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Diversity

Diversity Defined

"Differences among groups of people and individuals based on ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, exceptionalities, language, religion, sexual orientation, and geographical area." ~ The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Why is Embracing Diversity So Important?

We are all apart of a global community. In many ways, technology has brought us closer together than we have ever been. Being ignorant to different cultures is society's biggest enemy. I believe that we can learn so much from each other and that our differences are often our most common bond, it is what makes us human. The world would be a very boring place if we were all alike.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and I was educated in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Many of the schools in this district were considered to be "urban". Throughout my childhood, I was exposed to a variety of diverse populations and I feel it has made all the difference in who I am today. My family raised me to see people, not their classifying characteristics. This doesn't mean I ignored these factors, it simply meant I learned to accept them.

I now live in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I notice some drastic differences between the two cities. Accepting diversity is so much more easily swallowed in a place where it is more common. I benefitted greatly from the experiences I had as a child growing up in such a richly diverse city. Now that I live in a city much less diverse, I hope to bring those positive experiences back to my classroom and foster acceptance.

Resources that help foster Diversity:

Provides multiple interactive experiences for children to learn about other children from differnet cultural backgrounds

Great lesson plans for teaching diversity and fostering an equitable classroom environment

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Last Updated: March 21, 2005 12:43 PM