Connecting with Different Cultures (2)

The book Different Cultures Common Ground is written by Tara Brown, and it includes 85 different (proven) strategies to connect with all the different cultures in your classroom. I will be sharing around 5-8 strategies each week in this blog!

6. NAME CALLING ENCOURAGED: Learn your students' names within 48-72 hours. Use a seating chart from day one and quiz yourself as they are working at their desks. Addressing students by name is respectful and communicates that they are important enough for you to put in the time/effort to learn and use their names.

7. IS THAT NEW?: Make an effort to notice and to comment about changes in your students: new shoes, different hair style, 'cool' piece of clothing, earrings, etc.

8. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE: Notice when a student is absent and acknowledge they were missed when they return. When a student returned from an absence and asked for their make up work, I would often joke that there was none because we were so upset that they were absent, we cancelled class, turned off the lights and sat in the darkness in mourning. Joking yes, but it sent a message that their presence is important and that they were missed.

9. YOU'VE ENTERED THE SAFETY ZONE: Create an environment of safety in your classroom by doing some team building exercises or circles in which it helps the students to get to know each other. The more they know about one another, the more the differences will be minimized and the similarities highlighted, which will draw them closer together. Learning is risky and students need to feel safe to risk trying, sharing thoughts and opinions and other actions needed for learning to take place.

10. GLIMPSE BEHIND THE CURTAIN: Let the students get to know you as more than a dispenser of information. Create a bulletin board with your interests, pets, sports teams, hobbies, favorite foods, etc. It is also helpful to have pictures on your desk too. This will make you more approachable and increase the feeling of safety for students as they risk learning.