Hello, guys. Last week, for my interculturality class, I did very insightful research about discrimination, its different ramifications, and the effects that it has in our country. From racism to homophobia, I dived into the main types of discrimination that, unfortunately, are still prevalent in Mexico, and that reflection was what eventually led me to think about our role as teachers to tackle these types of intolerant behaviors in the classroom. How can we contribute to avoid these attitudes in a country where it is so normalized to make fun of someone because they are somehow different from us? In this entry, I will share with you four ways to raise awareness of diversity in a language classroom and foster an environment of tolerance of respect among your students:
1. Make every student feel heard: When allowing participation, let every single one of your students share their opinion with the rest of the class. Be fair and equitable. During the discussion, you could come across a positively unexpected point of view or anecdote about the subject matter in question that might result in an interesting contribution to the class.
4. Have zero tolerance for discriminative attitudes: If necessary, let a student know when they are being disrespectful with their words or actions. Try to do it in a private environment so you can talk to them with no restrictions and even get to the heart of the issue asking why they decided to take that stand.
Remember that the classroom should be a place where every individual is celebrated, regardless of their differences. The teacher has the responsibility to create a safe environment in which all the students have a voice and encourage each other to be better, not only in the linguistic aspect but also in the human one.
I think you should totally share this post with the group! Sometimes we don't take this super important issues into consideration. Having good rapport with your students is key.
ResponderBorrarThank you!
And of course making your students feel important, safe and understood creates good rapport*.
BorrarHi Diego, I liked the information you provided us about diversity in the classroom. We all know the truth regarding discrimination in our country. As you said, it is really sad to have this reality in our life :(
ResponderBorrarAlso, I liked the techniques you suggest to enhance diversity in our classes and to stop discrimnation. Sometimes when I are teaching we start thinking that everything will be a bed of roses, but reality is completely different. Thanks for sharing this useful information. I will keep it at hand because I know it will be useful for me in the future :)