Teaching Diverse Populations - Resources for a divergent classroom

The Sneetches is about two types of creatures, separated by having or not having stars on their bellies. The Star-Belly Sneetches think they are the best, and look down upon Sneetches without stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches remain depressed and oppressed, prohibited from associating with their star-bellied counterparts, until Sylvester McMonkey McBean comes along with his Star-on and Star-off machines. He begins to give stars to the Plain-Belly Sneetches, and soon they are happy, for they look like their elite counterparts. The original Star-Belly Sneetches are angry at no longer being different and special, so they get Sylvester to remove all their stars. This continues back and forth until no one can remember which Sneetches were originally what, and an epiphany strikes them all at once: that it really doesn’t matter whether a Sneetch has a star belly or not - they are all really the same, and can coexist and be friends with one another. This helps deal with diversity and show that race and ethnicity need not be dividing lines in our society, and that we can coexist peacefully, regardless of our external differences. It can be used any time diversity needs to be addressed.

1. Express interest in the ethnic background of your students 2.Redirect your role in the classroom from instructor to facilitator 3.Maintain a strict level of sensitivity to language concerns 4.Maintain high expectations for student performance. 5.Incorporate methods for self-testing 6.Maintain an "inclusive" curriculum that remains respectful of differences

Monsters University is a film about diversity, the innate differences between individuals, and the institutions and situations that help foster connections and understanding between those individuals. The movie shows GROWTH MINDSET, it is about the challenge of limited talent and the realization that hard work can only take one so far – and sometimes not even as far as people who are just “born with it.”

This website helps to encourage students to respect others and build a more inclusive world. Explore this Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Resources for Classrooms Top Picks list of 35 tools curated by Common Sense Education editors to find relevant and engaging edtech solutions for your classroom.

NAME is a non-profit organization that advances and advocates for equity and social justice through multicultural education. This website offers multiple suggestions to help your child get along with people of varied backgrounds and abilities in the United States today.

Students will use the Google Expedition app to engage in a virtual reality experience. This Expedition takes students through five festivals and holidays from countries all around the world. Teachers will download the "Festivals Around the World" by Vida Systems expedition on the teacher tablet to push out to the students on the VR headset. Students will view different festivals celebrated by different cultures around the world, record facts about those cultures, and reflect upon their thinking. At the end of this activity, students will be curious about other countries and cultures, will generate questions, and will celebrate diversity in our world.

Dan’s dog Diesel is basically the most awesome companion a kid could ask for. He rides trains, fights dragons, helps Dan to the market and goes everywhere he goes. Diesel is never afraid and the duo take off on a series of boy-and-his-dog adventures. It’s only at the end that it’s revealed that Dan is blind and Diesel is his seeing eye dog. It’s a remarkable story that teaches that people with disabilities are no less able to go on adventures and have a fulfilling life relatable to students without disabilities.

This movie breaks down barriers and allows students to look at the deepest and darkest aspects of their well-being. It creates a space for students to understand the complexities of human emotion and feelings. It also gives students language and insight to better express what they are feeling and working through in both the lowest and highest moments of life. This can help them not only understand themselves, but possibly help them relate better to their peers.

1.Celebrate different cultural festivals
2.Attempt to learn a bit more about the different backgrounds of pupils in your class
3.Include a variety of books in your classroom book collection
4.Hold a food fair to celebrate different dishes from around the world
5.Set presentation projects for students on a culture or nation
6.Host a culture day
7.Hold events with guests and motivational speakers from different backgrounds

All children and their families are welcomed in a school that embraces family diversity. Families are children’s first frame of reference for their world. Children need to know that their families matter both in and outside of their homes. Welcoming diverse families means children can see their world reflected in their school, while also learning about the diversity of the community around them.