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ways instructors can make the room more comfortable for all ethnic groups

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ways instructors can make the room more comfortable for all ethnic groups

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Instructors should be aware of students ethnicity to make sure not to offend the student

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Examples

An instructor includes classroom policies in the syllabus that underscore respect, attentive listening, civil dialogue, honesty, and patience, regardless of background or appearance. The instructor addresses these policies on the first day, emphasizing that human worth informs intellectual exploration in class.

An English instructor holds equally high expectations for all students. He is not surprised when a black male writes exceptionally well or a latinx student speaks articulately in class.

A mathematics instructor includes a diversity statement in her syllabus explaining her personal background, her previous experiences with diversity, and her field's lack of women and minorities. She acknowledges potential biases and/or lack of racial literacy while reaffirming her commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

A history instructor writes a diversity statement for his syllabus in which he acknowledges that the curriculum content may elicit strong emotional reactions during conversations around race. He outlines some community guidelines for having respectful dialogues on these potentially controversial topics.

A psychology instructor reviews her PowerPoint slides to make sure racial representation is equitable and meaningful. She insures her lecture examples utilize different cultural contexts.

A political science instructor emphasizes the value of experiential knowledge in interpretation and understanding legal cases. When a minority student adds cultural context to a discussion of a particular case, the instructor affirms the student's contribution.

When a majority student makes a well-intentioned but offensive comment about a minority group, the instructor steps in to turn it into a teaching moment. The instructor does not shut down the conversation or try to change topics.

Recommendations

Reflect on Perspective - Instructors can recognize their implicit biases and remediate any racial illiteracy, continuing their personal education on race issues while staying attuned to racial interactions in the classroom.

Consider Disciplinary Traditions - Instructors can consult discipline-specific resources for scholarship on inclusive teaching in their field, or look to key journals for discussions of historic issues, essays, and individuals who pioneered new approaches within the Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM.

Improve Representation - For many disciplines that involve the study, thought, or expression of human beings (history, English, philosophy, anthropology), traditional or canonical bodies of text and practice can remain culturally homogenous while continuing to hold sway in the discipline. Instructors can integrate diverse cultures and peoples into curriculum content, ensuring that a variety of perspectives and representations are available in readings, case studies, and class examples. This approach can help all students recognize and imagine themselves within course content.

Address Racial Tension - Instructors can responsibly address racial tensions when they arise in class, and take an active role in moderating the resulting "race talk" dialogue. Instructors can consult how to handle Inclusive Moves in the Classroom (courtesy Harvard's Bok Center).

During race talk, instructors may exhibit openness and acknowledgement (regardless of race) of their own biases. When such truthfulness and vulnerability is modeled by an authority figure for students, students may be more likely to be honest and less likely to deny their own biases (Sue, 2013).

Instructors can acknowledge early on that feelings are an integral part of race talk. Instructors can express appreciation and validation to members in the class who make themselves vulnerable. This approach involves controlling the process, protocols, and ethos of a racial dialogue, rather than the content.

Develop Responsive Pedagogy - Instructors may consider adopting culturally responsive pedagogy (also known as culturally relevant, congruent, reflective, centered, sensitive, mediated, synchronized, and contextualized pedagogy). With this approach, four key elements - curricula, learning communities, cross-cultural communication, and instruction - are designed to be reflective of learners' diverse identities and values (Quaye, 2014).

Curricula involve the active incorporation of readings, assignments, engagement activities, and other materials that reflect the different cultural backgrounds and heritages of learners. Instructors try to avoid tokenizing people of color and their impact on society by discussing diversity throughout the course content, not only in certain sections or unit.

Learning communities refer to the structuring of the classroom environment so that students must engage with peers who hold differing opinions and identities.

Cross-cultural communication stresses the need for race talk to be normalized and to occur both in class and informal spaces around campus.

Instruction simply suggests that instructors use effective and innovative teaching strategies, such as active learning and effective class discussion, to engage diverse learners and grapple with the dominant modes in which students have been socialized in classroom contexts, e.g. passive receivers of knowledge, individual competition, and avoidance of race talk (Quaye, 2014).

Additional Resources
Specific Readings

Harper, SR and Davis III CHF. (2016). Eight Actions to Reduce Racism in College Classrooms. Academe: 30.

