Although the basic management strategies remain the same, teachers often need to make adjustments and vary certain procedures. Effective classroom managers make adjustments based on their knowledge that the ethnic backgrounds of students influence their learning patterns, perceptions, communication styles, and behavior. For example, in the United States it is usually expected that students will maintain eye contact when interacting with teachers. In some other cultures, prolonged eye contact may signify disrespect or even defiance. Students from different cultures may also have widely varied perceptions of what constitutes appropriate personal space.
Some students are unfamiliar with the custom of raising one's hand to answer a teacher's question.
For classroom management in culturally diverse classrooms to be effective, teachers need to state rules and expectations as clearly as possible, make sure that students understand the rules, and be aware that what seems to be misbehavior may be a failure in communication. Also, it is important for teachers with ethnically diverse classrooms to learn something about the cultures represented by their students. Increased teacher attention to patterns may assist with correct interpretation of behavior, followed by an appropriate response to that behavior. It is important to keep in mind, however, that variation within a culture can be as great as variation across cultures. Although knowledge of cultural patterns can be helpful, educators should not simply assume that individual students will possess certain characteristics based on membership in a cultural group.