Supporting Your Diverse Community in the Classroom

Going deeper than surface level support into more meaningful inclusion

We are in the middle of a worldwide discussion on the importance of supporting marginalized groups. And while every experience is different, I wanted to share some suggestions for how you might show you care about those groups in your classroom.

First, we must acknowledge that teaching is political and the decisions you make in the classroom may affect your life in different ways. Educate yourself on your school's policies and weigh the possible outcomes of each decision you make. I'm all for a "ask for forgiveness, not permission" and "discomfort of those in power is nowhere near the pain experienced by the targets of their oppression" kinda vibe, but I know that we often need to think about these things another way. So here is a wide range of supportive actions you can take to show your students and their families that you care.

The Obvious

There are many obvious ways to show your support of the groups that need us most right now: hang a pride flag, wear a black lives matter shirt... These are the most obvious which is good for showing up for our students and our communities, but they may cause the most push back. So keep that in mind. You may want to consider which symbols/phrases are considered "protests" and therefore may not be allowed during school hours depending on your contract, and the difference between decor on the walls and symbols worn on your person. The age of your students may also play a role in how others respond to your actions.

Books and Content

Another more obvious action is to include marginalized groups in the content you teach. Depending on the control you have over your curricula, you may or may not be able to add in diverse read alouds or lessons. If you are able to do so, there are many amazing people who have cultivated lists of books and resources for teachers of all ages and subjects (visit my instagram to see some of the examples I've shared). For me as a preschool teacher, this includes things like reading And That's Their Family during our all about me and my family unit, to show that families come in all shapes, sizes and makeups. I also go out of my way to find examples of books, videos, etc that feature disabled bodies, differently structured homes, and skin of all colors. By purposefully including people that may otherwise be left out, you are showing your students that all people are valid and worthy of inclusion. I'm working on another project that includes books that highlight experiences of people of color, disabled people, queer people, etc that fit into typical subjects one might cover in a prek curriculum, so keep an eye out for more info on that!

Decor

In addition to the books you use, can you carry over this representation into other visible areas of your classroom? Do the posters in your classroom show visibly different people? How we portray people on our walls and who we choose to portray says a lot to our students about who we value and want to include. One way to start this work is by including pictures of your students and their families. Then think about who else they might encounter out in the world and find representatives of those groups to include. While you want to avoid tokenism (see below for resources), thinking about the makeup of the population you service in your school is a good place to start. One method of preventing tokenism is measuring the impact of your work. The resources linked at the end of this post include further suggestions, but once you start implementing these changes in your classroom, look at the effects it has on your classroom community. Are there kids who are seen in your classroom but not heard? What is a next step you can take to improve the inclusion rather than just the representation of different groups?

Another way to include different cultures and communities in your decor is looking at labels. Many early elementary classrooms will have objects labeled to create a text-rich environment. Could you include other languages or types of communication in those labels? Maybe you include visuals on your labels that match the AAC your students use, write labels in multiple languages, or have a braille label maker! The possibilities are endless! The "Who is Welcome?" section of this blog post I made earlier in the year goes through some more examples of ways to update your space to include all students.

Language

One of the phrases that I believe to be the most true thing ever spoken is that "language shapes our perception". When you talk about groups or certain people in certain ways, it affects how you see them, how other people see them, and how they see themselves. Pay attention to the words you use, the words your kids use, and the words other staff use. Here are some examples of discussions I've heard in school that clearly shape interactions with others:

"Yeah, but who is his real mom?" about a student with two moms.
"I do not understand that lifestyle at all, why do people do that? They just shouldn't get married then." about an adult with multiple partners.
"Do you want me to include your kids in this project?" to a special education teacher about a group of special education students in the general education class.

Think about how these examples would affect how staff views others, and how it would affect students had they overheard. These are tame examples compared to what many marginalized people hear on a daily basis.

Having honest conversations with our peers, our students and ourselves is a great place to start building understanding. When we do not shy away from talking about autism and stimming, skin color, or any other taboo topic, it shows children that those differences and things that make us who we are, are not bad and meant to be hidden. We are meant to be celebrated. By using the language groups choose for themselves (for example, many disabled people prefer to be called "disabled" rather than called a "person with a disability" despite what I was taught by [non-disabled] people as a teen and young adult) we are showing we value them and setting an example of respect for our students and other adults.

Education

The best way to continue your work, is to continue your education. Some of the best experiences for me have been attending workshops on talking about skin color with kids, developmentally appropriate sex education, and inclusion of kids with disabilities. When we learn more about the sometimes touchy topics, we grow more confident and able to have those uncomfortable conversations. Learn about disability culture. Learn the words queer people want to be called. Learn about different head covers worn by various cultures. That way you have an answer for when a well-meaning four year old asks questions like "is that a boy or a girl?", "why is she jumping?" or "what's that spot of color on your skin?" and can address differences with respect. It's okay to not know, so long as you do the best with the knowledge you have and continue to grow. We all make mistakes and education can help us to better understand the people around us and change our thinking.

I know it can be scary to stand up for others in a time when people are being targeted for doing just that, but it is important to support each other and to set that example for our students. Everyone deserves to be respected. How are you showing up for your community in your classroom?

Resources

What is Tokenism and How to Avoid It (UNH)

Tokenism: How Diversity Efforts Go Wrong And What You Can Do To Avoid It (Medium)

Understanding and Identifying Tokenism (Plus, 5 Ways to Avoid It!) (Affirmity)

6 Keys to Authentic DEI: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Diversity Tokenism (Diversity Certification)

What is Inclusion? Philosophy, Practice & Benefits (Kids Included Together)

The Critical Need for Training on Inclusion (Kids Included Together)

Keys to Inclusion (Kids Included Together)

Inclusion Checklist for Programs (Kids Included Together)

Person-First and Identity-First Language (EARN)

Identity First Language (ASAN)