Beyond Celebrating Diversity to Creating Genuine Belonging
Tasmania is becoming increasingly diverse.
Walk into almost any school today and you will find students from a wide range of cultural, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. Some speak languages other than English at home. Some are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students. Others come from migrant or refugee families.
The Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) has committed to safeguard that every student, no matter their cultural, ethnic or racial background, should feel safe, respected and included at school. The Department has also committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to feel strong in their identity and connected to their culture.
These are important aspirations.
But they raise an important question: How do we know whether students actually experience school in this way?
BEYOND DIVERSITY: WHAT CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS REALLY MEANS
In education, cultural responsiveness is often misunderstood as simply recognising diversity.
In reality, it means much more.
A culturally responsive school actively values and incorporates students’ cultures, languages, identities and lived experiences into teaching, learning and decision-making. It recognises that students should not have to leave part of themselves at the school gate in order to succeed.
This is why cultural responsiveness cannot be measured solely through events such as Harmony Week, NAIDOC Week or multicultural celebrations.
These initiatives are important and should continue. But a school is not culturally responsive because diversity is celebrated a few days a year.
The deeper question is whether students see their cultures respected and reflected every day in the classroom, in school policies, in teacher expectations, and in school relationships.
WHAT STUDENTS TELLS US
My research with Bhutanese refugee students in Tasmania revealed a more hopeful story than is often told.
Many students spoke positively about their school experiences. Several described schools as supportive places where they could learn English, build confidence and develop friendships.
For newly arrived students, English as an Additional Language (EAL) support was particularly important. One student recalled feeling anxious about attending school because of limited English but becoming relieved after discovering that specialised support was available. Another explained, “The EAL program helped me understand my subjects and communicate with others.” Students also spoke about the encouragement they received from EAL teachers. As one participant recalled, a teacher’s simple message stayed with them: “Go for it, you can. Don’t lose courage and hope.”
These moments may seem small, but they matter.
These experiences illustrate what culturally responsive practice can look like in action. For many refugee-background students, supportive teachers did more than improve academic outcomes; they helped foster confidence, aspirations and a sense of belonging.
WHEN BELONGING IS NOT GUARANTEED
The picture, however, is not entirely positive.
Some students also described experiences of racism, stereotyping and cultural prejudice. One young person recalled being called ‘Mr. Asian’ by peers despite being an Australian citizen. Others felt judged because of their accent, language, cultural background or the food they brought from home.
What is perhaps most concerning is that many students chose not to report these experiences. Instead, they relied on friends from similar backgrounds for support or developed strategies to cope on their own. One participant described turning to friends who understood her struggles, while others simply ignored racial comments rather than drawing attention to themselves.
These responses suggest that inclusion cannot be assumed simply because students are physically present at school.
Belonging is something deeper.
It is the feeling that who you are is not merely tolerated, but genuinely respected. When students feel pressure to hide aspects of their culture or identity in order to fit in, schools may be succeeding in access while falling short on belonging.
LESSONS FROM ABORIGINAL EDUCATION
Similar concerns have emerged in research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Studies consistently show that racism, stereotyping and low expectations can undermine student wellbeing, engagement and educational attainment.
Some students report feeling pressure to suppress aspects of their identity in order to fit into mainstream school environments.
Although these experiences occur in different cultural contexts, they point to the same underlying issue:
Students thrive when they can be themselves.
They struggle when belonging depends on abandoning or hiding parts of their identity.
This raises a simple but important question: Can students fully belong if they feel unable to bring their whole selves to school?
This invites us to reflect on what cultural responsiveness really means.
FROM ADAPTATION TO MUTUAL CHANGE
Too often, educational success is framed as students adapting to school.
Cultural responsiveness challenges this assumption.
Rather than expecting students alone to adapt, culturally responsive schools also adapt themselves. They recognise multilingualism as an asset. They include diverse perspectives in curriculum and teaching. They create environments where different histories, experiences and identities are visible and valued.
This is particularly important in Tasmania.
Significant attention has rightly been given to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and strengthening connections to culture. Yet cultural responsiveness must also extend to students from migrant, refugee and multilingual backgrounds whose experiences are becoming an increasingly important part of Tasmania’s educational landscape.
WHAT WILL SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?
The encouraging news is that many Tasmanian schools are already doing valuable work.
EAL programs, bicultural support staff, wellbeing initiatives and inclusive teaching practices are helping many students succeed. My research suggests that these supports can significantly strengthen students’ confidence, educational outcomes and sense of belonging.
But policy commitments alone are not enough.
The true measure of a culturally responsive school is not what appears in strategic documents. It is what students experience every day.
- Do they feel safe?
- Do they feel respected?
- Do they feel that their culture matters?
- Do they believe they can pursue their aspirations without giving up part of who they are?
These questions may be more important than any policy indicator.
As Tasmania continues to become more culturally diverse, the challenge is not simply helping students fit into schools. It is creating schools where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, migrant, refugee and multilingual students genuinely experience belonging, cultural safety and opportunity.
After all, schools that work well for diverse students are usually better schools for everyone.
Dr. Nabaraj Mudwari is a researcher at the University of Tasmania whose work focuses on migrant and refugee youth, education, belonging, and social inclusion.
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