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress. New York, NY: Routledge Press.

Steele, CM and Aronson J. (1995). Stereotype Threat and the Intellectual Test Performance of African Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(5): 797-811.

Steele, CM. (2010). Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do. WW Norton & Co., Inc.

Tanner, KD. (2013). Structure Matters: Twenty-One Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Engagement and Cultivate Classroom Equity. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 12: 322-331.
Journals on Teaching and Race
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education - Magazine of issues affecting Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians, people with disabilities, seniors, LGBTQIA, veterans and other underrepresented groups in higher education.

Race, Ethnicity and Education - Peer-reviewed journal on racism and race inequality in education. Provides a focal point for international scholarship, research and debate publishing original and challenging research that explores the dynamics of race, racism and ethnicity in education policy, theory and practice.

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education - Resource providing racial statistics on an institution-by-institution basis. Persuades American colleges and universities to more fully integrate their campuses.

The Journal of Negro Education - Refereed scholarly periodical founded at Howard University in 1932 to fill the need for a scholarly journal that would identify and define the problems that characterized the education of Black people in the United States and elsewhere. Provides a forum for analysis and solutions. Serves as a vehicle for sharing statistics and research on a national basis.

Transformations: The Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy - Peer-reviewed interdisciplinary forum for pedagogical scholarship exploring intersections of identities, power, and social justice. The journal features a range of approaches, from theoretical articles to creative and experimental accounts of pedagogical innovations, from teachers and scholars from all areas of education.

The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education - An information source by and for Hispanic educators with a main goal of demystifying the entire higher education experience for Hispanic students and their families.

References

Goodman CC and Redfield SE. (2013). A Teacher Who Looks Like Me. Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development, 27(1): 105.

Quaye, SJ. (2014). Facilitating Dialogues About Racial Realities. Teachers College Record, 116: 1-42.

Sue, DW. (2013). Race Talk: The Psychology of Racial Dialogues. American Psychologist, 68(8): 663-672.

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Examples An instructor includes classroom policies in the syllabus that underscore respect, attentive listening, civil dialogue, honesty, and patience, regardless of background or appearance. The instructor addresses these policies on the first day, emphasizing that human worth informs intellectual exploration in class. An English instructor holds equally high expectations for

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10 things you can do to promote anti racism 

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10 things you can do to promote anti racism 

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1 thing you can do is Report bias and discrimination tell teachers or parents if you see others doing these acts

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The UW School of Nursing's mission is to advance nursing science and practice through generating knowledge and educating future leaders to address health . To achieve this, we must espouse principles and practices that promote and advance anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a start, below is a list of things you can do in support of the school's mission. Importantly, approaching these things with cultural humility (a mindset and process that allows one to be open to others' identities through respectful inquiry and empathy; see more here) and accountability for one's actions is needed to be genuine and effective in living up to our organizational commitment.

1.  is a campus resource for guidance on how to develop and share a land acknowledgement. Using a land acknowledgement is only one way to promote recognition and support of Native communities; learn more about Native unity and advocacy in Seattle-King County at STATE A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: A land acknowledgement is a formal statement honoring Native people and paying tribute to the original inhabitants of the land you occupy. At the UW, it is common to hear a land acknowledgement shared at the start of a meeting or as part of a group's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion work. The land acknowledgement commonly used at UW is, The University of Washington acknowledges the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations. UW Tribal Relations Seattle Urban Native Non-Profits and Real Rent Duwamish.

2. UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RACISM: Racism manifests in different forms, from interpersonal overt acts of hate to subtle institutionalized ways of creating unequal conditions that disadvantage groups. To be antiracist, it is helpful to have some fundamental understandings of how racism plays out. A good starting point is Dr. Camara Jones' allegories about racism and its impact on health (video recording ), including A Gardener's Tale , and, A Cliff Analogy ,. Also, the video recording of Dr. Ben Danielson's keynote presentation about reckoning and the need for individual, organizational, and societal commitment to address racism, given at the UW School of Nursing antiracism learning day on March 29, 2021, is available . And, for educators, the UCSF Primer and Toolkit for Medical Educators is a resource that offers antiracist methods to examine and revise what and how you teach. More starting point resources for foundational, critical knowledge about racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion topics are available .

