Strategies that Reduce Socioeconomic Gaps in Classrooms

A classroom is a unique environment characterized by diversity as it brings students from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds together. These children need to learn how to accommodate each other’s differences for successful learning. The teachers’ critical responsibility is to address these socioeconomic differences by treating all students equally, irrespective of their economic backgrounds, to ensure that no student feels sidelined or discriminated against because of their socioeconomic status.

One strategy that teachers can use to reduce the visibility of socioeconomic gaps in the classroom is teaching with the individual learners’ socioeconomic needs in mind. Children from low socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to exhibit social and behavioral problems besides being overly sensitive to criticism than their counterparts from affluent families (Yan, 2018). Therefore, teachers need to devise strategies for instilling social coping skills in these learners to enhance their development socially and academically. For instance, teachers can incorporate etiquette and life skill lessons where students discuss various social and cultural issues freely. Such lessons should instill into learners the essence of respecting each other irrespective of their backgrounds.

Furthermore, teachers can encourage schools to address learners’ health issues. Students from low-income families lack adequate healthcare resources, and a proper diet increases their vulnerability to being malnourished or suffering from various illnesses (Ormrod et al., 2014). Schools can employ qualified nurses and invite healthcare officials to help these students. For example, a dentist could visit the school for routine check-ups targeting all students in the school. Consequently, children from low economic backgrounds would benefit more from these programs.

Ideally, I will use the etiquette lessons in my future classrooms. I believe such classes will help students feel equal and nurture respect among them. Children who respect each other are more likely to live in harmony and pursue their academic goals together.

References

Ormrod, J. E., & Jones, B. D. (2014). Essentials of educational psychology: Big ideas to guide effective teaching. Pearson

Yuan, H. (2018). Preparing teachers for diversity: A literature review and implications from community-based teacher education. Higher Education Studies, 8(1), 9-17. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1168438.pdf

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