Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Elementary School

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Elementary

Building on the foundations established in our preschool, the elementary program continues to be purposeful in honoring the identities of all children and families and is committed to fostering a safe community where every member feels a strong sense of belonging. This work is integrated throughout every decision we make. Whether it be the selection of a class novel, the placement of the furniture, or the language our teachers use, we are deliberate in ensuring our classrooms serve both as a place where children feel known as well as a place where their empathy and worldviews can be expanded.

Classroom Immersion

The most tangible signs of this work can be seen simply by entering the classroom. Our goal is that the moment a child or family member enters the room they feel a sense of belonging. Below are a few illustrations of this work:

The names of all children in the class and in many cases, multiple creations by the child are prominently displayed throughout the classroom to clearly define that the space belongs to them and that they matter in this space.
Classroom books, toys, materials, and posters reflect diverse racial, gender, and age attributes. The art room, for example, utilizes numerous paper and other drawing tools in a wide range of colors to easily create a varied spectrum of skin colors.
Classroom seating is designed to be inclusive and collaborative.
Many classroom spaces also change with the months and seasons and will incorporate various major holidays and celebrations around the world. Recently, a Kindergarten parent shared with their teacher how grateful they were for the variety of books on display in the library for Eid-al-Fitr, as their child had been checking them out regularly and was so appreciative that an event that was significant to their family was also visible for him at school as well.

Curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to be emergent in nature, naturally following the interests of children and reflecting their voices. While this freedom allows for a greater influx of diverse ideas, it is also imperative that our teachers are proactive in ensuring that what we are teaching is open-minded and encompasses a variety of stories and perspectives. Here are a few examples of how that is achieved.

In fourth grade, much of the theme studies are centered around the state of North Carolina. To tell the story of our state our teachers are mindful to be sure to also shine light on some of the stories less often told. Our teachers help our children understand that the history of North Carolina begins with the indigenous people who have long lived here. They help them understand the indigenous people’s rich culture instead of simply telling their story through the forced removal from their lands. Additionally, the story of our state is intertwined with the stories of enslaved people from the continent of Africa and other surrounding nations and our teachers help our children understand the impact of this part of America’s history in developmentally appropriate ways.
Throughout all classrooms, teachers are mindful to select class novels and other books that feature stories of diverse characters and ensure that the authors and illustrators creating those stories are equally as diverse.
The school also has a designated cultural arts budget that allows for a group of teachers and administrators to partner with a group of parents to select a wide range of talented presenters and performers to share their stories and skills with the children. Recent performances have included the Carlota Santana Flamenco Dance Troupe; Japanese Storyteller Yasu Ishida; Writer, Educator, and Hip Hop Artist Baba Bomani; and Chambersoul Celloist and Songwriter Shana Tucker.

Using our Community

As a parent-participatory school, we are constantly seeking new and novel ways to have the presence and input of our diverse parent population in our classrooms. We encourage parents to share the cultures and traditions of their families throughout the year. Thus a child gets to expand their own knowledge and understanding by interacting with diverse children and their diverse families. This may entail tasting foods from cultures that are different than their own during snack time, hearing words spoken in a language they don’t know, and experiencing a cultural tradition of a classmate’s family, which may have been previously unfamiliar. We also look to engage outside our campus via service learning opportunities and field trips. This includes trips to hear from artists at the Contemporary Art Museum in downtown Raleigh, learning about North Carolina history at Stagville, stocking shelves at Urban Ministries, and gleaning sweet potatoes on small farms outside of Clayton.