Language is a major stumbling block for students who haven't yet learned enough English to keep up with the lessons and be comfortable in conversations with the teacher and their classmates. Teachers may be forced to slow down lessons, and repeat information for the benefit of these students, at the expense of the children who speak English fluently. Parents who do not speak the language to a high level can also pose problems for a teacher who wishes to chat with them about a student's progress. She may need to call in an interpreter, which can complicate teacher-parent relations, and also affect the privacy of the student and parents.
Some teachers may inadvertently apply stereotypes to students, depending on their own cultural background. That can be a stumbling block for teachers who haven't taught children of other cultures before. Other students can apply stereotypes, too, and this can make the other children feel like their parent's culture sets them apart, and result in a development of cliques along cultural lines. Expecting a student to conform to stereotypes -- such as an Asian ancestry conferring more mathematical ability -- can also irritate the student in question.
Aspects of a particular culture, such as the clothing restrictions of some female students in religions such as Islam, can be potential minefields for teachers. If a girl does not wish to shower in a communal shower after gym class, for example, the teacher may have to organize alternative shower options. Some children also do not want to take part in certain lessons such as coed gym classes or sex education classes, so a teacher must decide whether he should allow these restrictions or instead disregard these preferences, which could lead to conflict with his superiors and the parents of the kids.
Some cultures may place more emphasis on aspects of life such as family responsibilities than may be common in traditional American culture. Instead of homework being an essential part of school, some families may require children to concentrate on babysitting at the expense of homework, as a matter of course. Other families may push their children to spend a lot of time studying outside of school, resulting in stress and behavioral problems, and these inclinations may be related to cultural norms of the family. Once a teacher can identify the source of problems, he can then use culturally informed strategies to confer with the student's parents and develop a functional strategy.