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You don’t need an expert to tell you that every one of your students is distinct and different. Their cultures, nationalities, faiths, languages, and socioeconomic origins are all varied when they enter the classroom. They differ in their motivation levels and learning styles, as well as in their views on pop culture and politics.
As their instructor, you have the chance to establish a unique environment where every student feels included. Celebrating ethnic variety in the classroom is one method to help students feel like they belong. Your kids will appreciate the chance to learn more about their cultures and backgrounds, regardless of whether their families have lived in this nation for many generations or are newcomers.
However, some pupils might not be aware of their distinct cultural backgrounds. Make sure to mention that every family has unique characteristics such as customs, the size or makeup of the family, or even shared interests.
group of pupils with a globe in their hands.
The Advantages of Honoring Diversity in Education
There is much more to implementing diversity activities in the classroom than just amusement! Your kids’ comprehension of the world around them improves as they get more knowledge about various cultures. Let’s examine the various advantages of embracing diversity in the classroom in more detail.
Scholarly
Students’ critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are enhanced in a classroom with a varied range of cultures. Students are forced to reconsider their opinions when they come across novel and distinct concepts and points of view. Students gain an appreciation for the distinctions among their peers through group and team projects. Additionally, they will probably discover similarities between them.
Additionally, pupils from diverse schools and classes typically perform better academically. According to studies, these students typically enroll in college more frequently, drop out of school less frequently, and score higher on achievement exams.
Social Students who routinely interact with people from different cultures develop greater empathy. As individuals continue their education, they are more likely to be receptive to fresh ideas, perspectives, and thoughts and are less prone to form biases and preconceptions.
Organizing classroom activities that support diversity fosters leadership development and self-confidence in all pupils. Additionally, your pupils will have the chance to form bonds with individuals that differ from them in appearance, thought, behavior, and speech.
Prospective Advantages
Even in primary school, teachers are preparing their pupils for life beyond school. Learning about cultural variety in the classroom exposes students to a world that is far larger than their hometown.
Employees that feel at ease dealing with a variety of people are highly desired by many employers. Students who are exposed to several cultures at an early age are better equipped to navigate the global world as adults.
A group of students engaged in a collaborative map-making exercise.
You may enhance your students’ educational experiences and assist them in growing their social networks by embracing the variety in your classroom. It’s likely that you’ll even get something from it! Activities that promote diversity in the classroom can be implemented in a variety of ways. To encourage diversity in your classroom, try these activities.
- Holiday Festivities
Make a calendar that showcases international holidays. Select ones that reflect the cultural backgrounds of your students. When a holiday approaches, spend some time talking about its meaning and coming up with easy ways to celebrate, like:
Creating a craft that is relevant
presenting a cultural feast
Reading a book related to the occasion
You can also investigate how several cultures observe the same festival. Christmas, for instance, is observed in many cultures, though the festivities might vary greatly. Ask your students to discuss their favorite family customs for the major holidays in the United States as they draw near.
One of the most distinctively American holidays is Thanksgiving. It’s likely that every family in your class observes this occasion in a unique way. Ask each of your students to describe a Thanksgiving custom that they have in their families. It could be a particular dish they consume, a game they engage in, or a film they view. Find out if they understand the origins of this custom and its significance to them.
You might also think about serving a Thanksgiving dinner in the school, if that’s feasible. Request that kids bring a special Thanksgiving meal that they always eat with their family. Ask students to submit the recipe for their meal, then compile the recipes into a multicultural Thanksgiving cookbook for the class.
- Art and Music
Collaborating with your school’s music and art teachers to explore the music and art of the cultures your children represent is another method to foster diversity in the classroom.
Discuss each culture’s singers, musicians, and composers. As you play musical samples, discuss with your pupils the parallels and discrepancies they perceive. Show your children images of any instruments that are specific to a culture. Even better, locate the real equipment so that students can observe them for themselves.
