Post #14 - Teaching in a Pluralistic Society

What is a Pluralistic Society?

“A pluralistic society is a diverse one, where the people in it believe all kinds of different things and tolerate each other's beliefs even when they don't match their own.”

We are aware of the fact that each one of us is an individual; therefore, we are all unique. The recognition of our individuality does not ensure inclusion. Every person has a different story, history, personality, experience, and all of these ideas deserve to be heard and respected. The classroom is a place for students to feel comfortable to express who they are freely, but more often than not, it is a place of discrimination. We base our lessons on what we know. Educators must take the step outside of their comfort zone to learn about their students and community. Who is the audience you are teaching to? Are you being inclusive or dismissive in your teaching? Is the lesson given from a single perspective or is it open to all?

Cultural Integration in the Classroom:

Everyone in a classroom has a story, a history, a background. Although these stories often overlap, we cannot forget the individuality of each student. This can be avoided by cultural integration within the classroom, whether it be in lesson planning, discussion, or activities. Each student walks through the doors with their own unique experiences and perspective. Rather than ignoring these differences, use them as an opportunity to expand the classroom’s view point. Check out the attached TedTalk to learn more on “The Danger of a Single Story!”

A common challenge that you hear from educators is that their subject is not receptive to cultural expansion. This is especially heard in the math/science field. However, it can be as simple as adding group work or peer discussions. How can you connect the classroom content to the students’ lives and share that meaningfulness? Tim Truzy, a rehabilitation counselor, educator, and former dispatcher from North Carolina, shared his insights on why culture is important, what it means to integrate culture into the classroom, and how the integration can be done through the form of a blog post. I would encourage looking into the 8 strategies he suggests, and I challenge you to implement one change, as minor or major as you feel comfortable, into your classroom this year. In addition to Truzy’s suggestions, I have attached two of my personal lesson plans below to see how I have worked to integrate cultural variety in my classroom.

Resources:

1. Linguistic Biases Lesson Plan

2. The Danger of a Single Story Reflection and Lesson

3. 8 Strategies to Integrate Culture in the Classroom