Diversity
Diversity is a great thing in regards to age in the classroom. I do focus on making the learning environment positive and exciting. I have learned how to pair younger and older students together because each one possesses a skill or trait or experience that helps the other. This also contributes to those who need to feel accepted and those who are concerned with their age.
Lorie,
Yes it does provide many opportunities to learn and work with all types of student dynamics and this is what keeps teaching so interesting.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Diversity in the classroom opens up many differences in opinion and we can all learn from the discussions.
Kristen,
This learning how to work with others is so important in the workplace as we all know so the more opportunities we can provide for our students to do such the better prepared they will be when they are out working.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I too agree. Diversity is a great thing! Helps in the classroom and in the real world. =)
I also have diversity in the clinic that I work in and I have definately noticed the teamwork that thrives from this. I see that it takes more communication which therefor causes teamwork to happen naturally.
Mark,
As we work with all kinds of people in our careers the more experience we can gain in how to work with them the better. You are doing a great service with your students in the way you put learning groups together.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
There are more kinds of diversity than just age. When I do partner work, I sometimes try to pair up a girl and a boy together, because often they are afraid to talk to the opposite sex, and this give them a chance to get over that. I also mix up the races in small groups, to give everybody a chance to get over any hesitancy or uncertainty they have about talking with someone of another race. Small groups are also good for helping the introverts get used to interacting with extraverts.
I agree. It also encourages students to work as a team.
I like the diversity I have in my classroom. it's a challenge to reach everybody at the same time.