3. TAKE NOTE OF YOUR IMPLICIT BIASES: We all unknowingly hold associations about other people based on their identities, like race/ethnicity, age, gender, ability, nativity, socioeconomic status, to name a few. These associations operate as biases that occur or are expressed automatically, without conscious awareness or intention; though they do affect our judgments, decisions, and actions. Often, implicit bias produces behavior that diverges from the explicit attitudes that we hold. The Implicit Association Test can (without charge) be accessed and taken online ( ) to measure one's implicit bias in relation to race, gender, age, religion, and other topics. Training modules on how implicit bias occurs and how to interrupt it in the clinical setting and learning environment have been created by the Center for Health Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion ( ) and the Center for Health Sciences Interprofessional Education Research & Practice (first register ; access content ). As the UW Race & Equity Initiative points out, "we must recognize that biases do reside in us all, but that we can change our attitudes and our interactions for the better."

4. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POSITIONALITY: The concept of positionality recognizes how different aspects of your social identities (e.g., race, age, gender, class, nativity, ability, to name a few) work together to create understanding and views of your place within social systems, structures, and networks. It is also important to take note of how our social identities are linked to inequitable and unequal systems of power and privilege, and how this influences your perspectives, interactions, and relationships with others and their social identities. Key to fostering an inclusive climate is acknowledging and being mindful of your positionality. An example from the University of British Columbia of how to examine your positionality is available . If you are in an educator role, this module and this publication can help you consider positionality in the context of course instruction.

5. USE INCLUSIVE LANGUGE: Inclusive language is word choice that promotes the acceptance and value of all people, free from words or phrases that may exclude or stereotype them based on attributes or membership to a particular group. Inclusive language is centered around including and empowering everyone in the audience. It is important to note that language is fluid, and the meaning and connotations of words change over time. Guidance on inclusive language is available from UW Brand Management's "Communicating with an Equity Lens" (available ) and UW Continuing Nursing Education "Principles of Inclusive Language" (available  ).

6. and add to your last name, for example, [- she, her], [- he, him], [- they, them], or other terms or combinations; note that some typing characters are not allowed. Also, when referring to a generic type of person in the singular, use they/them pronouns instead of binary gender pronouns (she/her, he/him). For example, rather than saying "Whenever a student will be late to class, he or she should alert his or her professor as soon as possible;" say, "Whenever a student will be late to class, they should alert their professor as soon as possible." You can learn more about personal pronouns from a RESPECT PERSONAL PRONOUNS: Offer your personal pronouns when introducing yourself or when displaying your name on screen (e-mail, online video calls). For example, you can say, "My name is Butch de Castro. I use he and him pronouns. I am a professor in the UW School of Nursing." To add your pronouns to your UW name so it is automatically a part of your e-mail name and other UW-related notifications, go to http://identity.uw.edu/ Pronoun FAQ developed by the UW Office of the Registrar as well as .

7. ATTEND A "HEALS" TRAINING: HEALS training workshops are conducted quarterly by the UW School of Nursing. Developed by the UCSF School of Nursing, HEALS (Halt, Engage, Allow, Learn, & Synthesize) is a structured approach to help create respectful and inclusive environments. You will learn how to identify, deconstruct, and address bias, stereotyping, microaggressions, or exclusionary behavior through proactive measures and responsive steps. HEALS is a way to address the impact of what was said or done, and not the person who said/did what was problematic; as well as center those potentially impacted and not on the intent of the person saying it. Look for an announcement to join us in a supportive, school-community session to learn about HEALS.

8. REPORT BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION: A bias incident involves any discriminatory act against an individual or a group based on their age, religion, ability, race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, socioeconomic status, or any other identity. If you encounter, observe, or suspect incidents of bias or discrimination, you can file a bias incident report , that will be reviewed by the UW  Bias Incident Advisory Committee . Whenever possible, bias reports will be reviewed within 2 to 4 business days.  Other university policies and resources for reporting, getting assistance, and investigating bias and discrimination are listed .

