The quality of teaching has a strong influence on the achievements of a student so its important that teachers further their knowledge on the characteristics of quality teaching so that they we can aid in developing teaching capability (Alton-Lee, 2003). Teaching should be responsive to diversity between different ethnic groups, such as, diversity within Pakeha, Mori, Pasifika and Asian students. The ethnic groups tend to get a lower academic achievement score when comparing to Pakeha/European students. Branch, Goodwin & Gualtieri (994) believe that the beginning step for making a classroom culturally pluralistic is to aid the teachers so they can learn essential skills that can allow them to make a supportive instructional environment for alternative cultural perspectives. Students need to be able to learn about different cultures around the world so that they feel more comfortable with themselves which can lead to a deeper sense of safety and can enjoy learning at the same time. A strategy for a teacher can be to organise small groups of students who are in different ethnic groups for discussions about their culture. Getting into smaller groups encourages everyone to participate and become more confident, as some students are quiet and more shy so would not want to share with the whole class. Its important to teach your students to respect and appreciate theirs and other culture and heritages. Some student can feel pressured to dispose of their cultural norms and traditions so that they can fit in in with the prevalent social order. The quality of teaching has a strong influence on the achievements of a student so its important that teachers further their knowledge on the characteristics of quality teaching so that they we can aid in developing teaching capability. For this learning to take place, new teachers must have the right positive attitudes, knowledge and skills to help make sure their classrooms are an effective learning environment for their students.
A way teachers could help their students is providing opportunities for the students parents of different cultures to come into class and share their valued knowledge and expertise with the rest of the class. Teacher as well as parents should encourage to share their cultural and religious identity in schools. If schools and tea
chers makes a comfortable space for religion and culture, parents will be at ease and will want to contribute. Students and parents should feel welcome at school and in their classrooms so that they can all improve informal relationships leading to trust and therefore can understand each others identities better (Jervis, 998). Celebrating and participating in cultural events that are important to the cultural communities of your school will help their students understand different cultures. This can create new cultures within schools that can recognise differences as well as reduce distance between home and school. When teachers and parents understand other peoples views and perspectives, they will be able to develop stronger voices to expressive their worries, knowledge, priorities and limits (Jervis, 998). Children from a particular culture are unlikely to perform well academically if teaching styles do not match the ways they talk and learn (Morgan, 200). If teachers have the knowledge to understand how the attributes of different ethnic learning styles are expressed in a classroom, theyll be able to teach ethnically diverse children how to learn more efficiently and perform confidently. An improved performance can avoid some children from being labelled as special education students, and help children to return back to regular education programs (Gay, 2002). The students performed more effectively when teachers demonstrated personal care and concern for their students while simultaneously challenging and helping to achieve high academic performance. These teachers were called warm demanders according to Gay (2002) as that made the atmosphere in their classrooms warm and developed positive relationships with their students in and out of school. Ethnic stereotypes have a negative influence on childrens academic achievement of those in ethnic groups. Culturally responsive teaching encourages and models antiracist education (Gay, 2002). Therefore, making the classroom environment more multicultural for the students learning is a form of social action which will promote social justice which is an important aspect of culturally responsive teaching. When culturally responsive teaching, children develop a sense of interdependence and feel like its a moral obligation to help their peers learn.