Dealing with diversity in the classroom is either fun or it can be detrimental. However, it is not only how you deal with diversity, it is the atmosphere in which you bring the diverse in. Multicultural education has become seemingly popular in the United States. The fact that they are now more and more students from different cultures in the United States demands for more multicultural planning. More multicultural planning is not only about the lesson but it should also be focused on the atmosphere. When you enter into a classroom, the appearance should intrigue the students. Something as simple as their desk should excite them, so that it takes the focus off of the other students that may be different from them. A lot of teachers don’t have the opportunity to present this sort of atmosphere for students due to financial obligations or any other barriers that may get in their way. However, for the most part, teachers are making it clear to students of American origin, that there are other cultures and other religions that share this very same class with you. So how do you create a plan and atmosphere for students from five different ethnic and religious groups? Simple, let’s start by saying, I can try to make it as comfortable as possible for everyone, so here is the plan. The plan is to ensure that all students respect the rights and responsibilities of the next. The plan also includes how to set up the atmosphere so that students may learn about other cultures as well. If you continue to read, everything I will tell you could impress you.
Dealing with a multicultural classroom: In my classroom, there are five different ethnic and religious groups. I have seven African American students who are all Baptist students. I also have two Caucasian students who are Catholic. There are three Asian students, who are Buddhist. There are also Five Hispanics who are Jehovah witness and one Pacific Islander who family is Muslims. First thought that comes in mind is the religions. What do all of the religions have in common? After much thought and research, I have seen that all of these religions believe and accept God. Therefore saying the Pledge of Allegiance would not be anything bad for any of them which is a good thing. The next focus is their ethnicities. Of course every student is different but in my eyesight, their differences are unique. Dealing with a multicultural classroom can be fun and exciting, because in my plan, I plan on allowing different activities that connects each ethnicity and allows students to be able to learn about the one another, so eventually they can all look at each other as equal.
Multicultural Classroom Atmosphere: In a classroom of diversity, I plan to have bright lighting, desks that are in groups and fun learning and educational pictures/sayings on the walls. Making sure the lighting is bright is just as important as anything else. When you step into a classroom that is light, it makes you feel energetic for some odd reason instead of in a lazy and dark mood. Also, I would have pictures of different children on the walls all over, so one child won’t feel I am being biased towards a certain group of students. I also like the idea of having the word “Hello” be presented in more than seven languages. This would be fun and it allows students to look up and practice those words to themselves and to one another every day. This also allows them the ability to see how another student’s ethnic group speaks and shows them that we are all the same, we just speak different languages. I will post the rules and students’ rights and responsibilities in the room, therefore students can see what will and will not be tolerated for towards other students and towards me. All of the things I mentioned create an atmosphere of tolerance, acceptance and caring from not only me, but between other students.
The plan in motion: After learning my students’ ethnicities and creating an atmosphere for them. I set my plan up