Teachers are often the first to feel the impact of rising immigration rates within their classrooms. Hispanic and Asian students in American schools have increased by more than 5 million since the 1990’s! As practically every state is now touched by changing populations, it is particularly important for educators to be sensitive to various cultures as well as help students develop an appreciation for all human kind.

It should be noted that there has always been diversity in the classroom. Diversity does not only refer to culture. It can also include different learning styles, various types of disabilities and even sexual orientation. For example, students may have different reading levels, athletic abilities, cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, etc. However, in this technological age where we are experiencing an increase in public bullying, it has become an even greater objective to have students embrace differences.

Ultimately, our goal should be to reach an appreciation that every person is unique in their own way. This is not only an external objective from one person to another, but is also an internal need of each individual-a way to develop self-esteem.

In terms of learning styles, not only can culture affect a student’s behavior in the classroom, (i.e. some ethnicities discourage speaking up while others encourage saying what is on your mind, etc), but different groups tend to learn more effectively with different techniques. For instance, studies have shown that, Hispanics often learn better kinesthetically. Asians tend to be much more visual than verbal because the Asian language is based on pictures.

In general, 30% of the population favors auditory learning. 30% prefers to learn kinesthetically (hands-on experiences). 20% are visual/verbal learners who absorb information when they see a presentation or written information. 20% are visual/nonverbal learners who grasp concepts best when presented with .

In my next blog, we will further explore activities which encourage respect amongst students as well as personal feelings of pride in individuals.

What have your experiences been with diversity in the classroom? Please share any actions which have created a more accepting environment.