As an educator, you know what it’s like to teach in a mixed classroom, one that’s comprised of students with diverse backgrounds, varied academic levels, different primary languages, and unique personal circumstances. According to recent US public school statistics, are enrolled in gifted programs, receive special educational support, and 10% of students speak English as a second language. Teaching in a classroom this diverse can be both incredibly rewarding and challenging.
To help navigate this complex environment, we’ve gathered some insights and tips from Jenny Mohess, our CERTIFIED Ambassador and Jenny has decades of experience in mixed classrooms in Florida. Here are some of her tips for teaching in a mixed-ability classroom.
Don’t judge a book by its cover
To effectively teach in a diverse classroom, you need to look beyond a students’ appearance. Ethnicity is only one part of what makes a classroom diverse. Jenny commented, “Diversity isn't just about racial or cultural diversity. It also includes your students’ different academic levels, languages, and personal challenges. Teaching in a mixed classroom means you need to balance and factor in all those elements. You need to understand how those characteristics impact your students to know how to navigate your lessons,” she explains.
Make time to connect
Once you’ve considered all the components of your diverse classroom, it’s important to make time to connect with students individually. Knowing your students on a personal level helps you understand their unique circumstances and challenges.
Make sure to leverage various methods of connection. Jenny cited a few of her favorite techniques:
- Show genuine interest: Before your students can feel comfortable sharing themselves with you, they need to know you care about their hard work both in and out of the classroom.
- One-on-one conversations: There’s really no substitute to sitting down for a chat. Spending time with each student individually helps ensure that you understand their background and challenges.
- Leave the door open: Students need to know that their opinion is valued. Connection in the classroom starts when you create an open dialogue, an environment where students feel they can share their issues.
Recruit a team
Your concerted time and effort will mean so much to your students. When you recruit others to support your students, you’re expanding their personal networks.
Jenny’s had fabulous success leveraging campus resources to encourage her students. "It’s so important to find your partners on campus. Connect with counselors, the educational service center coaches, and other educators. When you work as a team, you can really come up with a plan," she advises. This is particularly important for students who require additional assistance academically, or whose families are in a time of transition.
For the team to collaborate effectively, and reassure your learners, make sure to schedule regular meetings with these partners to discuss student progress and challenges. Use these meetings to develop and share individualized plans for students who need extra attention. Of course, your support will not be sufficient without the engagement from parents and families. Involving parents or guardians in the process creates a cohesive team that will assist the student both in and out of the classroom.
Celebrate their wins
Regular meetings with your team give the added benefit of hearing about your students’ accomplishments, both big and small. There’s power in helping students feel seen and acknowledged. “Students want to be part of something that's important," Jenny says.
Celebrating success doesn’t need to be done on a large stage. Start with giving shout-outs in class. Publicly recognizing students’ achievements, no matter how small, builds confidence. You can even share their wins with their support crew, so the congratulations come from others outside your classroom. This type of positive reinforcement encourages your students to keep striving for their goals.
Keep learning
Teaching in a mixed classroom is a complex but rewarding experience. By getting to know your students, leveraging campus resources, and celebrating students’ wins, you can create a supportive and effective learning environment. As Jenny aptly puts it, "We’re never going to be perfect, but we can try to make a difference in as many lives as possible."
Ready to learn more from Jenny? Catch her full CERTIFIED Podcast .