Most people agree that diversity includes differences in sexual orientation, gender, age, race, ethnicity, class, and political and religious views. Furthermore, new perspectives on diversity and inclusion have emerged, reorienting the focus from bolstering intercultural tolerance to enhancing human experience and learning—a concept known as “unity in diversity.”

Regarding education, “unity in diversity” in the classroom no longer seems like a novel concept to any teacher with an international perspective. This can be achieved by having an international student body to create a global and diverse learning environment, or by having technology that links students with knowledge and cultures from around the world.

What is Diversity in Education?

While many individuals may immediately think of race when speaking about diversity, there are numerous aspects that actually play into diversity, especially in a classroom setting. Religion, gender, economic background and even learning styles are all notable factors, and it is crucial to remember each one when promoting diversity in schools.

Diversity in education can be defined as the presence of people from variety of different backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and religious belief, it’s important to recognize that diversity is more than the surface level differences- it also includes variety of experience, perspective, and ways of thinking. Incorporating lesson plans that account for all forms of diversity is key.

Student Performance

Examining distinctions enhances the educational process. Research has indicated that promoting diversity in the classroom has a significant effect on students’ academic achievement. Research from Queens University of Charlotte indicates that in ethnic settings, kids do better and put forth more effort. Additionally, when lesson plans take into account the diverse backgrounds of the students, they help them study a subject from many angles and gain a deeper understanding of it. Students gain a deeper comprehension and are able to see things more clearly as a result.

Creativity

Diverse study spaces foster creativity in the interpretation and use of information, statistics, and facts. Engaging in group activities with a diverse membership fosters a pleasant environment and group dynamic that facilitates innovative and cooperative learning. Bringing together students from different backgrounds encourages critical thinking and problem-solving, particularly when applied to actual business situations.

Combatting Prejudice 

According to studies, having a diverse classroom fosters tolerance and increases students’ feelings of security in settings where people from different countries are present. Also, it fosters students’ intercultural sensitivity by teaching them about many languages and cultures.

Teaching Faculty

Diversity in the faculty is just as vital as it is in the student body. More and more diverse teachers are being hired by educational institutions. This facilitates students’ identification with teachers, who then organize their classes to take into account the diversity of their students. Lesson preparation that is culturally relevant takes center stage, with teachers emphasizing the value of political analysis and activism in addition to cross-cultural understanding and competency and academic achievement.

Three Lessons from Cross-Cultural Experiences

People who have relocated away from home and encountered a variety of cultures gain a great deal of knowledge from their cross-cultural encounters. We want you to remember three key points on the significance of studying from an intercultural perspective:

1. Lead with Compassion

Always be compassionate and respectful. Even if we may not fully understand or agree with someone else, we should lead with compassion by caring about how others feel and follow with kindness.

2. It’s OK to Say “I Don’t know.”

Cultures are ever-evolving and they require a constant process of learning. It is natural to be unsure at times – just keep listening, learning and updating yourself with new knowledge when you encounter someone with a new perspective.

3. Challenge Your “Truths”

We frequently need upgrades on our “personal truth,” just like our gadgets do! We build up “personal truths” over time that we’ve learned from our family, the media, and our own experiences. We open the door to a deeper understanding of others by reflecting and being more tolerant and culturally aware when we allow ourselves to review them.

Types of diversity that can be present in the classroom include:

• Ability diversity: This includes differences in students’ physical, mental, and learning abilities.
• Age diversity: This includes differences in students’ ages.
• Gender diversity: This includes differences in students’ gender identity and expression.
• Ethnic diversity: This includes differences in race, ethnicity, national origin, and languages spoken at home.
• Religious diversity: This includes differences in belonging to and identifying with the values and/or practices of a particular religion or sect.
• Socioeconomic diversity: This includes differences in income, education levels, occupations, and housing security and stability with regard to students or their families.
• Experiential diversity: This includes differences in students’ life experiences, such as immigration, military service, adoption, or foster care.
• Sexual orientation diversity: This includes differences in students’ sexual orientations.
• Geographic diversity: This includes differences in students’ local or regional identity and experiences based on where they live, learn, and play.

