Beth Curtis

ED 252 Wk 10 Ch 3 Worldview and Diversity in the Classroom

December 1, 2019
Due: Sunday, December 01, 2019

1.On page 53 in our text, the term "Worldview" is described as how a person perceives his or
her relationship to the world. Read about how a person's worldview influences
communication, individual goals, belief systems, problem solving, behavior and other things.
Then answer the following question:
Explain your worldview. What are your values and beliefs related to worldview that might
affect your ability to teach or work with students in a diverse classroom?
I have never really considered the specifics of my worldview. If I am to answer this question
through the five categories of worldview as described in our textbook, I would answer as
follows below. I think my worldview is pliable and would easily adjust to a diverse classroom. I
would make sure I agree with the cultural school district sets before taking the job.
1. Nature: I believe we should live in harmony with nature and it is our duty to take care of
the earth as best we can.
2. Time orientation: I acknowledge the importance of the past, present and future. I
remember and learn from the past, I try to be mindful of the present, and I try to have a
flexible approach to the future. I do tell my daughter that each day resets and tomorrow
is a new day . The quote that I read when I was a teenager regarding time has always
stayed with me: Time heals nothing, TIME is a magazine. I do feel life is short lived in our
bodies and we should take care of all aspects: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
3. Activity orientation: Wow. I would say I am affective, cognitive, then behavioral and
then back around, again. I am always striving for an inward and outward calmness in
harmony.
4. Human relationships: I believe we have a responsibility to ourselves and others to be
best the versions of ourselves for the sake of ourselves and our family and communities
and the world at large.
5. Human nature: I believe everyone is someone’s baby, no matter what, and should be
treated with kindness and respect. I believe people are inherently good and are capable
of making good or bad choices. We are responsible for the choices we make and need to
take ownership of them, good and/or bad. We are human – imperfectly perfect.
2.Discuss how the concept of worldview may contribute to better understanding of classroom
behavior. Give examples for some of the cultural identities discussed in this chapter.
I found the section on “Cultural Influences on Behavior” (pg. 56-62) particularly interesting. I
did not realize how many variables there are in different cultures. I did not realize that some
people “may opt to “pass” as White in order to avoid anticipated stereotyping, discrimination,
or explanation” (57). I think it is sad that individuals would not embrace their race or culture. I
learned about individual behavior and collateral behavior and that African American children
tend to be raised with a collective view of success, including their church, clubs and
neighborhoods. I learned that student’s with disabilities have historically depended on others
to make educational decisions for them. And I learned that :family relationships, birth order,
and duties can often have an all-encompassing importance” (pg. 61).
3.Frequently, the social skills learned by children within the home environment conflict with
behavioral expectations within the school environment. Offer one example of a conflict and
how it may be resolved in a way that is sensitive to cultural differences.
One example of cultural social skills learned at home conflicting with behavioral expectations at
school is eye contact or lack thereof. In some cultures, it is respectful for the young to lower or
advert their eyes when being spoken to by an elder. At school we are taught to make eye
contact with the one who is speaking to you or that you are listening to. It would be helpful for
a teacher to look up or discuss the conflict with the student in order to determine if it out of
respect the student is adverting their eyes.
4. Beginning on page 69, table 3.6, you will find Internet addresses that access a large body of
literature on activities and exercises that teachers can do to increase awareness of their own
cultural identity and bias. Visit two sites and share information that you found to heighten
your own awareness of cultural bias and/or discovery of your own cultural identity.
1. Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST); http.//www.cast.org. Cast has a website
providing gidelines for Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The Guidelines consist of the
Why, What and How of learning by Accessing, Building and Internalizing exercises with
the following choice of Goals: Expert Learners who are: Purposeful & Motivated,
Resourceful & knowledgeable, and Strategic & Goal-Directed. I chose the Purposeful &
Motivated Learner and guidelines for Self Regulation. “A successful approach requires
providing sufficient alternatives to support learners with very different aptitudes and
prior experience to effectively manage their own engagement and affect”
(http://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/self-regulation). I learned that not all
children learn self-regulatory skills implicitly so I, as a teacher, I can help teach these
skills explicitly to support learners of different aptitudes and skill levels. I book marked
this page for personal and professional benefit.
2. Multicultural Pavilion: EdChange: Building equitable schools through transformative
action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ysj3iLY9cc. This is a YouTube video
discussing Deficit Ideology. I was not aware of this term or the ideology. I found the
statement “people buy into deficit ideology because they are drawing on already
existing stereotypes and biases imbedded into the system” very interesting. I think that
 is something we all have to be aware of. The speaker goes on to explain and give
examples of Deficit Ideology (Gorski): “it takes some kind of inequality and explains it
based on perceived or assumed deficiencies within the group at the bottom of the
hierarchy”. Takes a worldview where these bigger social conditions are completely
ignored and dismissed. Ie. Poverty due to the laziness of poor people – what do we have
to ignore in order to make that assumption? Racial Achievement Gap – it exits because
families of color just don’t care about education – what social conditions do we have to
ignore to buy into this”?
5.Pick two multicultural education websites mentioned in this chapter and compare the
usefulness of each when working with children.
1. Multicultural Pavilion; http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/. Awareness Activities;
Icebreakers: Knowing the Community: Ethnicity Exercise: “Continues community
building. Participants introduce themselves by sharing information on their ethnicity and
background, highlighting the similarity and diversity among members of the group”. This
website is a great resource for getting to know each other, our differences and our
commonality. This particular exercise outlines the objective, the activity description, and
the facilitator’s notes including modeling, emotions, themes and reflection. This website
has a Teacher’s Corner, Workshops & Training, Printable Handouts and Humane
Education links to name just a few. The links have helped me to realize that I am not
alone in this new world of teaching and that there is support for me in becoming a
multicultural aware teacher. This is a resource I can use to model my worldview while
learning about other cultures’ worldviews.
2. Teaching Tolerance; https://www.tolerance.org/. “We view tolerance as a way of
thinking and feeling—but most importantly, of acting—that gives us peace in our
individuality, respect for those unlike us, the wisdom to discern humane values and the
courage to act upon them”. This organization provides wealth of information through
magazines, videos, curriculum, social media, and their website. There are 4 main tabs:
Classroom Resources, Professional Development, Magazine & Publications, and Build a
Learning Plan. In the Classroom Resources I chose Public Learning Plans, Breaking
stereotypes. This page offers Essential Questions, Texts, Teaching Strategies and Student
Task, Planning guides, progress Monitoring Worksheets and Reflection on School and
Community. I highly recommend the letter from a teacher to her students titled It’s
Report Card Time – And I Despise It (https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/summer-
2017/its-report-card-timeand-i-despise-it).

