Collaborative Work Environment
Diverse students are inherently social individuals. As such, it is important that in a class comprised of diverse students, learning is organized as a social event. Providing instructional opportunities that allow for social interaction acknowledges the affective needs of diverse students and increases opportunities for them to fully engage in learning activities.1 Moreover, brain development and social development, particularly in students in the elementary years, are extremely intertwined.2 Therefore, to effectively teach diverse students, curriculum must be designed so that classroom activities are group centered. This allows students to support one another, exchange ideas, and collaborate about the topic being presented. Teachers who use a strict lecture format are less engaging to students than those who allow students to engage in collective learning. Learning activities that work the best are those in which diverse students can place themselves in the center of the learning process, and collaborative activities work best to accomplish this task.3 Including diverse students in their own learning through the use of a collaborative work environment helps them to open up, be more receptive to the material being presented, and overcome defeatist feelings. Collective pedagogical methods also give diverse students a voice and help them feel more comfortable expressing themselves in the classroom setting.
1Moore, J. (2002). African American male students’ perception of a mathematics learning environment.
2Gurian, M. (2001). Boys and Girls Learn Differently! San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
3Hood, E. F. (1973). Educating black students: Some basic issues.