Embracing Diversity in the Classroom

As teachers and education staff, our goal is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to thrive in a diverse and multicultural society. Promoting diversity and tolerance in the classroom is essential for fostering open-minded and empathetic individuals who can positively impact both their communities and society.
 
The new edition of the course “Diversity in the Classroom: Teaching Tolerance and Overcoming Prejudices and Discrimination” took place in Bologna from 12/05/2024 to 18/05/2024. The participants came from all across Europe, including Claudia from CEFAD in Portugal, Michael and Jasmin from Reithmanngymnasium in Austria, Maria and Daniel from IES Mossen Alcover in Spain, Hanne and Tjietra from De Resonant in Belgium, and Rosa from EOI Monforte in Spain.

​The first key step of the course was to explore the concept of identity and the challenges of teaching in a diverse and changing society. Teachers did a practical activity where they drew their own portraits. One half showed their visible appearance, while the other half depicted their personal characteristics and values. This activity helped us discuss how our identities affect the way we see the world and others. Participants also shared their experiences and challenges of working in multicultural schools, starting a meaningful conversation about the realities of diversity in the classroom.
 
We also tackled the challenges of acknowledging and promoting cultural diversity. A TED talk guided us to reflect on the importance of asking “Where are you local?” instead of “Where are you from?” emphasizing that our identities are shaped by our entire culture, not just our country. This helped us understand that our identities develop on various interconnected levels.
 
It is well known that we cannot discuss diversity without addressing stereotypes. We explored why stereotypes exist, their positive and negative impacts, and how they are formed. Through practical exercises, participants learned to recognize and dismantle these biases.

We also emphasized the importance of empathy in education, with activities that highlighted the value of teaching empathy to create more inclusive and understanding classrooms. By exploring feelings and emotions, teachers were encouraged to put themselves in others' shoes. We highlighted that understanding and expressing emotions is crucial for both teachers and students to build a supportive and empathetic learning environment.
 
Lastly, we focused on membership to recognize how it feels to be excluded and how difficult it is to include others in our dynamics. We explored different collaborative learning strategies with the purpose of improving the way we differentiate our teaching methods.
 
Overall, it was a rewarding week filled with new knowledge, practical exercises, sharing of best practices, and meaningful discussions. Participants left with a new set of tools and strategies to create more inclusive and empathetic classrooms.
​​Discover more aboutthis course here.