Importance of Cultural Diversity in Education and Society

Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Culture is one of the most vital parts of an individual’s life, it shapes an individual’s
identity and influences behavior (Jenkins, 2014). Therefore, when working with people or
building a relationship with people from different cultural background considering the cultural
background often helps in understanding their perspective. In this paper, I will discuss the
cultural experience I have had and reflect on this to learn the importance of cultural diversity in
our life. The incident will be described and elaborated since I consider it as one of the important
experience that helped me learn regarding the significance of culture.
The incident selected for discussing in the essay is a reflection on my internship as a
teacher. I consider it as a valuable experience since it has changed my perception of culture and
cultural diversity. I was raised in a place where I did not get the opportunity of interacting with
people belonging from another cultural background. Hence, this experience has provided me
with in-depth cultural insights and understandings regarding culture as a vital factor.
The incident:
After my board examination, I had days to figure out my career interest. During that time
I decided to teach in a school as an intern. Since the school was in the center of the urban city,
the place had the best schools. Children came from various places to get the best education with
the best resources. I was thrilled to interact with the children and work as a teacher since it was
my first internship. I was preparing myself for giving them the best I could for which the school
was known widely and well recognized. However, regardless of all my preparation, I could not
provide the best to the children as I wanted or thought.
Understanding diversity cannot be taught, and it is something that begins at a personal
level. It can go wrong if the concept and its significance are not understood. Before an individual

2CULTURAL DIVERSITY
explores the cultural dynamics and group differences, it is important to understand the
importance of culture in our lives (White & Gunstone, 2014). We largely depend on culture and
our culture shape our perceptions. It took me very long to understand the flaw in the teaching
method. It lacked the value of cultural diversity which I realized a significant issue. Culture is
one of the vital tool of the business and that can be applied to any form of communication. It is
the most crucial part of intercultural communication which can cause several disaster if not taken
care appropriately (Samaha, Beck & Palmatier, 2014).
It is not surprising that cultural diversity is highly relevant in every country due to
increasing globalization and mobilization. In the central part of the city, children come from a
varied background including immigrants from different countries, children from the indigenous
background and many other backgrounds (Benería, Berik & Floro, 2015). We need to be aware
of the fact that a classroom can be inclusive of people from a diverse culture which may include
bi-racial, adoptive, step-families, adoptive, gay, financially weak, belonging from a single parent,
white, black, Asian and anything possible. Today, in the 21st century it is widely common and
acceptable. However, I was unaware of the fact as I grew up in a place that was explicitly
involved solely by people of my own community. I never had the chance to get involved with
other culture.
I would prepare myself to teach the student about a chapter from a day before and explain
with every detail. I would break every concept in order to make them understand and the
response that I received was nodding. The mock tests that would take in order to understand
whether the students have successfully understood only gave me disappointing answers. It took
me a while to understand that it was not the children however it was me who failed to understand
the students. When discussed with a co-worker I realized my actions and thinking was dominated