9. APPLY BEST PRACTICES FOR FACULTY/STAFF SEARCHES, RECRUITMENT, AND HIRING: The university promotes the recruitment, hiring, retention, and success of a diverse, inclusive faculty and staff; in alignment with goals articulated in the UW Diversity Blueprint . Toolkits of best practices are available for hiring managers and search committees as they seek to increase efforts regarding outreach and building a diverse applicant pool. These toolkits include resources about policies, procedures, planning, checklists, outreach, applicant/candidate review and selection, and onboarding and retention. Diversity best practices toolkit for available and for available . And, this welcome video about the UW Race & Equity Initiative can be used for faculty and staff orientation.

10. PURCHASE FROM SMALL, LOCAL, AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES: The  UW Business Diversity & Equity (BDE)  program promotes UW's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by encouraging the UW community to work with small, local and diverse businesses when sourcing and purchasing goods and services.  Collaborating with Procurement Services and Capital Planning & Development, BDP connects buyers with diverse suppliers, and provides guidance and networking opportunities for companies who want to do business with the UW.  Support the communities UW serves by considering a diverse supplier when planning and making purchasing decisions. The UW has many diverse suppliers providing a wide array of goods and services ranging from catering to consulting services and office supplies to promotional products.  See list  (e.g., catering, consulting services, office supplies, promotional products).

We encourage all to continuously seek out opportunities for personal growth and learning. Additional DEI resources can be found on the suite of UW School of Nursing DEI webpages and Intranet Sharepoint DEI site .

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10 Things You Can Do to Promote Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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The UW School of Nursing's mission is to advance nursing science and practice through generating knowledge and educating future leaders to address health . To achieve this, we must espouse principles and practices that promote and advance anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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10 rules to follow to help talk about race in school

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10 rules to follow to help talk about race in school

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Create a welcoming a open classroom teacher should teach or show slides about race

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Advice

Creating space to talk about race can open powerful learning for you and your students. These tips can help you make race conversations normal, constructive and successful.

Background

Racial dynamics, disparities and divisions permeate our society, communities, schools and classrooms. Systemic racism is so deeply rooted in our history, culture and institutions that there's no escaping it. Visible or not, its impacts are ever-present.

Yet, discussions of racism are typically not part of our curriculum - unless we're teaching social sciences or literature, or highlighting a particular holiday or hero. And even then, the race content may often be lacking or lackluster.

Adding to this context is the fact that a majority of our public school students are students of color while only 18 percent of our teachers are teachers of color. This presents different challenges for white teachers and teachers of color when approaching issues of race.

Because racism is complex and contentious, many of us are afraid to even broach the subject.

Fear of opening a can of worms and making a mistake can be paralyzing. It often feels easier and safer to avoid the topic altogether. Instead of calling attention to racism, we too often wish it would just go away. But whether we choose to talk about it or not, racism is already in the building. And, the more we avoid it, the more it grows.

Silence and inaction reinforce the status quo. Avoidance speaks volumes - it communicates to students of color that racism doesn't matter enough to warrant attention and, by omission, invalidates their experiences, perspectives, identities and lives. White students, on the other hand, often see racism being accepted and normalized, without acknowledgement or accountability. And the lofty ideal of educational excellence and equity for all students, if it even exists at your school, may seem like a hollow commitment.

To advance real solutions, we need to address real problems. As teachers, we have "teachable moments," or opportunities to constructively and productively address race. But these opportunities need to be thoughtfully created, seized, planned and managed. We have choices when addressing matters of race. In our own classroom, we are the power-holder, the gatekeeper, and the standard setter. One choice is to unconsciously and passively perpetuate racism, while the other is to consciously and actively pursue racial equity.

You probably don't have to revamp your entire curricula or classroom practice. But there are many ways we can make room for addressing racial dynamics. Discussions in your classroom can even be steppingstones to addressing race in your school, school district and community. Creating the space to talk about race can open the way for some of the most powerful learning and change that you and your students will ever experience.

The following tips can help you make race conversations normal, constructive and successful. These skills are best learned through collective dialogue with others committed to addressing racial equity, as well as through lots of practice. When discussions of race and racism become normalized, the promise of equity can be realized.

1. Create a Welcoming Classroom and School

Each class has its own culture and learning climate. When you make equity and inclusion prominent priorities in your classroom norms, routines and environment, your students will feel a greater sense of belonging, safety and openness. Balance participation and learning opportunities.

