We know that race is an emotionally charged topic and can be an uncomfortable conversation for many of us — parents, caregivers, educators. As an educator, you may feel that it’s not your place, or that your supervisors might object to talking about issues of identity, race, and racism in your classroom. However, creating space for children to discuss and make sense of their observation is important work!
All children notice differences and similarities between people; it’s an expected and normal part of their development. Research shows that individuals notice racial differences in people as early as infancy (Kelly, et al., 2005); by toddlerhood, children often choose playmates based on race (Katz & Kofkin, 1997).
Some people wonder: Why can’t we just tell children that race and skin color don’t matter, and that we are all the same and equal? It seems like talking about race will further divide us.
We all wish we lived in a world where everyone was treated equally regardless of the color of their skin, but that often is not the case. And research tells us that young children notice (Winkler, 2007).
Avoiding conversations about race can also cause confusion for children of color who experience racism based on skin color (Lingras, 2021). Perhaps most importantly, by avoiding conversations we may miss a key opportunity to prepare children of all colors to successfully identify racism when it’s happening, and to be able to do something about it.
Here are 5 core reasons to talk about race in your classroom. You can use these points when sharing information with your supervisors and families.
- As adults, we have an opportunity to support and guide children. By listening to our children’s observations and talking openly about race, we can set children up to understand and celebrate differences.
- When we talk with our children about differences — both seen and unseen — we are helping children learn to respect and be kind to all the different people who make up their classroom, community, country, and world.
- Early conversations about race can help to build children’s ability to work well with people from different backgrounds. Working collaboratively and solving problems together are skills that will benefit children as they grow up in our diverse world.
- Talking about differences helps children spot when people are being treated unfairly because of their race — and use their voice to stand up for what’s right.
- Framing conversations around a celebration of race and skin color can increase self-esteem and pride in children of color.
When we are available to answer children’s questions and acknowledge their observations it promotes their curiosity about the people and world around them. It can also help them to accept (and celebrate!) individuals and families that look different, have different traditions, or speak in different ways. Conversely, when we hush or avoid the topic of race, we may inadvertently signal to children that what they asked or observed is something bad or negative. It therefore can create discomfort around race and differences.
No special training is required in order to use this resource in your classroom! However, we encourage you to consider the following ideas as you explore the curriculum with your students:
Avoid assumptions.
This guide is built around photos and illustrations of diverse people. While there are some things that we can tell for sure about a person just by looking at a picture (like the color of their skin), there is far more that we can’t tell just by looking, such as where a person is from, what language they speak, or their beliefs. The language that you use when talking with children can help them learn to avoid making assumptions. For example, start your observations by saying, “It looks like…” rather than stating your observation as fact. You can also respond to a student's observations by saying, “That could be true for some people, but not for everyone. We don’t know for sure!”
Notice where you, as the teacher, are uncomfortable or hesitant.
You can practice using non-judgmental language to describe people before talking with your students. You can also let your students know that these are new ideas for you too, and that you’ll be learning and practicing together with them. It’s OK to make mistakes!
Know YOUR students.
The way that you approach certain conversations or activities should absolutely be adjusted to suit the needs of the students in your class. A conversation about families may not be appropriate for a student in an unstable family situation. The racial make-up of your class should influence your conversation as well.