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  • Essay / The issue of diversity and equality today

    Table of contentsWhat is inclusion?What is diversity and equality?ConclusionAs in the classrooms of 21st century, there are more and more children from more diverse backgrounds, it seems logical that environments must teach children to learn "difference" with effective methods and must therefore have teaching approaches that deepen understanding . (Gollnick and Chinn, 2002). Practitioners must create a classroom culture in which all children, regardless of culture, language, abilities and disabilities, are welcomed and supported and given the best learning opportunities. This article explores the potential for such learning and considers key issues and conditions that impact any educational approach, starting with terminology. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayWhat is inclusion?Inclusive education is about equality and human rights. Inclusion is more than an understanding and a political requirement. It is a question of respect and values ​​that welcome the diversity of backgrounds and a broader part of society. Booth and Aincow (2003) asserted that “inclusion” in education involves removing barriers to learning, treating all children on the basis of equality and non-discrimination, even if Interestingly, their use of verbs such as "process" seems a bit odd. hypocritical and suggests that “things are done to them” by those who have the power to significantly impact their condition and status. However, the meaning of “Inclusion” can be very broad and often depends on the context of different contexts. Some authors define inclusion via a vague notion of equal opportunities in all areas; others argue that inclusion underpins the need to overcome inequalities. Indeed, contextually, it can be argued that the ideal of an inclusive school is particularly undermined by government policies, which encourage competition and selection between and within schools, as well as by the continued exclusion of children for reasons reasons such as disability and low educational attainment (Booth and Aincow 2011). ). Inclusive practice is not just for children with disabilities, it covers all types of diversity, such as gender issues. Again, competing theories abound on key issues of "gender", but consider that cultures are built on the idea of ​​a social constructivist approach. Barbara Rogoff (2003, p. 72) is quite convincing. Rogoff suggests that "the culture in which children grow up (or in other words the way they are raised) explains gender differences." Rogoff claims that "girls receive more guidance on 'appropriate social behavior' than boys and that children are generally assigned different tasks depending on whether they are boys or girls. Inclusive practice would therefore include gender and practitioners should allow all children to play with all types of toys and activities, without making comments like "only girls play with dolls" or "can I have a strong boy to help me carry this box.” » (Holland, 2003, cited in Pound, 2009). If a boy wants to put on a dress in the dress-up area or a girl wants to play with construction tools, let them encourage positive images of men and women taking on traditionally gender-specific roles, so that children do not have stereotypical ideas aboutwhat is happening. men and women should do What is diversity and equality? Equality means ensuring that individuals or groups of individuals are treated fairly and equally and no less favorably, based on their needs. The promotion of equality should eliminate discrimination in all areas; these may relate to the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs or d other ideologies. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. This means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. A recent publication in OFSTED School Inspection Update 2014 states that schools should promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, including the promotion of fundamental British values ​​so that young people leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. The inspections were imposed following the 'Trojan horse' scandal in Birmingham, where there were fears that Muslims were trying to impose harsh Islamic practices in a number of state schools. (Hill 2014) Ofsted's definition of children's spiritual development is shown by the child's reflection on their own beliefs and religions which inform their perspective on life as well as their interest and respect for faith, feelings and the values ​​of different people. Children's moral development is demonstrated by their ability to recognize right and wrong by readily applying this understanding in their own lives and, in doing so, respecting the civil and criminal law of England. Social development is manifested through the child's range of social skills in different contexts and through acceptance of and engagement with the fundamental British values ​​of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and of tolerance towards those of different faiths and beliefs. A child's cultural development can be demonstrated not only through an appreciation of a wide range of cultural influences, but also through knowledge of the British democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and our values ​​(Ofsted 2014). Critics have warned that the move has led to schools in predominantly white areas being criticized for being "too English", with few pupils from ethnic minorities. Ofsted inspectors have criticized a small rural community school saying the school was 'not yet outstanding' because pupils' cultural development was limited by a 'lack of direct experience of the diversity of society modern British”. in small rural schools, faith schools and special schools are not immersed on a daily basis in the cultures that might be found in an urban environment, as the vast majority of their children are White British and the number of children with disabilities from low-income families is lower than Paton suggests these schools should now attempt to partner with an inner-city school to address concerns. “Difference” is a word that some professionals and people probably fear and hope to never have to face the problems it poses. increases and associated wider implications. (Inclusive Schools 2013). The quote above succinctly sums up what the nature of the world is full of and what children see and hear every day. Why do we protect ourselves from difference instead of accepting it? Children and their families must meet thediversity throughout their life together, it is the role of educational environments to help facilitate the approach to diversity and to try to guide them as professionally as possible. There has always been diversity in classrooms, but in today's society it is important to accept it and make positive use of it. (National Curriculum 2013) Freud's theory holds that the morals that flow from our parents will be passed down from generation to generation not because that is what they concluded, but because our genetic makeup allows us to believe what our parents believe. Freud's peer Jean Piaget also recognized unconscious development. While Freud was interested in emotional and sexual development, Piaget focused on intellectual development whereby children can only process new concepts at a particular stage of their development (Linda Pound 2005). One of Piaget's theories was the theory of moral development in which he explains that there are two different pathways in which a child's moral reasoning sometimes develops, the heteronomous phase and the autonomous phase. The heteronomous phase is when children understand that there is only one way to see and do things. The autonomous phase is where children understand that people have different views and values ​​about circumstances. (Walsh, 2008, online). Lev Vygotsky (1978) also believed that children are unconsciously influenced by what they absorb during their early years. His theory of “social and cognitive development” was that children imitate the adults around them. He emphasizes that "children's language was of social origin because it arose from the interaction between the child and others." (Linda Book 2005). This means that children's language is the product and an element of social