6 Ways To Teach Diversity In The Classroom

By Diana Eastman

The only way to create a world of tolerance, acceptance, and respect is to teach it to the youth of our generation. As teachers, we have a giant responsibility to foster a global perspective in our students and show them how to respect others’ differences and live peacefully amongst people who aren’t exactly like them. Or similar to them. Or like them at all.

There are many ways to teach diversity in the classroom, but here are the six most important will help create a classroom of acceptance. By teaching students at an early age to embrace the different cultures around them instead of fearing them, you will begin to build a generation of “includers”; of students who have no tolerance for racism, sexism, or prejudices.

Have Students Do The Teaching

Most teachers will agree that the best indicator of a student truly grasping and understanding a concept is the ability to teach someone else. Having students research different cultures and present it to the class is a great way to get everyone involved in the learning. Students can share their own cultural traditions, holidays, recipes, music and dress with the class, or pick a culture they want to learn more about. Hearing the information come from a fellow student helps the rest of the class pay attention and absorb the content.

Bring In A Guest

If you know someone personally who comes from a different country, invite them in to speak with the class. Students love having guest speakers, and it makes the lesson much more personal. If possible, have the guest bring something to pass around the classroom that represents their heritage, or ask them to wear something native to their culture.

Provide Plenty of Examples

Remember to give students a broad range of examples when discussing famous people from a particular culture. If Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X are the only role models students learn about when talking about African American heritage, they may get the wrong idea that there aren't thousands of other African Americans who have made history. Make sure you mention people of both genders when discussing famous people from any culture, and teach students about both historical and current figures from the particular culture you are studying.

Incorporate Inclusive Curriculum

Every teacher, even those not responsible for cultural studies, has the responsibility to create an inclusive classroom for all students. Ensure the textbooks and materials you are using portray all different types of examples of diversity. Older textbooks may have photos that are seen as stereotypical, so make sure you’re using curriculum that embraces diversity. If you are creating the curriculum (tests, homework, etc.) word your examples in a way that is inclusive of all genders and cultures.

Be Aware Of Language Barriers

Students who don’t speak English as their first language can easily feel lost in a classroom of mostly English speakers. Although most schools offer special programs for non-English speakers, be intentional about ensuring every student has the opportunity to share their opinions, ask questions, and understand what is being taught regardless of what language they speak.

Share Your Experiences

Your personal experiences with other cultures can be a fascinating teaching tool to use in your classroom. Share your family background with your students, or share pictures of your travels to other countries. Hearing about your first-hand experience with different cultures will make tolerance and acceptance much more relatable. Your students look up to you, so if they witness you being respectful of others and eager to learn about their differences, they will follow suit.

The future of our country, and our world, is based on whether we can learn not just to tolerate, but embrace those who are different from us. We can’t just slap a motivational quote about diversity on our walls and leave it at that. We must continuously be intentional about not just telling our students, but showing them how beautiful our world is because of the millions of different people who live here.