# data[].attributes.body
"Every family is different, and teachers must be ready to adjust their outreach for all types of parent and guardian communication styles. Let’s listen to Kate discuss the different levels of parental involvement and what teachers can do to manage expectations while building partnerships with parents and guardians at home."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parent Involvement Spectrum - Cultural Understanding

# data[].attributes.body
"Students come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and cultures! Multicultural Classrooms should be celebrated and shared – diversity within groups adds multiple dimensions, varying interests, and unique perspectives to any setting.

One of the best ways to create a culturally supportive and sensitive atmosphere is by providing learning opportunities that embrace the variety of students represented. When different backgrounds are welcomed in the classroom, this strengthens all learners’ feelings of inclusion. When included in the activities, their family members can also teach and enrich others’ multicultural knowledge."

# data[].attributes.body
Parent involvement is not only beneficial to students and their learning journey, but it is also necessary for teachers and parents to build a relationship for their child's development. I believe this video to be helpful in understanding the factors that play into building rapport with parents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Building relationships between parents and teachers: Megan Olivia Hall at TEDxBurnsvilleED

# data[].attributes.headline
Culturally responsive teaching in action 

# data[].attributes.subject
Culturally responsive teaching in action 

# data[].attributes.body
Teachers at Capital City Lighthouse Charter School in North Little Rock, Arkansas, were in for a unique professional development opportunity. Unlike a typical training session, on this late summer day teachers would learn directly from students. Teachers heard first hand student reflections about their school experiences and how well their classes reflected their identities and interests.
Culturally responsive education is an essential element of empowering teachers and students to promote equity in the classroom and social justice in the community. There is no better time in this period of reckoning to do this work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Culturally Responsive Education in Action

# data[].attributes.body
"In this video, several tips for culturally responsive teaching are given for educators anywhere. This video is part of the multicultural education playlist that is designed to help educators become more response to students from diverse backgrounds. Other videos in the playlist include learning models, such as the flipped classroom, as well as professional development workshop for esl and ell students."

# data[].attributes.headline
Dipti Desai - Cultural Diversity In Art Education

# data[].attributes.subject
Dipti Desai - Cultural Diversity In Art Education

# data[].attributes.body
"Dipti Desai is Professor of Art and Art Education and Director of the Graduate Art + Education Programs at New York University, USA. As a scholar, artist-educator, and activist her work addresses the intersection between visual art, activism, and critical pedagogy. She has published widely in the area of critical multiculturalism/critical race theory in art education, contemporary art as a pedagogical site, critical pedagogy and artistic activism. She is the co-editor of Social Justice and the Arts book published by Taylor and Francis and her co-authored book History as Art, Art as History: Contemporary Art and Social Studies Education received an Honorable mention for Curriculum Practice Category of American Education and Research Association (AERA). Among her awards, she received the Studies Lecture Award for scholarly contribution to art education, Specialist Fulbright Award and the Ziegfield Service Award for contribution to International Art Education. Her most recent project entailed curating a special issue on artistic activism for the journal, Visual Inquiry: Learning and Teaching Art (2017)."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Associate Professor of Art, NYU
Dipti Desai is Professor of Art and Art Education and Director of the Graduate Art + Education Programs at New York University, USA. As a scholar, artist-educator, and activist her work addresses the intersection between visual art, activism, and critical pedagogy. She has published widely in the area of critical multiculturalism/critical race theory in art education, contemporary art as a pedagogical site, critical pedagogy and artistic activism. She is the co-editor of Social Justice and the Arts book published by Taylor and Francis and her co-authored book History as Art, Art as History: Contemporary Art and Social Studies Education received an Honorable mention for Curriculum Practice Category of American Education and Research Association (AERA). Among her awards, she received the Studies Lecture Award for scholarly contribution to art education, Specialist Fulbright Award and the Ziegfield Service Award for contribution to International Art Education. Her most recent project entailed curating a special issue on artistic activism for the journal, Visual Inquiry: Learning and Teaching Art (2017).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dipti Desai - The Center for Artistic Activism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Associate Professor of Art, NYU Dipti Desai is Professor of Art and Art Education and Director of the Graduate Art + Education Programs at New York University, USA. As a scholar, artist-educator, and activist her work addresses the intersection between visual art, activism, and critical pedagogy.

# data[].attributes.body
"As long as the art world has been bastion for self-expression and radical system-challenging, the structures that make it up have often been exclusionary and narrow-minded. Part of the work of the current fight against injustice is to examine the country’s most enduring fixtures- like art museums- and force the systemic hang-ups that’s baked into them to bubble up to the surface. The question of diversity isn’t a new one in the art world, but in the current moment, these conversations have made themselves urgent, and the numbers are still disturbingly grim."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As long as the art world has been bastion for self-expression and radical system-challenging, the structures that make it up have often been exclusionary and narrow-minded. Part of the work of the current fight against injustice is to examine the country's most enduring fixtures- like art museums- and force the systemic hang-ups that's baked into them to bubble up to the surface. The question of diversity isn't a new one in the art world, but in the current moment, these conversations have made themselves urgent, and the numbers are still disturbingly grim.

