Dr. David Childs, D.D., Ph.D.
Northern Kentucky University
Introduction
In light of the celebration of the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. in January and Black history month in February. I want to share some thoughts and resources on teaching topics centered on diversity, equity and inclusion in elementary classrooms. It has been said that when traumatic events or circumstances occur in our world such as natural disasters, war, genocide, pandemics or poverty everyone is affected deeply. But the population that is often affected the most are the children. However, when controversial topics need to be addressed in the classroom the assumption is that elementary children are too young. As a social studies educator I never agreed with the idea that teachers should wait until students are in middle school, high school or college to have the tough conversations. If we wait until they are older we may have missed some important opportunities to help students process or develop sophisticated ways of addressing trauma in their own lives.
I developed this insight partly based on my own experiences with racism as a child. Sometimes when my brother and I walked to school in elementary, older white students would target us, often physically assaulting us and hurling slurs at us. And time does not permit me to discuss the racism I experienced from some of my white teachers and administrators. I often thought that it would have been wonderful if I had teachers and course material to help me discuss, process and combat the discrimination I was experiencing. One may find it surprising to know that some of those things I experienced as young as 1st grade! Therefore, it is never too early to discuss topics centered around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. The important thing is to ensure that the material is developmentally appropriate.
Teaching an Age Appropriate Curriculum
Starting with the obvious, an educator should not teach material designed for a twelfth-grade classroom to kindergarten students. This of course applies to DEI topics as well. For example, during January when the country is commemorating the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King it would be inappropriate to emphasize that he was shot to death and share the images with 1st grade students. Further, much of the historic footage of King and others being beaten and sprayed with hoses is traumatic, even for adults, not to mention children. Or when studying the history of American slavery, it would be unwise for an instructor to show the film “Roots” in a fourth grade classroom for example. But many educators make the mistake of thinking that they should not address the topic of diversity at all because they do not want to expose the youth to anything negative. One of the main issues with this is that many of the students (Like in my own case as a child) are already dealing with discrimination and even racial trauma. When educators envision what the average child goes through they perhaps are not considering the life of a Black child experiencing racism at a young age or other traumatizing events elementary students may be undergoing.
Moving Beyond the Fear: These Resources May Help
As such, we thought it would be helpful to help teachers get started in facilitating these difficult conversations with young children. “Many educators shy away from teaching about diversity and inclusion in their classroom because it is such a controversial topic and they may also feel inadequately prepared to discuss it with students. Furthermore, there is even legislation at the state level that regulates what can and cannot be taught as it relates to the topic of diversity.” These realities often frighten teachers into the shadows. But the work is so important we must all collectively press on. Below we provide some lesson plans and resources that teachers can use to address the subject matter of diversity, equity and inclusion in a meaningful, creative and effective way.
Lesson Plans and Resources on Diversity and Inclusion
Activities that Promote Racial and Cultural Awareness
Looking Closely at Ourselves
Tolerance in Times of Trial
YWCA is on a mission to Stand Against Racism!
Diversity: Differences Make us Unique- Kindergarten
Diversity Lesson Plan- Kindergarten
Kindergarten Diversity
I Am Special and You Are Special Too Lesson Series
15 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Students
Teaching Tolerance ~ Elementary Lesson Plans
5th Grade Diversity Lessons
Diversity Using Literature- Elementary
Culture and Change: Black History in America
What ideas do you find useful? Please share what resources you find helpful for your teaching.
We are open to feedback and discussion. If you see any typos or grammatical errors please feel free to email the author and editor at the address below:
Dr. David Childs
childsd1@nku.edu
It is critical to acknowledge the importance of teaching diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) concepts to primary school children in the pursuit of fostering an inclusive and equitable society. Putting off helping kids process and deal with trauma until middle or high school may mean missing out on important chances. I agree with the idea that it is essential to approach this education with sensitivity, ensuring that the material is age-appropriate. I completely agree with the opinion that rather than avoiding these conversations due to fear or controversial nature, educators can utilize resources and lesson plans designed for young learners to navigate the complexities of DEI topics. Therefore, teachers are essential in shaping a generation that embraces diversity and aspires to a more inclusive future because of their early start.
