Last week I was listening to a conversation - in German - in our staffroom. It was between our university counsellor (who is Mexican) and our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme coordinator (who is British). The counsellor is a polyglot who speaks six languages, while our coordinator grew up in Germany.
This made me realise how diverse our staff had become, chiefly because we hired 17 teachers and assistants in the past year from 12 countries including Japan, Turkey, Zimbabwe, the US, Ghana, South Korea and the Philippines.
This has been a deliberate recruitment strategy. Aligning with trends in international education, we wanted our staff cohorts to become truly international in their make-up, which the school benefits from in numerous ways.
The benefits of diversity among teachers
1. Diversity in curriculum content
When it comes to curriculum, having ideas from around the globe helps immensely.
Our Ghanaian literature teacher can suggest new texts for English classes that others would not have thought of; our South Korean business teacher can use case studies that some may not be familiar with; while our Serbian music teacher plays examples of traditional Balkan music to demonstrate a harmonic minor.
We want students to understand global issues and, by having an international group of teachers, we can create units that are relevant and reflect all of the world we live in.
2. Diversity of insights
Our IB Diploma students have numerous university options around the world. Being able to call on teachers to offer practical advice and insights about living in Turkey or studying in Germany, or to explain why the Netherlands is such a popular choice, is invaluable.
3. Diversity of ideas
We want students to be more accepting of other cultures and belief systems. This can sometimes be a challenge because it means dealing with something that is “different” and relatively unknown. It helps, therefore, when our teachers represent more than one culture or voice and can demonstrate that such diversity is something to be cherished, not feared.
4. Diversity in our thinking
Diversity can help to improve critical thinking. As an IB school, we promote critical thinking at every opportunity. Students need to be aware that there may be multiple perspectives to an issue; they don’t need to agree with all of them but the greater understanding they have will help them to make more informed judgements.
Having teachers from different backgrounds, especially for subjects such as Theory of Knowledge (TOK), allows us to discuss cultural bias and present different perspectives in an authentic and meaningful way.
5. Diversity in our languages
The vast majority of our students use English as their second language. So do many of our teachers. As students learn English, they are going to be exposed to numerous accents, styles and syntaxes that can prove challenging.
But working with teachers who have mastered English helps to give students confidence that they too can use English effectively. Several of our Japanese teachers have lived abroad and can share their own learning experiences to help inspire and motivate our students who have English as an additional language.
6. Diversity in the world
Students will soon be faced with a globalised world where they will need to communicate with others in different countries. Studies have shown that the international employers want their workers to be comfortable communicating with those from diverse backgrounds.
What better place to hone these skills than in a school with teachers from around the globe?
7. Diversity in our compassion
Showing empathy can be a difficult skill, even for adults. But having an awareness of those from different backgrounds can improve interpersonal skills and help to make students more empathetic.
I have certainly noticed how our students have been curious to learn about where our teachers are from and their particular backgrounds. It is this willingness to not just accept but to inquire that makes me feel that such diversity is hugely beneficial.
Mark Beales is principal (MYP/DP) at Osaka YMCA International School in Japan
