When you are a teacher teaching your students in the same culture for the first time, it is very exciting since you have to learn to know your new students ranging from their names, their faces, their personalities to their learning styles and vice versa, they must get to know you. Fortunately, you can speak the same language and understand the cultures very well. Once you become a teacher teaching in a “diversity classroom” online which doesn’t relate only race and ethnicity but they are mixed of students of different religions and beliefs , economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and language background, the first thing you have to do is practicing your mindfulness techniques, do not freak out and learn my tips “How do I manage the diversity in an online classroom? “
Get to know all of your students as much as you can since 1st day. When you look at the students’ name lists, you might get confused with unfamiliar names and reduplicate names. In the case I suggest to use all power you have to learn their faces, personalities and what they like you to call them. At least you’ll know who to ask for participation, help and support.
Manage and rearrange the names in the group work effectively. Actually, it is very easy, just to click how many rooms you need and the program will just randomly select the names for you. Unfortunately, since you click open the breakout rooms, you just let the drama begins. “Arjarn (teacher), I am upset, why did you put me with people who do not contribute anything to work?” “Why don’t I have my name on the work” “I only put the names of people with contribution.” Believe me, that’s reason I tell you to get to know all of them since the first day and try to ask and understand who they are happy to be with. From my experiences, I tell them not to put the names on the works but you have to go to every break out rooms, being there and observing who are participating. Since then there are no more complaints, all students try to participate, turn on microphone and camera. Well, you just can’t allow yourself to go and sip a cup of coffee while they are working in group. You are also contributing to their group works. Nevertheless, if you do not mind about the complaining and those kinds of drama, just forget it and let the computers do their work.
Tell the exactly what you are going to do with them. Trust me this, you have to tell them the particular date and time they are going to be here in the classroom along with the lesson plans, the class attendance plus participation marks. If you all of sudden change something later, prepare to hear the complaints with angry faces, you would wish to press “mute all” or leave the room or end the meeting.
Assign the work along with examples. When you ask them to do something, don’t think that they will always understand the same way as yours. The best way is to write down the instructions and give them some examples.
Speak what on your mind. In some cultures, indirect communications are much more accepted but for “diversity classroom”, you need a direct communication with a non-offensive manner. So when you need to say “NO”, it is just “NO” with a make-sense reason.
To conclude, in our increasingly diverse, multicultural society and online teaching, I think teachers can’t avoid facing the situation. When someone give you an opportunity to teach a diversity classroom, don’t say “No”. It is a bit of a challenge for the adrenaline rush. It is a big further step of being an online teachers.
