As your child enters their first few years of schooling, they’ll be seeing many new faces and meeting new people. Depending on the type of school they go to they will have to communicate and socialize with people from different backgrounds.
In the GCC, expats make up about 48.1 % of the population. And the UAE alone houses 88.5% of these expats. In a region that stands host to people from so many different countries tolerance remains an essential virtue. And schools may be the best place to start!
The stats above and the presence of cultural diversity in the region are great motivators to encourage the students to accept cultural diversity in schools. Some Kindergarten schools in Sharjah have taken it upon them to encourage students to treat everyone with love, equality, and care.
How To Encourage Students To Accept Cultural Diversity In Schools
Here are the seven ways children can be taught to be tolerant towards cultural diversity in schools
Choose Diverse Themes To Celebrate
It's essential that teachers incorporate multicultural messages in the classroom practices. Instead of inviting parents once a year, regular interaction with families from other backgrounds and interaction with the classroom can allow children to understand more about the families.
Teachers should have conversations with their students about the holidays that they don't celebrate, but others do and incorporate excitement about diversity by telling them that it should be fun to learn about other traditions.
Artwork In The Classroom
Using arts in lessons can be a great way to make children comprehend different cultural backgrounds. Teachers can help students create artwork with different physical attributes, like and dislikes.
Encourage children to keep at it by posting their artwork on bulletin boards.
Being Vocal About Diversity
Another way to promote among students the acceptance of cultural diversity in schools. Teachers should share with students how being different can be scary and exciting at the same time. Children should be told how important it is for people to help others regardless of their differences.
Some children themselves may feel shy about being different. To boost self-esteem and to make them proud of their culture ask them to share vocally with the class what makes them different from the others.
Allow your students to share interesting facts about their families and themselves. Its essential to teach other kids to support the speakers once they're done.
Ask Questions
Usually, parents tend to discourage children from asking people from different backgrounds any questions, thinking it’s rude. However, there is no better way to learn about other backgrounds than by questioning.
In case a student asks why the skin color of a particular student is dark, teachers should address these questions and ask the other kid to explain and ensure that the child understands.
Treat Everyone Equally
Treating every student equally helps encouraging the acceptance of cultural diversity in schools. All children in the classroom should be treated as competent learners regardless of their cultural background. If there's a shortage of time and some students, don't get turns. Express your sympathy and let them know that they will get a turn the next time and follow through.
Practice What You Preach
Regardless of how much the teachers help inculcate cultural tolerance in children, if they end up responding to a child differently, children will follow the example you’ve set.
Since children follow teachers during the early years of education, teachers need to set the best examples for them. A response towards diversity that's consistently encouraging and positive teaches students the same.
Encourage Them To Play In Diverse Groups
When in class and outdoor sports, encourage diverges grouping. Diverse grouping tends to not only make them work together towards a goal, but it also helps them create special bonds. Spots are essential for all children regardless of their background.
Conclusion
Every year, as new students roll into your classrooms, your child will be exposed to diversity in cultural background. As they enter future workplaces, diversity will prevail. It's important for children to learn tolerance in order to become productive, loving and caring citizens.
Enroll your child in the best Kindergarten schools Sharjah, that have abundant diversity in classrooms, and the teachers are involved in encouraging children to accept the cultural diversity in schools!
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