Additionally, you can teach your students basic folk tunes from many nations. Fun songs will be especially enjoyable for younger kids to learn. Look up videos of other people singing songs online, but make sure the lyrics are suitable for your students’ age.
Discuss artists and art forms from the cultures of your students. Assemble a multicultural bulletin board in your classroom by having students create artwork in each culture’s style.
- The Multicultural Library
Creating a library with books featuring characters from other nations is another strategy to encourage cultural diversity in the classroom. Additionally, include books by a wide range of authors. Make sure to include biographies of individuals from a wide range of cultures that are appropriate for their age. - Interviews and Guest Speakers
Nothing compares to acquiring information straight from the source, even if you’ve read a lot about another culture. Invite speakers from various cultures to address your class, either digitally or in person. Your class can communicate with others in your neighborhood, state, nation, and even the world by using video conferencing technology!
Assign your pupils to prepare questions for the speaker in advance. Seek out individuals with diverse backgrounds, including refugees, first-generation immigrants, and bilingual individuals. Speaking with your pupils’ parents, grandparents, or elder siblings is a simple place to start.
Another option is to assign your students to interview someone from a culture other than their own. Some examples of this could include your classmates, teachers, neighbors, or pals. After that, let the pupils tell the class anything they have learnt from this individual.
- Present and Explain
Request that pupils bring in a culturally representative item from home. After that, ask them to show the class the item and discuss its significance to them. Throughout the academic year, have two or three students show up each week. Make sure to remind students that before bringing anything to school, they need to get permission from their parents or guardians!
A young girl shows the class her drawing.
- Taking on roles
Ask pupils to select a significant figure from their culture to study. The individual may be a historical or contemporary person. Next, schedule a day for the students to share the material they have discovered while dressed in their own attire. This exercise might even be changed to ask students to select a person from a different culture. - International Games
Introducing ethnic activities for indoor recess and celebrations is another entertaining method to honor diversity in the classroom. Ludo, Tangrams, and Mancala are a few simple games. When it’s suitable, offer your pupils to bring a game from home to play and make sure to ask them what their favorites are.
You might also discuss the popular games and sports in the nations where your pupils’ families are from. Look for chances to go outside and participate in some of the communal games and sports, if you can.
- International Pen Friends
Urge your pupils to correspond with pen pals. You can pair students with friends or family members of other students who reside outside of the United States if your class is diverse. This software is a good place to start if you need ideas. It provides the opportunity to learn about other kids, schools, nations, and cultures through project-based learning. - The Cultural Bulletin Board
Every month, designate one bulletin board in your classroom to feature a new nation or area of the world. Include a few basic words in the native tongue together with images of the nation and its location on a map. You can even show details on well-known figures or national events. Use your imagination! - Acquire a New Language
One of the best ways to promote cultural diversity in the classroom is to teach about other languages. Permit kids who speak languages other than English to converse with their peers in those languages. Request that each student who speaks more than one language give the class a few words in their mother tongue. Here are some basic word suggestions to share:
Colors
Ask a student to teach you first if they are uncomfortable in the role of instructor. You can then give the students a presentation of the material. You might even assign kids to work in groups to write little skits utilizing the new vocabulary they have learned, depending on your school level.
a bunch of pupils holding placards that read “hello” in their local tongue while donning flags.
- The Multicultural Fair
Holding a multicultural fair is one of the most well-liked ways to encourage diversity in the classroom.
Ask students to contribute culturally representative foods, games, crafts, or other objects. Send out invitations to other classes at your school as well as to family members. Additionally, you might collaborate with other educators to organize a larger celebration or transform it into a school-wide fair and integrate it into your lesson plan.
Language, color, ethnicity, religion, family background, and socioeconomic level are just examples of the various forms of diversity. Every student in your class has a distinct family culture, regardless of whether they are new to the United States. Your pupils will grow more conscious and grateful of the global community they are a part of when you promote cultural variety in your classroom and globally.