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(Unit 4) Topic 1: Cultural Competency and Responsiveness​

3 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Inclusive and Respectful Environment ​

​Topic 1 Page 16

Recommended Video: What Can We Do?, Welcoming Schools, A project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation

​Synopsis: ​The 12-minute training film What Can We Do? Bias, Bullying, and Bystanders spotlights experienced teachers engaging students with HRC Welcoming Schools lesson plans on bias, bullying and standing up for each other to create a more connected classroom community.
Discussion Guide & Lesson Plan to Accompany Video

As an early childhood provider, the environment that you cultivate can have a significant impact on the experience of the children in your care, and their families. It is important to be intentional when planning to ensure that all can feel welcome and respected.

​A key strategy for showing respect is to recognize that children and their parents are experts about themselves. It can be difficult not to make assumptions, or even to recognize when we are making assumptions about people. As humans, we filter new experiences through our previous experiences or beliefs. But every child you meet will be unique. ​

Some steps you can take to ensure that the learning environment is respectful are:

​Get to know children and families through conversations based on reciprocity and responsiveness. 
​This means that you are both asking and sharing, with a genuine openness to perspectives and values that differ from your own.

Develop ground rules with the children in your care about how they will treat each other. 
Have conversations about differences and consider those differences in a positive light when discussing.

Consider the materials in your classroom. 
Do the pictures represent people of multiple cultures, races, ages, abilities, and genders in non-stereotypic ways? Are all of the children’s languages represented in written materials? Are there items in play areas that are reflective of items that children have in their own homes?

Consider the way you talk to children. 
Do you convey higher expectations of some, and lower expectations of others, based on surface characteristics? Do you make assumptions about the experiences that different children will enjoy based on their race or gender? Do you ask individuals to speak for their entire cultural group?

Working against personal and societal biases to ensure that everyone feels respected and welcome can be challenging, but ultimately leads to a more positive experience, more meaningful relationships and a deeper sense of belonging for everyone involved. ​​

We have an obligation to ensure that kids are prepared to acknowledge and respect the diverse world in which they live.
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Consider how we get to know children in our programs and how we celebrate the ways they are unique.  Think about some techniques on how to build a sense of community that honors the diversity represented in our classrooms and in the larger world. You can also help children develop respect and appreciation for people whose ideas and experiences are different from their own. ​

(Unit 4) Topic 1: Cultural Competency and Responsiveness​ * Navigation Menu