Problem
Tony Stark considers himself a geek and a nerd. He just landed his first teaching assignment in a community that couldn't be further from his comfort zone if he were assigned to Mars. Tony grew up in a small, culturally homogenous midwestern farming town where everyone knows everyone else, and many of the residents are related to one or more other families in the community. Tony Stark's first teaching job is in a culturally diverse middle school in an urban area in the north central part of the country. Most of the students in his school are African American or Hispanic American, though Asian American and Native American students make up significant minorities.
a) What kinds of classroom management problems might Tony Stark face as a result of cultural asynchronization between his background and that of his students?
b) What recommendations do you have for Tony Stark to help him approach his new teaching assignment with culturally responsive classroom management?