interaction. Vygotsky emphasized the significant importance of families, communities, and engagement with other children. Piaget and Freud believed that knowledge and understanding came from personal experiences. It is therefore essential that educational settings encourage children to look at difference and diversity through the eyes of others, as children may not receive the same encouragement at home. According to Freud's theory, influences develop unconsciously at a young age, so it would be beneficial for practitioners to promote positive thinking and attitudes towards difficult-to-talk about topics from the start, such as disability, race, gender and social origin. Children will develop a better understanding if these topics are discussed openly, reasonably and honestly rather than keeping them taboo. As practitioners, we must support children, parents, and families as they encounter and manage diversity with encouragement and guidance. I hope the parent will continue their education at home, which is why they need to be informed. This next section examines how my focus puts inclusion and diversity theory into practice and whether there are any suggestions that could be made to improve practices in this area. My focus framework includes 53 policies and procedures that provide a framework to ensure that consistent principles are applied to practice across the school. They also allow school staff, governors, parents, LEA officers and Ofsted inspectors to see at a glance. what principles they can expect to see applied within the school. School policies are generated by Durham County Council and serve as a template that the context adapts. Paper copies are kept in the office of theprincipal and are also available online through the school's website. This is not inclusive because they are not accessible to everyone. Many of these policies are lengthy and can be ambiguous due to the difficulty in interpreting the logical term. Other policies have clear meaning, such as the Backup Policy and Electronic Security Policy which are implemented daily. Diversity and inclusion policies within the school are only reviewed every three years and are not active, but staff behave in a respectful and inclusive manner towards everyone within the school. The Equality, Diversity and Cohesion Policy, the PHSE and the Citizenship Policy. Principle 6 states that “policy development involves widespread consultation and participation.” Principle 6 could be implemented to improve policy-making practices, including consideration of inclusion and diversity, so that the policy principle is active and easily understood by all. This review would involve input from everyone involved in school life and would reflect modern life and the cultural diversity in which we live. School coordination in this area could develop a subcommittee including a cross-section of children and adults from the broader community. A policy that covered all government legislation, but was useful to our context and written in understandable text. It should be in a place accessible to everyone, an audio cassette could be made for people who cannot read or have poor eyesight and the images could be used as another form of communication. In doing so, policies will be inclusive, remove barriers and encourage community participation from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. The classroom could display child-generated contracts or rules posted throughout the school. In this way, police officers will play an active role in school life and children will acquire skills and values ​​that can be retained throughout their lives. The school will have tangible evidence that the principles of diversity and inclusion policies are part of the school's daily ethos. In Principle 3 we promote positive attitudes, relationships and a shared sense of belonging and the relevant differences in Principle 2 are recognised. The school is seen to address diversity in a number of ways, some of this happens during our weekly assemblies where the whole school comes together for 'Celebration Friday'. It is a celebration of student achievements that includes the presentation of certificates. We also hold weekly group assemblies where children explore different religions, examine personal, social and emotional themes and reflect on their rights and responsibilities at school and in local communities. Children are encouraged to take part in a range of tasks which promote active citizenship. An example of this is when the Reception and Year 1 children raised ?1,800.00. for One Wish Charity who bought a walker for our disabled child. Over the past year, the school has addressed diversity by inviting Chinese dancers to the school. An African drumming group attended for an afternoon and the early years spent half the term learning all about Diwali and Budisiem. On reflection this is symbolic and at a recent staff meeting it was decided that the school would invest in the UNICEF UK Rights Respecting Award (RRSA), a programlaunched by children and based on the principles of equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation. A proposal likely to improve practices in this area would be to focus on the community, made up of different cultures and diverse socio-economic sectors. Apart from weekly readings and school plays, parents and members of the wider community are not involved in school life. The children and their parents/carers come from very different backgrounds and cultures. The school could celebrate this by inviting parents/carers and sharing with the whole school their diversity of occupations, talents and skills. We have unemployed parents, veterinarians, doctors, painters and parents who have lived in different parts of the world where English is a second language. Every Friday afternoon our children enjoy an extra playtime as a treat for all their hard work during the week, we could invite parents once a month on this day so they can share their knowledge with the whole school. This could be achieved by having a carousel in each classroom where different professions, skills and talents are demonstrated to the children. This could relate to the example from the first year science curriculum where they cover plants, a florist or gardening enthusiast could be brought in to describe and explain what this entails. Children could be divided into groups of different ages and abilities, including SENDING children from Reception. up to 6th grade. In this way, children gain direct experience that shows a wide range of professions that are neither stereotyped nor discriminated against based on gender or age. Children should be encouraged to have strong aspirations in their future careers. There are also many children who are not in school but may have talents in other areas such as music or sports, and can gain knowledge from adults who work in these areas. The school could extend these experiences by taking children to visit different workplaces locally and nationally. The school's Inclusion and Special Needs Policy states that the setting is committed to being an inclusive environment for all children. The National Curriculum is a starting point for planning to meet the specific needs of the diverse learning needs of all children. Some children experience barriers to learning and these needs are identified by SENCO schools. In the setting we have a large group of children waiting to be assessed for their learning difficulties. Until this assessment takes place, teachers cannot support individuals and make arrangements that enable them to participate effectively in curriculum and assessment activities. We have a SENCO who also teaches in a class and has other teaching duties outside of this role. The teacher is allocated one afternoon per week for SEN tasks. This involves carrying out child assessments, planning and reviewing meetings with parents and outside agencies each term, and then writing reports. There are areas of this role that could be improved so that the SENCO teacher is more effective and outcomes for children are resolved quickly. The SEND policy states that children must be assessed within six weeks of starting school. Due to the time constraints of the SENCO role, this does not happen (therefore children do not receive the interventions or strategies they need; this.