Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Preschool
Beginning at the Beginning
Much of what a child learns in the preschool classroom is gleaned from the beliefs and example of that child’s teachers. In order for teachers to teach children to understand, value, and embrace the diversity of the human population, they must have a fundamental respect for all human beings and a commitment to actively including all of the children and adults in the daily life of the school community. At The Raleigh School, our teachers have that commitment and respect. In addition, as an institution, The Raleigh School has created the following Diversity Statement to guide our practice:
The Raleigh School is an inclusive, active partnership of parents, educators, and children built on a foundation of respect. As a school community, we honor the identities of all children and families and are committed to building a safe community where every member feels a strong sense of belonging. The Raleigh School is open to change and is committed to growth as we strive to prepare children to be active, culturally competent citizens.
Classroom Immersion
Our accrediting body, NAEYC’s National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, has specific recommendations for promoting an appreciation for diversity in the preschool classroom every day. When you are in your child’s classroom, look around and you will find these things:
Classroom books and posters reflect diverse racial, gender, and age attributes.
Classroom materials and props (baby dolls and other doll figures, housekeeping props and foods, puzzles with human pictures) reflect diverse racial, gender, and age attributes.
Children are exposed (through books, materials, images, and experiences) to diverse cultures and children that they may not likely see, as well as to those that represent their family life and cultural group.
Curriculum
Our teachers lace the preschool curriculum with activities that promote an appreciation for all types of people. To learn more, click here.
Using our Community
As a parent-participatory school, we enjoy the luxury of having the presence and input of our diverse parent population in our classrooms. (And our population is increasingly diverse: More than a quarter of our current preschool children are identified by their parents as something other than “Caucasian,” and we also enjoy a diverse population with regard to faith traditions, ethnicity, family composition, and country of origin. We encourage parents to share the cultures and traditions of their families on helping parent days or on other special days throughout the year. Thus a preschool child gets to “experience” diversity by interacting with diverse children and their diverse families. In addition, they may get to taste foods from cultures that are different than their own during snack time, hear words spoken in a language they don’t know, and experience a cultural tradition of a classmate’s family which may be different from their own, all via our own Raleigh School parent community!
Click here to explore some of the Vignettes our preschool faculty members have shared about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their classrooms.
