UVAŽAVANJE RAZLIČITOSTI U ŠKOLSKOM OKRUŽENJU U FUNKCIJI PREVENCIJE PROBLEMA PONAŠANJA UĈENIKA
RESPECTING DIVERSITY IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AS A FUNCTION OF PREVENTING STUDENT BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

Summary/Abstract: With the development and complexity of society, school increasingly becomes a place that gathers members of different cultural groups. Expressed diversity in the school setting is often associated with the manifestation of peer violence, discrimination and hate speech towards students who belong to culturally different groups, which consequently leads to school failure, a lower degree of engagement in school activities, a higher dropout rate, and a higher prevalence delinquent and criminal behavior. Therefore, respect for diversity in the school environment is considered as one of the most important values that is currently being pursued, with the assumption that it creates a stable basis for reaching the full potential of all students, providing equal educational opportunities and developing purposeful interactions in an intercultural environment. The aim of this work is to review, analyze and summarize the research results on whether and under what conditions the respecting of diversity in the school environment has the function of preventing student behavior problems. In general, research findings indicate that students' perception of respect for diversity at school is a very important factor in their academic (higher level of academic efficiency, academic achievement, better quality of school life), personal and social functioning (fewer behavioral problems and more positive socio-emotional functioning), especially among members of minority groups. However, the results also suggest that respect for diversity in the school environment is a function of preventing student behavior problems only when it permeates all aspects of the school's institutional functioning (values, beliefs, norms, rules, procedures, curriculum, teacher training) and school staff members (manifesting respecting of diversity on a cognitive, affective and behavioral level in the relationship with colleagues and in the relationship with students), which is reflected in a higher degree of sensitivity of students to diversity. In this sense, a clear conclusion can be drawn that respect for diversity in the school context is a strong resource for preventing student behavior problems when the promotion of this value exists in all domains of the functioning of the educational system.

• Details
• Contents