Unity in Diversity: Classroom Environment Inclusivity

In today’s diverse and evolving society, the role of teachers in promoting inclusivity in classrooms has become critical. Creating an inclusive environment where every student feels essential, welcomed, respected, and valued benefits a single child and affects the overall development of an entire class. That is how vital inclusivity is in a classroom and why it should be practiced more.

Practicing inclusivity in the classroom is crucial as it involves many vital strategies. Firstly, it is essential to know and understand your students, like how different they are or how different they react or solve new things; inclusivity in teaching and learning can be beneficial as it helps the educators to get to know their students in a much better way. It can also acknowledge and celebrate the different unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that each student brings to the learning environment, which is the classroom. 

By including diverse voices and experiences in the curriculum, the teachers with this knowledge can create a more engaging and enhancing learning environment for the students in the following ways:

1. Nurturing a sense of belongingness and acceptance as it is crucial in promoting inclusivity. Teachers can achieve this by encouraging open communication, active listening, and student mutual respect. 
2. Creating opportunities for group activities and helps students appreciate the value of teamwork and cooperation, regardless of their differences, allowing them to feel confident about themselves. 
3. Creating an inclusive classroom environment as it provides a platform for addressing inequality. One way to promote inclusivity is by incorporating diverse perspectives into the curriculum. This can include studying various cultures, histories, and voices to ensure all students feel represented and valued. Encouraging open discussions where all students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences can foster inclusivity.
4. Additionally, it helps to provide support and accommodation for students with different learning styles or needs is essential for creating a level playing field. By actively promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, we can work towards reducing inequality and creating a more supportive learning environment for all students.

Thinking about teamwork or creating an equal environment for the students can make or break the environment. So, to avoid such things, teachers play a huge role in creating an interactive and engaging atmosphere for the students. This can be done by encouraging more interaction among the students the more engaging and interactive they have with one another, the better inclusion the classroom will have, the more likely the students will have a sense of belonging, and the greater the students’ connection with their education and goals 

Therefore, many different activities can encourage interaction among the students. For example, when students start their schooling or when they first start their college journey or at any institution or work, there is an activity to make everyone comfortable in a new environment, i.e., icebreakers. 

This ice breaking session is made for students to get to know their friends better; switching the seat arrangements every week or every day can help create a more engaging positive experience for all of them, organizing more group projects where all the students will be paired up with different creative individuals and this way they can help each other with their creative juices and ideas to make the projects a more enjoyable experience. 

Encouraging these activities will not only benefit the class by making it more interactive. Still, it can also be especially beneficial for those students who find break time a lonely or dull part of the school day. This way, they can interact and make new friends with whom to hang out. Feeling included and wanted can change a person’s perspective of how they want or who they want to be in the future.

Knowing what motivates students to learn and the styles of learning that work best for them are critical components of fostering inclusivity in the classroom. At the start of the school year, teachers might consider handing out a questionnaire or hosting conversations about what excites students about learning, what they see as their strengths and weaknesses, and what goals they have for the year, and then incorporating these findings into lesson plans and classroom materials. Implementing diverse activities around a single lesson can offer students multiple ways to learn and improve retention. For example, planning an independent reading activity, interactive discussion with peers, creative art project, and hands-on experiment around a single topic can not only reinforce knowledge for all students. 

Inclusivity in the classroom also means providing fair and equal access to resources, support, and opportunities for all students. Teachers should be mindful of individual learning needs and preferences, offering personalized assistance and accommodations when necessary. Teachers can create a supportive and empowering learning environment by focusing on each student’s abilities.

Given these points, practicing inclusivity in the classroom in teaching and learning is necessary in today’s diverse world, where students with different views should feel comfortable and welcome by embracing diversity, promoting equality, and fostering an environment where students feel respected and accepted. But, being inclusive in the classroom means ensuring that every student feels welcomed and appreciated regardless of their background, caste, color, or difference. It’s all about creating an equal learning environment where every child can learn and grow happily. 

Therefore, promoting inclusivity in the classroom can pave the way for a brighter, equal, and better future for all students.

Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editorial team includes Chubamenla, Asst. Professor, Dept. of English and Rinsit Sareo, Asst. Manager, IT, Media & Communications.

For feedback or comments please email: dot@tetsocollege.org