6.Read the short story called “The discovery”. This story is written by two different people
from different perspectives. Please describe the author and his /her background of each
version of this story.
Part I of “The Discovery” was written from the point of view of a native Indian looking to
welcome the strange, pale visitors, originally thought to be their great ancestors approaching in
strange canoes with sales. Part II of “The Discovery” was written from the point of view of the
conquering Spanish. The Spanish crew and Captain were delighted to finally find land and claim
India and its treasures as Spain’s own. The native Indians were perceived to be savages as they
were barely clothed and were armed with only clubs and spears. A soldier shot the Chief
because he did not understand they were being welcomed rather than in danger.
7. Describe one way in which a classroom teacher can make the educational environment
more inviting to students from different cultural backgrounds? How might this influence the
behavior of some students and their relationship with others?
A classroom teacher can make the educational environment more inviting to students from
different cultural backgrounds by hanging posters representing the cultures of their students.
This may influence the behavior of some students and their relationship with others by
broadening the students knowledge of similarity and differences within the different cultural
and ethnic groups.
8. Making a Difference for Children of Poverty in Schools
Ruby Payne has determined characteristics that can surface with students who live in
poverty. Visit:
http://www.ahaprocess.com/who-we-are/dr-ruby-payne/
I enjoyed Ruby’s video “Hand” model of the brain. She was very informative and personable.
Share what experience you’ve had working with students of poverty. In your opinion, do
some of these characteristics match what you have seen? Which one’s match, which ones do
not match? Can you add other characteristics to this list?
I have not yet worked with students in a paid capacity but have volunteered in the BSD for
many years. I am aware that some of the schools received federal funding due to the economic
status of their neighborhoods but never saw a difference in the students with regard to their
personal economic situations.
I did read further on Ruby’s Emotional Poverty in All Demographics: How to Reduce Anger,
Anxiety, and Violence in the Classroom. The workshop is surprisingly only $21.00, and the book
is $30.00. I never considered Emotions as a form of Poverty. I think this will be a beneficial
resource for me with my daughter as well as my goal of working with autistic children. Thank
you for the resource. Another bookmarked page!

.. Whether the student works hard is based on his/her relationship with the teacher.
.. Students may not use conflict-resolution skills. Instead they often attempt to settle issues
with verbal or physical assaults.
.. Students tends to say exactly what is on their mind when angry, no reservations
emotionally.
.. Students enjoy humor, use personality to entertain, love stories about people.
.. Students may be VERY independent.
.. Students miss school periodically or are late due to family emergencies/issues.
.. Students may need emotional warmth from teacher to feel comfortable
.. Students may see organizations as basically dishonest.
.. Students may need greater amounts of personal space.
.. Students may show clear favoritism for certain people.
.. Student comes from home where mom stays home and has only other female relatives as
friends.
SOME KEY POINTS ABOUT POVERY by Ruby Payne
The information that Ruby Payne shares is based on patterns. All patterns have exceptions.
Poverty is relative. If everyone around you has similar circumstances, the notion of poverty
and wealth is vague. Poverty or wealth exists only in relationship to known quantities or
expectations.
Poverty occurs in all races and in all countries. The notion of middle class as a large segment
of society is a phenomenon of the 20th and 21st centuries. The percentage of the population
that is poor is subject to definition and circumstance.
Economic class is a continuous line, not a clear-cut distinction.
The income level that defines the “poverty level” continuously changes as does the income
level of the top 15% in this country.
Generational poverty and situational poverty are different.
Generational poverty is defined as being in poverty for two generations
or longer.
Situational poverty is a shorter time and is caused by circumstance (i.e., death, illness,
divorce, etc.).