Elements of culture
Schwartz and Conley (2000) are of the opinion that all cultures have a history and a heritage which is passed from one generation to another. Cultures are identifiable because they share certain characteristics. People within a given cultural group have a way of telling between members and non-members. Members share a common language through which cultural interactions take place, certain group values are shared, and various social and behavioural patterns are followed.
Members follow special rules of etiquette when communicating with others, introducing themselves to strangers, getting someone’s attention and leave-taking. One’s culture certainly provides an important part of the context in which decisions are made, but it may be argued that culture doesn’t in itself ‘determine” any specific behaviours. Members of each culture also have their own unique slang expressions and figures of speech.
Diversity fortifies human species and adds threads to the tapestry of human lives. It exponentially increases the possibilities for progress and positive change in the world because rather than seeing from only one perspective, it allows us to see from many. According to Schwartz & Conley (2000), the human would be sadly diminished if the music of the universe consisted of only one note.
The authors assert that we would be even more sadly diminished if human beings were free of differences. The author advocates for respecting and celebrating differences rather than tolerating it. Only by respecting and honouring the differences of others can we preserve our own.
Respect of Diversity
A child will appreciate diversity if he is in an environment where individual differences are noted and treated with respect. In working with children, one will need to be a good model so as to avoid the children developing negative attitudes and feelings of discomfort. A display of respect and comfort is crucial when working with children. Children usually follow the lead when they their model interacting with everyone in a respectful manner and also appearing comfortable in those interactions.
When dealing with children, it is important not to worry about what other people may or may not be thinking. It is good to be open when interacting with people from different diversities without fear. Communicating with diverse people may in no way compromise your identity. It is also important to stop someone who is ridiculing or joking about people who are different.
By avoiding the discussion, you give the impression that you do not condone such negative behaviour. It is important to also tell children about differences. Consequently, it is important to encourage children to ask questions. Giving them the correct information in matter of fact manner will make them realize that being different is not mysterious or something to be feared. It is crucial to use common, everyday vocabulary and also be yourself when dealing diverse people (Schwartz & Conley, 2000).
Risk Factors
According to Schwartz and Conley (2000), home life and parental involvement are crucial to a child’s performance in school. Sergio lacks a supportive home life since he is living in a home with one parent who is working full time and has little time for his needs.
Apart from lack of parental involvement in his life, other risks that might affect Sergio’s academic life include; death of parent (his father), being home alone for more than three hours, and use of drugs or alcohol. Sergio might even hurt himself in the house. The loss of his father might be affecting him but because the mother is not available, this hurt might not be easily recognised. All this risks have a potential to impact negatively on his school performance.
Because the mother is not involved, this might affect the child’s social skills at school and ultimately his academic performance. Loneliness might tempt him to start experimenting with drugs and alcohol. The child also might be affected by improper content from the television and internet if he has unsupervised access to computers and television. There are other risks that face Sergio such as abuse, abduction, and personal accidents. The boy might also get into bad company (Schwartz & Conley, 2000).
Diverse Learning Styles
Children do not learn the same way. Teaching children about a subject such as deer habitats may require use of different teaching methods. One important way may be to read them a book on the topic. The advantage of this method is that a good book will not only contain the thoughts and experiences of the author about the subject, but will also include reference to works of other people about the subject.
Watching a film which shows deer habitats is also an important way of teaching. Visual aids such as films have the benefit of cutting through the barrier of different diversities and allowing equal understanding of the subject. Surfing the web to get information about deer habitat is also an important way of teaching children. The advantage of the web is because of the availability of the latest information regarding the subject area.
The internet also offers the convenience of quick accessibility and retrieval of information provided there is internet connection. Another teaching method would be to put the children in group works where they could participate in research and discussion of the topic and then present their findings in class. This method has the advantage of engaging the children in the search for information and making them own the learning process (Schwartz & Conley, 2000).
Reference
Schwartz, E.S. & Conley, A.C. (2000). Human Diversity: A Guide to Understanding, New York: McGraw-Hill