Chapter 3 of our textbook goes into detail about teaching to fit the needs of diverse studetns. According to the textbook, by the year 2030 about half the students in school will be from non-European ethnic grouos, Some of the biggest minority ethnic groups include hispanics, black (non-hispanics), and a small percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders. A very surprising number to me was the fact that 20% of all school age children speak a language other than English at home. The schools that I attended growing up were not very ethnically diverse at all and I think that is why the statistic surprised me. As a future physical educator I know that it will be important to reach out to all of my students, including the ethnically diverse students. Some of my students may not be fluent in English and thus I know I will need to find a way to communicate them so they understand directions and feel comfortable in class.
The textbook went into describing some statistics to explain how schools have a long way to go before it can be proven that the needs of the diverse students are being met. For example, statistics continue to show that Hispanic, Native American, and African American students continue to score lower on standardized tests. The number of minority students who do not graduate from high school is also higher. Yet despite these statistics, many people believe that the public schooling opportunities for all U.S children are equal. So this thus leads us to question why the high school drop-out rate is higher for minorities? While it may not be the schools to blame, many people believe that the schools have the power to make adjustments and make sure each and every child reaches their full potential.
No comments:
Post a Comment