Lessons Learned from a Teacher Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children

In Carla Amaro-Jimenez’s (2014) article titled Lessons Learned from a Teacher Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children, she writes that classrooms are increasingly becoming more culturally diverse. She also states that the teaching workforce is not as diverse as the children in US classroom. When there are linguistic and cultural differences between the teachers and student Jimenez writes that it can impact learning and teaching in different numerous ways. Being understanding and aware of cultural differences is necessary because according to the author “an educator’s teaching practice and approaches to teaching are related to the school success of students from diverse backgrounds and cultures.” In the article, she talks about the five strategies and practices she learned by observing a teacher named Mrs. Pennington who worked with students who are CLD. She learned that teachers need to give students time to think and reflect on their own. The teacher she observed would often tell her students how important it is for them to use their “inner resources” as part of their learning experience. Jimenez also learned the importance of encouraging students to value what they know as well as creating a nurturing and caring classroom community when working culturally and linguistically diverse children. By doing that it gives the children an opportunity to appreciate the ideas of others and enables them to use them as part of their own learning experience. The last two lessons learned were to take the time to listen carefully to the students and to help children connect new and existing information so they can understand new knowledge. If teachers take the time to get to know each individual students, then learning and teaching become more meaningful.