The more you can form authentic relationships and connections with all your students and their families, the more you will understand them-especially those who typically face the most marginalization, such as students of color, LGBTQ students, students from low-income families, English language learners, new immigrants, and students with physical or learning disabilities. New research is beginning to find that teacher empathy can be a key factor in student success and the reduction of punitive disciplinary actions.

Create a supportive culture and hold an affirming space for all of your students, individually and collectively, by:

Using diverse curriculum materials, differentiated instruction methods and give students some choices to accommodate different interests and learning styles.

Contributing to the welcoming climate of your school. For example, excess surveillance often unfairly targets and triggers students of color due to prevailing patterns of racial bias, thereby undermining efforts to create a school climate that is inclusive and conducive to learning.

2. Root Out Biases and Barriers

Everyone, regardless of race, can have unconscious racial bias. Be willing to examine your own bias and the ways you may be privileged or unaware. Reflect upon all aspects of your teaching practice.

Ask yourself:

Could your curriculum, pedagogy, grading, classroom management or disciplinary practices be giving preference to some students while putting others at a disadvantage?

Are there any barriers to learning and success that some students may be experiencing?

What are the racial impacts of different policies and practices at your school and school district?

Then, look at available data to see if there are patterns of inequitable outcomes or unintended consequences.

Finally, invite observation, discussion and feedback from colleagues and students about routine practices in order to surface lessons and equitable alternatives.

3. Encourage Self-Expression

Give your students the ability and validation to bring their full racial and cultural identities into your classroom so they can be themselves and speak their truths. Trust their wisdom and show deep respect. Discussions can begin by giving students an opportunity to share their experiences, perspectives or stories. Identify and appreciate points of connection, as well as differences.

Give students permission to only share what they want. Don't put anyone on the spot or expect any individual to represent their racial or cultural group. Your students may be your best teachers about matters of race, each with unique experience and expertise.

4. Be Open Yourself

Be willing to share different dimensions of your own racial identity and cultural background. Be open about your experience with racial inequities and/or racial privilege and any efforts you've participated in to advance racial justice. How has your racial identity been both a strength and a challenge in your life? What have you learned along the way, what were your mistakes, and what are you still learning?

If you are white, you may be used to the privilege of not having to think or talk about race, especially your own. Push yourself to take some risks, which will likely lead to some rich learning. Your honesty and humility will help your students open up.

5. Engage, Don't Avoid

Racism is perpetuated by silence-and silence is complicity. Being "colorblind" often serves as a pretense to downplay the significance of race, deny the existence of racism, and erase the experience of students of color. Be willing to lead the uncomfortable conversations and turn them into teachable moments. Learn to break through your own discomfort to embrace the tensions and unknowns.

When racism needs to be addressed but is being avoided, make it your job to initiate and facilitate a constructive conversation. Don't put the burden on students of color to have to bring things up or do all the heavy lifting to help white students learn. Even if you don't feel confident or fully skilled, challenge yourself and be courageous. At the other end of the spectrum, you also don't want too heavy-handed about race, where the discussion feels forced or too narrowly framed. Instead, you want to strategically provide the space for students to bring up their own angles on an issue. Let go of perfection and expect some messiness. Like anything else, it gets easier with practice.

6. Create Opportunities for Discussion

Use current events, cultural happenings and local angles to spark relevant and meaningful discussions among your students. Pop culture (e.g. music, movies, sports, celebrities) is particularly engaging for young people, supplying continuous fodder for important race conversations. Keep abreast of race-related news sites or social media by people of color to get ideas for hot topics.

Discussions about race are often reactive, once blatant racism has occurred, and often not very constructive-with lots of blaming and shaming. Be proactive by creating planned opportunities for students to share stories and life experiences in ways that connect to your curriculum. You still may need to react, at times, to incidents of racism in your classroom-such as micro-aggressions (routine slights and insults)-but you can prepare in advance your process for addressing them so that you're not caught off-guard. You'll need to make your discussions developmentally appropriate, but students at all levels - even very young - are already aware of, and affected by, race.

7. Talk About Racism and Racial Equity

If you want to get real about race, you have to also be willing to talk about racism and racial equity. Here are some concepts that you can introduce to add clarity and context to your discussions:

Race is not simply an individual characteristic or cultural identity. More significantly, it is a social category and a power dynamic-a marker of a racial group's positional power in society. Racial identities are socially assigned, regardless of how you self-identify. While attention to diversity (variety) is important, it is even more critical to address equity (fairness or justice), since racism is fundamentally about power.

