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Teachers: 20 Ways to Reduce Gender Bias at School

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Teachers: 20 Ways to Reduce Gender Bias at School

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I chose the artifact "Teachers: 20 Ways to Reduce Gender Bias at School" because of its comprehensive approach to dismantling gender stereotypes and fostering an inclusive environment in schools. It provides practical, actionable tips for educators, such as using language that is gender-neutral and learning about children as individuals rather than boxing them into predetermined categories. This resource is instrumental in promoting equality, respect, and diversity, values that should be integral to every educational setting.

As for its age appropriateness, this resource is suitable for educators working with students from preschool through high school. The strategies are versatile and can be adapted depending on the age and developmental stage of the students. For younger children, the focus can be more on cultivating an inclusive language and environment, while with older students, discussions can delve into deeper topics around gender constructs and biases.

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If you've ever told a boy he shouldn't be upset, or called a girl bossy, keep on reading.

We all have gender bias; it's okay to admit it. Even if you're a strong believer in gender equity or a self-proclaimed feminist, it lingers in the back of your brain, deep in your subconscious.

Teachers play a critical role to prevent gender stereotypes and reduce gender bias in the classroom. In early education in particular, our children's young brains are forming and imbibing every message.

I know that you're probably stressed about setting up your classroom and getting your lesson plans ready. And trying to scrounge up a few extra dollars for all of the classroom supplies you need! But approaching the school year with a gender lens will help you ensure that every student learns, grows, and embraces their individuality.

(While I'm not an education professional, I am a gender equity and women's policy expert... and a parent. Thanks for all you do for our children and for taking the time to help them each shine brightly! And thank you for taking the time to read these gender bias prevention tips with an open mind.)
Anti- Gender Bias Basics

1. Address your students equally. Instead of "girls and boys" try to use "students" or "friends," a wonderful category our preschool uses. Do you use pet names, like champ, buddy, mate, lad, honey, sweetheart? These nicknames treat boys as tough and girls as delicate. (I've been guilty of this too!) Similarly, this piece articulates why saying "you guys" is inherently sexist, but it can also be alienating to individuals who are LGBTQ+.

2. Avoid separating children based on gender. Do you ask students to line up for the bathroom or recess by sex or gender? Are they grouped for activities this way? If you make sex a distinctive category frequently, children will think it matters more than it does. It will also present a tough challenge for children questioning their gender.

3. Learn about children as individuals. I once had (what I thought was) an excellent conversation with a new teacher at a preschool about my commitment to end gender stereotypes, and she echoed its importance. The following day she greeted my child at the door and asked her what her favorite color was. The teacher did not pause to wait for my child to answer, but instead asked "is PINK your favorite color?" even though my child was wearing yellow. Let the child tell you what they like. Related: not all girls like pink.

Children's Appearances: Colors, Toys, and Clothes

4. Evaluate the way you greet students. A well-meaning preschool teacher greeted my daughter almost every morning with "you look so pretty today!" Constant comments about appearance reveal adults' internalized beauty standards for women and girls; a lesson we needn't pass on to the next generation. Try these tips instead.

5. Understand Walmart's power over your teacher-student relationship. Your students' wardrobes are largely dictated by the big box stores' arbitrary decisions about what is labelled by gender and sorted in the "girls" and "boys" aisles. Only parents with the privileges of time and resources can find children's clothing that are gender-inclusive and buck stereotypes (i.e. beyond superheroes and transportation for boys, and princesses and rainbows for girls). Don't rely on the t-shirt graphic to give you insight into the child.

Related: Finally, longer shorts for girls
Girls like trucks, too
6. Toys and colors are for everyone. Seriously; don't ask that boy if he's sure he wants the pink sticker. If he chose the pink crayon or the princess dress-up gown, let it be. This is play, and I'm sure you agree that play is healthy, especially play that uses exploration and experimentation.

7. Question your school's dress code. Is there a dress code? If so, check to see if it has different expectations for different sexes. Do many teachers feel that a girl wearing shorter shorts or a tank top will "distract" boys? Talk to your colleagues about how policing girls' bodies can lead to self-consciousness, body monitoring, shame, and over-sexualization at a young age.

