Sarah Balaberda
Honoring Diversity in Kindergarten to Grade Three
Kindergarten to Grade Three is a crucial time for children to learn about acceptance and inclusion. Their feelings are easily hurt when they are left out of an activity and if you were a child with ODD, this might happen to you a lot. The approach I would take to honor diversity in my classroom would be to teach the children that everyone is different, but no matter how different we are, we all deserve to belong. It is key at this young age to constantly be reinforcing that it is okay to be different. The way I would address this topic would be to use this 30 minute lesson (maybe shortened a bit for Kindergartners or if the whole time is not needed)
Introduction:
- To start off my lesson I would ask all of my students to either move to the carpet area (or stay in their desks, which ever way your classroom is set up) and have them gather around to watch the following YouTube video. This is a video of the nursery rhyme "The more we get together" and is a perfect way get the students' attention.
- Before starting this lesson I would first question my students on how they were different and how they were the same. I would be sure to emphasize the importance of diversity during this time. For younger children I may point out some obvious differences or similarities, such as wearing glasses or having blue eyes.
Body:
- After listening to this song with my students I would begin to teach them the lyrics one line at a time. I would also include dance moves to keep the little ones from getting bored and to get out some of their energy. Make learning fun!!
- For about 5-10 minutes, depending on your students, I would spend time learning these words and dancing with my students.
- After this I would have all students return to their desks and then ask, "Why is it important to include everyone in our classroom?"
- Listen to the students and provide positive feedback.
- This would now be a good time to tell the students that sometimes in our classroom we are going to have students who are angry, sad, excited or are rowdy and may not pay attention. In other words, this student might be different than us. Explain to the students that everyone has days where they feel like this but there are some people who feel this way more than others. For example children with ODD. Depending on your group of student I would vary whether to be this specific or to just leave it general and say we are all different. (Have a small discussion - do not bore the students with overload)
- From here I would then give the students a blank sheet of paper ( or maybe one with an outline of a head for the younger students), and have them draw how they are feeling that day. Allow them about 5-10 minutes for this activity.
- Encourage them during this time and give them example words to describe how they might be feeling, as sometimes younger students may have a hard time with this.
- REMEMBER: It is not important what the child's drawing looks like, this is simply a way for the student's to understand that everyone feels different things and that that is okay.
- Wrap up your lesson by asking a few students if you can show their drawings to the class. Pick drawings that are feeling different things.
- Ask the students if everyone in the class drew the same mood and once again discuss how people feel different. This would be a good time to say bring up that some times in the classroom (and outside of the classroom) we will notice these differences.
Conclusion:
- Reinforce that sometimes we are going to have friends in our class who are a little different from us, but that is okay!
- To finish up the lesson sing and dance with the kids one more time!
- Carry on explaining these differences in your classroom on a daily basis. Reinforce what you have taught your class by modeling for them and being accepting of all different needs.
- Hang the students pictures up in your classroom as a reminder as well :)
Resource:
This webpage describes different ways to teach young children how to express their emotions. I felt that this was a great way to teach students about behaviours and emotions since they are too young to fully understand ODD. It is a great way to introduce the topic! Check it out.
This webpage describes different ways to teach young children how to express their emotions. I felt that this was a great way to teach students about behaviours and emotions since they are too young to fully understand ODD. It is a great way to introduce the topic! Check it out.