Managing a Diverse Classroom: Facing Upcoming Challenges

Description

Concept by Ilaria Barbieri

This course refers to teachers working in diverse classrooms due to the presence of disadvantaged learners, including migrant and immigrant students and children with special educational needs.

Diversity challenges traditional teaching strategies and methods imposing the need to successfully manage a common context for all students thanks to innovative solutions.

The course has been tailored for participants who seek to learn more about managing their heterogeneous classrooms effectively by encouraging participation and achievement for all students using the latest inclusive classroom management teaching methods and tools. 

Participants will learn more about managing a classroom through experiential learning and will discover case studies that encourage reflection, discussion, and sharing of good practices regarding the challenging issues of the contemporary classroom.

Through engaging activities, participants will develop innovative ways to increase motivation and collaboration among students, establish classroom rules, and incorporate pair and group work, as well as preventive and creative classroom management strategies to encourage students to reflect on their own classroom behavior.

Learning outcomes

The course will help the participants to:  

• Apprehend the concept of diversity and build a welcoming and reinforcing classroom environment; 
• Develop preventive and reactive strategies and techniques for differentiated teaching and classroom management; 
• Develop inclusive practices; 
• Effectively respond to students’ difficult behaviors; 
• Teach their students through innovative strategies (e.g. Jigsaw, Think-Pair-Share).

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Course introduction & setting goals

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities using drama for trust and ensemble building;
• Identification of needs and goals for each participant and relevant populations;
• Preventive and reactive strategies, rapport monitoring;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools.

Day 2 – The inclusive classroom

• Inclusive education;
• Diversity and equity;
• The narrative construction of identity;
• Intercultural competencies.

Day 3 – Behaviour and boundaries

• Setting effective rules;
• Dealing with difficult behavior;
• Team building activities to foster a safe environment.

Day 4 – Effective communication

• Cross-cultural communication;
• Support second language learners;
• Motivation in the classroom.

Day 5 – Overview

• Simulation of lessons by course members using tools and abilities for creating an inclusive environment;
• Reviewing knowledge gained and skills learned;
• Group discussion.

Day 6 – Course closure & cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.