There are other examples of diversity in the classroom besides these ones. People are capable of simultaneously being members of several social groups. Remember that diversity is more than just distinctions in appearance. Differences in learning styles, personalities, mental health, and other areas are frequently present without being obvious, in addition to the last three categories mentioned above.

Why a Diverse Teacher WORKFORCE MATTERS

Diversity in the classroom extends beyond the student body to include the professors.
Pew Research Center data from 2021 shows that the teacher workforce supporting elementary pupils is significantly less diverse in terms of race and ethnicity in the US than the students they instruct. Despite a little increase over the previous 20 years, the percentage of Asian American, Black, and Hispanic teachers has not kept up with the country’s significant demographic diversification.
For instance, according to Pew’s most current analysis, which was based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), between 2017 and 2018:

• 79 percent of US public school teachers identified as non-Hispanic White, whereas only 47 percent of all public elementary students identified this way.

• 9 percent of US public school teachers identified as Hispanic, whereas 27 percent of public elementary students identified as Hispanic.

• 7 percent of US public school teachers identified as Black, whereas 15 percent of public elementary students identified as Black.

Recent empirical research indicates that students with teachers from the same racial or ethnic group achieve better learning outcomes. The Brookings Institute synthesized findings in 2022, which showed that students with same-race teachers tended to benefit from

• Improved test scores,
• course grades,
• working memory,
• attendance,
• interpersonal self-management,
• higher likelihood of enrolling in advanced math classes,
• higher likelihood of being selected for gifted and talented programs,
• higher likelihood of graduating from high school,
• and higher likelihood of intending to enroll in college.

Diversifying our educational system must therefore include increasing the representation of teachers who belong to different racial and ethnic communities. Students of color deserve to have the opportunity to learn from teachers who may share similar cultural experiences as them.

Ways to encourage a culture of diversity schools

All right. For these academic and social reasons, it is crucial to foster diversity in your classroom. While knowing that is fantastic, how does diversity actually manifest itself in the classroom? How might your school promote it?

1. Re-evaluate teaching materials

Especially in the humanities and social sciences, teaching materials can often be limited to Western, white, male and middle-class narratives.

Work with your teachers to see if you’re representing a wide range of voices in the curriculum. If possible, teach literature from authors of color. Examine historical narratives to see which voices are missing — for example, a discussion about the civil rights movement can examine how it intersects with gender equality, immigration and the stories of Latino, Hispanic and Native American peoples.

This is exactly what Citizens of the World Charter Schools in California is doing through a focus on a project-based, culturally-responsive and data-driven learning model.

2. Get to know your students

All the students in your school are unique individuals, so use that fact to build a diverse and inclusive school culture.

Spend some time getting to know your students: From where do they originate? In general, what kind of socioeconomic environment do they inhabit? Do they succeed academically, or are they having difficulty? Are they friendly with their classmates?
It could be challenging to find the time to consciously develop relationships with children when you have so much to manage and accomplish, particularly if you’re new to the school or to a leadership role.

3. Be willing to promote equality

• Use language that promotes positivity and doesn’t reinforce existing stereotypes. For example, the phrase “boys will be boys” shouldn’t be used to justify sexism or aggression.
• Respond immediately and effectively to inappropriate comments or actions. Take infractions seriously and keep families informed.
• Model inclusion and acceptance. Encourage students to include all of their peers if you see division forming along racial or economic lines.
• Remove existing markers of inequality in your school. For example, make sure students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs aren’t singled out and made to feel different.

At the end of the day, we are one people, one planet. Just as the Nexus community learns from each other daily, we hope that you have learnt a few things that you can use in your daily encounters as well. Diversity expresses itself in so many different ways, so it can be daunting to try and start conversations around by bringing it to the classroom.