We know what it's like: that little sting when the teacher just can't pronounce your name. "Shmopp? Shmope? I'm sorry, dear, can you say it for me one more time?"

Ouch.

So step one in being a good teacher to students from cultures that aren't yours: getting their name right. That's what baby name websites and Google are for. Or the teacher who taught them last year, if you get so lucky. If you get your class list in advance, take the time to do the research and practice out loud. Even if you don't say it perfect, they'll appreciate it.

 

Don't freak out. We won't make you name them all.

Once you've got the name down, you can start tackling the rest: is there a language barrier? Cultural differences that make classroom time confusing—not just for the student, but for everyone around? Other stumbling blocks to learning from Shmoop-knows-where? Let's take it one puzzle piece at a time.

You say po-tay-to, I say hideous-witch-plant-of-death

It's probably a good idea, while you're busy Googling how to be less of a name-butcher, to take a peek at some info about their culture, too. We're not saying be ready to teach in their language, but having a super-basic sense of where they're from can help you forge a bond much more easily. Especially if they're a recent move, they'll feel much more comfy if you have a sense of where they're coming from (e.g., does raising your hand mean something else where they're from? Is smiling a sign of weakness? Do teachers have different disciplining practices?).

As an alternative (or an add-on) to the interwebs, you could also take the time asking that student about what's different in a U.S. classroom. Well, first you might gauge how they react to an authority figure talking to them all friendly-like. If they get all clammed up, that might mean they prefer you at a distance.

Which doesn't mean that this kid hates you and will never learn anything. (Probably.) Just that their background has taught them to have a different behavior in the classroom. Be patient, be unbiased (not sure how? Check out our tips on being a super hero of anti-bias), and keep being friendly. If you keep working to make 'em comfortable, and the kids around are comfortable, too, you'll be fostering a positive learning space where everyone can learn together—regardless of where they're from.

But what if they just don't understand a word you're saying?

If there are problems with language, there's just one thing that you've got to fall back on: patience, patience, patience. Whether the student in question is having trouble following along for the whole class, or (if you're lucky) just struggling with a particular concept because of the language barrier, what not to do is single the student out in front of everyone.

But you already knew that. So what do you do instead?

During group work or after class, take a minute to talk to the kid about what's difficult for them. If you're lucky, they'll at least be able to express that. If that's its own big yellow struggle bus, try asking the questions in a simpler way, or change the subject to something they are comfortable with before getting around to the topic in question. It's worth knowing about your school's resources for English tutoring—unless you're that angel who will put in the extra time yourself.

One thing you'll want to remind them a small mountain of times is that it's okay to make mistakes. Everyone needs practice. Just hold onto the glorious ambition of letting your students (all of them!) know you have positive expectations that don't differ based on where they come from. Couple that with offering extra help to those who need or want it, and you're golden.

Bashing out other kids' prejudice (and your own, too)

We don't mean beat it out of them. That's no longer a part of U.S. education. But sometimes prejudices are so deeply ingrained that it does kinda feel like taking a hammer to your brain and letting those biases have it.

When it comes to kids, a better metaphor is probably a surgeon's scalpel (we love a good metaphor). Sharp, but delicate. If insensitive comments come up, you want your response to be to the point (get it? Pointy, like a scalpel…) and you want it to go deep. Let the students know why such a comment can be offensive, help them think about why they have assumptions like that, and it doesn't hurt to hint that maybe they wouldn't like it either if someone said something nasty about their background.

By making sure that you are informed about your students' backgrounds and conscious of the ethnic, racial, or other issues that might come up, you'll be ready to slice away (gently!) at any offensive stereotype that comes up. And in being responsible with the way you ask your students to address those stereotypes, maybe you'll learn something about your own position, too.

Got it? Good. Now we don't ever want to hear you call us "Shmopp" ever again.