Diversity in the Classroom

​The quality of a child’s education has an effect on their sense of self-worth and motivation when it comes to learning and achieving inside and outside of the classroom. In a perfect world, all children would receive an education of the same merit, which would provide each of them with an equal opportunity for success in the future. Sadly, the world is not perfect or fair and things such as race, ability, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status determine the quality of the education a child receives. At no fault of their own, some children are singled out because of aspects of their identity, and their education is poorly affected as a result. Typically, children in the minority – that being anyone who is not white, male, middle class, or heterosexual – receive an education that is of lesser quality than that of children in the majority. Similarly, students who live in poorer areas receive less educational opportunities than students who live in wealthier areas. There are numerous outside factors that children have no control over that dictate the quality of the education they receive and, ultimately, dictate their level of success in the future. 

Although teachers cannot control how the education system discriminates against students of the minority, they can control how they treat their students and the quality of the education that they provide their students. A teacher should welcome all students regardless of family background, home life, and identity. All students should feel valued and supported in the classroom by their teachers and their peers. Teachers should provide all of their students with equal opportunities while keeping in mind the cultural and religious traditions that may interfere with class activities or assignments. In addition, students of all races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and social classes should be reflected in the class materials and content. While teachers cannot do much to change the inequality and inequity within the education system, they have the power to improve the educational experience of their students to instill a strong sense of self-worth and the motivation to learn and achieve.