Diversity

LECTURE
DIVERSITY

Introduction:

Everyone has a culture. Culture can be described as the universal human capacity to classify, codify and communicate their experiences. Symbolically this word has been used to define features of human beings. Social anthropologists focus on social interactions, statues and institutions, and cultural anthropologists focus on norms and values. In this lecture we will look at the various meanings culture has when it refers to human behaviour. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture

Diversity refers to multiculturalism or the ideology of including all people into a group regardless of their differences. This lecture will focus on cultural differences and how diversity is extremely important to consider when offering an outstanding early educational experience for children, families and communities.


Learning objectives:

Ø To raise awareness of individuals and groups.

Ø To promote integration and sensitivity to understand and recognize individuals and groups.



Body of the lecture:

Culture can be defined as all the behaviors, ways of life, arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behavior such as law and morality, and systems of belief. Various definitions of culture reflect differing theories for understanding, or criteria for evaluating, human activity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture




Please consider the following questions before you work through the lecture information:

How are families alike? How are families different?


A Kaleidoscope of Lenses

Dealing with diversity in when teaching and guiding children means taking into account the complexity of one individual. Many variables influence children’s behaviour and interact to create a dynamic situation. Picture a kaleidoscope design including the interacting concepts below:

Ability/disability Temperament Family Structure

Work Stress Health

Gender Personality Ethnicity

Religion/Spirituality

Culture

Learning Style Age Neighbourhood


Basis for Understanding Others:

The characteristics of an ethnic or cultural group are an integral part of a person’s social reality. It is their values, perspectives, and their ways of viewing that distinguish cultural groups from one another, not their clothing/foods/tangible aspects of group life.

Cultural learning starts at birth and is largely non-verbal and unconscious. We don’t notice this part of our lives until we find something that is ‘different'. Children simply say aloud what we’ve forgotten or they say what we feel uncomfortable about. This directness about what children see, hear and feel make children’s learning and feelings important for teachers to notice.

Culture determines our values and our values drive the guidance and discipline was deliver. We must address culture openly in order to be effective with children and parents. If you take culture into consideration you will avoid putting children in the stressful situations where they might have to compartmentalize their two worlds (home & school) because they are “different” from everyone else

We must be very careful about making generalizations about families from their structure or culture. Simply knowing someone’s race/family structure/religion/neighbourhood doesn’t tell us everything we need to know. For example, not every single (divorced/widowed) parent will have troubled relationships with their children and in turn, their children aren’t deficient emotionally because of learning difficulties. Overgeneralizing will result in making some very serious mistakes about people.

Children develop a self-identity based on their:
Ø Gender
Ø Race
Ø abilities

Children’s self-identities and self-esteem are affected by:
Ø Their observations of how others relate to them, their families, and other members of their racial/cultural group
Ø Their perceptions of themselves

Children are more alike than they are different because they:
Ø Grow and develop in the same sequence (although the rate varies from child to child)
Ø Have needs, feelings, interests, likes/dislikes, etc.
Ø Have individual characteristics, personalities, strengths and weaknesses
Ø Are children

Teachers must:
Ø Be aware of their own attitudes, beliefs, and biases
Ø Learn cultural norms/habits of families in their programs
Ø Work with parents to promote an atmosphere of acceptance
Ø Enrich their curriculum in all areas

Young children respond to differences by:
Ø Noticing and asking questions
Ø Demonstrating anxiety and fear
Ø Rejecting someone who is different (This may be due to fear, lack of knowledge, impatience, stereotyping, and/or lack of skills for interactions.)

Adults respond by:
Ø Providing accurate information, words and support
Ø Emphasizing similarities among people
Ø Discussing differences in a respectful and positive way
Ø Teaching the words and skills to challenge unfair treatment

Gender identity:
Ø Depends on one’s anatomy, not one’s role
Ø Is an awareness of curiosity about gender and begins around age two years
Ø Preschoolers are still unsure about gender constancy
Ø Societal norms for gender behaviour are a strong influence
Ø Children may believe that they must behave in prescribed ways

Teachers must:
Ø Provide information and models about expanding gender roles
Ø Support children’s personal choices in dress and play
Ø Provide many opportunities for new ways of thinking and acting

Guidelines for responding to children’s questions and comments:
Ø Do not make fun of or reprimand a child when he or she makes comments or asks questions
Ø Do not change the subject
Ø Do not ignore a child’s questions
Ø Respond in a simple and direct manner
Ø Use correct terminology
Ø If you are uncomfortable, identify what gets in the way of your response

We can communicate with parents through:
v Informal daily conversations
v Planned meetings
v Telephone calls
v Individual notes
v Newsletters
v Handouts
v Parent bulletin boards
v Children’s work
v Parent group meetings
v Use interested parents to help involve “hard to reach” parents
v Translate, if required, into all the languages represented in the parent group

Parents can be asked to contribute:
v Family photos
v Written stories about family members or traditions
v Household artifacts
v Reference books
v Picture books
v Tapes/CDs of family favourite songs
v Ask parents to invite children to visit their workplaces

Parents can participate in the classroom by:
v Reading/singing to children in other languages
v Teaching words/phrases in other languages
v Helping the children make poster and signs in their language
v Making a snack/lunch of the family’s favourite foods with the children
v Telling stories about family members and experiences related to their culture
v Helping you find resources for the classroom

In summary:

Teachers and parents must work together to:

establish a genuine dialogue to open up discussion of each other’s points of view and to gain solutions agreeable to both parties
facilitate the development of children through joint parent/teacher problem solving and mutual support
develop and implement curriculum that supports the children’s development and the families goals