Diversity

So I've been thinking about diversity in the classroom--both because of Shari's class and because I'm going to West International for my student teaching.  I'm trying to think of ways to incorporate diversity into my class.  First off, I'd like to brush up on my Spanish.  It would be nice to meet students half way if I'm expecting them to practice "academic" language.  I want to make it clear from the start that while diversity is awesome and the way it should be, the world, in fact, doesn't work that way and we'll be managing a few survival skills as well.

I'd like to make a course pack of short works from diverse writers that can supplement the textbook, if I must use it.  In order to foster a sense of connection to the texts as well as diversity, it would be cool to do a personal essay and then follow it up with one page reactions to texts on what is similar and different to their lives, what they would have chosen to do, and why the character made their decisions.

That's about as far as I've gotten.  Let me know if have any further ideas.