Ch. 4 Learning Log

What?
In this chapter it talks about group differences, which are the differences, we are apt to see on average among students of diverse cultural and ethnic groups, different genders, or different socioeconomic backgrounds. It then goes into talking about students at risk and a group that will help the guidance and support from the teachers that is very important. This chapter discusses navigating different cultures at home and at school.
It is very important in creating a more multicultural classroom environment. By doing that you need to come to grips with your own cultural lens, incorporate the values, and traditions of many cultures into the curriculum and work hard to break down students’ ethnic stereotypes. It is also important to promote productive interactions among students from diverse racial and ethnic groups.
Along with cultural differences come gender differences. Researchers have identified a number of differences in the physical, cognitive, personal, and social domains. With gender differences also comes: physical activity and motor skills, cognitive and academic abilities, motivation in academic activities, sense of self, interpersonal behaviors and relationships, classroom behaviors and career aspiration.

So What?
It is very important in knowing about group differences since in becoming a teacher you will be faced with many group differences. Not only with culture but between gender. It is important as a teacher to not become colorblind. We need to make sure that we don't put a blanket over those other colors. We need to make sure that everyone is treated equally and in the way they should be treated.

Now What?
Through studying about the different group differences it is important that I now take this information and process it and then use it. So many times it is easy for teachers to put a label on the students before the really even know the student. We need to make sure that we do not just classify a student into a certain label. We need to treat each of the students equally and make sure we fulfill all of their needs, since they are all different needs.