TEACHING TOLERANCE AND EMBRACING DIVERSITY

By: April R. Baxter-Simmons

A Guide for Educators to Prepare our World to become Diverse Thinkers and Culturally Sensitive

OBJECTIVESAfter this presentation you will be able to….

• Identify yourself as a lifetime learner• Define yourself and who you are in this universe• Define prejudice and bias. Identify which ones you have.• Promote awareness that learning is a necessary component in

order to be an effective teacher. • Define the different types of learning styles.• Communicate effectively with people of different cultures.

MISSION TO ENHANCE TEACHING AND LEARNING

As teachers the roles will be reversed as you will be forced to learn. The students will now be your teachers, giving you a new outlook on life itself.

WHO AM I• We are all different, we come from

different walks of life. What makes us special is our story and our personal history that we can share and offer to the world.

• As you examine yourself take the time to ask the yourself “What is my story, who am I”?

• The key to helping others and promoting awareness is knowing oneself.

QUIZHOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF

Answer these questions as honestly as you can….

True or False

1. I am a prejudice person2. I am believe that all individuals are capable of learning 3. I am a bias person at times4. I believe that learning is a necessary component in order to be an

effective teacher.

HOW WELL DID YOU DO

• If you answered true to all of these questions then you have what it takes to be a true leader and advisory for your students.

• If you answered false to some of the questions then you are almost there, but not quite yet.

• If you answered false to more than half of the questions then LISTEN UP GOOD!!

Self Grading System

COMMUNICATION IS KEYGetting to know yourself is the first step, but being aware of your actions and

working with barriers to communication is another intricate step in the process of being more culturally aware.

So you have admitted that you have some flaws about yourself now its time to work on communicating effectively so that your personal opinions and ideas are

not imposed on others.

BODY LANGUAGE Be aware of the message your body sends to others because

send an unintended message to your audience.

Attentive

DemeanorNegative/Defensive

KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOPICDo Your Homework!!!!!!!

• Knowledge is POWER!• Never make a definitive decision

about something until after you have taken the time to research it thoroughly.

• Practice Acceptance!!

APPLY THIS CONCEPT TO PEOPLE AND PLACES ALL THE TIME

Have a reason for all actions never leave room for “I don’t know”

ATMOSPHERE FOR LEARNING The atmosphere must be set for learning, growth and acceptance. You set the tone of the atmosphere based on your attitude and your approach to your audience. Your job is to cultivate an atmosphere where students or individuals….• Feel like they are able to express themselves freely• Are able to speak out against any issues they may have• Are able to trust the administration team as well as their instructors.• Can come together and learn.

In order for this to happen you must…..

….Address each individuals learning styles and be open to implementing new activities and exercises.

What type of Learners Are You Teaching???

~Visual?

Kinesthetic? Auditory?

KINESTHETIC LEARNERS

• Learn by doing• Hands on approach to learning

VISUAL LEARNERS • Learn by seeing!• Learning by the use of visual aids such as pictures and diagrams that help

an individual connect certain key concepts and ideas.

AUDITORY LEARNERS • Learn by hearing • Information is better retained when giving lectures. • Understanding is better gained through explanation of concepts and ideas.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER

• Examine where you are now.• Evaluate the details of your surroundings and make yourself familiar with

the things you are not use to or cannot explain.• Address the possible barriers to communication and make sure you

consider them as you attempt to communicate.• Cultivate an atmosphere for learning so that people are receptive to the

information you are sharing. • Develop different methods to make learning possible for all students.

REPEAT THE CYCLE AND TEACH SOMEONE ELSE

• Change does not stop with you, but it starts with you.

• Lead by example so that others can follow.

• Share what you have learned with others so that we all can grow

REFERENCESNieto, S. (1992). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education. New York: Longman.Byrd, M. L. (1995). Public Address, Cultural Diversity, and Tolerance: Teaching Cultural Diversity in Speech Classes. Educational Research Information Clearinghouse, 1-21. doi: ED381821York, D., E, & Irvine, J., J. (1995). Learning Styles and Culturally Diverse Students: A Literature Review. Educational Research Information Clearinghouse, 1-14. doi: ED382722