DIVERSITY OF LEARNERS
JESUSA MALOLOYON GARCIA
Diversity is a range of different things, the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc., the inclusion of different types of people in a group or organization, differing elements or qualities.
A learner a person who is learning a subject or skill, to gain knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something, -instruction or experience, to come to an awareness.
Thanks to the almost all-knowing dictionary. These are the explored meanings of the terms diversity and learners in order to have a wide range of understanding in the concept.
Having a first-hand experience in the four corners of the classroom, diversity is everywhere, literally, especially as we focus on one aspect, the learners. Thus, giving life to individual differences as psychology calls it. In layman’s term, the students, that is easily understood and a common term not only in the education set-up but to almost anybody. Practically half of our lives as teachers or to exaggerate it, three-fourths of our lives undoubtedly day in and day out, we deal with students knowing that each of these learners have different personalities, ideas, preference, family background, etc. etc…
The big question here is - how do teachers deal with 40-45 students in a class handling about 4-6 sections in a day? Well, this is what I have in mind. Standing in front of the students five times a week, feeding them with information and teaching them life-long skills, including being a second parent, a friend, a counsellor, an inspiration, and all the characters that the students think of us as the need arises – dealing with the students entail a lot of positive attitudes and respectable behavior including an uprightness in almost all aspects: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. This can be achieved through trainings and workshops, seminars, retreats, and other related activities that can help us teachers to effectively deal with learners who are and will always be a part of an educator. The challenge here is for us to be consistent in the effective ways of dealing with diverse learners in order to build a stronger foundation in the holistic aspect of their lives.
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The author is Teacher I at Pampanga High School