Diversity as a value in education

Our goal as teachers want is to prepare our students for the diverse world we live in. Our society is varied, so it's important for teachers to promote understanding and acceptance in the classroom. Teaching students to be empathetic and open-minded can benefit both them and society.

The new edition of the course “Diversity in the classroom: teaching tolerance and overcoming prejudices and discrimination” took place in Tenerife from 22/10/2023 to 28/10/2023. We were a very “diverse” group, with Milena and Melanie from Ludwig-Dürr-Schule Friedrichshafen in Germany, Máté from Újpesti Karinthy Frigyes Magyar-Angol Két Tanítási Nyelvű Általános Iskola in Hungary Francesca and Paola from Liceo Issel in Italy, Anni and Anja from Ylikiimingin koulu in Finland, Peter and Carina from Staatliches Studienseminar Mainz in Germany, Nikolaos, Konstantinia and Isidoros from GEL NEAS ARTAKIS in Greece, Przemyslaw from Maritime University of Szczecin in Poland.

The initial step in the course involved delving into the idea of identity. Teachers participated in a hands-on activity where they visually expressed their own identity by drawing portraits. One half of the portrait depicted their physical appearance, while the other half represented their inner qualities and values. This exercise led to discussions about how our identities can shape our view of the world and others.
We faced challenges in promoting cultural diversity. Watching a TED talk encouraged us to shift our perspective from asking "where are you from" to "where are you local," emphasizing that our identity, and that of our students, is shaped by our entire culture rather than just our country of origin. Our identity is shaped by various interconnected aspects, not just where we come from.

We cannot talk about diversity without addressing stereotypes. We explored why they exist, their impact - both negative and positive, how they are created, and where they can lead us.
We talked about a sensitive topic: being aware and respectful. Our view of the world is shaped by our identity, so it differs based on our perspectives. Through activities and critical thinking exercises, we explored how our values impact culture and vice versa.
 
Then, we explored then the perspective of the teacher by reflecting together on how to diversify our teaching methods with the pourpose of meeting each students’ specific and different learning need.
Another section of the course focused on membership and it helped us understand the feeling of exclusion and the challenges of including others in our group dynamics.
 
The final point of the week, which is equally important, was empathy. We delved into understanding feelings and emotions, encouraging teachers to empathize with others. It's not only essential to be aware of our emotions but also to teach ourselves and our students how to express them. In the end, it was a vibrant week filled with new learning, practical experience, sharing, meaningful discussions, and a range of thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

​Discover more about this course here.