Social Issues Class Room Environment Teachers Pay

Social Issues Class Room Environment Teachers Pay

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Research Review of the Issue

Classrooms in the United States today are increasingly becoming multicultural based on the growing population and migration across the world. This has resulted in new social issues for classroom environment teachers. In the past years, a student coming into multicultural classroom settings were faced with numerous challenges to excel since they had to struggle against unfamiliar people, languages, and cultures (Fitchett et al., 2018). Reforms in the U.S. education system have led to the increased responsibility for teachers to help students transition through such social issues towards their achievements. The initiated changes require specialized training, teaching practice and techniques, and education to effectively discharge their mandates (Goetz et al., 2016). Teachers with unique skills to unite their classroom activities both outside and inside the classroom have a higher chance of improving or bettering the learners' achievement. Addressing the social issues observed in the classroom setting can help ameliorate the negative effects often experienced in a multicultural classroom and enhance the student's academic performance. The paper presents a research discussion on social issues in classroom environment teachers’ pay, its influence on schools and students, its impact on new teachers and their students, and the concrete steps to address the problem.

Developing your career in teaching especially in the United States means dedicating yourself to having an impact on the next generation by providing learners with the tools to establish their career path and succeed as members of society. According to Fitchett et al. (2018), teachers are always engaging the students to learn nearly every day of the week. In the U.S. over 3 million teachers in public schools serve the vital role of taking care of and educating the children and grown-up students. Despite being a high-value career, teaching has been impacted by the reforms in the education system. There is a significant relationship between students’ performance and socialization since the individual’s behaviour and conduct affect learners’ education and teaching practices in the classroom. Social issues in the classroom environment may arise from anything that makes the students distinctive from values, language, religion, food, beliefs, behaviour, or clothing (Alsubaie, 2015). The diversity in the classroom environment leads to multicultural practices and different social issues experienced by teachers. Classroom environment teachers are expected to ensure equitable opportunities and overall academic achievements regardless of the student’s culture.

Schooling, culture, and education are the leading sources of social issues when integrating multiculturalism approaches in education programs, learning, and teaching. For example, classroom environment teachers in the United States are faced with social challenges from students across different cultural backgrounds forming a diversity of traditions in a classroom, beliefs, and values. Alsubaie (2015) asserts that social issues influence the students’ performance and teaching process impacting new teachers’ practice and that of their students. Teachers are faced with the challenge of ensuring equitable teaching and learning for better achievements by the students regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Thus, there is a correction between social issues rooted in multiculturalism in the classroom environment and the teaching practices as provided by the teacher. Among the social issues faced by teachers and students in the environment classroom are low academic achievements, trust problems, and a new cultural environment.

·???????? Academic Achievements

Even if teachers and the students were from the same societal, cultural background, or economic status, teaching is not an easy task. The educational reforms to have the teacher responsible for the student's academic achievement despite their cultural differences is a social challenge most teachers face within the environmental classroom. Goetz et al. (2016) state that teachers face difficulties dealing with students from different cultural practices. The challenge often affects the student’s academic performance and teachers’ performance when weighted on their learners’ achievements. Besides, teachers have had limited professional development opportunities to counter the anticipated challenges when dealing with a multicultural classroom. The educational reforms give every student the right to education in any school of choice as long as they are qualified and the teacher’s responsibility to educate the learner. Due to the changes in the education system, students’ culture is different from those of their teachers and other students in their classrooms (Hyonsuk et al., 2019). The teachers are facing difficulties in identifying whether some cultural practices are bad or good when in the classroom. Interpersonal contact between teachers-students and students-students is difficult to establish due to differences in culture affecting their socialization process.

·???????? Trust Problems

The adopted reforms in the education system have triggered social issues of trust among the students based on the new cultural issues experienced in the intercultural classroom. Students from different cultures have distinct levels of relationship bonds, emotions, and confidence in others especially when dealing with teachers. Teachers are expected to build trust with such students regardless of their cultural beliefs or practices which is a fundamental principle to the students’ success. According to Hyonsuk et al. (2019), the educational reforms failed to modify the teaching approaches and learning materials to align with the new demands for teachers in environmental classrooms making it difficult for teachers to gain their students’ trust. Developing student-teacher trust will raise confidence in the learners and feel respected and appreciated for the efforts they put in to learn.?

·???????? New Cultural Environment

A lot of studies indicate that the new cultural environment of the environment classroom results from the international students. According to Wei et al. (2015), the majority of international students are reluctant to participate in classroom activities such as active discussion in classrooms since they are placed in a completely new learning environment unfamiliar to them. Teachers in these settings are also unfamiliar with how to interact with such students and the effective teaching concepts to incorporate for them to learn successfully (Farmer et al., 2018). As a result, there is a communication problem between the teacher and the student as well as the student and their peers; this causes delays or low performance in teaching and learning.

Research Findings

The study is based on current reform initiatives in the U.S. education system for environmental classroom teachers. The adopted reforms led to the thoughts of undertaking a research study on the influences and impacts of multicultural classes and their social issues on the teachers and the students (Mainhard et al., 2018). There is no doubt the United States teaching program is among the best in the world when looking at the incorporation of diversity and student achievements founded on teachers students' relationships. Teachers in multicultural classroom settings should be offered extended professional training to handle diverse cultural practices, and communication styles, and develop the ability to integrate different teaching styles.

