Race & Ethnicity
Race- and ethnicity-related relationships may involve some of the most complex issues in terms of preventing the promotion of biases and prejudices. Among core strategies for preventing and addressing biases in class, a combination of classroom lessons and school policies must be used. Furthermore, active efforts to celebrate diversity in the classroom must be made.
Religion
Learners from diverse religious backgrounds may also be exposed to discrimination and prejudices in class. To counteract the specified problem or prevent it from taking place altogether, a teacher should combine the active education of learners with the promotion of a culture of respect. Specifically, activities geared toward building learners’ understanding of religious diversity must be introduced.
Gender and Sexual Identity
Gender, sex, and sexuality also represent protected characteristics and identities that can be marginalized. Therefore, students must be introduced to the concepts of sex as a combination of biological characteristics, gender as a sociocultural construct, and sexual orientation as an attraction to people of a specific sex. To address possible discrimination based on the specified characteristic, students should be educated on the concepts of sex, sexual orientation, and gender and provided with a reporting system to inform about instances of discrimination.
Class
Finally, class discrimination may occur if learners make assumptions about one another based on their belonging to a specific class and ostracize members of the less favored class. The specified scenario can be averted by introducing appropriate policies that minimize the threat of class disparities within the classroom environment. Furthermore, learners should be introduced to the concept of inclusion.
Stereotype Threat
Furthermore, the notion of the stereotype threat should be introduced to the target environment. Namely, students should be familiarized with the notion of the stereotype threat as a phenomenon involving vulnerable populations underperforming due to the fear that constant stereotyping has inflicted upon them. As a result, motivation loss and mental health issues may be expected.
Strategies to Address Stereotype-Threats
Several strategies for mitigating the stereotype threat phenomenon within the classroom environment should be mentioned. First, an educator should encourage the promotion of a positive identity in learners, therefore building a welcoming environment. Additionally, a teacher should introduce learners to the notion of incremental development, thus promoting a growth mindset. Finally, classroom discussions should be encouraged to build the setting for a robust conversation addressing possible issues that learners may have accepting others.
Growth Mindset
The concept of the growth mindset was coined by Carol Dweck, a Stanford Psychologist. The notion of the growth mindset implies that there is always room for improvement, and that learners should seek to familiarize themselves with new ideas and phenomena constantly, while also recognizing the lessons to be learned from failures. Thus, students will develop a sense of tolerance and acceptance.
Strategies to Promote a Growth Mindset
As a perspective geared toward the promotion of active personal development, a growth mindset can be cultivated in students by utilizing the strategy of positive reinforcement and an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Furthermore, real-world context will be introduced into the classroom experience to build a proper understanding of diversity and tolerance.
Reflection
The exploration of diversity and the associated concepts has expanded my understanding of diversity and allowed me to recognize its significance in the classroom. Moreover, strategies for encouraging diversity-based attitudes and prevention of prejudices and biases affecting the relationships between students have been shaped. Overall, the importance of a mindful attitude and the promotion of personal growth among learners in regard to their understanding of cultural differences and the development of cultural competence were discovered.
References
Dweck, C., & Yeager, D. (2021). Global mindset initiative introduction: Envisioning the Future of Growth Mindset Research in Education. SSRN Electronic Journal, 18(11), 1–55. Web.
King Miller, B. A., Stevenson, A. D., & Casler-Failing, S. L. (2021). Expanding STEM membership: Using science process skills in a social justice curriculum to combat stereotype threats and build self-efficacy in African American students. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 11(1) 1-10. Web.
Liu, S., Liu, P., Wang, M., & Zhang, B. (2021). Effectiveness of stereotype threat interventions: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(6), 921–949. Web.
Powe, C. E., & Carter, E. B. (2021). Racial and ethnic differences in gestational diabetes. JAMA, 326(7), 616. Web.
Sebastian, L. C., & Arifianto, A. R. (2020). Trans special section on “growing religious intolerance in Indonesia.” TRaNS: Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia, 8(1), 1–5. Web.
Schuler, M. S., Rice, C. E., Evans-Polce, R. J., & Collins, R. L. (2018). Disparities in substance use behaviors and disorders among adult sexual minorities by age, gender, and sexual identity. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 189, 139–146. Web.
Yu, S., & Blader, S. L. (2019). Why does social class affect subjective well-being? the role of status and power. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46(3), 331–348. Web.