Joy in Diversity

Diversity comes in all sorts of ways and forms! Consider the many different ways that we all have of being, of communicating, of living our lives… not to mention the visible diversity of hair, eyes, skin… the list goes on!

You might expect a book written by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to be religious in nature (they do speak of their faith), but this book crosses all political, religious, and ethnic boundaries speaking to us as human beings living on Earth with other human beings.

Diversity has a broad meaning that provides us the opportunity to write extensively about it. Still, in these times when it is proving extremely difficult to broaden understanding of what diversity is, and how beneficial it is, it is hard for us, as teachers, to implement in our classrooms.

With those three teaching attributes (hands on, observation, stepping back) this parent’s expertise is so etched in my memory. This whole picture plays out. Along with the empowered wave and smile of satisfaction I would see if I peeked my head out the door as he left his shared pedagogy.

One of the best things about teaching in a parent participation preschool program is that it can bring out the playfulness of the adults who are participating. When the parents (and grandparents) are your co-teachers, they can take an activity in ways you may not have thought of.