Multicultural classrooms

When a child goes to school, it is of great importance that they feel comfortable in their classroom, as well as feeling seen and accepted by teachers and peers. As emmigration increases, and the average classroom environment grows increasingly diverse, it can be challenging to attend to every students’ needs, especially when their native culture can feel foreign to some people.

So, how do we tackle this issue?

One way to go about it is by teaching cultural competence. This refers to one's ability to understand and communicate with individuals from different cultures, and, simultaneously, being aware of cultural disparities, whilst gaining knowledge from the above mentioned.

In a classroom setting, this can be achieved by actively engaging in activities that promote interactions between everyone present, whilst dismantling stereotypes about different cultures. These actions cultivate curiosity, that, when nurtured, flourishes into a fountain of knowledge.

Overall, teaching and practicing cultural competence in a classroom can help students develop skills like empathy, acceptance and adaptability, valuable assets, not only professionally wise, but also for personal development, all the while giving rise to a healthy learning environment for every student, regardless of their cultural background.

Sources: http://makeitourbusiness.ca/blog/what-does-it-mean-be-culturally-competent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwM7kYUGUzA