Systemic racism - inequities and ideas about race based on history, institutions and culture - routinely advantages white people and disadvantages people of color. Some racism is conscious and intentional, but a lot of racism is

unconscious and unintentional (also known as implicit bias). Racism can be intensified by other intersecting inequities, such as gender and class, thus race requires explicit, but not exclusive attention.

Racial equity (or racial justice) is the systematic fair treatment of all people, resulting in fair opportunities and outcomes for everyone. Racial equity is not just the absence of discrimination but also the presence of values and systems that ensure fairness and justice. Systematic equity, which affirmatively and continually supports and ensures the fair treatment of all people, is needed to supplant the system of racism.

Racism is experienced at many levels-internalized, interpersonal, institutional and structural. Interpersonal manifestations of racism get a lot of our attention because they are more visible and visceral. But they are often just the superficial symptoms of broader systems with deeper root causes. Engaging in a systems analysis, can help students identify deeper causes and generate options for solutions.

Racial equity is not just the absence of discrimination but also the presence of values and systems that ensure fairness and justice.

This can provide a productive path for your discussions, beginning with the sharing of personal experiences and observations of racism, then working through some analysis and arriving at proposed solutions and strategies to advance racial equity.

8. Establish and Enforce Group Norms

Since conversations about race can be difficult and divisive, establish some agreements before you begin the conversation. Allow your students to generate, agree to, and hold each other accountable to, their own norms. Display these agreements and refer back to them, as needed. Decide upfront on the goals and parameters of the conversation - what you are and are not going to address.

Example group norms are: honoring confidentiality, using "I" statements instead of "You" statements, focusing on actions and impacts rather than assumptions and intentions, participating fully but evenly, deeply listening, allowing disagreement, appreciating feedback instead of getting defensive, and always respecting each other.

Learning and using restorative justice practices, such as peace circles, can also be helpful for addressing harm or conflict. These practices can help bring real issues to the surface while also fostering healthy communication, conflict resolution and relationships.

9. Process is as Important as Content

If you expect a challenging conversation, take time to get centered and take some deep breaths together. Try to be fully present with each other, without any distractions. Pay attention not only to what is being said (or not being said), but also to how it is being said, and who is saying it (or who is not speaking). Expect to do more facilitating and process management, with the content of the conversation mostly generated in real time by your students.

You can invite students to lead all or parts of the conversation. This not only gives them more ownership of the content, but also helps them practice important skills. You can be ready to guide or mediate, if needed, but you don't always have to lead the discussion, especially if some of your students have more direct experience with the topic at hand.

Decide upfront on the goals and parameters of the conversation - what you are and are not going to address.

Even if there is disagreement, as long you've followed your group norms and everyone feels heard and respected, the conversation will likely be constructive and productive. Build in movement breaks, as well as time at the end for
appreciations and closure.

10. Model Your Values and Vision

Practice equity, inclusion, empathy and respect in your own classroom. Your actions, more than your words, will have the greatest impact on your students. They are looking to you for leadership and ally-ship. You can play a formative role in helping them build critical skills for navigating the complexities of race.

Talking about racism is just a start. Taking action is the biggest driver of change. Create opportunities and strategies to move from awareness and analysis to action and impact. You and your students can go beyond the classroom by advocating for equity in your school and school district. Speak up and speak out. Be intentional about supporting more voices and leadership of people of color. And be proactive by proposing bold and concrete solutions that embody the values and vision of equity and inclusion for all.

Racial Justice in Education Links

Myth

It's easier and safer to avoid talking about racism with students and colleagues.

Reality

Silence and inaction reinforce the status quo, and tells students of color that racism doesn't matter.

Speak up for racial justice

Stay Informed We'll come to you

We're here to help you succeed in your career, advocate for public school students, and stay up to date on the latest education news. Sign up to stay informed

Myth

It's easier and safer to avoid talking about racism with students and colleagues.

Reality

Silence and inaction reinforce the status quo, and tells students of color that racism doesn't matter.