Get our body image guide here, which contains 8 advanced strategies.

Set Up a Gender-Equal Classroom Environment

8. Audit your bookshelf. In a review of our home library I found that the protagonist in children's books was 8 times more likely to be male than female. To conduct an audit of your classroom books, download Think or Blue's gender representation book audit form here.

9. Remember that female leads are for everyone. I've heard authors of girl-led books recount stories of educators wistfully declining an author visit because the boys wouldn't be interested. Well.. boys certainly won't be interested if adults fail to uphold stories of women and girls in history and today as valuable and important.

10. Reassess the visuals in your room. I personally find many classrooms to be visually overstimulating when every wall, nook, and cranny is filled with bright colors and posters. There is a case for the calm and serenity that comes with minimal decor. But if you display visuals during lessons such as "Community Helpers," be sure that they reflect a variety of genders, ethnicities, and abilities.

11. Expand children's role models. Use gender neutral words for professions, such as police officer, worker, mail carrier, fire fighter, nurse. Substitute "the men are fixing the roof" with "the workers are fixing the roof." Read more about this easy tip.

In addition, witness the power of inviting real-life role models to the classroom, especially when they disrupt expected gender stereotypes.

Interactions among students

12. Encourage mixed gender friendships. Be cognizant of your tendency to encourage single-sex friendships, even if it's subconscious. A teacher once reported to me proudly that my daughter had begun to develop closer relationships with other girls in the class. It wasn't a goal or concern of ours, so I was confused. I'm happy for her to be friends with ALL children. Here's why mixed-gender play is so healthy for everyone.

13. Equalize air time. Studies show that boys begin to interrupt other children at a young age. If my child is interrupted, she almost always stops talking. I'm currently working to give her the tools to say "I wasn't done speaking yet," or "I'm not finished." Try the same in your classroom.

14. Evaluate children's assigned and organic roles. During group projects, have you observed whether they self-select certain roles? Does a girl always end up being the "secretary/recorder"? If you observe this, take steps to rotate roles and help them share accountability.

15. Teach consent your students. Remind them to ask before they touch each other and that consent can be withdrawn at any time. Model this yourself, too. Once, on a day my daughter had a tough time entering the classroom, an energetic assistant teacher swooped my child up in the air and jiggled her. This trick may have worked well to acclimate other students, but it backfired and my daughter started sobbing. I informed the teacher that my child was not used to being picked up without permission. Watch this video for more tips about consent.

16. Help boys lose gracefully. If a girl beats other classmates at sports, or shines academically, don't console the boys or feel the need to shore up their self-confidence. Boys will sometimes lose to girls, in the classroom and someday in the boardroom. The earlier they learn this, the better. Help them take this defeat gracefully.

Pin it to remember tips later!

Teachers, Check Your Personal Bias

17. Check your assumptions. Do you assume girls will want to read or play hopskotch, or that boys will want to build or play sports? Teachers have sometimes led my daughter to crayons during dropoff, rather than asking her if she wants to build, or asking what SHE is interested in playing with. Follow the child's interests whenever possible. 20 Places Your Gender Bias is Hiding.

18. Work on your own anti-bias and stereotyping outside of the classroom. Who are your friends? Where do you spend your time outside of school, and with whom? Whose social media do you follow? Take steps to diversify your personal time. A few educator accounts I love are:

They have taught me valuable lessons about white saviorism in classrooms and the importance of learning names properly. Plus many more important lessons. Go follow them!

19. Plan ahead for how you would respond to a transgender or gender non-conforming child. If you haven't had a transgender or gender non-conforming student in your class or your school, even better reason to prepare for how you and your school would handle it. Is there a policy about bathrooms, sports teams, and pronouns? How will you help the other students be compassionate and better understand the child's journey? Get better educated.

20. Reconsider discipline. First, check your school district's discipline record within the Office of Civil Rights, and how it differs by gender and race. Second, check your own bias. Children of color are more likely to be disciplined, and adults tend to think that black girls are more mature than white girls. Think about this before you discipline.

