The social and cultural structures of classrooms

There are many different social and cultural frameworks in classrooms and learning environments that are frequently ignored (Archer, 1990). A few kids with varied ethnic backgrounds can be tough for many teachers to manage. Adopting mindfulness can help teachers understand and clarify these social and cultural frameworks. The need of increasing diversity in schools is discussed in the essay "Mindful Reflection as a Process for Developing Culturally Responsive Practices" by Barbara J. Dray and Debora Basier Wisneski. Diversity in learning environments can be maintained through embracing conscious reflection and being culturally sensitive. Frames of references based on gender, class, language, location, race and personal history affect teachers’ understandings on students. Such unique set of values, attitudes, experience and beliefs affect cultural diversity in the learning environment. Dray & Wisneski, (2011) argue that the African- American students have high chances of being suspended from school compared to their white peers. Also, chances of Latino students being suspended are higher than their white peers (Dray & Wisneski, 2011). Furthermore, the authors present the argument that African-American students face disciplinary actions as a result of their “subjective” offenses such as being disrespectful, loud, and loitering (Ferguson, 2003). On the contrary, white students only face disciplinary actions for committing “objective” offenses: vandalism, smoking, cutting class, and using language that is obscene in school. Frequently, this results in unequal discipline and bias (Ramsey, 2004). Therefore, such practices based on racial preferences affect the ability to establish a learning environment that dutifully embraces cultural differences as well as individual differences.

As a teacher, cultural, gender, race, and other differences influence the ability to create a learning environment that is culturally responsive. It is not uncommon to me to misinterpret the response of a student when I try to make a meaning of behavior to them particularly when it involves discipline, classroom management, and engagement. Some students behave or perform differently in class due to the difference in culture and background. Certain students require special attention when it comes to change their behavior. For instance, a student of color is brought up in a different environment compared to those of white race. Therefore, as a teacher, I might find difficulty to understand the cultural dynamics of various students and fail to create a balance (Ramsey, 2004).

I can adopt mindful reflection and effective communication to incorporate students’ interest, abilities, linguistic and cultural backgrounds into the learning environments. Dray and Wisneski define “mindfulness” as a specific quality of attention under which an individual is present to all the experiences of the specific moment (Dray, & Wisneski, 2011). Mindfulness creates space for alternative interpretations of student behavior and provides teachers the chance to respond in a different way. Furthermore, effective communication would help me to pay close attention to student’s behaviors as well as my own conduct (Dray, & Wisneski, 2011). This would enable me to avoid biased responses that are based on my cultural frames of references.

Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation are the three cognitive process involved in the mindful reflection that would enable a teacher to embrace self-reflection and become aware of biases and prejudices that they may have. Description of student’s person history and experiences can enable a teacher to avoid attribute social or cultural significance to the student’s behavior (Ferguson, 2003). Furthermore, interpretation can assist me to infer the implications of a student’s behavior through attributing it to social significance (Dray, & Wisneski, 2011). The evaluation process of mindful reflection would assist me to relate negative or positive social importance to a particular behavior. As a teacher, I may evaluate different student’s behaviors from different angles without bias. Such strategies will embrace cultural diversity in a classroom setting (Popkewitz, 1998).

Cultural diversity and inclusion are important in any learning environment. Dray and Wisneski competently lay out the strategies that can be used in cultivating “mindful reflection” to assist a teacher to check their notions and assumptions regarding what behavior of a student might imply. I find the article to be the best piece for educators who wants to improve their cultural responsiveness.

References

Archer, C. (1990). Living with strangers in the U.S.A.: Communicating beyond culture. Thousand Oaks, CA: Prentice Hall

Dray, B. J., & Wisneski, D. B. (2011). Mindful Reflection as a Process for Developing Culturally Responsive Practices. Teaching Exceptional Children, 44, 28-36.

Ferguson, R. F.  (2003). Teachers’ perceptions and expectations and the Black-White test score gap. Urban Education, 38 (4), 460–507. 

Popkewitz, T. (1998). Dewey, Vygotsky, and the social administration of the individual: Constructivist pedagogy as systems of ideas in historical places. American Educational Research Journal, 35, (4), 535- 570.

Ramsey, P. G. (2004). Teaching and learning in a diverse world. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.