Creating A Culturally Inclusive Classroom By Alexa Ziler

Why is it important? -As teachers, it is important to be aware and responsive to the ways various cultural and ethnic groups are likely to think and act. -It is equally as important to help our students develop awareness and responsiveness to our growing multicultural society

Come to grips with your own lenses and biases -If a teacher is harboring negative perceptions toward students from a diverse cultural background, their interactions with those students can be affected Example: The case of “Jack” -Cultural Lens: The parents of Navajo students “Just don’t support their children’s education” -Cultural Competence: Navajo people value individual autonomy

Be sensitive to the culture shock recent immigrants may be experiencing -Whatever our own political views might be on the topic, we must realize that all students deserve our guidance and support -Recent immigrant students may have differing skills and knowledge, as well as differ in readiness for school. -For recent immigrants, guidance and support may also include explicit instruction in the typical practices and customs -It is also important to be accommodating of religious beliefs

Incorporate the perspectives and traditions of many cultures into the curriculum -Multicultural education: Integrates the perspectives and experiences of numerous cultural groups throughout the curriculum -Students from diverse backgrounds are more likely to be motivated to do well in school when the activities are relevant to their own cultures

How to combat cultural misconceptions and misrepresentations among students -Incorporate content from different cultures in the curriculum Examples of culturally diverse curriculum: -Study the work of authors and poets from a variety of ethnic groups -Look at different religious beliefs and their effects on people’s behaviors. -Look at wars and other major events from diverse perspectives

Build on students’ strengths, and adapt instructional methods to their preferred ways of learning and behaving -Culturally responsive teaching: Classroom strategies that build on students’ existing knowledge, skills, and accustomed ways of learning and behaving -It is important to remember that a student’s cultural background influences their behavior and beliefs

Stereotypes in the classroom -Stereotype- A rigid, simplistic, and inevitably inaccurate caricature of any particular group -Stereotype threat: When a student becomes anxious in a domain in which their group stereotypically does poorly, resulting in poor performance Example of stereotyping in the classroom: Providing criticism differently to minority students (giving more praise and less criticism)

Work hard to break down students’ stereotypes of particular ethnic groups. - Negative stereotypes can lead to discriminatory and malicious behaviors: ethnic jokes, racial taunts, social exclusion, and more -It is important to correct a students’ inaccurate and demeaning stereotypes of various cultural and ethnic groups -Teachers must vigorously address any acts of prejudice and discrimination witnessed in the classroom

Bring cultural diversity to culturally homogeneous classrooms. -Students attending a school with peers who are culturally very similar to themselves, may hold naive stereotypes -As a teacher, you could initiate a sister school program with a primarily ethnically different school district -Students could exchange letters, photographs, stories, and more

Foster democratic ideals and empower students to bring about meaningful change -Multicultural education program include democratic ideals such as human dignity, equality, justice, and appreciation of diverse viewpoints -It better helps students understand that every nation has diverse cultures, creating a more creative and productive society -Students should be encouraged to challenge the status quo, and stay involved in their community

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