In March 2019 a group of researchers published a study at the Public Library of Science that surveyed eighteen of the most respected museums in America (like LACMA and the Met), and found that work by Black artists only made up 1.2 percent of their collections despite making up 13 percent of the population, according to the 2019 census. Works by Asian artists only totaled 9 percent of the collections, and Hispanic and Latinx artists only about 3 percent, despite comprising 18 percent of the population. It is worth noting that this study relies on public information about artists, and while the data was peer reviewed, racial and ethnic identity is often personal, thus not always accurately guessable. In any case, the numbers show marked lack of progress when it comes to representation. The National Endowment for the Arts' 2019 , "Artists and Other Cultural Workers: A Statistical Portrait," also provided a comprehensive picture of what working in the art world looks like. They uncovered that from 2012 to 2016, non-white or Hispanic made up nearly 36 percent of the U.S. workforce, but only 25 percent of the artist workforce.

Another 2019 investigation by in other words and Artnet News focused on women's representation in the art world came up with similarly stark results. They found that from 2008-2018, only 11 percent of all work acquired by the country's top museums was by women, and that in the same period, only 14 percent of museum exhibitions represented female artists. Additionally, in this timeframe, works by women comprised only two percent of art sold at auction. A 2019 by Art Basel and UBS underscored these findings with the troublesome fact that "2 works by women have ever broken into the top 100 auction sales for paintings, despite women being the subject matter for approximately half of the top 25." It is worth highlighting that racially marginalized women were the least represented, with work by African-American women making up just 3 percent of the already small market for women-produced art. These numbers are made more jarring by a 2017 study which found that the Yale School of Art has enjoyed gender parity for over thirty years, indicating that the problem doesn't lie a dearth of qualified female artists, but rather a system that makes it difficult for women to reach the upper echelons of their field. This research helps disrupt the illusion of progress that special exhibits of women's work and positive press about acquisitions can generate.

While the case for women in the art world is bleak, it is at least well-studied. When it comes to gender minorities in the art world, like trans and nonbinary creators, much of the data simply doesn't exist. The majority of studies about gender representation in the art world fall into a binary, focusing on those who identify as female. Large scale research projects about trans and queer representation in the art world are scarce to nonexistent. This gap in research could exist because gender and sexual identities are not easily gleaned from public information, but it also points to a larger pattern of erasure of these communities, not just in the realm of art, but in the world at large.

For Hispanic and Latinx artists, paucity of representation in museums is made possible by everything from barriers to entry for art world jobs, to largely held misconceptions about Latinx art. Artnet that only 1.2 percent of work in New York galleries was by Latinx artists, despite being the U.S.'s largest minority group, comprising around 18 percent of the population. In "Critics and the Slippery Terrain of Latinx Art," scholar Arlene Dávila points to a lack of Latinx-identifying cultural critics, which leads to a system where "Latinx cultural products are often ignored, or covered in faulty and incomplete ways." She also argues that curators of large exhibits featuring Latinx Art have historically misinterpreted the work, often generating to reductive or essentializing narratives.

However, it isn't just the baggage of decades of historical legacy that's holding museums back from achieving equity in their collections. A joint investigation by In Other Words and Artnet News found that from 2008 to 2018, only 2.37 percent of acquisitions and gifts from 30 prominent museums were by African American artists. These numbers suggest that curators, even today, just aren't seeking out work by minorities. The lack of diversity in the top museums reflects the limited, often Euro-centric lens through which much of these collections are curated. Naomi Beckwith, a senior curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, shared her insights with Artnet. "Historically," she offered, "what curators have been asked to do is follow a particular storyline-and then when things fall outside that, they are rendered invisible." The problem isn't that the work doesn't exist, but that museum and gallery culture that is still entrenched in centuries-old conceptions of what is considered high art and what isn't- a culture that was created in service of white male European artists. Curators have, consciously or not, helped whittle art from marginalized communities into monoliths, serving the preconceptions of their predominately white audiences, thus dismissing art and artists that fall outside of those tropes.

In the aftermath of these studies, and more resoundingly in the wake of recent protests, museums and galleries have followed a trend of releasing statements denouncing institutional racism and promising a turn inward. The Whitney committed to "re-examin[ing their] exhibitions and programs to ensure they continue to address the art and experiences of people of color, especially Black communities," and The Metropolitan Museum of Art's president and CEO Daniel H. Weiss and Director Max Hollein expressed a need "to grieve and to reflect on how we, as individuals, and as a museum, can do more to support social justice efforts in this country."

