Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” For me, this quote encompasses the essence of why creating a diverse classroom is of the utmost importance. It is necessary to understand that all of the students have different cultural backgrounds, varying educational histories, and personal learning styles. Students from diverse backgrounds often become frustrated or anxious when given a standard learning opportunity because they do not thrive in that particular learning environment. In recognizing the diversity in our classrooms, we can provide a variety of learning opportunities that will be exciting for each student promoting their enthusiasm for the subject and their motivation to learn. As an educator, it is my job to create this environment that encourages diversity and enthusiasm.

Diversity

I employ a variety of teaching strategies to establish an inclusive learning environment. First, I use various assessments. Each exam has an assortment of question forms including multiple-choice and essay so students can feel confident that the question type they prefer will be represented. Their confidence not only results in a better score, but more importantly, a greater motivation to learn. Secondly, I provide additional assessments so students with testing anxiety have other opportunities to show their knowledge. At least half of my courses are comprised of discussions, homework assignments, and group projects. With each assignment, students have numerous options. For example, with class discussions students can create official presentations and facilitate their own discussions or they can choose to partake in informal whole class discussions. For group projects, students can choose the form of their project such as, creating a video, writing a book report, or crafting a scrap book to best represent their knowledge of the class material. With this approach, students are able to play to his/her best strengths regardless of background.

Enthusiasm

In addition to diversity, enthusiasm is necessary in inspiring students in the classroom. To promote this excitement, it is essential to 1) actively involve students and 2) present the material so students appreciate the importance of the topic to their lives. In my classroom I use a variety of active learning techniques to promote engagement. I use group discussions and think-pair-share strategies; assign group projects and presentations; and incorporate videos into lectures. With each of these assignments and activities, I bring the real world into the classroom by making the material applicable. For example, if we are talking about dopamine neurotransmission, I would 1) give a lecture explaining dopamine neurotransmission 2) show a video animation of how dopamine works in the brain, 3) break the students into activity groups where they discuss why this neurotransmission is important to their lives and 4) facilitate a whole classroom discussion to clarify points made in the separate discussions. Involving the students and helping them realize the importance of the material only increases their excitement for the material. If they know that dopamine transmission is what allows them to feel happiness, it only encourages them to learn more.