di • ver • si • ty noun
the condition of having or being composed of differing elements; the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures)
the condition of having or being composed of differing elements; the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures)
The photo above is one of my all-time favorites – the precious baby is my first-born granddaughter in the arms of my daughter and her husband. I love how the blend of colors adds diversity to our Southern family. As a second-generation German American and a child of 1960s desegregation movement, I thought I knew about the importance of diversity and multiculturalism, but as it turns out, I still had a lot to learn.
As an early educator, I had always made sure to teach students from all backgrounds about all the wonderful multicultural holidays, but the addition of a biracial granddaughter changed me. It was through watching how my granddaughter and her parents interacted with the world around them that I began to understand the fullness of the ways equal racial representation is still needed and how this need impacts day-to-day life. Diversity is not a set of ethnic/cultural holidays celebrated once a year; instead, diversity is celebrating how we are all alike, but with different stories and histories: celebrating the essence of humanity within different personalities and experiences.
Young children recognize more differences between people than we realize, but at the same time, they do not understand or see traits or characteristics the same way that adults do. The perfect example of this can be found in this ABC News story about 4-year-olds Jia Sarnicola and Zuri Copeland. They insist that they are twins, but they are not related—Jia is Caucasian and Zuri is African-American. The mothers are very supportive of their "twin" friends and even let them dress alike.
This is a wonderful story that parents seeking to include more diversity in their children’s lives can learn from. Parents, be aware— children will pick up on their parent's feelings toward other people. If you display prejudiced and show disgust towards a particular group of people, research shows that your child will too.
So, what can you do to help your child develop a healthy appreciation for all people? Dr. Christy Tirrell-Corbin includes favorite tips in her article linked below. Most of all, expose children to other cultures by asking people about their stories. Enjoy people of all cultures/backgrounds and your children will also.
As an early educator, I had always made sure to teach students from all backgrounds about all the wonderful multicultural holidays, but the addition of a biracial granddaughter changed me. It was through watching how my granddaughter and her parents interacted with the world around them that I began to understand the fullness of the ways equal racial representation is still needed and how this need impacts day-to-day life. Diversity is not a set of ethnic/cultural holidays celebrated once a year; instead, diversity is celebrating how we are all alike, but with different stories and histories: celebrating the essence of humanity within different personalities and experiences.
Young children recognize more differences between people than we realize, but at the same time, they do not understand or see traits or characteristics the same way that adults do. The perfect example of this can be found in this ABC News story about 4-year-olds Jia Sarnicola and Zuri Copeland. They insist that they are twins, but they are not related—Jia is Caucasian and Zuri is African-American. The mothers are very supportive of their "twin" friends and even let them dress alike.
This is a wonderful story that parents seeking to include more diversity in their children’s lives can learn from. Parents, be aware— children will pick up on their parent's feelings toward other people. If you display prejudiced and show disgust towards a particular group of people, research shows that your child will too.
So, what can you do to help your child develop a healthy appreciation for all people? Dr. Christy Tirrell-Corbin includes favorite tips in her article linked below. Most of all, expose children to other cultures by asking people about their stories. Enjoy people of all cultures/backgrounds and your children will also.
Character Values Count
Children's Lighthouse staff is dedicated to providing wonderful learning opportunities to children of all cultures and ethnic groups in our early learning schools. Diversity is our featured character value for the month of January in our proprietary Lighthouse C.A.R.E.S. curriculum at a local childcare center near you.
A Publication by The National Association for the Education of Young Children states that:
"...early childhood programs face many challenges as the diversity of our population of young learners continues to grow. Their efforts to include and celebrate that diversity can serve as inspiration for all early childhood educators. As programs work to weave together the threads of different languages and cultures into a tapestry of success for young children, they strengthen their ability to meet the needs of each individual child."
Read it here.
"...early childhood programs face many challenges as the diversity of our population of young learners continues to grow. Their efforts to include and celebrate that diversity can serve as inspiration for all early childhood educators. As programs work to weave together the threads of different languages and cultures into a tapestry of success for young children, they strengthen their ability to meet the needs of each individual child."
Read it here.