Thank you, teachers, for the work you do every day. And for taking the time to learn more tips for how teachers can reduce gender bias and gender stereotypes in the classroom. YOU are changing the future!
Is your school, classroom, or parent group interested in learning more about how gender bias impacts children + strategies to overcome it? Learn more about my services here.

If you're ready to book a workshop, head straight here:

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Teachers: 20 Ways to Reduce Gender Bias at School | Think or Blue

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Teachers play a critical role to prevent gender bias and gender stereotypes in the classroom. Use these 20 tips to reach gender equity in school.

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I chose the artifact "How to Eliminate Implicit Bias" because of its approach to attacking the root of the issue with the achievement gap and allowing for students at all levels, backgrounds, and abilities to achieve more. When we create a culture of inclusion, it creates an environment that is conducive for teaching and learning. Students feel valued, respected, and appreciated which leads to increased motivation, confidence, and achievement.

I believe that these strategies can be applied on all levels of education from preschool to high school. The content and strategies detailed can be adapted depending on the level and help students and teachers alike find different ways to attack implicit biases.

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How to Eliminate Implicit Bias in Your Teaching Instruction - Graduate Programs for Educators

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We've all dealt with our share of implicit bias and its effects, so how can we combat it? Learn how to eliminate implicit bias in your teaching instruction.

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One of the crucial strategies I chose is "Cultivating Awareness of Their Biases". Recognizing our biases is the first step towards fostering an inclusive and responsive educational environment. This approach allows teachers to understand how their preconceived notions can affect their teaching methods and how students' learning experiences are influenced. Moreover, by openly discussing biases, we can enable students to become more aware of their assumptions and judgments, thus enhancing their interpersonal relationships. This strategy is universally applicable and appropriate for all age groups. Understanding biases isn't bound by age, and the sooner we develop this awareness, the more empathetic and understanding we become towards diverse cultures and backgrounds.

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A friend of mine recently told me about an incident involving students at Berkeley High School. On the first day of classes, African-American juniors and seniors were being asked by their honors course teacher to show him their schedule when they entered the classroom. The teacher, who was white, apparently assumed the black students were lost and in the wrong room, and his gesture made them feel unwelcome and humiliated.

This is an example of implicit bias-a behavior that arises from subconscious associations, which may even contradict someone's explicit values. Implicit racial bias plays a role in many classrooms and schools with potentially devastating effects. In one recent experiment with preschool teachers, researchers found that when teachers were primed to look for behavioral problems while watching a classroom video with black and white children (none of whom were misbehaving), teachers gazed much longer at black children than white children, as if anticipating the behavioral problems would come from the black children.

In another experiment from the same study, teachers read a vignette about a behavioral problem with a preschooler randomly identified as a black boy, black girl, white boy, or white girl, and then were given details about the child's background or not. Providing the background information on the child increased the severity of suggested disciplinary actions when the race of the teacher didn't match that of the child, supporting the idea that we are more inclined to punish those who look different from us.

In fact, disciplinary actions are more likely to be perpetuated against African Americans-boys and girls alike-than any other group of students, regardless of the infraction. And while it's understandable that teachers would want to prevent disruptions in the classrooms and take actions to avoid them, some seem to have little idea of how to do that without turning to ingrained biases.

Of course, teachers are not alone in having racial biases. Their behavior reflects how social messages are hard to escape, even for people of color. But studies like these show how racial disparities can be perpetuated in classrooms, too. If left unchecked, this kind of biased treatment can haunt a student well into elementary school and beyond, making the promise of "schools as the great social equalizers" a false one.

The good news is that teachers can learn to combat their prejudice, even the implicit kind, if they become more aware of it and take steps to actively fight it in themselves. Here are some of the ways that might help educators treat all of their students with dignity and care.

1. Cultivate awareness of their biases

Teachers are human and therefore influenced by psychological biases, like the fundamental attribution error, when we assume that others who behave in a certain way do so because of their character (a fixed trait) rather than in response to environmental circumstances. In-group bias leads us to assign positive characteristics and motivations to people who are similar to us.

