Diversity in the Classroom

Who Are Your Students?

What Is Diversity?

While many tend to think of diversity in multiculturalism in terms of race and ethnicity, your students will enter your care and classroom with a wide variety of cultures that are not limited to those initial thoughts. Diversity encompasses culture, gender, race, ethnicity, orientation and social constructs. All must be taken into consideration when analyzing how to best reach and teach your students.

FORMS OF DIVERSITY

The groups mentioned here are by no means an exhaustive list of the cultures that may be present in your classroom. It is, instead, a starting point to consider when planning your classroom, lessons and interactions with students and families.

It is also worth noting that the dominant culture is, indeed, a culture, as well. However, it is not discussed in depth here, as it is the most well-known and accepted among the education system.

Be aware that the descriptions are very broad for our purposes here. Within each descriptor lies a culture with even more specific micro-cultures that should be explored and must be explored if they exist inside your classroom.

01. Ethnicity & Culture

Asian, Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, Multiracial, English Language Learners

02. Gender & Orientation

Female, LGBTQ+, Non-Gender

03. Social

Family Construction (single parent, grandparents raising grandchildren, etc.), Separated Families, Socioeconomic Status

04. Ability

Accelerated Academic Ability, Mental Health Needs, Special Needs (developmental and physical)

Again, note that these are extremely broad and the people groups encompassed by these descriptors differ, as do the individuals who are in your classroom.

Understanding Diversity

Resources for Teachers

There are a plethora of resources for teachers who wish to improve their teaching and embrace and encourage diverse students. These are a small sampling of the information available. Be a critical researcher when seeking out other resources to avoid bias.

Ethnicity & Culture

Social

Gender & Orientation

Ability

PLEASE NOTE

All resources and suggestions here are simply places to begin your personalized research for your students. While some strategies may work wonders, some may not. The inclusion of a student in a diverse group does not mean that she or he will respond to the same strategies others in the culture group do. Additionally, some suggestions apply easily to all your students, not just those outside the dominant culture. The key is rather than applying preconceived knowledge to your diverse students, you must get to know each of them individually.

THE DANGER OF A SINGLE STORY

Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person, culture or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.