The Guggenheim, though, is experiencing perhaps the most palpable reckoning, after a letter signed from "The Curatorial Department" was recently sent to the museum's leadership, demanding initiatives to correct the institution's history of maintaining white supremacy. Earlier this month, Chaédria LaBouvier, the first Black woman to ever curate an exhibit at the Guggenheim, spoke out against the museum's working culture, claiming racist mistreatment by high-ranking staff while putting together her Basquiat exhibition. The museum quickly hired its first full-time back curator, Ashley James, after the controversy with LaBouvier came to a head during a panel in November 2019. The Untitled Magazine interviewed Ms. James in 2018 about "Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power," an exhibition she curated at the Brooklyn Museum. She spoke about the importance of recognizing Black artists' contributions to the development of art, and hoped visitors to the exhibit came way "Learning that black artists were at the forefront of the avant-garde, and were experimental, and that they were creating with a sense of desire to make things new- and this exuberance, this feeling of urgency." Bringing James' inclusive and invigorated curatorial lens of to the Guggenheim is a step toward healing the institutional ills of the historic museum.

But even outside of the institutional magnitude of major museums, the case for racial representation does not fare much better. According to a 2017 study by CUNY Guttman's James Case-Leal, in 45 of New York's top tier galleries, work by white artists make up a whopping 85 percent of collections. The study has come under some scrutiny, since the artists did not personally validate their racial identities, but they rather were inferred from public information, though the results do echo that of the major museums. This racial disparity reflects on the financial side, too, with work by African American artists making up only 1.2 percent of the global auction market over the past 10 years, according to the Artnet Price Database. The same study showed that 77 percent of that already small market was works by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. A similar phenomenon holds true for women in the art world. Another study from Artnet and In Other Words found that five female artists make up 40.7 percent of the market for women-produced art (the artists in question: Yayoi Kusama, Joan Mitchell, Louise Bourgeois, Georgia O'Keefe and Agnes Martin). While these stats underscore these artists' widespread reputations as genius creatives, they also highlight just how hard less recognized artists have to work to take up space in the market.

For queer artists, representation in the art world is marked by a similar process of tokenization. In his article "Where Is Queer," scholar Greg Bak notes that "Many LGBTQ exhibits are 'one-dimensional,' in that they are either hyper-sexualized exhibits about kinky and often taboo sex or de-sexualized exhibits where the presence of HIV/AIDS makes LGBTQ people the subject of pity." Again, any art that challenges common preconceptions of a certain group can be obscured, and innovative artists are left without avenues to success.

Considering the grim facts of diversity in the art world, it's important to recognize the projects that take tangible and direct steps toward a more equitable industry. Art4Equality is one of the smattering of organizations that have stepped in and created opportunities for underrepresented artists. Their latest project entitled "Art4Equality, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" presented in collaboration with non-profit SaveArtSpace is commissioning emerging artists to create public art in the form of billboards, taking vital messaging outside of the white walls of large museums and making it accessible to those haven't been historically welcomed in traditional art spaces. The Feminist Art Project is grassroots organization that uses archive projects, panels, and networking programs to fight the erasure of women's historic and current contributions to the art world. The Professional Organization for Women in the Arts and were both created for the benefit of working women in the art world. The Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art is a rare example of a permanent feminist exhibition at a major institute- the Brooklyn Museum. The Black Artist Fund provides direct aid to Black artists through donations and art sales, and the Black Trans Femme Arts Collective connects some of the community's most vulnerable artists. The Latinas Art Foundation addresses the lack of appreciation for Latinx art through their mission to educate, research, and provide scholarships for women and girls. These are just a sampling of the many organizations currently working toward a more equitable art community; but they don't just work to aid marginalized artists, they benefit the art community at large, enriching it with opportunities for artistic diversity.

The onus of representation lies with those with power in the art world, and those who choose wield their institutions to challenge narrow-minded industry standards are more vital than ever. It's time for gallerists, curators, and executives to not only take stock of their role in complacency, but to start vigorously re-writing that role. Only when the art world actively uplifts the artists who make America what it is, will it truly become a revolutionary space.

Tags: art world, art4equality, Ashley James, Black artists, Black Lives Matter, diversity, female artist, feminist art, GALLERIES, latinx artists, minority representation, Museums, queer artists, racial equality, The Guggenheim, the met, The Whitney, Visual artists, women artists, women in the art world

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DIVERSITY IN THE ART WORLD: WHERE ARE WE AT NOW AND WHAT'S BEING DONE?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As long as the art world has been bastion for self-expression and radical system-challenging, the structures that make it up have often been exclusionary and narrow-minded. The question of diversity isn't a new one in the art world, but in the current moment, these conversations have made themselves urgent, and the numbers are disturbingly grim.

