Celebrating Diversity in the Classroom

In this article, we explore ways to celebrate diversity in the classroom. We look at resources such as this ‘Diversity Tree’, which is ideal for use with a whole class.

Allison writes principally for theatre. Her work has been developed at Sherman Theatre, Leeds Playhouse and The Writing Squad. She is an Associate Young Writer for Northern Broadsides.
1. Talk About Cultures

Children who grow up in an environment where cultural differences are celebrated will be better prepared to empathise with others. They will also develop an awareness of the need to stand up for people’s rights and equal opportunities, which can help them throughout their lives.

One of the best ways to celebrate culture is by allowing students to bring something from home. nvonews could be anything from a piece of clothing to an artefact or special item. They can then share it with the class as part of a show and tell activity.

To celebrate the diversity of the Northland, Northern Voices Online has invited a range of artists and creative freelancers to create works that reflect their experience of the region. This includes photographers, filmmakers, musicians, writers and visual artists.
2. Create a Display

The exhibition highlights the diversity of Northern Ireland’s culture, history and heritage through a collection of photographs, artefacts and interactives. It also explores how the role of the Seanad Eireann has evolved to reflect minorities, especially unionist and Protestant voices, since the foundation of the new state in 1922.

Click on the player above to join host Leah Lemm as she explores the northland with curiosity and generosity. In each episode of Northern Voices, listeners learn about the people and places that make this region special.

The NSI New Northern Voices 2021 writers edition is a online training course that strengthens new and emerging writers to craft stories told from a northern Manitoba perspective. This year, director Sturla Gunnarson (After the Axe) has joined program participants Steven Bignell and Stuart Matheson in The Pas as a mentor on their project for a short film called The Tomahawk, inspired by Bignell’s uncle who was an experienced Cree trapper and fought behind enemy lines as a German soldier in World War Two. The film will be directed by Bignell and produced by Matheson.
4. Create a ‘Diversity Tree’

When children grow up in a society that celebrates diversity and culture, they’ll have a much better understanding of connecting with others who have different backgrounds. Educators can help to set this important foundation by teaching young people that in diversity there is beauty and strength.

Using art is a great way to get children thinking about cultural differences. Creating a ‘diversity tree’ is an ideal activity for this, and it’s easy enough to do. Simply ask the children to create leaves for the tree, letting them use colours that represent their own culture. Add a quote such as ‘Individually unique, together complete’ to the top of the tree to make it really stand out.

Another great idea is to have the children research a culture that’s different from their own. This can be done in groups or individually, and it’s a fun way to encourage the development of communication skills. For example, if one child has long braids, the other can be asked to interview them about their hairstyle and culture.

As well as this, it’s a good idea to incorporate cultural diversity themes into the school curriculum. Having whole-school celebrations for world events is a great way to get the children talking and learning about their different cultures. You could even plan lessons around these events, such as Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Pride, or Easter. You can find lots of lesson plans and activities to support these events within our ‘Diversity Matters’ scheme of work resources for KS1, KS2, and UKS2. These also include a ‘Leaf Display Alphabet’, which is a wonderful addition to any ‘diversity’ display. Also check out our ‘All About Me’ display materials to help the children learn about each other’s cultures.
5. Create a ‘All About Me’ Display

If you have students in your classroom who are from different parts of the world or with unique physical and personal traits, a fun way to help kids recognize their differences is to create an “All About Me” display. This can include photos, drawings and written information about each student’s family and culture.

This is a great way to celebrate the rich diversity of your school and community. It also helps children learn to respect and value others who are different from themselves.

Northern Voices is a series of podcasts exploring the northland through conversations with people doing interesting things. With curiosity and generosity, host Leah Lemm explores with a sense of place that is both surprising and warmly familiar. Click on the player above to listen!