This is sometimes the instance that makes it more difficult in teaching a culturally diverse classroom. A well-rounded teacher also needs to be technically competent and have a good knowledge of the subjects they are teaching. A study was conducted in 1999 that tested how important the role of empathy played in being an effective teacher. The participants consisted of 34 teachers, with a variety of years of experience teaching, that came from different levels of schooling between elementary and middle school, and were of diverse backgrounds themselves. These teachers had to go through a 40-hour program called CULTURES (Center for Urban Learning/Teaching and Urban Research in Education and Schools) that aimed to show them “how to create a professional development center that will assist practicing teachers to work effectively with culturally diverse students and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in urban schools” (McAllister & Irvine, pg 435). This program also modeled techniques and practices for teachers to use in their classrooms that promoted multicultural development, culturally responsive pedagogy, cultural awareness, and adaptation of content to culturally diverse students (McAllister & Irvine, pg 435). The results were that that every teacher agreed that empathy was one of the best ways to be an effective …show more content…
The Historical Association and the Department for Education and Skills funded a project that taught teachers how to teach emotive and controversial history; it was referred to as T.E.A.C.H. One of the topics that this program addressed was coming up with a definition for what qualified as an emotive or sensitive issue in history. What the members of this program agreed upon addresses any issue that could be considered unconfirmed as a sensitive or controversial issue: The study of history can be emotive and controversial where there is actual or perceived unfairness to people by another individual or group in the past. This may also be the case where there are disparities between what is taught in school history, family/community histories, and other histories. Such issues and disparities create a strong resonance with students in particular educational settings (The Historical Association, pg