How Schools Can Sustain Students’ Cultures

While the idea of “school culture” is commonly understood by most people as how various members of the school work together and what values their share, the idea of how schools can sustain cultural diversity in the classroom still needs to be discussed. The culture in schools may refer to many things, from how students are taught, how issues are handled, how issues such as student safety and mental health are tackled, and more. But in today’s world of collaboration, the individual identity of students is very important to incorporate a cultural sensitivity in education. 

To help improve the culture of learning in schools, students need to learn what it is. This will help them be more aware of related issues and also be more comfortable with their own beliefs. That is why many teachers often ask students to browse cultural identity essays as they are free resources for them to learn from. Reading some samples of essays on cultural identity also helps children in respecting cultural diversity in the classroom. 

Research paper titles that focus on issues of cultural sensitivity in education often talk about how schools can help foster a healthy relationship between the traditions of different students, hence leading to much better teaching culture in the classroom too. Let’s take a look at how school teachers and leaders can help sustain students’ identities in schools. 

3 Simple Ways Teachers Can Help

To inspire and educate their students about respecting different backgrounds in the classroom, teachers can use many different techniques. These are some of the best examples of how they can help: 

●      Showing an Interest

Asking their students to share interesting facts about their cultures with the rest of the class is a great way to show your own interest in the matter. When young children share such information with their classmates, it leads to the development of a healthier relationship between them that is based on understanding and respect. Being able to hear about or see a sample of some new culture also makes young minds more inquisitive to learn about the different parts of the world they live in. Values such as empathy and mutual respect are also generated within them, which are vital to make topics like tolerance become a reality. 

●      Becoming a Facilitator

Students from different backgrounds than the majority of the class may feel out of place at times. In such cases, teachers can change their role from being an instructor to a facilitator of sorts. Asking students to give their input about the study materials and what their interests are may help improve the teaching culture in the classroom. The students will feel like they are being valued in their classroom and this is very important for developing a healthy atmosphere in schools. They will also be free to express their ideas, which may very well be inspired by their backgrounds, leading to them feeling acknowledged in the classroom. 

●      Putting in Place Sensitivity to Language

Students coming from different backgrounds, especially those who are not English-speakers, often feel marginalized in the classroom. They feel pressured to let go of their own language and speak only English. However, to sustain the diversity in the classrooms, teachers should adjust the teaching materials to suit the needs of such students. If possible, materials should be prepared in the language they are comfortable with to show them that their backgrounds are being respected and appreciated. If they are to write an essay or a paper on something, then being sensitive to the fact that their English may not be perfect and marking their essay accordingly will also help. 

How School Leaders Can Help

Other than teachers, it is also up to the school administration to create an atmosphere that appreciates all backgrounds and ethnic differences. Celebrating the different holidays, planning various traditional events, and avoiding things that seem to focus on one culture over others are just some of the ways in which cultural sensitivity in education can be promoted. The curriculum taught to the children should also be inclusive and respectful to different beliefs and traditions so that the children can feel empowered and proud of their own heritage and not feel pressured to fit into a mold they’re not comfortable with. 

Conclusion

In today’s world, fostering healthy relationships between students from different cultures is very important as the world keeps turning into a global village. Despite the fact that many people from many different backgrounds come, learn, and work together in one place, the connection they have with their own beliefs should not be untethered. That is why it is crucial that schools try to sustain their students’ cultures from a very young age and don’t make them feel like they have to change themselves. When they do that, it will lead to a much more empathetic and collaborative world for our future generations.