Hidalgo 1

Emma Hidalgo

Professor Shanna Pearson

EDC 306

18 December, 2018

I Believe in Diverse Classrooms

I believe in diverse classrooms. Growing up I went to a predominately white, catholic

school where my small class of 18 students, stayed the same from third grade to eighth grade. I

was only one of two hispanic people in my class. In eighth grade, Disney channel decided on

Latino History month to share bits and pieces of latin culture in between shows. One day a friend

of mine asked in a very American accent if I was going to have a ​quinceanero​, and that was the

very first time I found myself openly sharing my heritage. After I explained that it’s basically a

sweet sixteen with a mass included they realized that this “foreign” idea was something they

were very familiar with.

It wasn't until high school that I met a variety of nationalities and even peers who were

just like me. People who I thought were very different than me actually had some unexpected

similarities. I remember being shock to find that Dominican ​pernil​ for me, was Filipino ​lechon

for my friends, and just because Mexicans have ​tamales​ does not mean they are the same as the

Guatemalan ​tamales ​I know and love but instead are ​chuchitos,​ which are not my favorite!

Interacting with so many people from diverse backgrounds made me realize that were not so

different after all. Had my high school not been as diverse I probably would not have these

connections so early if ever.

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Diverse classrooms give a learning experience that can not be mimicked in a traditional

textbook learning environment. These organic and informative interactions with one another can

really enhance someone’s view on the world and others. It also helps eliminate any preconceived

notions one might have due to lack of interaction with someone of a certain nationality. Diverse

classrooms nurtures an ability to want to discover, understand, and appreciate for others who

may not act or look like you. Becoming a global citizen is so important in today’s world as social

media and technology create connections that prior could not have been made.It all starts in the

classroom, learning to accept others from the very beginning is the stepping stone to global

citizenship and appreciation for our neighbors, peers, mentors, and strangers. That’s why I

believe in diverse classrooms.