I am so excited to be returning to Early Childhood as the lead teacher in an ICT 3K classroom at our school. My students are as ethnically diverse (African American, Hispanic, Chinese, Indian, Muslim) as New York City itself, and because we are an ICT classroom, they are also neurologically diverse. During our learning year, we will seek ways to celebrate the richness of this diversity.
I know from past experiences that one of the challenges in teaching a multi-racial class is finding ways for students to see themselves in the materials we prepare.
Materials highlighting racial and neurological diversity do exist, but these tend to be of low quality and cartoon-like, which students are not responsive to. Best practice dictates that a diverse range of photographic images of the actual students we teach in various social settings is the most effective way to communicate inclusivity and celebrate diversity. A responsive teacher has only to note the excitement in a child's voice when they say, "That's ME, in the poster working at the writing center," to recognize the power of seeing oneself and being seen.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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