Strategies for Promoting Inclusivity in Schools

Promoting inclusivity in schools is important for creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all students. Schools can use several strategies to achieve this. First, they can educate teachers and staff about different cultures, abilities, and backgrounds. This helps them understand and respect each student's unique identity. Second, schools can encourage students to celebrate diversity through events and activities. Third, schools can create policies that prevent bullying and discrimination. Finally, schools can involve parents and the community to promote inclusivity. Using these strategies, schools can help every student feel valued and accepted. In today’s episode, we are joined by Christine Matovich and Hon Chong. Christine is the founder of CommonTime.online, Outreach and Performing Arts International School of Stuttgart e.v. Christine is passionate about the role the arts play in our schools, communities, and economies. Hong is a bold artistic director, founder, and performing artist with over 17 years of building a company, a theater, and a non-profit organization through resourcefulness, resilience, and strong leadership abilities. Christine and Hon share their valuable insights on effective strategies for promoting inclusivity in a cultural understanding in educational settings, real-life examples of incorporating arts into the learning scenarios in class, the pivotal point when Hon’s audience grew significantly from 30 to 200, and Christine’s final remarks. Tune in to learn more! Notable Quotes “Things can turn out in a way that you don’t expect.” “Mistakes are opportunities.” “Things will not be perfect, and that’s okay.” “How educators can create a supporting environment that encourages children to explore the opportunities of mistakes.” Timestamp Effective Strategies for Promoting Inclusivity in a Cultural Understanding in the Educational Setting (07:36): Curriculum Diversification: Integrate diverse perspectives, authors, and cultural contexts into the curriculum. This includes literature, history, and social studies. Multilingual Resources: Provide materials in multiple languages to accommodate students from various linguistic backgrounds. Cultural Competency Training: Educate staff on cultural differences, biases, and effective communication across cultures. Inclusive Events: Organize cultural celebrations, workshops, and dialogues to foster understanding. Community Engagement: Collaborate with local communities and cultural organizations to enrich the educational experience. Real-Life Example of Incorporating Arts into Learning Scenarios (11:15) Visual Arts: Use paintings, sculptures, and photographs as teaching tools. Analyze their historical and cultural significance. Performing Arts: Integrate theater, music, and dance into lessons. Explore cultural performances and their context. Creative Expression: Encourage students to create their own art, reflecting their cultural identities. Pivotal Point in Hon’s Audience Growth (13:42): Christine’s Final Remarks (34:56): Let's Connect Connect With Christine Matovich LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-matovich-ma/?originalSubdomain=de Website: https://commontime.online/ Connect With Chon Hong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hon-chong/ Connect With Molly Fae  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollyfaenash/ Connect With Dana Specker Watts  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaspeckerwatts/ Twitter: https://x.com/teachwatts Connect With Mike Pierre LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-pierre More Resources Head over iss.idu to check out ISS website for events and more. Sign up for Moreland University to elevate your career as an educator at www.moreland.edu Join the community of professional educators considering the role of inclusion in the classroom culture at seniainternational.org Check out inspirecitizens who inspire schools to live their mission of global citizenship at inspirecitizens.org