Teaching in Racially Diverse College ClassroomsTeaching in racially diverse college classrooms often leaves people feeling uncertain about how to proceed and how to behave. Unlike the days when one teaching style fit all students, in today's context there is pressure to acknowledge and accept students with perspectives other than our own, to diversify our syllabi, to be more aware of classroom dynamics, and to pay more attention to how our students are experiencing the learning process. Our collective ability to respond to and be enriched by these challenges will determine the success of our institutions and students.
To assist faculty and teaching fellows seeking to enhance learning for all students, we have put together this Tip Sheet, in the hope that it will empower educators to create the conditions under which diversity can flourish. When teaching in a multicultural context, we suggest that they prepare themselves in several ways: