Diversity among teachers seems to have a positive impact on the learning of students in such environments. Many educational systems are learning the many benefits of having a diverse teaching force. They’re looking to include as many different educators as possible in their professional group to make the most of these benefits. Given how important education is for the young of the nation, anything that can help them develop better should be embraced.
One reason it is crucial is just so that teaching staff can reflect society at large. In many places, over four out of five teachers are white and female. This hardly mimics general society, where minorities are quickly growing and now account for nearly half of the population.
Students of color perform better when someone of color is on the teaching staff. There are fewer disciplinary issues, and minority students do better in terms of both grades and tests.
Interestingly, white children do better when there is more minority teaching staff. Being exposed to different subcultures and ways of thinking helps all students challenge their assumptions and learn new ways of thinking. Problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills are better among students at schools with diverse teaching staffing.
In a polarized and often alienating society, diverse teaching staff can help a community unite around a common cause. Relationships are formed and deepened among neighbors sharing a school that they all share.
The importance of the right teaching staff is crucial to the education of children in any year, and their success winds up being everyone’s success. As they grow into adults, they inherit the responsibilities of the world that everyone shares.
It’s even more crucial than usual now, given the global pandemic. The events have made childhood harder. Also, the increased use of remote learning has made education much harder to accomplish. Having effective teaching staff can compensate for this to some degree, and anything that can be done for students in this time of crisis benefits everyone down the road.
If anything, diverse teaching staff help students prepare for the adult world, one that is growing more socially diverse with every passing year as demographics shift and change.