include more multicultural, contemporary authors
like Khaled Hosseini and Amy Tan; books like Cry, The Beloved Country, Shanghai Girls, Life of
Pi. In educating our youth about various cultures and leading discussions about tolerance we
will create a more open-minded generation of individuals, in spite of our homogeneous
environment.
Every teacher in our district should be required to have the CLAD/CTEL, or require that
certification within six months of hire. I have learned a wealth of knowledge these last two
months and I know it will benefit my students, two-fold. These courses make you aware, not
only of the ways in which an ELL learns, but also the way in which all of your students learn.
Continued education for teachers is imperative. Required workshops on how to teach diversity
and tolerance in a community are essential. Classes and workshops with this theme would
enhance teacher knowledge and provide the most current information. Especially in an
environment where almost 75% of the student population is white, we need to educate our kids
on the bigger world beyond their classroom doors.
Creating a diverse classroom is another valuable area. Teachers can take the opportunity to
learn about other cultures from their students; teachers (and peers) become the students in

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essence. In English, require one multicultural reading/book report that includes a study of that
culture. In History, require students to choose a culture (possibly their own) and report out on
the history of that culture. In Math, choose a famous mathematician and report out on the
culture of that individual. These are just examples of small ways in which we can incorporate a
more diverse classroom. These small lessons add up to a more diverse education.
All ELL students are required to take the CELDT. In my research on the CELDT, I find this test to
be a little biased toward native English speakers. Therefore, it is important for English teachers
to be aware of this test so that they can teach their ELLs accordingly. For example, the level of
vocabulary was very high. As an English teacher, I teach and test my classes on a weekly
vocabulary list. Initially (when I was full-time, 20 years ago) I did so to help prepare students for
SATs and AP Exams; now it is also to include test preparation for the CELDT.
In a predominantly white community, it is even more essential to teach diversity. In her
qualitative research on teaching diversity in a non-diverse school setting, author Robin Reczek
states that, Smith and Watson (2009) found that when students lack knowledge of positive
experiences for learning about peoples differences, they often resort to other ways of managing
diversity, and manifesting negative responses. Students disrespecting each other during class
discussions are examples of negative responses to diversity interactions, seemingly from not
attempting to make connections between themselves and others defined as different (47) My
fear is that if we do not do more in our school district to teach diversity and tolerance, there will
be a negative impact to students; they will not be properly prepared for the real world.

Works Cited
Contra Costa County Library. Best Young Adult Book Lists: Multicultural. Retrieved March 6,
2016 from http://guides.ccclib.org/c.php?g=43935&p=277543
Reczek, Robin L. (December 2011). Qualitative Research in Teaching Diversity in a NonDiverse High School Setting Using Contemporary Art. Retrieved on March 6, 2016 from
http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1018&context=arteducation_projects