Diversity in the Classroom Nicole Secrist Educ 621

What behaviors do we see? How do we perceive them?

Behaviors of the African American Culture That Are Commonly Misinterpreted Looking away while listening. Standing closely to others while talking. Being reluctant to talk about family problems/personal relationships. Being more concerned about present goals versus future goals. Only embracing cultural norms while living in low SES conditions. Expressing emotions more intensely than others.

Behaviors of the Asian Culture That Are Commonly Misinterpreted Being very quiet. Lack of participation in group discussions. Refusal to ask teachers questions. Express one’s own opinion.

Behaviors of the Hispanic/Latino Culture That Are Commonly Misinterpreted Touching/embracing while communicating. Standing very close while talking. Keeping family or personal information from others. Interpreting prolonged eye contact as disrespectful. Strongly expressing emotions. Involvement in family/friends childcare. Having Traditionally prescribed sex roles for males and females.

Now that we recognize different behaviors of various cultures, what can we do to make students of all different cultures feel welcome and comfortable in the classroom?

Create a Multicultural School Have high expectations for all students. Create a curriculum that reflects on the experiences, cultures, and perspectives of a range of cultural and ethnic groups and genders. Use teaching styles that match the cultural and motivational styles of the students. Show respect for first languages. Use classroom examples from a variety of cultural perspectives. Use culturally sensitive assessment practices.

Celebrate Diversity!