University of michigan
By the year 2020, 48% of urban schools will be comprised of students of color, and therefore, there is an increasing need for teachers to exhibit culturally sensitive behaviors in the classroom (Cross, 2003). In order to adapt in such an environment, practitioners must understand that cultural differences do not merely serve as a backdrop- they must be seriously considered in order to achieve success. In fact, key studies have found that individuals who have thrived in these classrooms exhibited a unique combination of personal characteristics (both innate and learned) and were aware of the challenging road ahead of them. Considering the fact that urban schools are made up of such diverse students, the question then arises if teachers of these classroom culturally follow suit. According to one article, 85.6% of urban schoolteachers are white (Cross, 2003). This sort of homogeneous instruction, if not approached properly, could certainly have negative effects towards the effectiveness of equitable education. For example, some students of color may not trust the teacher because they could have been isolated from diversity in their households prior to formal schooling. These urban students may feel an overall sense of detachment from their instructors and this could inevitably harm their enthusiasm and will to learn. Since it is known that most urban teachers are white and most commonly females, how are they supposed to relate to their culturally rich classroom and provide for all students an equitable education? One study examined twelve instructors in Milwaukee, WI, which happens to be characterized as one of the most segregated cities in the nation. 81% of students (K-12) are minorities while 71% of their teachers are white during the 2001-2002 school year. This study interviewed the teachers with questions about reflection of