Local and National Policy
Diversity discourses are apparent in both local policy and in National policy. The following is an analysis of local policy, through looking at the student wellbeing policy at School A, and an analysis of National Policy, through looking at the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
School A: Student Wellbeing Policy
The Positives:
This inclusion statement within the student wellbeing policy at School A is a broad statement about supporting all individuals, which as a result, includes catering to diverse needs.
The way this statement is worded suggests that students with diverse needs in every area, from learning needs to spiritual, social and emotional needs, will be cared for within the school environment.
The Negatives:
The only negative I can identify about this statement is the lack of specifics about how these needs will be cared for.
Effects:
This statement would have a generally positive effect on students, leaving them to feel supported as individuals within the school environment. For teachers, it would help to identify a range of factors to focus on within the classroom environment.
Diversity Discourses:
This policy statement is very inclusive. It supports each learner at the school and promises to care for all of their diverse needs, leaving no specific group or potential need out.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
The following standards have been identified as relating to diversity:
This standard is the most obvious link to diversity within the AITSL standards.
The most effective way to support diversity within the classroom is to know your students, including their backgrounds, interests and skills, and how they learn, such as whether they respond well to group work or as an individual, do they like written tasks or using digital mediums? etc.
By knowing your students you are able to cater to their diverse interests, skills and backgrounds within your planning and teaching. This enables teachers to effectively support diversity by providing more equitable opportunities.
Furthermore, by knowing how your students learn, you are able to effectively provide support. Learning activities can be planned to allow for different learning styles and needs or extra support can be brought in to the classroom.
This standard connects to diversity as planning for and implementing effective teaching and learning means that each student is provided with an equitable opportunity to achieve within each lesson.
Therefore, the teacher must connect to their knowledge of the students and how they learn to plan for effective teaching and learning strategies.
Therefore, in order to effectively achieve this standard teachers must be aware of the diverse needs within their classrooms and adjust their plans and practice accordingly.
This standard connects to diversity as within each classroom there will be a diverse bunch of students, from their learning needs to their personalities and backgrounds.
In order to effectively cultivate supportive and safe learning environments the teacher must ensure that diversity is supported.
This means that each student must feel welcome, accepted and supported within the classroom.
In order to achieve this, teachers must foster a positive classroom environment by ensuring each student treats their peers with respect, as well as displaying a respectful attitude themselves towards the students.
The teacher must also show that diversity is valued by providing equitable opportunities for each student to achieve and by developing meaningful relationships with the students.
Links between local and national:
The student wellbeing policy from School A connects to the AITSL standards as both show a clear aim to cater for students' diverse needs and backgrounds within the classroom, as well as, focusing on diversity with creating supportive learning environments.
References:
Keddie, A 2012, Educating for Diversity and Social Justice, Taylor & Francis, retrieved 29 of July 2017, ProQuest Ebook Central.
Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008, The Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians, MCEETYA, Melbourne.
References:
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2017, Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, AITSL, retrieved 1 August 2017, <https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards>.