101.0003Chapter2Summaries

Question 1: How racially and ethnically diverse are our schools? Gene E. Hall discusses in the second chapter of “The Joy of Teaching” which is entitled “Today’s Students”, the ethnic diversity present in American Schools. Hall begins by defining race as “ a term that groups people by biological traits of color and texture of hair, color of skin...” and ethnicity as something “determined by the country or countries from which families or ancestors have come.” (48) Hall states that there are six “pan-ethic” and racial groups; they are African American or black, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Native Alaskan, Asian American, Latino, and white. Hall also states that it is projected that by 2050 whites will make up nearly 51% of the US population. The more our society becomes culturally comfortable with each other the more diverse the statistics will become regarding ethnicities and races within the classroom. It is the teachers responsibility to accept all students regardless of ethnicity or race while also promoting same type of acceptance to their students.

Question 2- How does SES affect students? In Chapter 2 of the Joy of Teaching, the authors examine how schools and their students are often classified by their socioeconomic status, or SES. (pg. 62) The textbook finds that expectations increase as one climbs the socioeconomic ladder. For example, within the low-income brackets, students face challenges ranging from health risks to lack of stable housing; factors that often negatively impact their ability to attend class and focus on schoolwork. Middle class families often still face some challenges, but usually hold steady jobs which allow better pay and greater benefits. Students from these families have greater education expectations, and higher rates of parental involvement than their lower-income counterparts. In contrast, upper middle class students often have family members who are wealthy professionals and have more political influence and income. Their higher income allows them access to private educations, tutors, and other supplemental academic resources, virtually guaranteeing their access to a higher education.

Question 4: What should teachers know about English language learners?

In chapter 2 of //The Joy of Teaching//, the authors highlight some key points about the students in today’s classroom. One of the key points made is the growing number of English language learners. The text states of the diversity of languages in the United State that has developed from immigration. It is mostly likely that the students will be learning their native tongue and culture at home. Future educators will need to prepare themselves to work with these types of students, especially those in urban and suburban areas. The teachers need to be prepared to help these students learn the subject matter while also bettering the students understanding of the English language. This language barrier may also cause the student to fall behind, which needs to be prevented by the teacher.

What are the Religions of Students?

Question 5: What are the Religions in Schools?

In The Joy of Teaching, Hall stresses how teachers must be able to accept and accommodate the wide variety of religions they may experience in their classroom. America has strong Judeo-Christian roots. As American culture becomes more diverse with an influx of immigrants, the diversity of religion in America increases, especially in the school systems. As a teacher, expect to have a wide variety of religions in the classroom. Jewish students will take days off for Jewish holidays, Islamic students will fast on their holidays, etc. Religion is an integral part to many people's lives. Students, their parents, and the school administration must work together to accommodate for all.

How does Gender Influence Students?

In their textbook The Joy of Teaching Gene E. Hall, Linda F. Quinn and Donna M. Gollnick suggest that both biological differences and socialization habits of society affect how gender influences students. The authors explain the difference between sex and gender saying sex is biological; gender, behavioral. The biological aspect seems to state that males have a greater concentration in their right hemisphere of the brain usually leaving them with better spatial reasoning. Females excel in using their left hemisphere giving a better understanding in speaking, reading and writing. Along with utilizing different hemispheres more males often use “deductive” reasoning while females often use “inductive; reasoning. Besides biological differences culture creates differences between male and female students. Culture usually has rigid standards for both male and female behavior, though it is noted that females do seem to have more room to deviate from these norms. Despite all these differences though, they make it clear that teachers need to treat their students equally and create an environment of “understanding” and “acceptance” to help students deal with gender issues (69).