Tuesday, October 17, 2017




Each day, at least ten major cultural and ethical backgrounds cross the threshold of my classroom. Teaching in Phnom Penh, Cambodia at an international school, I am graced with the presence of Khmer, Korean, Chinese, Singaporean, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, African, Canadian, and American students. Of course, each of these major cultural and ethical representatives are also bringing with them nuanced differences that come from being a part of a diverse clan, tribe, family, caste, religion, etc. To assume a teacher can adequately manage a multicultural classroom community of this level of diversity in such a way as to guarantee the proper representation of all students cultures and ethnic backgrounds is likely not realistic. However, there are many steps a teacher can take to ensure a climate of caring and concern that fosters a safe place where students feel free to be who God created them to be (if you don’t like my use of God, check your tolerance meter). A classroom that models Christian love, emphasizes real tolerance, and provides students an opportunity to serve and mingle with peers of a different culture, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds promotes a learning environment where diversity is celebrated and biases challenged.


Paul the Apostle couldn’t have made a more tolerant statement when he reminded the Galatian church that “We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same—we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Paul was making it clear that to understand the love of Jesus is to understand unity in the midst of diversity. In other words, we may have these superficial differences, and those difference are special, unique, and sacred but we have a commonality that unifies us. A classroom that models this love promotes a learning environment where diversity is celebrated and biases challenged. This love is extended to all, regardless of religion, creed, beliefs, etc. and is expected of all. This holds a perfect balance with the types of programs and values being promoted in the public school system in the west. For example, listening, humility, respect, trust, and voice (Critical Practice, 1991; Davis, 2013) during shared inquiry, as an active learning experience, are emphasized in a classroom where a God-centered love for all humanity dominates the classroom ethos.  


Tolerance has been haphazardly and destructively redefined in recent years. Tolerance is now defined as the bland affirmation of all viewpoints (about everything and anything) being equally true, valid, and/or binding. Unfortunately, what’s so destructive is this total cultural relativism really does nothing to promote real tolerance. In fact, it actually expects cultures to flash freeze their current beliefs, understanding, and practices by promoting an idea that those very things that make a culture what it is, will not need further refinement, change, or possibly abandoned altogether. This is actually very intolerant of cultures (and subcultures) as they naturally need to develop towards greater clarity of meaning. Real tolerance is the ability to vehemently disagree with someone and yet deeply respect them at the same time. I am not tolerant of the homosexual community because I agree with them, I am tolerant of them because I vehemently oppose their beliefs while totally respecting them at the same time. An emphasis on real tolerance allows students the freedom to disagree with each other while expecting they will not waver in their deep respect for one another. This idea of maintaining and expecting a high level of respect can be seen in the abandonment of “zero tolerance” policies and the implementation of “zero indifference” policies to replace (Critical Practice, 1991; Davis, 2013). Students know they are cared for and that there is real concern for all they prioritize when they are embraced with an attitude that says, “Regardless of what we don’t agree on, I will respect you.”


It’s one thing to promote care and concern in a classroom, it’s another to promote it in the greater community. Providing students with the opportunities to serve and mingle with peers of a different culture, ethnic, and socioeconomic background, not only increases their awareness of the vast differences that surround them but helps promote a deeper celebration of diversity in the classroom. Using technology to partner with a school in a different part of the world, for a collaborative unit project, affords students the experience of academically and socially interacting with someone who may be very different. Providing the students with a rubric that requires students to evaluate their collaborative efforts in light of cultural differences forces students to recognize these differences in a work related context. In addition, student participation in a variety of community service projects allows our students the opportunity to interact with those who are significantly socioeconomically different. As unreasonable biases against the poorer class persist in this community, it is essential to place the students in proximity to those whom they otherwise may stereotype.  

Critical Practice for Anti-bias Education. (1991). Teaching Tolerance
Retrieved from


Davis, M. (2013). Preparing for Cultural Diversity: Resources for Teachers.


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