Speak up for racial justice

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10 Principles for Talking About Race in School | NEA

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Creating space to talk about race can open powerful learning for you and your students. These tips can help you make race conversations normal, constructive and successful.

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The Importance of Multicultural Education

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The Importance of Multicultural Education

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Acknowledge and Respect Every Student teacher should encourage students to celebrate and respect others culture and race

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The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education

Drexel University School of Education

Cultural diversity in the classroom is on the rise. In 2014, U.S. public schools hit a minority majority milestone with Latino, African-American, and Asian students having surpassed the number of white students. In 2044, the U.S. Census predicts that over half of the nation's population will be people of color, so this trend will likely continue.

In our increasingly diverse and multicultural society, it's more important than ever for teachers to incorporate culturally responsive instruction in the classroom -- whether teaching elementary school, middle school or high school students. And the increase of diversity doesn't only relate to race and ethnicity; it can include students of different religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and language background.

Interested in becoming a teacher? Learn more about Drexel's Teacher Certification program.

Why is it Important to Encourage Diversity in Schools and Workplaces?

Fostering inclusion and awareness around multicultural education and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching benefits all students. Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world. Our Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness Certificate Program is a great opportunity for teachers to learn how to create positive classroom environments and can serve as a foundation for understanding how to promote diversity in your classroom.

Diversity in and out of the classroom will continue to grow, so it's essential we prepare students to adapt to an evolving world and embrace those different from themselves. Learn more how the programs at the Drexel School of Education are helping to prepare more culturally-responsive educators today.

Types of Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

Every student is unique. In order to properly understand and promote cultural awareness, teachers need to understand all the different types of diversity they may encounter in their classrooms including:

Race

A person's skin color can have a great impact on their experience in society. It can also impact how they view themselves and others when engaging in classroom activities.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity relates to a person's culture and nationality. Ethnicity is sometimes confused with race, but it is important to recognize that while some people may have the same skin color, they may come from different places and have vastly different cultural beliefs and views of the world.

Religion

It is important to understand that people have different religious belief or no religious beliefs, and it may impact their participation in the classroom. Students may react differently to lessons based on their religion or may not be able to be present on certain religious holidays.

Language

While English is commonly used in American classrooms, for some students, it is not the language they speak at home. Accommodations should be made to help students for whom English is a second language.

Socioeconomic Status

A student's socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in the classroom without some type of accommodation. For instance, access to a computer at home or reliable internet access is not a given for some children. Teachers should be aware of this and the stress it may cause students who may struggle due to a lack of resources.

Sexual Orientation

A student's sexual orientation can have a great impact on how they are experiencing the world. Teachers should understand the struggles that exist and ensure that the lessons taught in their classroom are inclusive.

Gender Identity

Similar to sexual orientation, it is important to understand each student's gender identity and how they would prefer to be recognized. Teachers should respect their student's identity and use preferred pronouns when interacting with their students.

How can you Promote Diversity and Multiculturalism in the Classroom?

There are several ways teachers and administrators, such as principals and coaches, can ensure that both the classroom environment and curriculum are responsive to the increasing cultural diversity of our society. These strategies will encourage all students' cultural awareness, enhancing each student's sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the classroom community.

1. Get to Know Your Students Ensuring that cultural awareness is promoted in the classroom starts with the teacher understanding each individual student. Take the time to learn about each student's cultural background, hobbies, learning styles, and what makes them unique. Demonstrating a genuine interest in learning about each student and their culture will help establish trust and allow you to form a bond with them so they feel valued. If students feel appreciated by and comfortable with the teacher, there's a better chance they'll feel comfortable talking with and respect their peers in the class - and communication is the core to a culturally aware and inclusive classroom.

2. Maintain Consistent Communication Aside from getting to know your students, teachers should also continue to maintain ongoing communication throughout the semester or school year. Scheduling 1-on-1 meetings with students to "check in" every so often will allow you to consistently improve how accessible the classroom is to everyone. Students can talk about whether they felt included in the classroom culture. This can help identify issues or ways to improve the overall experience. It's also an opportunity to discuss their progress in the class and offer guidance on how they can improve, based on their individual needs as a student.