Biases like these are natural, used as cognitive shorthand for making quick social judgments in ambiguous situations, especially those involving people from unfamiliar ethnic or social groups. They become a problem when we're not aware of their impact on other people. And if we're part of a majority group with more social, economic, or political power than a minority one, then accumulated unconscious bias can be extremely destructive, limiting the life opportunities and hurting the well-being of the minority group.

Many researchers believe that becoming more aware of our biases can help us improve our interactions with others, decrease our sense of unease in interracial contexts, and make better decisions. Though most of this research has been done with other professional groups or the general public, the same lessons are likely to apply to teachers.

However, many teachers feel pressures not to cop to those biases, perhaps out of fear they will be accused of racism. This leaves them blind to the ways that biases work at an unconscious level. Pretending to be colorblind is not helpful and in fact adhering to a color-blind philosophy has been shown to increase implicit bias, at least in college students. Admitting that we are all subject to biases creates a safer space to examine them more carefully and to take steps to fight them.

2. Work to increase empathy and empathic communication

Empathy -the ability to understand another's perspective and emotions-is important in all human social encounters, including teaching. Yet, often teachers have little understanding of the communities where their students live and have trouble understanding their perspectives, leading them to treat these students more harshly.

One solution: learning about the lives of students and showing that you care. At least one study has found that actively trying to take the perspective of another person-as opposed to trying to be "objective"-increased one's ability to not fall prey to stereotypical views of others. Actively inducing empathy for another person has been tied to a willingness to consider environmental circumstances more closely when handing out punishments for misbehavior. And, one recent study has found that training teachers in empathy cut down student suspension rates in half.

Though perhaps more research has been done on empathy in other professionals (such as physicians and police officers), teachers may want to take note of the ways that they have learned to increase their empathy through a combination of stress reduction, learning how to manage difficult emotions, and practicing empathic communication. Treating students with kindness and consideration is a sure way to bring out kindness in them, too.

3. Practice mindfulness and loving-kindness

Mindfulness practices-such as paying attention in a nonjudgmental way to one's breath or other sensations-has been shown to decrease stress in teachers, which can indirectly have an effect on reducing bias. But according to some research, mindfulness may also have a direct effect on bias reduction as well.

In one study, young white participants who listened to a 10-minute audiotape with instructions in mindfulness showed less implicit bias towards blacks and older people than those who listened to a 10-minute discussion of nature. This suggests that nonjudgmental awareness, even when not specifically focused on reducing prejudice, can help reduce unconscious biases.

Loving-kindness meditation-a practice that involves consciously sending out compassionate thoughts toward others-may also help. In a recent study, the random assignment of a short-term loving-kindness meditation reduced implicit bias toward a targeted group, though it didn't decrease implicit bias for other groups not targeted by the meditation.

4. Develop cross-group friendships in their own lives

While it's important to take steps in the classroom, the relationships we form outside of the classroom can also have an impact on bias.

Cross-group friendships have been shown in several studies to decrease stress in intergroup situations, to decrease prejudice toward outgroup members, and to decrease one's preference for social hierarchy or domination over lower-status groups. These findings alone might encourage teachers to seek out cross-group friendships in their lives so that they can be more receptive to the diverse students they find in their classrooms.

Another reason for teachers to consider developing cross-group friendships is that they may influence their students to do the same. When people see cross-group friendships working out in positive ways, they tend to be more willing to engage in cross-group friendships themselves.

In addition, positive cross-group friendships can have contagion effects in other people within social groups, turning whole communities into warmer, more receptive spaces for cross-group interactions. All of this bodes well for teachers role-modeling the kind of behavior they want to see in their students.

Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean teachers should indiscriminately approach someone just because they are from a different racial group. Instead, teachers can reach out to colleagues at work, or get involved in activities or perhaps attend events where people with different backgrounds and perspectives come together for a common cause. Developing friendships can be one of the best ways to break down barriers of prejudice, and it's more easily done when people have some common interests.

