Establishing a Positive Classroom Environment for Students from Diverse Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Groups

     Before I became a math teacher, I wanted to work outside of the United States. To better prepare me for such work, I got a master's degree in intercultural studies.  I am now discovering that cultural sensitivity is important in classrooms across America.  What are some things a teacher can do to establish a positive classroom environment for students from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups?  I've included some ideas about this topic in this blog.

      According to Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education (2016, p. 9), how you setup your classroom can help establish a positive environment for students from diverse backgrounds. Are decorations in the class reflective of different cultures?  Do posters depict people from various ethnicities?  Are desks isolated or grouped for student interaction?  Can your students recognize anything in your room from their culture?



     In my class, I like to praise students with expressions from French, Portuguese, and Spanish.  No, I am not fluent in any of these languages, but I do dabble.  When introducing algebra, I like to emphasize that this was a great contribution from Arabic culture to the rest of the world. When I take a trip out of the U.S., I try to show my classes photos of my experiences. These are ways I try to promote diversity.  Teachers can do things like find out students' favorite meals and holidays from their cultures and work these things into assignments or class activities.



     There are a lot of simple things that teachers can do as well to create a welcoming environment in their classrooms for all students. Teachers can encourage positive interactions. Greeting students at your classroom door promotes positive interaction. Having little conversations with students about their interests also goes along way, especially for those who may feel left out due their ethnicity or other perceived differences that they may have. 

     Teachers can promote introductions. It is natural to allow students to introduce themselves at the beginning of the school year.  A good activity for students is to group them based on some commonality (birth place, number of siblings, birth order, favorite subject, etc).  Despite our ethnic, social, and economic differences, we really do have a lot in common.

     Teachers can also help prevent intimidation. Avoiding classroom confrontations helps the teacher/student relationship.  Speaking privately to a student after class about his/her behavior is a good practice. Another good practice is for teachers to proactively send notes home about good behavior in class. "A teacher might discipline herself to make one phone call home per day about some student’s positive behavior" (Marzano, 2007, p. 139).

     Preventing intimidation includes anti-bullying strategies. Bullies can single out students who are different from the other students. All students, especially those from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups need their teacher's assistance to create a more sensitive classroom environment. Teachers need to be fully aware of their school's Anti-Bullying Policy and respond immediately to bullying in accordance with that policy.  A teacher could proactively start the school year with a talk regarding the pain caused by words and actions intended put down others.  Often bullies have been bullied. Allowing students to share their stories of being bullied can sensitize other students to the pain it inflicts. At that time the teacher could explain strategies for dealing with bullies and encourage bullied students not to remain silent.

     This school year be aware that the more you establish a positive, welcoming environment in your classroom for students of diverse backgrounds, the better they will learn and the stronger your community will be.  Celebrate diversity.

References

Critical Practices for Anti-bias Education. (2016). Retrieved July 31, 2017, from
        http://www.tolerance.org/critical-practices

Marzano, R. J. (2010). The art and science of teaching: a comprehensive framework for

       effective instruction. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum 

       Development.