Increasing migration in combination with social problems have led to concerns about social cohesion. Schools with diverse student populations may provide for positive structural conditions for social cohesion in diverse societies. The paper aims to examine how teachers contribute to social cohesion among students in terms of the three dimensions as described by Schieffer and Van der Noll (2017): (1) the quality of social relations (including social networks, trust, acceptance of diversity, and participation), (2) identification with the social entity, and (3) orientation towards the common good (sense of responsibility, solidarity, compliance to social order).

The study focusses on the role of the teacher by asking two research questions:

1. What are teacher practices with regard to promoting social cohesion among students in culturally diverse classrooms, in terms of social relations, group identification, and students’ orientation toward the common good, and how do teachers account for these practices?

2. In what ways are teacher practices related to the diversity of the student population?

By teaching practices, we refer to behaviour in terms of teaching methods, didactics, or work formats, but also in terms of interpersonal relationships both between teachers and students, and among students. Social cohesion is relevant in any classroom, but specifically so in multicultural classrooms, given the increasing diversity, and potential accompanying processes of tension and inequity, hence the second research question on diversity.

A qualitative study was conducted using interviews with teachers and students and observations in two urban secondary schools with diverse student populations. Students, teachers, and school staff from the selected classes from three classes in each school of the second year of secondary education participated. Groups of 4 or 5 students per class were invited for a focus group interview. The homeroom teacher of each of the participating classes was also interviewed. A content analysis was conducted combining a deductive approach in the first step and an inductive approach in further steps (Cresswell & Poth, 2016).

The results showed that most teacher practices seem to address the Schiefer and Van der Noll dimension of social relations. Teachers mostly invested in their own relationship with students, for example by paying individual attention to students, such as helping individual students, asking about home and using home languages.

The main themes in the dimension identification and belonging were bridging home and school, and group formation. The existence of different subgroups in schools and classrooms were considered to be acceptable, as long as all students belong to one or two subgroups.

Dominant in the dimension of the common good were teacher practices with regard to rules, the variety of ways in which rules were created and interpreted, and whether violations were condoned or punished. Fairness was also a topic that surfaces when the rules were discussed.

The three dimensions of Schiefer and Van der Noll could clearly be distinguished in our data, but there was a strong inter-relatedness and therefore we argue that the dimensions should be considered in tandem. Furthermore, because there seemed to be little reflection on relationships among peers and creating a community as well as on the meaning of diversity in schools, we also suggest that more explicit reflection by teachers on the three dimensions of social cohesion in diverse schools is needed. If schools are committed to strengthening social cohesion, they need to consider the three dimensions alongside each other and reflect on the role of diversity. Building up more explicit teacher knowledge and skills to develop and implement practices that strengthen socially cohesive classrooms, may ultimately help to address societal concerns with regard to social cohesion. 

Design: A qualitative research design including classroom observations, in-depth interviews with teachers and school staff, and group discussions with students. Procedure: School leaders of urban and several diverse schools with an interest in social cohesion were invited to participate. In each of the two consenting schools, three classes of the second year of secondary education were selected. Students, teachers, and school staff from the selected classes participated based on active informed consent (of parents for the students) separate for the observations and interviews. The data collection was conducted in a period of 6 months (October 2019 – February 2020). Participants: The two schools each have a unique socio-geographical context. The first school (school A) with a total of 1358 students is located on the outskirts of a city in a post-war neighbourhood. The second school (school B) with a total of 741 students is located in the middle of a neighbourhood in an urban area. The neighbourhood mainly has inhabitants with lower socio-economic and migration backgrounds. Seven teachers were interviewed. Interviews lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. 22 students were interviewed in five small groups. The groups were formed based on diversity in terms of gender and migration background. The interviews lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. In total, 25 classroom observations were conducted. Some of the observations were followed up by an interview with the teacher, or by informal conversation in the teacher’s room. Measures: An observation scheme was used to make fieldnotes, which were processed into a logbook as soon as possible after the observation to retain as many details as possible. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, since we were interested in detailed and in-depth information about opinions and experiences of the different interviewees. The interview and observation protocols were based on the three dimensions of social cohesion: social relations, belonging, and common good. Analyses: A content analysis was conducted combining a deductive approach in step 1 and an inductive approach in step 2 and 4 (Cresswell & Poth, 2016).

The present paper followed the multidimensional conceptualization of social cohesion as proposed by Schiefer and Van der Noll (2017). A qualitative study with a focus on the role of the teacher was conducted using interviews with teachers and students and observations in two urban secondary schools with diverse student populations. The results showed that most teacher practices seem to address the Schiefer and Van der Noll dimension of social relations. Examples are individual attention for students, such as helping individual students, asking about home and using home languages. The main themes in the dimension identification and belonging were bridging home and school, and group formation. The existence of different subgroups in schools and classrooms were considered to be acceptable, as long as all students belong to one or two subgroups. Dominant in the dimension of the common good were teacher practices with regard to rules, the variety of ways in which rules were created and interpreted, and whether violations were condoned or punished. Fairness was also a topic that surfaces when the rules were discussed. The three dimensions of Schiefer and Van der Noll could clearly be distinguished in our data, but there was a strong inter-relatedness and therefore we argue that the dimensions should be considered in tandem. Furthermore, because there seemed to be little reflection on relationships among peers and creating a community, and on the meaning of diversity in schools, we also suggest that more explicit reflection by teachers is needed. If schools are committed to strengthening social cohesion, they need to consider the three dimensions alongside each other and reflect on the role of diversity. Building up more explicit teacher knowledge and skills to develop and implement practices that strengthen socially cohesive classrooms, may ultimately help to address societal concerns with regard to social cohesion.

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