After reading this article, I have a better understand of how early-on children experience racism or feel as if they are different. I agree that students as young as five or six should be taught about diversity, equity, and inclusion at their own level. This is very important because the younger children learn about this, the better chance you have of actually making a difference on their point-of-view. Waiting until middle or high school is too late because by then, everyone has already formed their own opinion on things and it will be harder to change or alter their views towards a more positive side.
This article highlights the importance of teaching diversity and inclusion at a young age. This is crucial because it allows students of minority groups to speak about the experiences they are having, unlike the personal story in the article where they could not speak up because they did not feel heard or seen by the adults in the school they were attending. This does not mean that we can go in and teach 2nd graders something seniors in high school are learning or even middle schoolers are learning. It still needs to be age appropriate. It does not need to be a scary topic to approach in school systems. By starting young we can reduce the stigma around talks about equality and promote diversity within our school systems. Schools should equip kids for the real world and I cannot see any more real world knowledge needed than this. It is a charged topic that should not be charged. By teaching students in elementary levels about diversity we are prepared and making way for a much brighter future.
This article discusses the strong encouragement to teach diversity content to elementary school age kids. I agree with the main idea of this article because I also believe that understanding and creating content that will help educate others on a level they will understand even at an older level is important because most people do not want their children or anyone being taught this content because they simply do not understand. By teaching students about diversity and inclusion it not only helps students learn more but you are creating a safe environment for students of color to excel in the classroom.
This is an issue I often see discussed about “leaving children out of it”. However, with the right curriculum it doesn’t have to be harmful or controversial to teach to young kids. I think this is often used as an excuse to avoid teaching children how to advocate for others and possibly go against the beliefs of their parents. Schools who do teach children about diversity in any capacity are accused of “indoctrinating” the children, when this is never the goal.
Stated in the introduction, equity and inclusion in elementary school classrooms are very important and can help a child be more aware of these topics. While having a foundation of understanding for these topics, it allows for further growth as the child continues to develop. It’s important for kids to be educated about these key issues in society, in an appropriate manner coming from an educational viewpoint. Although certain details may be traumatic to a younger group, they can be sensitized so they understand the big picture. It’s important to educate the youth in America about America’s past for a multitude of reasons.
I agree with Doctor Childs that children should be taught a foundation of understanding DEI topics. Doctor Childs also states the obvious, that children should not be taught topics of extreme violence. There is, however, a way to teach these children in terms that they will understand so that their knowledge can continue to grow as they do. As an example, it is absolutely necessary to teach students what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. stood for in the fight against racism, that way students can grasp a better understanding and empathy for their classmates who may be facing similar issues.
I agree that when there are tragic events in our world, children are the ones that get affected the most, and that we should not wait until middle school to teach children about tough conversations. Teaching them about all these things in a proper way according to their age, would help them to learn what is happening, what it is, and how can they help. Many children experience racism at a young age and stay quiet because they do not know what is happening, or that they are being hurt in a way. As a future teacher, I would encourage the learning of diversity in my classroom and outside my classroom.
The article presents a compelling argument for the early introduction of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics in elementary classrooms. The notion that waiting until middle or high school may miss crucial opportunities resonates, highlighting the need for age-appropriate discussions. While I do think that it is highly important to avoid exposing young children to traumatic content I also know that many young children go through many traumatic discriminatory experiments and tackling DEI topics in school may better equip them to handle them. I think that educators should work to create thoughtful and creative ways to approach DEI education in elementary schools.
In the introduction, the idea that children are the group most affected by traumatic events or circumstances but when controversial topics need to be addressed in the classroom this group is seen as too young stood out to me. I couldn’t agree with this statement more, controversial topics in elementary schools are tiptoed around and the education system is failing students and allowing them to miss out on important opportunities in their lives. Having these conversations at a young age can help students better understand themselves and allow them to be able to have these hard conversations in the future. I also agree with teaching these topics with an age-appropriate curriculum, students don’t need to know every deal on the topic but introducing some of these things to them at a younger age can be very beneficial.