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Diversity in the Classroom: A Kingdom ApproachKarmen Johnson, Collegium 2020Next to sex and gender, the subject of race is the most discussed topic in our culture today. Storms of rhetoric and conflict swirl around it every day in politics, the arts, business, the media, and especially social media. It is natural and right for Christians to speak in these conversations out of their personal experience, but since we believe that the Bible has the right to interpret our experience and to critique every culture, we must look to it as our final authority.?-Tim KellerDiversity is not that difficult. It is just a part of our natural?and supernatural?world. We see?it?in nature and in our everyday lives.?Most importantly, we see it in the Kingdom of God.After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing?before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branch in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ?Revelation 7: 9-10“The truth is that each ethnicity reflects a unique aspect of God’s image. No one tribe or group of people can adequately display the fullness of God. The truth is that it takes every tribe, tongue, and nation to reflect the image of God in his fullness.” -Latasha Morrison?(Be the Bridge, 2019)When we think of diversity, what comes to mind??Food, nature, people, cities, towns...? What do the people sound like? What are the ages of the people? What does the food look like? What part of nature do you see? Rocks, tress, insects, ocean animals, weather?...Diversity is the imagination of our heavenly Father, expressed through his love and creativity for us to enjoy.?It is the essence of who He is, Father, Son and Spirit, and how he has made mankind.?We are, by design supposed to dwell and thrive in diversity. This was God’s intention from the beginning.?And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit tress bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to?it’s?kind, on the earth.”?-Genesis 1:11And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”?-Genesis 1:20And God said, “Let the earth spring forth?living?creatures according to their kinds- livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.”?-Genesis 1: 24We were also charged to care for?the diverse and beautiful creation that God place on the earth. In fact, time and time again, we are reminded in scripture to care for God’s diverse world. From nature to people.?Somehow, when it comes to people, given our fallen nature?we?attempt to exert power over one another.?One could say this came from the fall?evidenced bythe first murder,?committed?out of hate,?spite,?and jealousy from one brother to another.?We must realize that because of sin, we a grapple with the same feelings. This is why Jesus said that when we hate our?brotherwe commit murder, for that hate will inevitably lead us towards murder, if not physical, surely?it?will be led to?the?murder one’s reputation, maybe their chances to thrive or succeed. Maybe we even murder by speaking curses over them as opposed to speaking?life. Could murder be as simple as saying, “That person is just dumb.”?Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.?-Proverbs 18: 21Society’s version of?“brotherly?sin” as compared to Cain and Abel?is racism.?According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2019):Racism is a “system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how one looks (which is what we call ‘race’) that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, unfairly advantages other individuals and communities, and saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human resources.”The construct of racism?attempts to nullify God’s truth. In fact, it is?a seed of antichrist thought. That is, if we can degrade various people groups solely depending on how they look, we devalue the very people Jesus died for. Therefore,?society is?saying that?itgets?to choose the value of His finished work.Christians who fall into racism are continuing to trust in works-righteousness in at least one part of their lives. Their hearts still oppose grace and seek to find ways of self-justification. They try to devise ways to feel superior, more acceptable, and better than others… and they use their racial characteristics to do so.?-Tim Keller (The Bible and Race, 2020)We must always thrive for the truth in this conversation. It is not us verses the world it is just truth!…for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:26-28For?us to be able to teach?in?a classroom?environment?that is filled with diversity, we?ought?to connect to?our heavenly?Father and?start to grapple with?what diversity is?to Him.?As Christians it is imperative that we decide to view everyone in our community the way Gods sees them.?There is a call for us to humbly come before the Father and repent and ask him to remove our wrong beliefs about his creation.How does that translate into our practical everyday encounters with our students?Two scriptures?come to mind:For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. -Jeremiah 29:11For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10Every interaction should be an expression of the Holy Spirit’s influence in us. When it comes to?diversity,?our stance as Christians should be the God point of view,?that is?we should strive to stay in awe of the depth and beauty of His imagination.?We ought to be?“antiracist”?because of what the Bible teaches and because we hold a higher value than that of society and culture… at least that is what we should be working towards as we constantly work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (see Philippians 2:11)?We need to be prepared for conversations with their students, peers, and parents.?Prepare yourselfAs Christians of differing ethnicities, we share a common heritage, a common memory. We are reminded who we are and whose we are through our?salvation history. We remember how Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary connects us to the family of God, connects us eternally to one another. In our Christian faith, our memory is embodied in various communal and liturgical acts. In common prayer, in communion, in baptism, we are reminded that all our stories are wrapped in and intertwined with God’s story. And as brothers and sisters?in Christ, we must not only share our foundational memories and practices of faith but also share and understand our personal and ethnic histories.?– Latasha Morrison (2019)?1.?Be ready to say, “I don’t know.”???2.?Take your time!???3.?Commit to the work.?We need to do the work of exploring our own bias and ideas about different races and cultures. We all have?them,?we are in fact sinful beings in need of constant repentance.??Prepare?a Diverse?ClassroomOur goal is to bring the students to a place of wonder and worship to God. We want to constantly point them towards the heart of God about race!1.?Consider you current classroom or academic space. Small changes make big impacts on how children see themselves.???2.?We should regularly be introducing them to the culture of our lessons.?How are you diving into the culture of your lesson? Are you using primary resources? ?Are you just reading the Bible or are you creating a picture of the culture you are reading about? Do your students walk away thinking all the characters, people, writers, artists in your lesson are white????3.?Do not be afraid to have conversation about race. Should a question arise to which you don’t know the answer, it is okay to not answer. We are all learning alongside our students. ?Is your classroom climate open to conversations about race???4.?How do you react to various students when it comes to behavioral concerns? Are you considering the whole child? Do you see students “fairly” in your mind? Studies show children of color, specifically back and Latina children are punished more often, and more severely than their peers.??5.?What do your walls look like? If you have pictures of people, do they represent other people groups? Do they only resemble one group? What about things like plants, animals… nature? Do your pictures represent the beauty of the entire world????6.?Use the words ethnicities, cultures and people groups more than the word race!???When students say things that are negative about race:?1.?Do not act surprised. Be very honest and a matter of fact.??2.?Do not punish the child. We do not shame students. Shame and condemnation are?satan’s?way of dealing with people. Correction out of Love is God’s way.??3.?Answer the child/class with the word of God first. Identity needs to be restored and upheld! This is so important because?identity molding?is not only a societal tactic, it is a demonic strategy. You are not wrestling with flesh and blood!?Examples: That isn’t what God says about ______. Let’s look at the Bible verses ___ and see what the Bible says about us.?God is such an artist that he created all of us so beautifully! The Bible says we are made in the image of God! I wonder if we’ve ever considered how many different people and cultures there are… He made us ALL in HIS image! WOW! God is similar to all of us. So many of us are different and yet He made us all in His image! ................
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