Sheri Sevilla

EDU 280
Quiz #4 EDU 280-Valuing Cultural Diversity

Answers to Quiz

You have applied for an excellent teaching position in a large school district. You have

heard informally that you are one of the final candidates of the principals, who interviewed

you. But now you must meet with the assistant superintendent. You really want this job,

but it will depend on your response to the following interview questions:

1. The district is looking for someone who can successfully meet the challenges of
multicultural education in very diverse schools. What skills, knowledge, attitudes,
experiences, and personal characteristics do you have that qualify you for this job.
Why should you be selected?

When it comes to multicultural education in a diverse school, the skills that I bring forth

as an educator would be for starters nurturing skills. I myself am a mother, so I try my best to

make sure everyone that steps foot into my classroom feels that they can come to me about

anything they need, whether personal or education based. I feel that it's best to be that comfort

for a child because you never know what battles they are facing at home and away from school.

Getting to know my students on a personal level helps when teaching a multicultural education

class. When understanding one's culture, it is so important that a child feels that they are

understood and appreciated. I always tell my students that they are unique and beautiful in their

own way, and I truly do mean that. I feel that as an educator it's important to have a can-do

attitude and be aware of one’s culture, and at times it's beneficial to be multilingual. I come from

a Puerto Rican background, but I do not speak nearly as much Spanish as I should. I am able to

communicate briefly with Spanish speaking students, and I understand them when they are

talking to me, but I myself have trouble sometimes. I do feel it's best to communicate when a
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child is trying their best to speak English, that way they don’t feel left out when it comes to

playing with their peers. I have students to this day that speak only Spanish, and I will

communicate with them as best as I can but I try my best to teach them English at the same time,

so that way they are able to make new friends and understand what is going on around the

classroom environment. I do not, and have never seen color when it comes down to my students.

I see them for the little people that they are, and I try my best to teach that to them.

2.How would you respond to a colleague who, referring to students of diversity, said,
“Don’t you think it’s about time they gave up their traditions and started to act like
Americans?

If a colleague of mine who, referring to students of diversity, said, “Don’t you think it’s

about time they gave up their traditions and started to act like Americans, I would immediately

shut that conversation down. There is no way one person can “act American”. We are all people,

and we all come from different backgrounds and ethnicities. Not ONE person in this world is

“pure American”, and those that believe they are, need a huge wake up call. Being an American

is to be free, to be patriotic, no matter where you were born or where you come from. America

is, and will always be a giant melting pot where everyone from all over can come to be free and

live their lives peacefully. It should not ever matter where they came from. I myself, learned

recently that I am so many mixes of different races that I never knew. I am Puerto Rican,

Scandinavian, Irish, Scottish, and so much more. I am an American, yes, but to

give up one's traditions to make everyone happy is a terrible idea. Americanism has nothing to

do with skin color, or with race, or the type of education one receives. The thing I love about

being an American is that we are all unique, and we are all mixed with something special. I don’t
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care to associate with people who believe that being American means being “pure” or “white”

like many say. It is a very judgemental and racial way to think and go about through this life. I

do believe though, that if you come here from another country, that you do need to be respectful

of this country, but that doesn't mean losing oneself and one's culture.

3. What have you learned about cross-cultural encounters that will help you create an
effective classroom environment for students from diverse backgrounds? Explain and
provide examples.

The cross-cultural encounters that I have learned to help create an effective classroom

environment for students from diverse backgrounds is that teaching itself is a cross-culture

encounter. Even as educators we have our own cultural baggage which plays a significant

role in teaching. One must obtain knowledge, attitude and skill that will lead to an

awareness, understanding, and acceptance of all types of diversity. Developing these skills

also helps people better understand their own and others’ differences. Socioeconomic

status, ethnicity, gender, and language have a powerful and dynamic effect on one’s

outlook and attitude toward school and on one’s actual school achievement. I learned that

encouraging cross-cultural friendships and social interaction, cooperation, and

socialization among boys and girls in the classroom, on the playground, and in the

community is crucial for their growth as well. When it comes to your students, treating all

students fairly and establishing a democratic classroom in which all students give and

receive equal treatment is key to being an educator in a multicultural classroom.