The iceberg metaphor, introduced by Edward T. Hall, illustrates that most cultural elements are invisible. Behaviors and customs are only the surface; beneath lie values, worldviews, and social norms shaped by religion, history, and community life. Successful integration requires understanding these deeper layers. This process must be mutual: newcomers learn the host culture, and host communities strive to understand the cultural background of new arrivals.

Students with migration experience may interpret history, society, and even geography lessons differently. For some students, maps can trigger memories of conflict, displacement, or longing. Migration has long shaped Europe through global and regional mobility, influencing cultures, customs, and innovations. To understand European identity today, it is essential to discuss migration and its impact on future social change.

Migration is a complex phenomenon, yet media narratives often simplify or distort it. Students are exposed to emotionally charged content that can provoke fear, anger, or sadness — emotions that deserve space and reflection in the classroom. At the same time, our understanding of migration is shaped by cognitive biases: mental shortcuts that influence how we interpret information. Recognizing these biases supports the development of students’ critical thinking skills and helps them engage with the topic in a more conscious and reflective way.

Accessibility heuristic

We give more importance to events that are vivid, frequent, or emotionally charged for us. For example, if the media focuses heavily on crimes involving migrants, we may start believing migrants are largely responsible for crime, even if most crimes are committed by non-migrants. Similarly, if we live in a neighborhood with many migrants, we may overestimate their number nationwide because of what we see locally.

Halo effect

We assign positive or negative traits to someone based only on a first impression. For example, if communicating with a newcomer is difficult because of languagebarriers, we may wrongly assume they are shy or unsociable.

Representativeness heuristic

We judge a situation or person based on how closely they match a stereotype or familiar example. For example, seeing someone well dressed and driving an expensive car, we may not imagine they could be a refugee, because the stereotypical image of a refugee is associated with hardship.

Out-group homogeneity effect

We tend to see members of other groups as more similar to one another than members of our own group. For example, generalizations such as “Germans are punctual” or “Indians are great cooks” reflect this tendency, while we usually perceive our own group as diverse.

Many students today have acquaintances with experience of immigration, emigration, or re-emigration. Many families carry migration stories linked to economic opportunity, conflict, or personal reasons. Migration is not only a contemporary phenomenon; it has long accompanied major historical and social processes studied in history, geography, and social sciences. Addressing migration in this context enriches the core curriculum by showing how historical events shape migration and everyday life, strengthening students’ understanding of social change as an interconnected process. It also brings forward human stories of people with migration experience and encourages reflection on how migration shapes both national and European cultures.

We believe that integrating migration into history, geography, or civic education deepens students’ understanding of the world they live in. Materials developed by School with Class Foundation (Poland), Smilemundo (Spain), and King Baudouin Foundation (Belgium) support teachers in including migration in their teaching plans. Below are key principles to consider when approaching this topic.

Your self-reflection

Teachers are their own working tool. Before teaching about migration, reflect on your own thoughts and emotions, and consider whether — and how — to share personal experiences with students.

Remember the goal of the class

Lessons can transfer knowledge and skills, but they also create space to foster empathy, critical thinking, and an understanding of social processes. When planning a lesson on migration, it is important to consider how the class can support students in developing empathy, understanding complex historical and social processes, recognizing the challenges faced by multicultural societies, and strengthening their critical thinking skills.

Think about your students

Before addressing migration in class, consider whether any students have migration experience — especially recent experiences — as the topic may evoke strong emotions. Avoid examples that directly reference students’ personal histories, and prepare the group for discussion in advance. Reflect on which teaching methods will work best: whether to focus more on reflection or active participation, what challenges may arise, and who can offer support if needed.

Personal stories


Learning about historical and social processes through individual narratives helps challenge stereotypes and build empathy. Exploring migration through personal stories allows students to better understand the lived experiences of people on the move.

Games and interactive elements


Games and interactive activities increase motivation and engagement, making learning more dynamic. Our educational packages include interactive elements designed to support understanding and reflection.
Digital tools
Digital tools help create interactive activities and present data in an accessible way. We Digital tools enable interactive learning and help present data in an accessible way. We integrate them into our materials to support teachers and make migration-related topics more engaging in geography, history, and social science classes.

Our materials provide a starting point for exploring migration, helping create an open, supportive classroom where all students can reflect on this important topic.