racism and stereotypes?

Question

I teach in a daycare center. The kids i have in my group run in ages from 2 years to 6 years. I want to began lessons on racism and stereotypes. We had a child come into our program that has pretty much never been around people from diffrent ethnic groups and will only play with children who look like him. How do i go about teaching these children about racism and stereotypes? i mean i know what to say, but i am really stuck on what kind of lessons i can do that they would understand. any ideas?

First of all, i did ask all the parents. they all agreed it was a good idea. second of all i am not giving them a crash course.

When this child came in, he would not play with the other kids because he said they where "dirty". This did upset alot of my kids. i had a meeting with the parents and they ALL agreed that teaching the children that no matter what we look like, we are no better than anyone eles and that we are all very special is a good idea. I am not going to have some crash course in it, but children do need to learn that we can not stereotpye other people.

you are right, i am lucky you do not bring your child to my daycare. you prob have a hissy fit that i teach the Kids about MLK JR

Answer 1

Please view the website that I have listed. While most of the materials are for older students and adults, maybe some of the activities can be adapted for preschool children.

Instead of using the basic "study circles" format maybe the students could do art projects to talk about their community and feelings. Or, plan activities where the students have to work together to figure out puzzles or play games. Once you get children started they usually figure out things on their own. I've worked with young students for the past few years through the organization Junior Achievement, its not directly related this organization taught students about entrepreneurship and personal finance, but I learned that young people are very attuned to what goes on in their community.

Have a community day/show and tell were students bring in something from home that explains their culture. Try to get parents involved if you can. Afterall, "It takes a village to raise a child." As I am sure you are probably aware, lessons come in many forms they don't always have to center around pointing out differences and saying its bad to make judgements. Just show them the different cultures that are out there through story, food, clothing, and other fun activities.

Answer 2

By teaching them what is similar about themselves first. Ask no leading questions about differences. At 2-6 children don't need crash courses in racism or stereotypes.
Try having them write down what is an American and put the results on the chalkboard without putting who said which answer, discuss the answers.
___________________ __________________
Ah! Well, you didn't mention before that you had parental support. I would still say take it slow, I still say start with similarities. Once you have gotten to a point where they understand that they are pretty much the same ask the kids what is different about.............name a kid, ask why is that a difference.

Dang, this is hard because there are ways of dealing with older children you just can't do with younger ones.

Answer 3

I hope this helps out but, some of my information is a little lose.
I saw a documentary many moons back in a college psychology class where a elementary school teacher gave her class a really good lesson on racism and stereotypes in observance of Martin Luther King Jr..'s birthday.
What she did was brilliant, she took her class and split them up based on eye color. The first day she told all of the blue eyed kids that they were smarter, better at sports, better looking, and the like. At recess you could already see the divide. All of the blue eyed kids were hanging out with themselves leaving the brown eyed kids to shuffle around the school yard. Insults even started to develop, One blue eyed boy called put down another kid by calling him "brown eyes" and running away.
One of the more memorable aspects of day one carried over to the second day when kids filed in for attendance. The teacher had "made a mistake" the day before, and told the class that blue eyed kids weren't smarter than brown eyed kids in fact it was the opposite. After the correction the teacher called out a blue eyed student and asked him where his glasses were. The student replied "I forgot them at home." That student, now being part of the subjugated group was apt for more ridicule and able to be punished for leaving his glasses at home.
Once again recess showed how the tables turned. At the end of the day the teacher sat her class down and began to introduce the idea of racism and stereotypes. She made the whole lesson very personal to her students and drove the issue home even further by linking the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the excersize.
This case was documented as I said in the beginning although I am very sorry I can not remember the name of the case or the Teacher. I do know that years later the teacher was praised for her work and was asked to appear on the Opera show.
I wish I had more info for you.
If it sounds at all interesting please get in touch and I'll do what I can to find more details.

Answer 4

First as a teacher don't you have to get permission before teaching any child something related to this topic, shouldn't you maybe ask permission from the school board of ethics or at least have the parents permission? Trust me I'm not trying to be snotty or anything. I'm just asking about this because sometimes when a teacher takes it upon themselves to touch on a sensitive subject such as this, they usually wind up on the 6:00 news. So if you haven't gotten permission to maybe tap into this line of conversations with children, I think maybe it would be a good idea to ask 1st.

Answer 5

I read this some time ago. A nursery school put some of the kids in red shirts, some in blue, and some in yellow, some in green (depends on how many kids you have). Be sure to separate the kids who have best friends and put different color shirts on them and be sure your little fellow gets a blue shirt.

Tell them the blues (or whatever) are to be shunned - no one can play with them, they have to eat their lunch in a different place together only for blue and use only one bathroom, etc.

The children will want to know why the blues cannot play with everyone and have to so things separately - then you tell the kids, "well you see there is really no good explanation for keeping the blues apart and discriminating against them because we are all the same no matter what color shirt we have on". End of racism

Answer 6

Instead of stressing the differences in the children, why not stress the similarities?

Seems to me your thinking is to increase racism and stereotyping by discussing differences in people.

Go for shared interests not the differences. The differences will be obvious as they get older.

To teach racism is to encourage racism. "He's different because he's a different color." BAD IDEA!

Answer 7

Don't do it! It's not your place. I would take my child out of your daycare, if you tired that.

Children do not have to be taught NOT to be racist. When you tell a child that black people are not inferior to white people; you are teaching him that they indeed are.

As for the child who only plays with people who look like him, allow it. He is in a strange place and should be allowed as much time as he requires to adjust. If you force him to play with others because they are different, you may cause him to develop racial hostility.

Edit based on additional details: It that case you should have asked for assistance in teaching children about manners.
The best way to teach children is through stories. Get books that tell a story about a child who was mistreated because of a difference. Don't try to teach anything, just read the story.
Did you even bother to ask why he called them "dirty"?????

Answer 8

It seems to me that this is a problem that will solve itself, so long as they can communicate. Our kids grew up in a foreign culture, and learned the local language quickly enough. (Actually not quickly enough -- it took almost a year.) And then they started to mix with the local race and vice versa.

Answer 9

the kid obviously learned to be like that from home, and he is around home more than with u at school, so no matter what u do he wont change unless the people at home stopping putting hate and fear into him

Answer 10

maybe you shouldnt draw attention to it in the first place?
im sure a two year old wont come in and say hey your black , i dont like you. or vice versa. they might be curious and being 2-6 theyll use their not so subtle ways of asking questions to their classmates. but to say hey your all differnet colors and differnet values and none of you are the same...its like yelling someones name in a crowded room and saying "dont look!". they will. so dont tell them they have to get along becasue in our society we dont...just let them be and theyll grow to think they are all equal