Elizabeth,
and it is very valuable for both to learn from each other & help one another grow in various ways.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I also have this type of diversity in my classroom. The ages begin from 17 and go up 50 something. In the end, they all realize, each has something to offer the other in the educational aspect.
I agree with this the older ones want to help the younger ones. To keep them from making the same mistakes they have made.
CHRISTOPHER,
this is a great idea to really help these students excel in their work.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Diverse students require diverse teaching stratigies.I also pair up limited english language learners with a facilitator or translator to aid them with difficult words and concepts
Wynell ,
to me one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is to see the transformation in many of my students & watch as they grow & develop themselves & in their areas of expertise.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Understanding Diverse Learners
by: Floyd Mitchell Raines
Today's classroom is more diverse than ever before. With new graduates coming out of high school, veterans returning from deployment and dislocated workers looking for a new career I have found myself in a room with 18 to 60 year old students. Each decade representing what they know about the world and eager to learn.
I once had a student who complained that his native language was French and he couldn't keep up with the course (Ethics) in English. I startled him by saying that he could write his exam answers and his term paper in French, and that he could ask me for a translation of any exam questions that he didn't understand. Nevertheless he skipped several exams and never turned in his paper. Apparently there was a co-morbidity of lacking motivation as well as being an ESLer. Sometimes students use poor English as an excuse for avoiding even minimal work.
First, I try to learn the different backgrounds of my students by getting them to introduce themselves in class: major, hobbies, reasons for taking my classes, etc. Understanding their backgrounds can go a long way in understanding how to deal with them.
Dealing with them takes discipline. We need to know the different verbal cues and nonverbal cues that are associated with diverse groups. For instance, if I say (speaking with someone from, say, Japan) my friend just kicked the bucket. That student just might think my friend actually kicked a bucket, instead of it being just an idiom for my friend had died.
Hand gestures work the same way. A thumb's up here in the U.S. means something positive while in Japan it means something negative.
Hello Craig,
This is so true. Most classes have very diverse populations. The age gap can be huge. often the younger more inexperienced students tend to exhibit less mature behaviors. I wish they would be quicker in developing their skills by learning with the more mature, more developed, students.
I do find on the more upper-level courses, the students have developed and the change is great. Their diversity, background, etc., isn't really a factor. It is the experience of being in the classroom and developing into more mature serious students. I do appreciate having some of these same students 1-2 years later and see how well they have developed. Even their attitudes improve.
Best wishes, Ms. King
Craig,
I have the same kind of demographic in my classroom. I don't find that all the military guys are the same. Being ex-military myself I guess I expect a certain amount from them.
Reginald,
yes, the more we can understand where they are coming from, the better chance we will have of relating to them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
One way you learn is by studying their culture, and ask them questions that would broaden your mind. Put yourself in another person shoes who is different from you.
One way to get an understanding of the diversity of the class is to give them a short quiz to test their knowledge of an area the first day of class. This will give a sense of who knows what in regards to class content. This helps me as an instructor know how basic I need to get with concepts or how much I can jump ahead if the students do well on the quiz. Another measure of diversity is to give the students a short paragraph to write. Have them talk a little bit about themselves, their background, what field they are interested in and how they became interested in that field. It is pretty easy to assess a student's writing capabilities with just a short paragraph like that. Those two assessments can guide my approach to the material of the class so I can reach the majority of students effectively.
It is hard to help a number of diverse learners in the classroom. I teach computer programming, the way I assigned class work is to give an example in the classroom first. I work with an application-sample from start to finish and then I assigned a similar application as an assignment.
aside from being directed by academics regarding a student's LD just ask! When learing about my students I like to have them fill out a note card with their contact info, name, cell, email etc. I then request they list if they have any special learning needs or prefrences.
I learn about diverse learners by asking questions about how they like to learn.
Ask them, I always ask my students if they are alright or if they need anything from me
I can definitely relate to Craig. Our students vary in the same way. I teach a day and an evening class and even as a class they are completely different. My day class is usually younger with a few older students that are changing careers. However, my evening class is a majority of older students that have full-time jobs with a few younger students that as well have full-time jobs. I enjoy doing ice-breakers with new classes so that everyone gets a little bit of information about their fellow classmates and myself. I then build on the information throughout their time in school.
John,
excellent point made here. We want to help our students & part of that help is giving them the skills they need to survive & thrive in the work place.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
