Promoting the Acceptance of Diversity

In the Environmental Rating Scale, an area that all programs need improvement is the area of Promoting the Acceptance of Diversity.

While much of the ERS looks for “things” such as:  books, pictures, dramatic play items, toys and materials, music, etc., remember that promoting the acceptance of diversity is much more than displaying some pictures.  It is much more that bringing out a “cultural box” once in a while.

No question that our community is becoming more diverse.  And it is diverse every day.  An important part of promoting the acceptance of diversity is modeling being respectful, tolerant and celebrating diversity.

Ask yourself:

·         Do I know the family traditions of the children in my group?

·         Do I see each child represented in the class environment?

·         Do I see the variety people who the children will see in their ever day lives reflected in the environment?

·         Have I asked the families to contribute items and information from their culture to share with the group?

·         Can each child see role models that look like them to inspire them?

·         Are other kinds of diversity represented?  Different types of families?  People with disabilities?  Nontraditional gender roles?  Active seniors?

·         Have I examined my own feelings about diversity and inclusion?

·         What would it be like for me to spend a large part of my day in an environment that had no representation of me or my family?

Learning to understand and be comfortable with the differences and the similarities of the people we interact with, and to be confident in a multicultural world are important skills for all of us today.  Many of our classrooms, curriculum and materials still reflect a time when groups of children were more homogeneous and had similar race, culture and religious backgrounds.  That is clearly not our world today. 

Promoting the acceptance of diversity is about how you teach acceptance, respect, non-judgment and appreciating the contributions of all people.   How will you move further in that direction?