Students sometimes separate themselves between the minority and the majority. And
that can take its toll on student achievement, as minority-race
students are less likely to share in class, to raise their hand, to ask
for help.
That's
why North Salem High School's English as a second language teacher Mark
Till attended a voluntary training Monday on diversity and cultural
competency.
"I'm here to learn how to better facilitate equality," he said. "How do we knock down the barriers?"
Forty-three participants attended the daylong training Monday, a day schools were closed in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The
conference, called "They're Our Children," was sponsored by the
Salem-Keizer teachers and classified staff unions. It's thought to be
the first joint training they've offered on diversity.
"The
students that we teach come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds
and speak several different languages," said Michele Ford, who
co-organized the conference.
In
the 2008-09 school year, about 44 percent of Salem-Keizer students — or
17,600 students — identified themselves as a minority race, according
to state data.
About
30 percent identified themselves as Hispanic, 6 percent as
multi-ethnic, 4.1 percent as Asian-Pacific Islander, and 1 percent as
black.
Salem-Keizer
students also come from diverse language backgrounds, with more than 30
languages spoken at students' homes, according to the district.
"Our
classrooms and schools are evolving, and we've got to keep pace," said
Gail Rasmussen, president of the Oregon Education Association.
Keynote
speaker Debbie Goforth, an author, educator and consultant, urged
participants to place themselves in their students' shoes.
"We have to be very careful, as educators, that we're looking through the child's eyes, not our eyes," she said.
She
said that being a "campus parent" might not have been what they signed
up for — but it's a vital roll that every school staffer plays.
"I'm
going to see the child first, and then I see the student," she said.
"Once I acknowledged to the child that I really cared about them, then
the learning took place."
Many participants attended not only for the training, but for the opportunity to network with other school staffers.
"The
most important thing is making connections with different teachers,"
Whiteaker Middle School Teacher Sally Welter said. "It sounds like we
have a lot of the same issues that we're concerned about."
And many hope to incorporate the messages and concepts discussed into their work with students.
Auburn
Elementary School Counselor Miguel Wahl said he hopes to "thread topics
of tolerance, diversity and acceptance into what's already being done"
at the school.
"Diversity ... it's a buzz word unless something actually gets done," he said.
StatesmanJournal.com
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