Is this a lot to ask, given all the burdens our society heaps on teachers? Perhaps. Teachers should get more support than they do, and, ideally, school districts should make reducing implicit bias a priority backed up with money, policy, and training. Individual teachers can only do so much.

Luckily, the teaching profession tends to attract altruists who want to teach in a way that helps their students. By working at countering implicit bias in themselves, they can truly make a difference in the lives of their students, making them feel safe, cared for, and welcome in the classroom.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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Four Ways Teachers Can Reduce Implicit Bias

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We're all subject to bias. Here are tips to help teachers treat all of their students with dignity and care.

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Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities

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Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities

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I chose the topic "Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities" because it's a crucial subject of interest in the contemporary educational landscape. The strategies outlined not only pave the way for inclusive classrooms but also empower students with disabilities, fostering their self-belief, resilience, and growth mindset. No child should be left behind in the pursuit of knowledge, and these strategies enable teachers to create an engaging, accessible, and equitable learning environment for all students.

As for the age group, these strategies are versatile and can be adapted across various age groups, from elementary school children to high school students. However, they are particularly appropriate for middle school students, roughly ages 11-14, as this is a critical developmental stage where students start to form a strong sense of self-identity and begin to understand their strengths and challenges in a learning environment.

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Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities - Graduate Programs for Educators

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Teaching strategies are essential for educating, especially for students with disabilities. Explore strategies for teaching these students specifically.

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I chose the strategy "Be Motivated to Be Fair" because of its significant impact on creating an unbiased learning environment. In a diverse classroom, fairness is key to ensuring every student feels valued and encouraged to participate. This strategy helps teachers treat all students equally, regardless of their cultural backgrounds, and promotes a healthy, inclusive learning atmosphere. As for the appropriate age group, this strategy is universal and can be effectively employed at all levels of education, from primary school students to high school seniors.

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Provide Opportunities for Children to Interact with Other Children Who are Culturally Different from Themselves and with People Who Have Various Disabilities.

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Provide Opportunities for Children to Interact with Other Children Who are Culturally Different from Themselves and with People Who Have Various Disabilities.

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I have chosen this strategy because it fosters tolerance, respect, and understanding in children from an early age. By exposing them to diverse cultures and abilities, we enhance their emotional intelligence and equip them for a global society. This approach is suitable for children aged 5 and above, as it is during this period that they begin to observe and question differences, presenting an excellent opportunity to instill these essential values.

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Teaching Young Children to Resist Bias

Reprinted with permission from the The early years are the time to begin helping children form strong, positive self-images and grow up to respect and get along with people who are different from themselves. We know from research that children between 2 and 5 start becoming aware of gender, race, ethnicity, and disabilities. They also begin to absorb both the positive attitudes and negative biases attached to these aspects of identity by family members and other significant adults in their lives. If we want children to like themselves and value diversity, we must learn how to help them resist the biases and prejudices that are still far too prevalent in our society.

Bias based on gender, race, disability, or social class creates serious obstacles to all young children's healthy development. In order to develop healthy self-esteem, they must learn how to interact fairly and productively with different types of people. Naturally, children's curiosity will lead them to ask questions: "Why is her skin so dark?" "Why does he speak funny?" We may hide our own negative feelings, or hope that children simply won't notice, but our avoidance actually teaches children that some differences are not acceptable. We must face our own biased attitudes and change them in order to help foster all children's growth.

What parents and teachers can do:

- Recognize that because we live in a society where many biases exist, we must counteract them -- or else we will support them through our silence.

- At home or at school, give children messages that deliberately contrast stereotypes by providing books, dolls, toys, wall decorations, TV programs, and records that show: men and women in nontraditional roles, people of color in leadership positions, people with disabilities doing activities familiar to children, and various types of families and family activities.

- Show no bias in the friends, doctors, teachers, and other service providers that you choose, nor in the stores where you shop.

-Remember what you do is as important as what you say.

- Make it a firm rule that a person's appearance is never an acceptable reason for teasing or rejecting them. Immediately step in if you hear or see your child behave in such a way.

