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

3 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Development of Identity

​Topic 1 Page 7

​"Often, problems are knots with many strands, and looking at those strands can make a problem seem different.”
​~ Fred Rogers ​

Children will watch every move you make.  They learn about themselves through what they are deliberately taught and by observing.  Cultural patterns and expectations are sometimes spoken aloud, but very often are demonstrated and “taught” to the child through modeled behavior they observe from the adults in their lives.

Even though children start to notice differences as early as three months of age, they start developing their attitudes about others and themselves by the age of two. 

​By age three the child will be happy to repeat what they have heard from others about differences.  Make certain all children see themselves reflected in your classroom activities.  This means that your materials and activities will:

• Support each child’s sense of self and family,
• Engage children in the acceptance and appreciation of differences and similarities in people, and
• Help children better understand beliefs and customs different from their own.

​This type of curriculum is referred to as multicultural or anti-biased.  Keep in mind that not all materials produced for children and purchased for classrooms are appropriate. Be especially careful with materials that are more than ten years old. Eliminate posters, books and other curriculum materials that have stereotyped images on them. Look for materials that appropriately portray diversity to expand children’s understanding.

There are many types of learning materials that can help children feel comfortable with their identity, as well as increase their awareness of other people.  Make sure that your program reflects diversity in books, magazines, dolls, puzzles, paintings, music, and block area props, etc.

• ​​​​Resources for Addressing Multicultural and Diversity Issues in Your Classroom, National Education Association
• Anti-Bias Education Learning About Holidays & Fairness, Slide Show. 14 February 2014 
• Anti-Bias Education Articles. Teaching for Change
• Video: Cultural and linguistic diversity: Case study. Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (4.39 minutes)

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