This chapter will give you practical information about how to understand culture, establish relationships with people from cultures different from your own, act as an ally against racism and other forms of discrimination, create organizations in which diverse groups can work together, overcome internalized oppression, and build strong and diverse communities. Particular attention should be paid to adults who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves. I am glad I attended the schools I went to. Obviously, reversing racial and socioeconomic resegregation is a task without simple solutions. By moving beyond yourself, you gain a panoramic perspective of the world around you and a more complete view of your place in it. People often try to go it alone, but we can lose sight of our goals and then become discouraged when operating solo.
The experience of diversity also leads one away from blanket stereotypes and narrow-minded views of those different from themselves. Equality and diversity, or multiculturalism, is the idea of promoting and accepting the differences between people. Attracting Talent As the American workforce becomes more culturally diverse, businesses that actively promote respect for diversity and foster an atmosphere of inclusion will be in a better position to compete for highly skilled and highly sought-after talent. Whether we like it or not, many times we find ourselves segregated from other groups in schools, churches, and our own neighborhoods. Race Relations Act 1976 and 2000 The race relations act places a statutory duty on schools to promote race equality.
Go through their responses as a class — are they surprised by the results? She holds a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. But why is diversity important in college at all? Rather than viewing the world through a single-focus lens, you are able to expand your views and consider multiple options when making decisions and weighing issues of, for example, morality and ethics. Without diversity there would not be many of the things that we have in our lives that help us along. Photo courtesy Patrick Kelly I am in my eleventh year teaching but often find my greatest educational epiphanies as a parent. Our nation is changing, and our higher education institutions need to reflect this diversity. How can I instill my children with the moral values of my own religion or culture, but still expose them to a variety of views? And this is exactly why the country is so polarized. Integrated classroom environments are important in helping students learn to collaborate and communicate with the different cultures and backgrounds found in the 21st century work environment.
The complexity of challenges facing the world today requires the input people from different cultural backgrounds if we are to succeed. The simple idea of the wheel would not have been possible if not for the diversity idea being present in that society. How do both teams feel afterwards? Therefore it is very important to encourage respect and. For example, it is possible to acquire a new culture by moving to a new country or region, by a change in our economic status, or by becoming disabled. If you wish to introduce other sources of information, this must be referenced This workbook meets the following assessment criteria for the unit : Assessment criteria Achieved Date 1. Teaching students about multicultural role models also serves as an effective method for demonstrating that people of all genders, ethnicities, and appearances can have a positive influence on the world and deserve to be respected and emulated. But why is diversity important? How might a culturally responsive educator push against human nature's natural aversion to the unknown and help students become more respectful of cultures with different ideas? Minority students can sometimes feel pressured to dispose of their cultural norms, behaviors, and traditions in order to fit in with the prevalent social order.
Working on common cross-cultural communication challenges. Instead, it is more of a holding back of all areas in that society. If you have students in your class who speak another language, ask them to help. You cannot have a homogeneous group to work with anymore. Interacting with people from a variety of groups widens your social circle by expanding the pool of people with whom you can associate and develop relationships. According to workplace management consultants Katherine Etsy, Richard Griffin and Marcie Schorr Hirsch, fostering cultural diversity can reduce conflict and improve workplace morale. Visiting blogger Aaron Thompson, professor of sociology at Eastern Kentucky University and coauthor with Joe Cuseo of , offers eight reasons why diversity matters at college: 1.
For example, never assume that an older adult has a poor memory or poor hearing, and never assume that a younger adult is too immature to make a decision. In the next sections we will talk about how to become aware of your own culture, build relationships with from different cultures, become allies to people discriminated against, overcome internalized oppression, build multicultural organizations and coalitions, and other topics as well. . Getting to know your colleagues on a personal level, regardless of their culture and background, will help you to find common ground, deepen your appreciation of differences, and promote an inclusive and welcoming work environment. There are no easy answers; we are all learning as we go. Diversity is a national security issue. The disability equality duty requires the public sector to actively promote disability equality, and is similar to the duty to promote race equality under the.
The social unit becomes bogged down in this way of doing things within that placement. About the Author Based in Austin, Texas, David Breshears is a writer and consultant specializing in online communities, e-commerce and social media. The importance of supporting the rights of children and young people is that not all children are the same. Properties and economies have also been destroyed due to lack of understanding. When people value diversity, they recognize and respect the fact that people are different and that these differences is generally a good thing. More specifically, equality is about ensuring individuals are treated fairly and equally, no matter their race, gender, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.
Schools in their policies and we, as component part of the school, have the duty to guarantee that, anti-discriminatory practice and not discrimination , is promoted. They should have equal access to the curriculum irrespective of their background, race, culture, gender, additional need or disability. People from different cultures and background may take a different approach to business issues. This further creates employment opportunities for people in those parts of the world. Both research and my experience show the link between quality and diversity in schools. Regulatory Compliance Local, state and federal regulations prohibiting discrimination and promoting workplace diversity are forcing businesses to come to terms with issues of cultural diversity. One reason for seeking out and acknowledging cultural differences among students is the idea that learning involves transfer of information from prior knowledge and experiences.