Strategies to Build Culture - Essay Example

These factors are for instance the institution’s atmosphere, overall attitudes towards cultural diversity, culturally responsive curriculum, as well as involvement of the community (Gay, 2002). Of all the mentioned factors, the academic and personal relationship between learners and their teachers is the most influential. Gay (2002) refers to this relationship as the core relationship of learning. It incorporates the roles of students and teachers, the subject matter, as well as how these two parties interact in class.

The strategy of building culture, which this paper will discuss, is building relationships among teachers and their culturally diverse students. As stated earlier, a proper relationship between teachers and culturally diverse students will enable learning to take place in the classroom. When students believe that their teachers or educators truly care about them and appreciate them as individuals, they will cooperate and work together in class (Vavrus, 2008). Such a situation will also assist these students to work diligently and come up with the best results with regards to their education.

Building a unique culture, in a culturally diverse class, is all about approval, admiration, affirmation, not only from the educators, but also from the learners themselves. Some of the strategies, which follow below, can be help educators form a meaningful relationship among them and their students. Finding Multiple Commonalities Educators do not have, in reality, to share the students’ interests, but just know what interests them (Vavrus, 2008). Knowing what culturally diverse students enjoy or appreciate is critical when having classroom debates, conversations and forming high-interests lessons.

Educators, therefore, should find as many communication channels as possible with individual students. However, at the same time, it is also essential for teachers to reveal their own interests to their students (Gay, 2002). It is essential for educators to remember that successful relationships or associations, in nature, are two-way streets. According to Gay (2002), students appreciate it when their educators acknowledge critical factors such as sports, clubs, hobbies, popular movies, artistic interest, as well as music, among others.

A majority of the respected and appreciated teachers know or are well acquainted with the favorite band in town, students and the respective sports they love, and the latest movies (Gay, 2002). Teachers are also encouraged to attend such events with their students in order for them to feel connected. According to Vavrus (2008), such an educator will be able to know what affects their students when it comes to learning, and will enable the educator to formulate strategies, which will ease factors affecting the student.

Know Your Student’s Background Knowing and identifying students’ familial along with economic background will assist teachers in building a better understanding regarding individual attitudes and behaviors in the classroom. Individual students portray different behaviors and attitudes with respect to the families or culture they come from (Vavrus, 2008). Affluent students act differently than students raised in poverty. It is essential for educators to know as much as possible regarding their learners (Gay, 2002).

Teachers will be surprised to notice how open their students will be once the teachers knows about their background. Knowing a