Psychology

Contemporary classrooms are populated by students with dissimilar talents, abilities and cultural backgrounds. For many students, the traditional teaching practices established in North America might  be to certain extent unacceptable, or in simpler words, less workable and effective in the educational process (Hollins, 2008, p.135). The other important points of division include gender,  religion and socioeconomic status which also need educators attention. In order to meet this challenge, teachers and school staff in general are expected to take a culturally responsible pedagogic approach.  The recent research suggests that school completion rate varies by culture in this sense, about 85 White Americans, 75 African Americans and 56 Hispanic students  complete their school education (Hollins, 2008, p.136). Besides, racial attitudes after the age of 9 are likely to stay the same if the child does not get a defining experience associated with culture. One of the ways of embracing diversity is recruiting school staff from different cultural groups for the purpose of exposing students to authority figures that look different then the majority (Dalhouse  Walker-Dalhouse, 2006, p.2).

However, according to Bingham, only 3-5 Education students are of minority background and his research shows the need for pre-service teachers to have a common working knowledge of diversity throughout heir coursework and continue during their field-based experiences(Bingham, 2006, p.7).  Inclusive education is another approach to diversity which consists in providing equal access to each public school to all children regardless of place of residence, race, religious beliefs and social class.
As a school psychologist, I will be able to conduct issue training on diversity for school staff and students. Both teachers and learners have to understand that cultural sensitivity is not merely a theoretical concept, but also a set of practices aimed at making school study productive for each student. Furthermore, I will need to provide the service of diversity counseling to teachers and students, and casework would also be a useful method of preventing discrimination and harassment. I will also regularly conduct internal research in order to understand the dynamics of racial attitudes, culturally sensitive behaviors  and diversity-related practices in the educational institution.