In larger towns and cities, or in areas with a diverse population, primary school children can benefit from the advantage of intercultural exchange and integration. There are many factors at play here: socioeconomic background, race, religion, and gender. In a classroom where these factors are mixed, and children from all backgrounds learn and play together, there is proven success, growth, and development in children that is not seen as well in homogeneous classrooms.
It is proven that children in diverse environments benefit from higher test scores and overall performances in school, as well as a higher chance of continuing onto college. The gaps between races in achievement is significantly lowered, and all children perform well across the board.
When children from different backgrounds learn alongside each other, this often brings a different perspective to any task or activity. This means that each child may have a different way of thinking or different approach to a task, which is then shared with their classmates, and everyone benefits from more cognitive development and broader thinking.
A mix of children from different religious backgrounds promotes learning, understanding, and tolerance between them. With many different religions or cultures in one classroom, questions and queries arise, and often this becomes a class discu
ssion during lessons. This is a chance for children to learn first hand, which is proven to be more effective than from a book. The cultural and religious diversity then leads to less bias in future life.
From a social and emotional standpoint, students are more grounded and level-headed. Having a diverse class full of different races means they are less likely to develop racial bias and stereotypes. In racially homogeneous areas, they are prone to develop harmful ideals.
Integrated classrooms mean that students are more likely to maintain or even seek out diverse friendships and relationships later on. It is even proven that this mix in cultural backgrounds promotes more positivity and happiness. The shared knowledge and experience between the children helps them understand the world in a more positive and healthy way, and they start off life with an advantage.
Not only does all of this help the children, but it helps the school. A higher level of success, performance, happiness, and integration means a successful school that can promote itself as such. This may then lead to extra funding and promotion as a school that performs well and has happy students. They can then have more access to resources, equipment, and teachers, drawing staff from other areas and perhaps increasing the diversification of the school. Diversification of culture, race, religion, and background has multiple benefits that work in a circuitous way and can work to the advantage of everyone.