For many teachers across the country summer vacations are
winding down and you will be returning to the classroom in the next few
weeks. But while the building and the
text material may remain the same (for the most part), the ethnic composition
of the classroom will be a little different. According to a recent report by
the National Center for Educational Statistics, when all of the minority
students are added together, they will now make up the majority. The non-Hispanic
white student population will comprise approximately 49.8% of school
students. The question before educators
now is how to address this paradigm shift. Does this mean more ESL programs,
translators for parent conferences, and bi-lingual educators? Probably. Will
this mean an increase in “white flight” to suburban or private schools?
Possibly.
This academic reality, however, brings with it great
possibilities Teachers can plan lessons around the multi-cultural nature of our
society. Students can share their backgrounds about holidays, family customs
and traditions, as well as food choices.
There is another aspect to this new reality that cannot be
ignored. Societal issues such as immigration (an issue that has been in the
news a great deal this summer), poverty in America and income inequality must
be addressed. Teachers and administrators must also be attuned to the
possibility of racial tensions in the hallways , cafeterias and schoolyards. Whether this new reality is
treated as a threat or an opportunity is up to you. This change is here to
stay.
c.2014. J. Margolis
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