Cultural diversity allows for different ways of learning, acting, and communicating. Having a culturally diverse group of students requires that the teacher respectfully investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions that students bring from home. Student learning is greatly enhanced by the teacher's knowledge of these factors. As a teacher, it is important to remember that the differences in knowledge and backgrounds that students bring to the academic setting should be respected and seen as strengths, rather than as weaknesses.

Mary Abeita Native American Studies Resource Teacher Indian Education Unit, APS

Mary Abeita, a teacher at Van Buren Middle School in Albuquerque, discusses considerations for teachers who work in diverse school settings. (Time: 1:16) View Transcript

Differences in background knowledge
The array of experiences and background knowledge that each student brings to the classroom can provide rich foundations for building new understanding. This can provide a wealth of content for curricular planning that will enhance the learning of all students in the class. For example, a student who is involved in annual planting, farming, and harvest activities brings in-depth knowledge regarding the cycle of agricultural life, which is helpful in science projects and activities.

Joseph Henry Suina, EdD Associate Professor of Education Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies Department University of New Mexico	In the mid 1950s Joseph Henry Suina, a young boy from the Cochiti Pueblo, began school in northern New Mexico. In his essay, And Then I Went to School (PDF), Joseph eloquently chronicles this memorable, and often heartbreaking, experience. Joseph Henry Suina is now an associate professor of education at the University of New Mexico. In the following interview, he discusses the long-term impact of those early school experiences on his life and his impression of whether the educational experiences of children from diverse backgrounds have improved.
	Long-term impact (Time: 1:08) View Transcript	Have things changed? (Time: 1:50) View Transcript

Differences in social and leadership skills
A student's home and community have helped to shape how he communicates, interacts with others, and what role he takes in various activities. For example, public speaking assignments can be difficult for youngsters, depending on the degree of self-consciousness involved in speaking in front of others. However, a child who takes part in various religious rituals in her community may have acquired communication skills that allow her to excel in public speaking activities.

Something to think about In the interview above, you heard Joe Suina discuss how his negative school experiences resulted in his disenchantment with both his school and his home community, eventually resulting in his Marine Corps enlistment during Vietnam. As teachers we have the potential to impact our students positively or negatively. We never know what effect our words or actions will have on our students' educational, career, or life choices.