The sad reality is that not all students are created equally. Some students come from broken homes, are involved in taking care of elders or raising children, have to work to support their families, or must prove themselves in the streets. These students are at a significant disadvantage when compared to students who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter. It is unfair to expect these students to perform at the same level as the students who don’t have to work and get plenty of sleep every night. The encouraging thing is that there are methods to reach out to students like this. They can be as successful, if not more so, than other students if their situation is approached and handled in the right way.
Unfortunately, not everyone involved in teaching thinks in this manner. Some educators or people in school administration do not go the extra mile to ensure that all students are given every opportunity to be successful. This is evident in the movie in the scene where Mr. Escalante proposes the teaching of calculus to his class and is met with severe opposition by the department chairperson. When the students are accused of cheating, Mr. Escalante is extremely disappointed, and rightfully so. When asked what his students learned, he says “They learned that if you try hard nothing changes.”
This document leads to a greater understanding of the school dynamic. It is one thing to read about teaching culturally diverse students in a textbook, but to actually see these methods in action speaks louder than words. It can be daunting to become a teacher and end up in a classroom where students are unruly and disinterested. However, it is very encouraging to know that there are ways to successfully engage these types of students, and have a positive impact on their lives.