Causes of the Educational Reforms

The changes in the education system that resulted in the social issues classroom environment teachers pay were triggered by several factors including the differential situation that occurred. According to Mainhard et al. (2018), the need to develop stronger institutional autonomy in the education sector regarding the educational aspect and the curriculum based on fairness and quality led to the changes made. Moreover, the traditional educational system had lost its meaning in building cohesion and unity among Americans of different economic statuses, ethnicities, races, and abilities. The focus of classroom teaching reforms is aimed at providing learners with an equal opportunity to education and strengthening their socio-economic conditions after completing studies and entering the job markets

Positive and Negative Influence of the Reform Initiative

The multicultural classroom regardless of the social challenges faced by the teachers provides the students with the opportunity to feel secure, happy, and play as well as learn new activities. According to Farmer et al. (2018), the introduction of reforms in the education system on the classroom environment helps give the students space to express themselves in the best ways possible and allows them to engage with the teachers without fear. The reforms allow for the students to work freely and explore their abilities as the teachers supervise their practices without necessary interrupting. When students are free and comfortable, they can explore their potential and develop new ideas on how to excel both academically and in co-curricular activities.?

The other achievements of incorporating educational reforms in the classroom environment for teachers are encouraging teachers' support, promoting performance, student task-related teaching, and promoting mutual respect among the teachers and their students. However, the introduction of multicultural classroom settings has negative influences such as slowed or delayed teaching practices to have every student understand the concepts taught (Schonert-Reichl, 2017). The other negative influence of incorporating diversity in the classroom environment is trust issues. ??

Impacts on New Teachers and their Students

Integration of new reform initiatives in the classroom environment will lead to increased challenges for the new teachers to comprehend the students’ behaviour and associate the same with the school contextual factors. The introduction of multiculturalism in the classroom has led to experiencing multiple social issues such as low self-esteem, especially for international students, difficulties in teaching for the new teacher, and broken relationship ties between the teachers and their students (O'Brennan et al., 2014). The new rights in access to education for students have led to ideological underpinnings and at times conflicting interests for both the teacher and the learner. Today, in the classroom environment teachers are mandated with the responsibilities of student management and guidance to help them succeed in their academic journey. In addition, open enrollment and classroom diversity tend to force teachers to learn about different cultures to meet their students' expectations and develop trust.

Steps to Address These Issues

The social issues classroom environment teachers pay can be addressed by incorporating the following steps (Marisha et al., 2018):

1)????? Identifying the problem: it entails recognizing that there exists an issue to be solved.

2)????? Define the problem: in this context, social issues in classroom environment teachers' pay resulted from multiculturalism in classroom settings.

3)????? Generating solutions: drafting multiple ways or alternatives to address the issue.

4)????? Evaluating the possible solutions: checking each of the crafted solutions and comparing them to the alternatives before selecting the most effective to address the challenge and thereafter enacting the chosen solution. This may include the resolution to undertake further training on different cultural practices or working with a professional expert in the other culture reporting numerous students to the local culture.

5)????? Assessing the outcome: ?after short- and long-term periods, assess whether the incorporated solution worked or not. Repeat the process if the problem is solved or seek other alternatives if the issue still exists.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the completed research study on social issues classroom environment teachers experience has significant implications for my future work. From the research, I will pick the idea of learning the applicability of classroom settings for the multicultural classroom by including teachers' support to build students' trust and respect, promoting task-related activities, and guiding the learners on their path to academic achievements. The use of these theoretical research findings on the educational reforms in the classroom environment for teachers is important to help integrate the field practices on what should be done and which to avoid by both the teachers and students to create a smooth and friendly learning environment for all. Lastly, the research findings emphasize the importance of the teachers caring to enhance the students' achievements.?

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References

Alsubaie, M. A. (2015). Examples of current issues in the multicultural classroom. Journal of Education and Practice, Vol. 6(10); 86-88. ISSN 2222-1735.

Farmer, T. W., Dawes, M., Hamm, J. V., Lee, D., Mehtaji, M., Hoffman, A. S., & Brooks, D. S. (2018). Classroom social dynamics management: why the invisible hand of the teacher matters for special education. Remedial and Special Education, Vol. 39(3), 177–192. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932517718359

Fitchett, P. G., McCarthy, C. J., Lambert, R. G. & Boyle, L. (2018) An examination of US first-year teachers’ risk for occupational stress: associations with professional preparation and occupational health. Teachers and Teaching, Vol. 24(2); 99-118. doi: 10.1080/13540602.2017.1386648

Goetz, T., Sticca, F., Pekrun, R., Murayama, K., & Elliot, A. J. (2016). Intraindividual relations between achievement goals and discrete achievement emotions: An experience sampling approach. Learning and Instruction, Vol. 41; 115–125. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2015.10.007

Hyonsuk, C., Wang, X. C., & Tanya, C. (2019). Social-emotional learning of refugee English language learners in early elementary grades: Teachers’ perspectives. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, Vol. 33(1); 40-55. doi: 10.1080/02568543.2018.1531449

Mainhard, T., Oudman, S., Hornstra, L., Bosker, R. J., & Goetz, T. (2018). Student emotions in class: The relative importance of teachers and their interpersonal relations with students. Learning and Instruction, Vol. 53; 109–119. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2017.07.011

Marisha, H. L., Williams, B., & Tanginia, M. (2018). Early childhood teachers' perspectives on social-emotional competence and learning in urban classrooms. Journal of Applied School Psychology, Vol. 34(2); 157-179. doi: 10.1080/15377903.2018.1425790

O'Brennan, L. M., Bradshaw, C. P., & Furlong, M. J. (2014). Influence of classroom and school climate on teacher perceptions of student problem behavior. School Mental Health, Vol. 6(2); 125–136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-014-9118-8

Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2017). Social and emotional learning and teachers. The Future of Children, Vol. 27(1), 137–155. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44219025

Wei, M., Zhou, Y., Barber, C., & Den Brok, P. (2015). Chinese students' perceptions of teacher-student interpersonal behavior and implications. System, 55, 134–144. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2015.09.007