If you check various forms of media, be it books, movies, or TV shows, on school and college years from the 20th century, you may find several similar points. Generally, when art takes on some subject, it focuses on typical problems that a certain social group faces. The social group can be represented by one character as well as by an ensemble of characters.
What are the typical issues of students? The first thing that pops up in your mind is studying itself. Especially homework and all the stress related to it. Fiction touches on those issues lightly. And mind that the internet wasn’t that popular until the second half of the 1990s. Thus, neither books nor movies of the last century provided any information that you could simply google write my essay and get more time to sleep or do other assignments. But everyone faces difficulties with homework, at least at some point in their life.
Probably the media focused more on college, then. There are more problems you may face there. College years are the first steps in your adult life. You may have doubts about whether your education choices were right or not. And you have more stress, as more often than not, you have to balance studies with odd jobs.
Well, that’s closer to issues that books, films, and TV shows touched upon. But you’re forgetting the most common problem that a lot of students face. The problem of fitting in. Some experience that in school, and others experience not fitting in during college years. There are various reasons why students don’t fit in:
- Social class difference
- Race
- Being part of a minority group
It’s safe to say that things are a bit different nowadays. There’s far more information on how to fit in, and society made some essential steps toward inclusivity. But, all in all, we still have a long way to go to be really inclusive. Let’s check out ways that the education system has to promote inclusivity and accessibility, and maybe you’ll think of ways to improve it.
Promoting Fairness and Diversity
Everything starts with promoting fairness and diversity. It means that students may be treated differently by the educational institution based solely on their academic achievements. Race, sex, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity of the students have no impact on how the high school or college staff is going to treat them.
The institution must provide students with the sense that their individuality is respected and they are welcome as a part of the school or college. In other words, respect toward differences should be shown while providing students with a sense that they belong in college. It generally requires avoiding stereotypes in curricular materials, or, if they’re unavoidable, the staff must explain why things were different in the past.
Expecting a Lot From Students
It’s important for teachers and professors to have high expectations of their students. But it’s crucial to express it properly. Having high expectations of students makes them feel better. Many researchers point out that such an attitude gives students more faith in their abilities. In other words, there’s no need to focus on the disabilities of some students. Instead, professors should show that they expect hard work study-wise equally from all students.
The wrong approach that some professors may take is expressing their disappointment when students fail their expectations. This may turn students away from the subject. Failures shouldn’t be treated as disasters. It’s better to show that they can achieve more if they study harder. It will be more helpful to figure out why they’ve failed and help them avoid those mistakes in the future.
Creating Peer-to-Peer Culture
Frequently, teachers or professors would single out the student who excels academically. They can also single out students who are not as successful as their peers. While this manner can prepare students for adult life, which can often be twice more difficult compared to that they had in college, it’s not conducive to inclusivity or accessibility. Basically, it’s poisoning students against each other.
Instead, professors should create and support peer-to-peer culture among their students. Show them that they can trust and rely on one another. Encourage those who excel academically to aid those who need help with their studies. Encourage the latter to seek help from the former. That way, professors can create a healthy in-class environment that can transition to students’ communication outside the class.
Challenging Stereotypes and Prejudices
One of the most important and easiest things that educational institutions can do when it comes to inclusivity, and accessibility is to challenge stereotypes and prejudices. Stereotypes are the reasons behind sexism, racism, Islamophobia, homophobia, etc. And they frequently lead to bullying. Each school or college must make sure that those issues are dealt with.
Administration-wise, all cases of stereotype and prejudice-based bullying should be reported and dealt with. As for the teaching staff, they need to do their best to challenge the said stereotypes from the very first day with students. Showing equal treatment and respect to students regardless of their identity may prevent possible cases of bullying.
Communicate With Students and Have Support Services
It’s highly important to communicate with your students regarding both their academic issues and their personal school- and college-related issues. Teachers and professors must be available to students through various means of communication. So, students can seek advice on this or that issue. It is also important to have support services on campus.
There are certain cases where a conversation with a professor can be helpful. Other cases, however, may require students to communicate with a professional shrink. That’s why it’s important for colleges to have psychological experts on campus. Psychological experts can really come in handy when students face difficulties with fitting in.
Final Thoughts
Those are the five ways that educational institutions use to promote inclusivity and accessibility or help cope with issues related to not fitting in. Those ways can be extremely useful when schools and colleges maintain them.