Week 4

Brookfield's chapter 8 is a fascinating read. Teaching in diverse classrooms has many layers, many of which I had not considered.

Diversity extends beyond race, religion and language. Brookfield states that even in classrooms with similar students there is still a level of diversity. Learners learn in a variety of ways, tactile, auditory and visual. As an instructor it can be very challenging to teach in a variety of ways that compliments each one of our learners.

Rather than guessing how to best meet the students needs, Brookfield suggests asking (what a novel idea!). Asking students to fill in a questionnaire or to complete a learning style quiz online can provide a lot of helpful information.

Despite our attempts to teach in a variety of ways, Brookfield concludes with "we will always fall short". There will always be a few students who will struggle or state their dissatisfaction. This is a part of teaching that we need to be prepared for. It's easy to be our own worst critic especially when you feel that you hit it out of the park! Rest assured all instructors will experience challenges in diversity throughout their careers.

Looking for more? Check out these quick reads:

https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/diversity-in-the-classroom/

https://www.edutopia.org/article/ensuring-instruction-inclusive-diverse-learners/