ACTIVITIES THAT TEACH ABOUT
HONORING DIVERSITY AND VALUING DIFFERENCES
Anti-bias education in early childhood is shaped by a belief in the importance of justice, the dream of each child being able to achieve all he or she is capable of, and the knowledge that together human beings can make a difference. (NAEYC) In Anti-bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, Derman-Sparks & Edwards
share four interrelated goals of anti-bias education for young children. They are:
Goal 1: Identity - Demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride and positive social identities.
Goal 2: Diversity - Express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human differences;
and deep, caring human connections.
Goal 3: Justice - Recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.
Goal 4: Action - Demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone,
against prejudice and/or discrimination.
We are committed to offering children and families the spaces they need to respect
and embrace each other's similarities and differences, and to become more socially-conscious.
Here are some educational activities that you can enjoy at home!
HONORING DIVERSITY AND VALUING DIFFERENCES
Anti-bias education in early childhood is shaped by a belief in the importance of justice, the dream of each child being able to achieve all he or she is capable of, and the knowledge that together human beings can make a difference. (NAEYC) In Anti-bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, Derman-Sparks & Edwards
share four interrelated goals of anti-bias education for young children. They are:
Goal 1: Identity - Demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride and positive social identities.
Goal 2: Diversity - Express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human differences;
and deep, caring human connections.
Goal 3: Justice - Recognize unfairness, have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.
Goal 4: Action - Demonstrate empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone,
against prejudice and/or discrimination.
We are committed to offering children and families the spaces they need to respect
and embrace each other's similarities and differences, and to become more socially-conscious.
Here are some educational activities that you can enjoy at home!
- Story time is an excellent opportunity to introduce early concepts of diversity. Make a conscious effort to include toys/pictures/books/films in your home that feature diverse characters and diverse experiences. Examples that are offered as read-alouds online might be Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena, Eyes That Kiss In The Corners by Joanna Ho, Under My Hijab by Hena Khan, or the Oscar Winning Short Film Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry.
- Diversify your bookshelf by specifically seeking out media created by people of color. Consider these Coretta Scott King Award Winners, or these selections from Inclusive Storytime and The Conscious Kid.
- Introduce sing-along songs with multicultural themes and lyrics in different languages.
- Enjoy bilingual read-alouds online, like Hello Ocean/Hola Mar by Pam Munoz Ryan.
- Learn how to talk to kids about race and racism from our friends at Sesame Street. They have a wonderful collection of information about racial justice that you can find HERE.
- Talk about fairness and equity in age appropriate ways. Find books in which a character is treated unfairly. Every time something’s unjust, ask, “Is that fair?” Tell them to point it out when a character experiences something unjust. Then question whether it’s ever okay to treat a person the way a character’s being treated. If they find ways to actively call out bias on the page, they will presumably stand up to bias and injustice in life.
- Celebrate differences AND similarities. For example, reading thematically similar books with characters of different races will help them see that regardless of appearances, we all have shared experiences that present the same questions. You can also discuss differences and similarities in a simple and open way with children using books like We're Different, We're The Same or watching this videos like this one from PBS KIDS Talk About.
- From The Start: A Parent’s Guide to Talking About Racial Bias, suggests using pop-culture as a launch pad to teach open-mindedness and curiosity, particularly when the entertainment features characters outside the child’s racial demographic. For example, if your non-Hispanic child has become obsessed with the film Coco, introduce them to stories about the history of Dia de Los Muertos and other Mexican customs. If your kid is suddenly obsessed with superheroes like Black Panther, introduce them to stories that include African folklore.
- Watch The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. Draw a picture about what makes you unique and special.
- Watch All Are Welcome Here by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman. Talk about how everyone is different, special, important, unique and welcome. Draw a picture or create art using multicultural paint, paper, and crayons.
- Talking with kids about racism can be tough. Here are some book suggestions to help get them thinking: Today's Parent, PBS Kids, and Embrace Race.
- Young children often notice differences in others and express their observations as comments and questions. Here are some resources that offer suggestions on how to respond to these teachable moments: Welcoming Schools, Zero To Three, Scholastic, Today, Parents, and PBS Teachers Lounge. The main goal is to emphasize that people's different ways of moving, learning and experiencing the world are to be celebrated and valued.
- Here's more links to helpful resources for parents/caregivers: from NPR Talking Race With Young Children, from the National Museum of African American History and Culture Talking About Race, and from Zero To Three Racism and Violence: Using Your Power As A Parent to Support Children Aged Two To Five.
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Early Childhood Partners programs are funded by the Coordinated Family & Community Engagement (CFCE) grant awarded to Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. The HWRSD does not discriminate in its programs, activities or employment practices on the basis of race*, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, active military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition, homelessness, ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, or any other category protected by state or federal law.