- Talk positively about each child's physical characteristics and cultural heritage. And, help children learn the differences between feelings of superiority and those of self-esteem and pride in their own heritage.

- Provide opportunities for children to interact with other children who are racially/culturally different from themselves and with people who have various disabilities.

- Respectfully listen to and answer children's questions about themselves and others. Don't ignore, change the subject, or in any way make the child think she is bad for asking such a question.

- Teach children how to challenge biases about who they are. Give them tools to confront those who act biased against them.

- Use accurate and fair images in contrast to stereotypes, and encourage children to talk about the differences. Help them to think critically about what they see in books, movies, greeting cards, comics, and on TV.

- Let children know that unjust things can be changed. Encourage children to challenge bias, and involve children in taking action on issues relevant to their lives.

Building a healthy self-identity is a process that continues all our lives. Help children get a head start by teaching them to resist bias, and to value the differences between people as much as the similarities.

Additional Resources:

Neugebauer, B., ed. 1992. Alike and different: Exploring our humanity with young children. Washington, DC: NAEYC. #240/$8.

Document Use/Copyright

Copyright © 1999 National Association for the Education of Young Children. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

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Precious Children: Teaching Young Children to Resist Bias

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Teaching Young Children to Resist Bias from PBS television special Precious Children

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Teaching Children about Respecting Differences

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Teaching Children about Respecting Differences

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I chose having open discussions as a teaching strategy to foster understanding, empathy, and critical thinking in students. By discussing various topics, students express their perspectives, listen to others, and analyze their beliefs. This process supports communication skills and exploration of diverse viewpoints, creating an inclusive classroom environment.

Critical discussions are adaptable across age groups. For elementary students (ages 6-10), topics can focus on fairness, friendship, and respect. Middle school (ages 11-14) discussions can include racial and cultural differences, gender identities, and societal norms. High school (ages 15-18) students can engage with abstract topics like systemic biases, privilege, and social reform.

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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Teaching Children about Respecting Differences

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Our world is constantly changing, and, as it becomes more diverse and interconnected, children need to understand that all people are unique; they have varying abilities, beliefs, and traditions; a…

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Incorporate Diverse Books That Tell Stories About Different Cultures

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Incorporate Diverse Books That Tell Stories About Different Cultures

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I have chosen to incorporate diverse books that narrate stories about children experiencing everyday life as a key strategy for culturally responsive teaching. These books serve as a powerful tool in creating a teaching environment that is inclusive and reflective of diverse cultural backgrounds. By using narratives that depict the day-to-day experiences of children from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, we allow students to see themselves, their culture, and their experiences validated and represented. Additionally, these stories offer an opportunity for students from other cultures to learn, appreciate, and empathize with their peers' experiences. This strategy is appropriate for all age groups, but particularly beneficial for children in elementary school, ages 5-10, as they are at a developmental stage where they are building their understanding and awareness of the diverse world around them.

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We need diverse books because we need books in which children can find themselves, see reflections of themselves. I wrote a piece maybe 1990 it was published which I called "Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors." And I think that's really why we - children need to see themselves reflected.

But books can also be windows. And so you can look through and see other worlds and see how they match up or don't match up to your own. But the sliding glass door allows you to enter that world as well. And so that's the reason that the diversity needs to go both ways. I mean it's not just children who have been underrepresented and marginalized who need these books.

It's also the children who always find their mirrors in the books and, therefore, get an exaggerated sense of their own self-worth and a false sense of what the world is like because it's becoming more and more colorful and diverse as time goes on. So, I think that's why.

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Diverse Classroom Libraries for K-6 Students

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Learn more about books across multiple genres that are representative of the diverse world in which we live, including diversity in race, class, disability, and religion. You'll also find innovative approaches for bringing children and books together, as well as content analyses and descriptions of titles that share common features.

