Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Three features of a diverse classroom
Importance of cultural diversity in education
Three features of a diverse classroom
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Introduction
Schools in the modern twenty first century have become the epicenter for the transformation of culture’s within a community and have impact for with decades of influence in how a local society progress’ to higher levels. The result of creating educational leadership through transforming school culture is a process that needs the cooperation and collaborative effort by all those involved (Green, 2013). To progressively preserve the future of our communities and be competitive in our world economy, the effectiveness of teaching the next generation has become a national priority. In essence, the events and cultures that affect our youth today shape and mold the future of each school and community they reside in. This in turn, has a lasting ripple effect that grows within the fiber of society.
Creating Educational Leaders by Transforming School Culture
The demographics of the American culture have inordinately been changing over the past century as the ethnic diversity of the public school student is reaching near 45% non white (Fallon, O’Keefe, & Sugai, 2012). This blending of ethnic and technological cultures within a school presents many challenges to the administration and teachers alike. Diversity training is well needed to educate the leaders of schools how to respect, but yet create a balance between religious faiths, the attire that a ethnic group may wear, how individuals articulate their words and thoughts, and lifestyle choices to name a few. Current educational leaders of a school may not have come from a diverse background and therefore do not have a deep understanding of why one student may act in what they may consider an inappropriate manner.
To transform the culture, first the awareness of the ...
... middle of paper ...
...sitive
Behavior Interventions, 14(14), 197-208. doi: 10.1177/1098300712442242
Green, R.L. (2013). Practicing the Art of Leadership. A Problem-Based Approach to Implementing the ISLLC Standards. Pearson Education, Inc.
The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, (NCHEMS). (2014). State Profile
Reports. Retrieved from http://www.higheredinfo.org/stateprofile/index.php
Pearson Education, Inc. (2010). Defining Culture and Climate in Schools. Retrieved from http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_green_practicing_2/23/6136/1571034.cw/index.html
Pearson Education, Inc. (2010). Theories Informing Leadership. Retrieved from http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/1534/1570971/Volume_medialib/Theorieschart.pdf Rhodes, V., Stevens, D., & Hemmings, A. (2011). Creating Positive Culture in a New
Urban High School. High School Journal, 94(3), 82-94.
Leading organizations of school administrators offer educators various opportunities to encourage educators to become leaders. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has mandated that leaders be better prepared for the task of providing quality education to all. NCLB “… is forcing all educational stakeholders to face the weakness of contemporary school leadership and is making it impossible to ignore the need for higher quality principals” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.1). It is believed that all educators can be and are leaders in their own right. A leader is a visionary and has the ability to inspire others to aspire to greatness. Of the numerous opportunities that are offered, those that are most beneficial include but are not limited to leadership training programs, professional development, and creating shared leadership opportunities for teachers to become leaders. The systems “…that produce our nation’s principals are complex and interrelated – and governed by the states. Each state establishes licensing, certification and re-certification” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.1). States use the ISLLC standards “…as the framework for preparation programs and in service professional development of school superintendents, principals, and other leaders” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.3).
"Developing a Philosophy of Leadership." . Leadership Paradigms Inc., n.d. Web. 12 Nov 2013. .
Kouzes, J., & Posner, B., (2007). The leadership challenge, (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-
Students who are enrolled in elementary schools with a diverse population usually develop an understanding of insights and perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function in a multiethnic, multicultural environment (Morrissey, 2014). Therefore, students need to learn how to interact in diverse environments. Teachers face challenges of making lessons and instructions “culturally responsive” for all students to avoid favoritism (Griner, 2012). Some students’ cultural backgrounds may have a negative impact on them in a modern classroom (Burt, 2013). It is imperative for elementary school teachers to be knowledgeable of different cultural beliefs and practices to help students adjust to traditional classrooms (Nigma, 2015). Defining the
David T. Conley, Ph.D. a. The. Education - Leadership -. Vol. 66 No.
School administrators are important in setting the path for a successful school (Glickman, et al., 2014). The principals could play a dynamic leadership depending on how they exercise their beliefs of the organizational and social environment (McNair, 2011). The principals are the primary facilitators for developing the foundations in learning that will last, to manage the student’s performance at schools, and seeking the improvement at school that will cause great impacts in school‘s education (Gordon,1989). In the recent years in the U.S., education has change in a more cultural diversity population, it is imperative that school supervisors, are trained to encounter this cultural issues, but also assisting others with the opportunities to develop appropriate abilities to deal with different cultures (Glickman, et al., 2014).
Schools throughout America have seen an increase in the cultural diversity of their student population. Census results from the 1990’s indicate that more children from other countries have immigrated into the United States than ever before. Results seem to indicate that the current move and increase in cultural diversity will soon lead to more than 50 percent of the student population being culturally diverse according to Mid-continental Research for Educational Learning. This increase in diverse population should certainly prompt us to develop educational practices that address these students’ needs.
With the passage of NCLB, many school reform efforts have been initiated using top-down model in which each school leaders have been charged with initiating bold administrative changes to address the legislation. With the number of leadership theories and models, researchers have become interested in studying those to determine which might bring forth the most significant results for leading such change. Due to the lack of highly qualified administrators and the increasing demands for administrators, Bush, O’Brien & Spangler (2005) studied a program, the Southern Tier Leadership Academy, a collaborative of the New York Education Department. The study included three separate cohorts who completed an eight month program. Whereas, Somech (2005) chose to investigate directive and participative leadership approaches, and which would more significantly impact school effectiveness. Perhaps Somech’s reflect Scherer’s (2009, p.7) understandings as described in Educational Leadership, ‘broom-wielding leadership can indeed be beneficial’ as is putting advocates into positions of power and influence and building teams, both of which are seemingly contrasting opposites.
Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA 94103-1741: Jossey-Bass.
been in band for three years in middle school, high school band was a whole new world full of
Diversity in classrooms can open student’s minds to all the world has to offer. At times diversity and understanding of culture, deviant experiences and perspectives can be difficult to fulfill, but with appropriate strategies and resources, it can lead students gaining a high level of respect for those unlike them, preferably than a judgmental and prejudiced view.
Northouse, P. (2010). Leadership: Theory and practice (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
In building leadership capacity it is important to ensure that there is broad-based skillful participation. We want the students, parents, community, and staff to be participants. This is important because it allows for staff to take responsibility for the growth and development for not only themselves but for their peers in doing the work of leadership. It is helpful to have the community working together towards the common goal as opposed to ...
Many theorists have long reported that paying attention to school culture is the most important action that a leader can perform. Impact of learning is mediated through climate and culture of the school and is not a direct effect (Hallinger and Heck 1998).
Education is a very important aspect in the life of a child. The level of success a student has in the classroom is greatly influenced by their teachers. Students, as well as their parents, depend on the teachers to guide them through their education. But who guides a teacher to perform successfully in the classroom? Principals and teachers play an important role in schools. A good relationship among school leaders and teachers is necessary and play an important role in making improvements in the school. Leadership refers to the “process in which one person successfully exerts influence over others to reach desired objectives”. (Okoji, 2015) Good leadership involves honesty, vision, confidence and commitment. It is the ability to inspire a