Teaching in diversity. Teachers and pupils about tense situations in ethnically heterogeneous classes

Tensions and arguments about controversial issues are an inherent part of going
to school. Pupils can learn from these situations. Teaching in diversity offers a
knowledge base regarding tense situations as opportunities for citizenship education
on living in an ethnically diverse society. The book addresses which tense
situations teachers and pupils of ethnically diverse classes experience and how
teachers react to these situations. It presents the results of a national survey in
schools for secondary education in The Netherlands. Teachers and pupils from
89 classes of 34 schools provide information about their experiences with tense
situations. In addition this book offers a more in-depth understanding about the
demands that are placed on teachers when preparing and guiding discussions
about sensitive issues related to ethnic diversity. To this purpose considerations
and actual behaviour of four teachers guiding such discussions in ethnically diverse
classes are analysed.

Teaching in diversity is relevant for educational sociologists and educational scientists
who are involved with citizenship education in ethnically diverse societies. It
also provides a frame of reference for teachers and teacher educators who want
to reflect on the practical implications of perceiving tense situations as opportunities
for citizenship education.

Hester Radstake studied Pedagogical Sciences at the University of Amsterdam.
Teaching in diversity is the result of the PhD-project she conducted at the SCOKohnstamm
Instituut of the University of Amsterdam. Since 2007 she works as a
senior advisor for educational policy and as a researcher at the CETAR – Centre
for Educational Training, Assessment and Research of the VU – Free University in
Amsterdam.