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Activities to Cultivate Cultural Identity in Your Classroom

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Activities to Cultivate Cultural Identity in Your Classroom

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I chose this particular activity because it allows students to express their cultural identity in a personal and creative way. Through self-portraits, students can represent elements of their culture that are important to them, enhancing their self-esteem and fostering a sense of belonging. During show-and-tell, they have the opportunity to share artifacts or stories from their culture, which can foster understanding and appreciation among classmates. This activity is best suited for students aged 7-12. It aligns with their developmental ability to think critically about their identity and express it. Additionally, it can stimulate respectful dialogue and critical thinking about cultural diversity at a young age.

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Guest post by Language Lizard

As students head back to school, it's essential for them to feel welcomed, acknowledged, and safe in their classrooms. With U.S. schools continuing to change to reflect our country's increasing cultural diversity, students must learn cultural respect and inclusion. Here are three easy activities designed to help ensure a smooth transition and introduce the concept of cultural diversity to students. In addition, these activities will help foster relationships based on respect, equality, and diversity in the classroom . (These activities work best for children in grades K-3 but will work if modified for older children.)

Make It Fun!
Playing a simple game such as "I Am Unique Scavenger Hunt" allows students to share something unique about themselves and to understand and appreciate the differences between themselves and their classmates. In addition, this game will play a role in learning the importance of accepting others regardless of differences.

How to play "I Am Unique Scavenger Hunt" : Students share one thing about themselves that makes them special and unique. The teacher will then make a list of the facts without the names. Next, the children must ask each other questions to determine whose name goes where.

Another fun game is "Walk the Line, if ...," which is an excellent way for students to get to know one another. It also works to celebrate one another's uniqueness and highlights how many parts of their identity they have in common with others.

How to play " Walk the Line, if ...": Have the students gather on one side of the room/line and face towards its center. The teacher calls out specific categories/labels/descriptions and asks all those to whom this applies to walk to the other side of the room/line. Continue with questions ranging from who wears glasses to who speaks another language other than English, etc.
All About Me!
Have each child create a one-page poster or book that explores their identity. The student will have the opportunity to write, draw or use pictures that tell who they are, where they are from, and what they like to do. This exercise allows them to understand their background and what distinguishes them from those around them. After the student presents information about themselves, take the time to mark a world map that will indicate where each person and family originates.
Explore Multicultural and Bilingual Books
Reading bilingual books highlighting different cultures, traditions, and customs allows teachers to help children feel comfortable with cultural diversity. In addition, they introduce children to different languages and enable them to delve more deeply into the languages represented in the classroom. Finally, these books are an excellent springboard to other activities, including vocabulary development, geography lessons, and craft activities based on the book's theme. For more lesson plans and book ideas, visit Language Lizard. Many of Language Lizard's bilingual books come with free lesson plans and activities to support diverse classrooms.
Benefits of a Culturally Diverse Classroom
One of the many benefits of having a culturally diverse classroom includes varied student perspectives, insights, and thoughts, allowing for a richer classroom discussion. Also, multicultural classrooms encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. And a culturally diverse classroom will better prepare students for their future in today's ever-changing world.

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3 Easy Activities to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Classroom - Multicultural Children's Book Day

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3 Easy Activities to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Classroom Guest post by Language Lizard As students head back to school, it's essential for them to feel welcomed, acknowledged, and safe in their classrooms. With U.S. schools continuing to change to reflect our country's increasing cultural diversity, students must learn cultural respect and inclusion.

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I chose the Creativity Assessment because it provides a more holistic view of a student's potential, beyond just traditional analytical and memory-based skills. This method aligns closely with Sternberg’s theory of successful intelligence, acknowledging that creativity and practical skills play significant roles in predicting academic and career success. Our current educational landscape requires a shift towards these broader abilities, and this tool addresses that need. The Creativity Assessment is appropriate for a wide range of ages, but it is specifically beneficial for high school students who are preparing for post-secondary education or the workforce. This age group is actively developing their unique talents and goals, and a comprehensive evaluation of their creativity can provide valuable insights to guide their academic and career choices.

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The PISA 2022 Creative Thinking assessment measures students’ capacity to engage productively in the generation, evaluation and improvement of ideas innovatively