Embedded Files
Learning Targets:
Define Cultural Inclusivity
Explore ways to create a culturally inclusive classroom
Understand why cultural inclusivity is important for students
What is Cultural Inclusivity?
Imagine being a hispanic student in a classroom filled with posters, books, and music that only represents the traditional american cultre. Would you feel singled out, isolated, or embarassed of your roots and heritage? According to develop diverse (2024) Cultural inclusion is the recognition of peoples cultural diversity as well as the distinct contributions that individulas from diverse cultures can bring to the table. I feel that being culturally inclusive in the classroom means you help everyone feel that their cultures are valued, respected, and celebrated.
The image shows students of different cultural backgrounds engaging in a positive discussion as they talk about their similarities and differences with eachother and their teacher.
How Can I Create a Culturally Inclusive Environment?
One of the main issues teachers face when trying to create a culturally inclusive space is stereotypes. According to Norman(2020) teachers who provide a culturally inclusive space are proactive in dealing with stereotypes (p.9). Here are some ways to avoid stereotypes and provide a culturally diverse environment!
Why is it important to make my students feel Culturally included?
Vincent(2024) states that as an educator you will play a crucial role in helping prepare the young minds of the future to appreciate, understand, and celebrate the different cultures that make up our community. I feel that creating a diverse classroom will help give your students a sense of belonging, which in turn will raise their self esteem and get them more involved in day to day activities. Receiving an inclusive education is a right and not something students should have to earn, so providing this type of environment is essential in showing students that their needs are valued (Bisio, 2022).
Conclusion:
After reviewing various perspectives on cultural inclusivity, I feel that creating a balanced inclusive classroom that caters to all students is important in creating a beneficial learning environment. When differences in backgrounds are viewed as weakness, children face many challenges like oppression and lack of interest. Students whose backgrounds do not fit in with the majority of the others often feel they do not have the same opportunities as other students (Fuhrman, 2020). Providing an inclusive environment for all students is key to connecting with your students and providing a meaningful and beneficial education.
Questions:
Which of these best describes cultural inclusion?
A. Not recognizing any heritage other than your own
B. Only representing one or two cultures, but not all
C. Recognizing Hispanic Heritage only during Hispanic Heritage Month
D. Recognizing peoples cultural diversity every day as well as the contributions individuals from diverse cultures make
Which of the following is the best example of a culturally inclusive classroom?
A. A classroom that avoids discussing heritage and backgrounds altogether
B. A classroom that incorporates, celebrates, and values cultural differences every day.
C. A classroom that only recognizes and celebrates other cultures during their designated month (hispanic heritage, black history, Pride)
D. A classroom where all students are taught the same content and are expected to adapt to the dominant culture in that area
Answer Key:
D, B
How I used AI:
I used AI to generate the image under the "what is cultural inclusivity" section. I also used it to generate the images used on the background of each section. Another way I used AI was by asking it to explain some key points of my topic so that I could get a better understanding of what I was writing about. Lastly, I used AI to help format my questions by asking it to give me a few examples of questions pertaining to my topic, and using those questions as a guide to make my own.
Overall AI was helpful for me when creating this lesson. It helped me narrow down my key points and also assisted in formatting some of my sentences. It helped me get a better understanding of my topic
I try to limit my use of AI while also being mindful of its benefits. If I feel that AI would be beneficial, I try to use it in a smart way. I try to format my questions so that they don't flat out give me what I'm looking for, but guide me through the thinking process to get me to what I need. I have never intentionally used AI before this class so it is definietly a learning process, but so far the good has outweighed the bad.
References
Bisio, K. (2022a, November 29). Why inclusive practices are essential in education. MSU Denver. https://www.msudenver.edu/why-inclusive-practices-are-essential-in-education/
Fuhrman, R. (2020, September 15). Learning to recognize and celebrate students’ cultural experiences. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/learning-recognize-and-celebrate-students-cultural-experiences/
Norman, T. R. (2020, February 26). Rowan Digital Works. Site. https://rdw.rowan.edu/cgi/login.cgi?return_to=https%3A%2F%2Frdw.rowan.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1167%26context%3Detd&context=etd&article=1167
Vincent. (2024, June 12). The importance of cultural diversity in the classroom. CCEI A StraighterLine Company. https://www.cceionline.com/the-importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-the-classroom/
What is cultural inclusion? – learn everything you need to know. What is cultural inclusion? – Learn everything you need to know. (n.d.). https://developdiverse.com/deib_dictionary/cultural-inclusion/
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