Commentary: The Key to Mutual Respect and Student Achievement

By Randy Lightfoot
Social Studies Supervisor
Pinellas County Schools

Culture Competence means more than just tolerating people that are different from you, it means stepping out of your cultural comfort zone to partake in cultural experiences that will expand your cultural borders.  It is a deep process of learning that leads to an ability to effectively respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by the presence of social cultural diversity.

We have always had a diverse society, but it was ignored in the past.  We do our students a disservice if we do not equip them with the strategies and skills necessary to compete in an increasingly diverse global society.

Research has shown that one of the greatest factors influencing student achievement is the relationship between the learner and the instructor.  Many times teachers are guilty of placing limits on the potential academic achievement of students because of their perceptions about a student’s gender, ethnicity, economic status and learning style.  These beliefs often mar the relationship between the teacher and his or her students.

Many times the teacher is not even aware that he has pre-judged the student.  We all say that our major belief is that “all children can learn.” We cannot just say it; we have to really believe it by providing our students with the differentiated instruction that is necessary to accommodate the individual learning style.

Past Commentaries

• Pupils Say They Despair in Schools. To read the commentary, please click here
• New Latino Radio Station Beacon of Hate in the Bay Area. To read the commentary, click here.