Diversity Matters: Celebrating Our Differences

We are all different. We are all the same.

It's tough for a lot of people to understand this!  

Right now, there are a whole lot of angry people out there bullying each other... and it isn't just kids. 

But the kids are watching, and learning from what they see around them.

How can we help children learn to appreciate the differences in others? 

The most important thing we can do is be role models: show them to appreciate and celebrate the good in others. 

Talk to them. 

Let them see you talking to others... all kinds of people!

Read to them. Read books about different kinds of people!

Whether it's Black History Month (February) Women's History Month (March) Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May) or National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) or even National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October), there's plenty of books to share with children that show the importance of different kinds of people. Here are a few to help you with Black History Month: (These books are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get credit for sending you to Amazon, but it doesn't cost you a cent!)

• Black Icons - An Illustrated Children's Book: Celebrating 20 Leaders & Unsung Heroes of Black History
• Things Kids Should Know About Black History: Educational Children's Book for Black History Month

• The ABCs of Black History 

• Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A.

 

A couple of books for Women's History Month:

• A is for Awesome!: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World
• Women Who Dared: 52 Stories of Fearless Daredevils, Adventurers, and Rebels
• We Are Artists: Women Who Made Their Mark on the World

And here are a few books to celebrate the best in everyone!

• All Are Welcome
• This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World
• It's OK to be Different: A Children's Picture Book About Diversity and Kindness
• Listening with My Heart: A story of kindness and self-compassion
• All People are Beautiful
• All Different and Beautiful
• I am Enough

Here's a little activity that you can use with your students to get their minds thinking about what is fair. It's perfect for sharing about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Black History Month, Women's History Month, or any time you want the children to think about respecting others! Just or Unjust?

You can get this resource for free by signing up for our helpful emails HERE.

More than anything, please model kindness! Here's a great video that touches my heart, that says everything I want to say about modeling kindness. (Plus the children will enjoy singing along!)

Honestly, I firmly believe embracing and modeling diversity is just as important as reading and writing!

These topics are great for research, as you can see from Enjoy Teaching!

Some ideas about celebrating Black History Month from  Those Who Love Teaching.

 

 Here's a great way to combine Dr. King's life with Google maps from Two Boys and a Dad!

 

Here's another blog post I've written about Sharing Kindness: