Amira allows for the inclusion of a variety of authentic learning tasks, including having students share expertise within small groups in class, conferencing, and additional purposeful writing, such as letters, to augment the standard program. The three classroom teachers who were observed, Amira, Stephanie and Kelsey, all promote individual reading time with volunteers when possible. They also encourage their students to think independently by giving them repeated opportunities to problem-solve in class.

Delpit (1995) argues that the answer to improving education for all children is not in bringing in new reforms, but rather in understanding the realities or worldviews of all of the students. She suggests that educators look through the "haze of [their] own cultural lenses [and] understand that power plays a critical role in our society and in our educational system" (p. xv) while "accepting their [minority students'] culture and language and helping them build on it" (p. 9).

Delpit (1995) sees powerful educators not identifying with some of the minority students and yet unfairly determining how these students should act and be judged. Some of these children are simply not accessing the codes of power in the classroom and she feels that these must be taught directly, such as ways to talk, dress and interact with others. For the curriculum to be meaningful for all children, the schools must recognize diversity and value the alternate home cultures that come to school with the children. The only way to do that is to step outside of one's own beliefs and allow new ones to come in to be studied and understood. Then, the needs of these children would be better understood and could be addressed.

Educators' reflection on their practice will help them to better understand their own assumptions, biases and values such as diversity and sensitivity to difference. Examining the relationship between the teacher and the students and ensuring that there is a comfortable classroom atmosphere, will go a long way for all students to feel free to let their voices be heard. While postmodernist pedagogy encourages strategies of empowerment and debate, Ellsworth (1989, p. 306) finds deficiencies as it gives the "illusion of equality while in fact leaving the authoritarian nature of the teacher/student relationship intact."