The first chapter of the book discusses the issues involved in education and diversity in the Canadian society. Based on these issues, this essay provides a summary of the chapter by answering questions related to the topic from a personal perspective.
Before reading this chapter my understanding of diversity may have been limited as a concept that demonstrates the individual uniqueness and differences that are recognizable by many. These differences and uniqueness occur due to various factors that include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religious as well as political beliefs and ideologies. Further, diversity constitute of dimensions based on sexual orientation, physical abilities, and socio-economic status of an individual in the larger group. However, after reading the chapter, I realize that diversity is about forming and projecting a conscious mind to accept and respect these differences. Diversity is a reality that is developed by individuals and groups based on a broad spectrum of demographic and philosophical variations. Therefore, it defines the modern society and should be protected as well as supported by valuing these groups and individuals.
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Culture and diversity have a link in that our differences are based on the cultures where individuals originate from and provide their identities. Culture informs individuals on the kind of social issues and norms that are practiced and provide them an identity. These social issues are ascribed by society and depend on the existing social order. These cultural and social factors like language, religion, nationality and social class as well as education provide us with an identity that makes one unique and different from another. As such, those from one culture form a group and both the individuals and their groups constitute unique attributes that differentiate them from the rest leading to diversity. Therefore, cultures are sources of individual and group diversities.
Again, within groups and societies, diversity in culture may still exist despite the group sharing many social and cultural attributes. Imperatively, culture and diversity are closely linked.
In addition, the chapter addresses the connection between theory and practice. The two concepts are reciprocal in their relationship as one depends on the other for validity and approval. A theory denotes to a set of details concerning specific themes and tools used in explaining, predicting and understanding a certain topic. Further, a theory may denote to a methodical classification of knowledge that is used in solving problems. Therefore, theories address problems through practicing. Practice only occurs when the theory has established a position, a perspective, or set certain guidelines. Therefore, the connection between theory and practice is symbiotic since it is aimed at proving and demonstrating the beliefs or positions each holds.
Culture and academic achievement have a strong interconnection as demonstrated by the fact that an individual’s culture and upbringing affects how they develop learning styles and perspectives about the world. Further, culture affects how learners process information. Learning theory as advanced by Gardner shows that individuals from different cultures have different learning styles and how they process as well as view the world. For instance, Asian learners perceive the world based on relationships between things while their American counterparts see the world based on distinct objects and entities without any relationship. Therefore, cultural background influences a society’s and individual group’s approach to learning as well as academic performance. For instance, the cultural deficit theory is explicit that some students; especially from perceived poor cultural backgrounds do not perform well because their cultural factors do not prepare them well to perceive and process information.
Secondly, language is an aspect of culture and affects academic achievement since learning is provided using a language that learners understand and connect with in their learning setting. Schools mirror societies and how they use their languages to generate solution to their social, political, and well as economic challenges and development. Therefore, when schools devalue a learner’s first language, it becomes difficult for them to negotiate different cultural bases in education and attain good academic performance. Learners can acquire second language skills effectively when they understand their first and native language well. Thirdly, there is interconnection between gender and academic performance as demonstrate by various research studies. As such, girls and females tend to achieve academic performance in language-associated competencies while boys and males perform well in science and mathematics. However, these changes only occur later in high school because in early years of learning, both girls and boys attain equal academic performance.
In my opinion, racism is not pervasive in the Canadian society because efforts and policies in place have continually projected the face of Canada as a society that embraces diversity in culture, political views as well as socioeconomic perspectives. Racism cannot be pervasive at a time when all people in the country have embraced diversity by valuing, respecting, and celebrating diversity from a broader perspective among individuals and groups.
Social justice in society implies that people irrespective of their demographic and social differences should have access to equal opportunities in all areas of life. Imperatively, provision of education is perceived as the best way to execute social justice agenda in a society. Social justice implores on societies to distribute wealth, opportunities, and privileges equitably and equally among its different populations without favoritism or prejudice as well as discrimination. Therefore, the distribution of social rewards in a society should be based on the principles of equality first before equity. Equality to ensure that all have same levels of access while equity will ensure that variations in the populations are recognized and accepted as means of ensuring that people attain accessibility and not limited by any circumstance.
