Twentieth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Our New Zealand School context has seen a rapid increase in the cultural diversity over the past ten years in our community due to significant levels of immigration to the region. Embracing this is vital for the future success of the school. To truly offer a rich, authentic school-wide curriculum that values cultural diversity in all strands requires significant investment of time in professional learning for staff, students, and the parent community. From this, deep consideration needs to be given to how we implement an intercultural dimension across all curriculum areas in a way that values diversity to enrich the learning experience, for all cultures and learners. Coming up with a collaborative, well-articulated strategy is the first necessary step. Intensive critical discussions for staff, boards, and parents to unpack such concepts as cultural bias, equity vs equality, media portrayals of culture, valuing diversity, and ethnocentricity. The hard part is bringing the strategy to life. At Oropi School, an essential element has been ensuring children are learning from, with and about other cultures, along with mapping out the practicalities to implement global competencies. Specific training for teachers was enabled, along with growing our global and local connections to connect people with people. We now have all children in our school immersed in second language learning (Mandarin), project based learning with sister schools in China and South Korea in relation to our Garden-to-table and Forest Learning programmes, and most students have e-buddies with students in our sister schools.