3. Acknowledge and Respect Every Student It's also important for students to celebrate and respect their own diverse backgrounds, as well as each other's. When appropriate, teachers should encourage students to research and learn about their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This allows them to better understand their own culture as well as the differences and nuances with their peers. As a bonus, this can be a great ice breaker assignment, allowing students to give presentations about their family traditions and culture to help expose the class to concepts outside of their own familiar comfort zone. Acknowledging these differences and creating a safe space for discussion helps promote understanding in the classroom and beyond. Also, as you encourage students to learn about their diverse backgrounds, remember to take the time to highlight what's offensive and the distinction between cultural celebration and appropriation. Learning how to talk about other cultures in a respectful, mature way is essential for success in life outside the classroom.

4. Practice Cultural Sensitivity While it's important to keep an open dialogue amongst students, it's equally as important to make sure you're being sensitive to everyone's culture, beliefs, and language concerns. Take the time to understand each student's cultural nuances - from learning styles to the language they use - and use these insights to design your lesson plans. For example, provide English language learners with appropriate and relevant resources that help them improve their English comprehension skills. Rather than teach with a traditional lecture style, create learning experiences that are more interactive and require collaboration. These considerations will help ensure that every student feels included, is given the space to learn in their own way and is given a chance to succeed.

5. Incorporate Diversity in the Lesson Plan The classroom environment is important for fostering cultural awareness, but you also should ensure diversity is represented in your actual lesson plan. For example, broaden history lessons so that they encompass the world beyond United States history and culture. Or, use references and analogies to other cultures in your lessons and assignments to help students with diverse backgrounds personally connect. Another great strategy is bringing in diverse speakers to add varying points of view and real-life context to different subjects.There are several ways you can ingrain cultural awareness and diversity into your lesson plan, and it will vary depending on the cultures represented in your classroom and the course you're teaching. Regardless of the subject, always try to present and connect lessons to real-world issues. It's easier to promote cultural awareness within your lessons when there's a real example for students to relate to.

6. Give Students Freedom and Flexibility Teachers often feel like they need to take on a strict, authoritative approach when it comes to managing their classroom. The most valuable lessons are often learned through a student's own experiences, so giving them some freedom in the course encourages more connection to the curriculum. Allow students to read and present their own materials that relate to the fundamental lesson so they can approach the topic from their own perspective. As a teacher, you can act as a facilitator and encourage conversation and healthy debate between diverse opinions. Group assignments are also a great way to expose students to diverse perspectives, allowing them to work together to explore and solve a problem. This will also help prepare them for a diverse workforce where they'll have to partner with a range of people to accomplish their professional goals.

Why is it Multicultural Education Important to Students?

It is important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term. Teaching diversity exposes students to various cultural and social groups, preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. These culturally responsive teaching strategies will help you to promote diversity in the classroom.

With these culturally responsive teaching strategies in mind, it's important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term.

Students Become More Empathetic

Promoting awareness and creating a personal connection with diverse cultures in the classroom can prevent students from developing prejudices later in life. It allows them to empathize with people different from themselves since they're more aware of the experiences someone of a different race or cultural group may face.

Students Gain a Better Understanding of Lessons and People

When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures present in the classroom, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment.

Students Become More Open-Minded

Naturally, by exposing students to a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural backgrounds, you're encouraging them to be more open-minded later in life. This will make them open to new ideas and be able to attain a greater comprehension on a topic by taking in different points of view.

Students Feel More Confident and Safe

Students who learn about different cultures during their education feel more comfortable and safe with these differences later in life. This allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves as well as in their interactions with others.

Students Are Better Prepared for a Diverse Workplace

With the rise of globalization, it's more important to be able to work with people from different cultures and social groups. If students are exposed to diversity and learn cultural awareness in the classroom, it sets them up to flourish in the workforce.

Learn More About Cultural Diversity in Education

There are additional resources available to help educators grow their knowledge of cultural diversity and apply it to their classrooms. Here are a few sites where you can find more information:

Additionally, Drexel offers programs that can help broaden a teacher's expertise in multicultural education including our online Teaching English as a Second Language and Social Emotional and Behavioral Wellness certification programs. You can also contact us to request more information.

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The Importance of Multicultural Education - School of Education

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As classrooms become more diverse, it's crucial for students to learn about other cultures. Discover how students benefit from classroom diversity with Drexel.

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