Analysis of the Differences between Traditional and Diverse Classrooms

 

Analysis of the Differences between Traditional and Diverse Classrooms

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Despite several efforts to bring diversity to the school, many schools around the world are still failing because millions of students still do not have access to the general education curriculum, or any support during their learning process (Vanderbilt University, 2022). The service delivery models in the school for learning depend on how the school and the teaching processes in the classroom have organized the organization of schools (Carrington and Elkins, 2002). Diversity in the classroom promotes inclusive education which is most important in this world situation. Students in the classroom are mostly trained on the values of society and its norms through the different teaching subjects to create a better future community. Whereas, in the traditional classroom, mostly multiculturalism through inclusive and equal educational opportunities for all students is absent in most cases.

How does a traditional classroom differ from a diverse classroom?

After going through this unit’s reading materials, it is realized that diversity in the classroom plays a vital role during the learning process because teachers are well aware of individual students’ needs and cater to their needs through various instructional approaches (Digital Promise Global, 2017). A diverse classroom is purely student-centered with a democratic environment and flexible rules. The learning process follows the discussion and mutual understanding forming the new knowledge. In contrast, the traditional approach is purely teacher-centered in which the teacher has the sole authority over anything in the classroom. Students are found passively and are encouraged to memorize the knowledge. I believe that the traditional way of teaching does not prepare students for life, instead, they are prepared to simply pass the exam which is unfair according to the educational goals.

Alternatively, the traditional classroom has more emphasis on the content and usually does not focus on societal expectations and learning needs. Moreover, it is the teacher who selects and regulates the content for specific knowledge and information. It is realized that more than traditional classrooms, a teacher must opt for diverse classrooms that promote value-based learning through inclusive practices. In such a classroom, a teacher is involved in generating change among students from the diverse cultures in the classroom and then encourages them to avoid prejudice and discrimination through acceptance. Moreover, it also tries to meet the different learning needs of the students based on their ability to maximize their success in the classroom (Carrington and Elkins, 2002).

The shift in the teacher’s role in a diverse classroom

In the traditional classroom, the teacher works in isolation because the teacher divides the responsibility of his students, which I believe does not promote active learning. In a diverse classroom, the teacher’s role would become more inclusive and promote a diverse classroom because in such a classroom the teacher would be engaged through collaboration and shared responsibility to build the capacity of students in terms of skills, knowledge, and experience (Vanderbilt University, 2022). Secondly, the teacher takes a significant role in shaping students’ learning process by providing equal opportunities to all learners without discrimination (The Understood Team, n.d.) because he creates a community by reaching out to people for collective beliefs and values (Carrington and Elkins, 2002).

To conclude, as a teacher, I feel that I should shift my role in my classroom by fostering compassion, inclusiveness, open-mindedness, and the special needs of the students (Garibay, 2014). I should be creating a diverse community by overcoming emotional barriers, social and cultural barriers, problems of disabilities, and any behavioral issues in the classroom through intervention and collaboration. I should always remember to contextualize the content and to improve student engagement and collaboration for better learning than simply teaching the content through various learning activities and student engagement. Moreover, I should be reinforcing maximum teacher-student relationships. Finally, and most importantly, I should be proactive in addressing any emotional, social, and bullying cases for support and care to help students restore through the appropriate procedures.

 

References

Carrington, S., and Elkins, J. (2002). Comparison of a traditional and an inclusive secondary school culture. The International Journal of Inclusive Education 6(1):1-16. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27464123_Comparison_of_a_traditional_and_an_inclusive_secondary_school_culture

Garibay, J. C. (2014). Diversity in the classroom [Pamphlet]. UCLA Diversity & Faculty Development. https://equity.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DiversityintheClassroom2014Web.pdf

The Understood Team. (n.d.). The difference between Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and traditional education. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/the-difference-between-universal-design-for-learning-udl-and-traditional-education

Vanderbilt University. (2022). What is inclusion and why is it important? https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/inc/cresource/q1/p02/

Digital Promise Global. (2017 January 3). The growing diversity in today’s classroom. http://digitalpromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/lps-growing_diversity_FINAL-1.pdf