WHAT DIVERSITY MEANS TO ME...

What diversity means to me….
I see the children’s colorful faces,
looking different in every way,
I wonder where they came from
and where are they going every day.
Each person has a different destiny and
Journey they must decide
Each person must go to school and
Learn to read, subtract add and multiply.
After learning your alphabet and numbers
You will learn how to socialize
You will meet new friends along the way,
And learn where they were born and reside.
While learning a person’s background you will
Learn more about their culture and their way of life.
Learn about their customs and the hardships and shrifts.
Last of all diversity deals with being different and unique,
Being confident in all you do and knowing what you think is right.
Knowing each person has a destiny and a legacy that must live on
Starts right in the hands of diversity and a person’s right to be different and unique
while staying where they belong.

"We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

Being an educator is a great way to understand how children work. I also get the opportunity to guide children’s behavior and learning. Working in the classroom as a three year old teacher gives you multiple opportunity to hear the funny things that children say. At times we have to change what children say and what they think. I often use literature and reading materials to show children about the proper things to do and say at all times.

For example, in our three year old classroom we had a child that wore glasses to school every day. Many children saw the glasses and they understood that children and adults use the glasses to see better. However, after a doctor appointment the children went to the child came to school with a patch over her left eye. When the child came into the classroom with her parent every child stopped and stared at the child. One child went up to the child and the parent and said “Did Madison go to the doctor to have her eye taken out. She looks like a one eye-pirate.” I felt awful when the child called the other child this horrible name. After the child made this comment, I knew that I had to change the conversation immediately. I immediately gave the child and the classroom the eye that let him know to move away immediately.

Working in this classroom with children that needed to understand the importance of not teasing or calling other children names is so important. I know that it is so important to explain to children that name calling is so hurtful. I want to teach children that words hurt.