Cultivating Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom

Equality in the classroom is something of a recent feat. In a broad scope, equality is treating all people the same and giving them equal opportunities. In 1954, the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education stated that school segregation was unconstitutional. From this point forward, schools were to be of equal opportunity for everyone, regardless of racial background. Cultivating equality in the classroom, however, is more than just integrating racial backgrounds into the same classes. 

Diversity and inclusion are two more modern terms that go hand-in-hand when discussing equality in schools. In the classroom, diversity and inclusion mean that every student has equal access and opportunity to thrive, there are open conversations about student concerns, and steps in place to handle difficult situations. Of course, all three of these practices are easier said than done. Every year, educators get a new group of students who walk into the class with different backgrounds and beliefs each year. These beliefs may include prejudice and bias that students and teachers may have picked up from family, neighborhoods, and social media. These biases cause certain students to feel unsafe in their classrooms. As previously stated, equality is treating all people the same: if students from different backgrounds feel at risk in their classes, how are our schools promoting equality? To cultivate a diverse and inclusive classroom, teachers can model respect for all, foster belonging for all students and their families, and instruct through a lens of diversity. 

For 18 years, I grew up in a town with a population of about 27,000, with less than 15 percent being of a non-white background. My school system, however, is less than four percent multiracial—the background that I identify with. Though I felt safe in my classes, I cannot recall one that focused heavily on promoting diversity or inclusion. In high school, especially, I started to feel like an outcast in my community. Rather than foster equal belonging for all students by integrating all aspects of school, minority students were often singled out and given different opportunities. Being singled out at a mere 14 years old made me feel ostracized from where I called home, and if I had to guess, I am not the only minority student that has experienced similar situations. 

Students celebrate the diversity of
cultures they have in their school.

Creating a diverse and inclusive school system helps eliminate these feelings that minorities may have, ultimately cultivating a more positive learning environment for all. Out of all necessities in the classroom, I put diversity and inclusion in the top five. If students do not feel welcome in their environment, it will eventually affect their grades and learning abilities, and classroom management will begin to falter when tensions arise between students. We should educate teachers on how to actively engage with students from multiple backgrounds and model what they learn. In that case, their students, in turn, can take what they know and apply it to their everyday lives—ultimately creating a learning environment that allows all types of students to thrive while teaching each other about other cultures different from their own. Allowing students to express their concerns, having group discussions about what they are going through, and group work with individuals from various backgrounds help promote critical thinking and creativity, all while fostering a safe environment for all students.