Diversity in Early Childhood Education: Why We Need to Learn From Our Kids by Danzel Blash
As I write this in March of 2018, Congress is deadlocked on negotiating an agreement for a segment of Americans known as “Dreamers” to have permanent residency in the U.S. The stories of Dreamers often get overshadowed by political agendas, and thus we lose sight of the people being affected.
I am reminded of my time working in a South Bronx Head-Start. On any given day, you could walk into one of our classrooms and you would not see labels titled “Dreamers.” You would see a diverse group of children playing amongst each other, whether it’s building zoos for their animals or building ramps to launch monster trucks. These children are problem solving, together. What was once an assortment of magnets and blocks are now structures and tools. When free play is over and hands are washed, the children sit and have lunch and talk and laugh, together.
This is what is important about diversity in early childhood play: the realization that cooperation with each other achieves more. Furthermore, it is the realization that deep down, we are all the same. These children are building friendships and experiences that will shape, and improve, the future of our nation, a nation of inclusivity.
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