Diversity in the classroom: teaching tolerance and overcoming prejudices and discrimination & Intercultural learning and cultural diversity in the classroom

As teachers and education staff, we always aim for our students to be successful, to have the right knowledge, skills and attitudes to find their best place in the society we live in. Our modern society is extremely diversified as well as multicultural, as such, promoting diversity and tolerance in the classroom has become a crucial goal for teachers, school and adult education. Building emphatic and open-minded characters can make a real impact for learners and for the whole society.

The new edition of the courses “Diversity in the classroom: teaching tolerance and overcoming prejudices and discrimination” and “Intercultural learning and cultural diversity in the classroom” took place in Bologna from 16/02/2025 to 22/02/2025. The participants came from all across Europe with Alba Navarro Pablo and Guillem Raimundi from Spain, Marina KlaĈinski from Slovenia, Viktor Ivicz and Martin Sahlin from Sweden, Anna Yfantidou and Vasileios Kalaitzidis from Greece, Manuela Maria Coelho Antunes from Portugal and Emilie Princet, Thibault Persichetti, Floriane Juhel, Emilie Morvan and Laurine Tieufri from France.
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 The first day of the course was dedicated to getting to know each other through icebreakers and sharing participants' experiences on diversity and culture in the classroom, leading to a shared definition of diversity.

On our second day of the course was to explore the concept of identity. After that we talked about how our identities may influence the perception of the world and others.  We also faced key challenges and concerns in acknowledging and promoting cultural diversity. A TED talk helped us to reflect on the importance of asking “where are you local” instead of “where are you from” because what makes us and our students who we are is not our country but our whole culture: indeed our identity is being developed on various and interconnected levels.

In the middle of the week, we delved into the concept of diversity by exploring the notion of stereotypes, acknowledging that we cannot fully understand diversity without addressing them. We discussed their causes, their impact—both negative and positive—how they are formed, and where they lead us. Using the storytelling technique, we examined how stereotypes evolve into judgments and, ultimately, discrimination.

On Thursday, participants split into their respective course focuses. Those in the “Diversity in the classroom: teaching tolerance and overcoming prejudices and discrimination” course explored strategies for differentiating instruction and fostering collaborative learning, aiming to create more inclusive and adaptable educational environments. Meanwhile, participants in the “Intercultural learning and cultural diversity in the classroom” course delved into the nuances of intercultural communication, examining how cultural differences influence interactions and exploring ways to enhance mutual understanding in diverse settings.

The final session focused on the role of belonging and the importance of membership, helping us recognize the emotional impact of exclusion and the challenges of including others in our group dynamics.

We also dug into feelings and emotions, fostering teachers to put themselves in other people’s shoes. Being aware of our emotions is crucial but it’s important as well to train ourselves and the students to express them.
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After all, it was a bright week full of new knowledge, practice, sharing, deep conversations and thoughts, ideas and emotions. 

Discover more about this course here.