Understanding Group Behavior and Cultural Differences in Schools

A fundamental goal of education is to promote the intellectual, social and personal development of all students including but not limited to each one’s fullest potential. A key assumption of this course is that educational planning and intervention adaptive to the diverse needs of learners are primary mechanisms for enabling this goal attainment. . Themes such as equity, pluralism, acculturation and identity will be used to promote teachers’ understanding of discipline-based teaching and learning for students from diverse linguistic, racial, gender, and religious backgrounds and students with diverse sexual orientations. Particularattention will be focused on how teachers’ understanding of diversity influences on behavior impact their decision making and judgment with respect to four major areas of the teacher’s work: instructional planning, assessment, instruction, and curriculum.