# data[].attributes.body
When we talk about diversity, we often think about ethnicity, which is correct, however, it is important to look at the real picture. Diverse backgrounds include what experiences one has gone through, disabilities, ages, relationships, etc. I thought this site was beneficial to clear misconceptions of the term diversity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hong Kong is often lauded for its diversity, but in reality, this diversity is not always properly represented. And one group in particular in need of greater visibility in our city are those living with disabilities.

While there are many services that support differently-abled people in their day-to-day lives, what's lacking is the chance for them to show off what they can do themselves.

That's why was excited to attend a poetry recital and panel discussion for differently-abled people at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum last Friday.
Chinese poetry comes alive at King George V School
The event, hosted by the International Literary Festival, invited people with a broad range of learning disabilities, from Down's syndrome to Autism Spectrum Disorder, to share their creativity, while also raising awareness about some of the challenges they face.

We spoke to some of the writers about what inspired their work.

"My poem is dedicated to my sister." said Wendy Ahn, 26. "I wrote it because my sister is always so kind to me, and I wanted to show my appreciation."

Ahn's poem Me and My Sister , imagines her memories of time spent with her sister as beads on a bracelet.
Australian slam poet Zohab Khan on being "the other" as an ethnic minority, how his art is like hip hop, and the discipline of creativity
Some of the other poets chose to write about their families too, like Nisarg Shah, 23, who presented her poem The Colours of my Family , and Jeffrey Joubert, 23, who recited his poem, Nanny's Cooking .

Each poem puts the audience in the viewpoint of the writer, vividly describing what they can see and hear, from the sound of a bell ringing to the smell of their mother's perfume.

"This is a good opportunity for our learners to engage in writing, to express themselves, and to be empowered to speak in front of an audience," said Jeanette Fong, who works at the Nesbitt Centre, an educational facility for adults with learning disabilities.

"It's great that young people with disabilities were given the chance to speak for themselves, create their own work, and have the public listen," added Hannah Bent, one of the speakers at the panel.
Hong Kong's dying trades: a tour of pawnshops, coppersmiths and more with 'Sunset Survivor' author Lindsay Varty
The event gave the poets the chance to speak not only about their own lives, but the topics they care about, such as the environment.

Nineteen-year old Henri Lashinski's poem, 'Chocolate Hong Kong' is about pollution. It depicts the city as bitter chocolate, coated in sticky, caramel-like smog.

"The most important thing about this event was that it shows off people's abilities," said Faride Shroff, founder of SENsational Consultancy, an agency which helps people with disabilities find work.
How one Hong Kong designer is keeping the traditional craft of crochet alive
Shroff also stressed how important it is to have a creative outlet, whether its poetry, painting, or acting. In addition to writing, Ahn is a keen painter, and has sold several of her pieces.

"I think it's important to create spaces where people can express themselves and feel included," Bent noted.

But despite these efforts, more needs to be done to make Hong Kong a liveable city for its disabled population.

Elaine Leung, a waitress at The Nesbitt Centre's very own social enterprise, Café 8, describes how having a job has given her independence and something to be proud of. These feelings are vividly portrayed through her poem, "Home".
HKYAF's #Be The Change project invites local teenagers to confront issues like food waste and plastic pollution in our city
Mike Ng, 28, an administrative assistant who is on the autism spectrum, voiced his concern about the lack of opportunities for differently-abled people.

"Often, I find it's the Hong Kong Jockey Club that finances the majority of the initiatives for individuals with special needs. But I don't think it should be solely their responsibility," he said. "Many other associations such as the social welfare and education bureaus should take more action."

"There needs to be a massive cultural shift. In Hong Kong, there's a lot of shame around having a disability," said Bent.

"I would say it's improving, but we still have a lot to do to get rid of the stigma surrounding disabilities, and the idea that hiring people with disabilities is just for charity," Shroff added.

But Lashinski summed it up best, saying: "We all need to be fierce champions for the value of diversity, and diversity in all its forms."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why diversity and inclusion are so important in the creative arts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hong Kong is often lauded for its diversity, but in reality, this diversity is not always properly represented. And one group in particular in need of greater visibility in our city are those living with disabilities. While there are many services that support differently-abled people in their day-to-day lives, what's lacking is the chance for them to show off what they can do themselves.

# data[].attributes.body
"A presentation on the necessity of developing inclusive, equitable, diverse teaching practices in the classroom. We will discuss issues facing students of color in education and address how to better connect with them. The goal is that educators may see growing diversity as a vibrant opportunity for improved learning outcomes and student connectedness."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Affirming Diversity In The Classroom Why it Matters to Your Students | Nadiyah Herron | TEDxCSUSB

# data[].attributes.body
I always find this site to be beneficial to any art educator and specifically adored all of the activities and ideas it gave to support diversity in the classroom. In order to promote diverse conversations within the classroom, it is important to see what an educator can offer to a student or the whole class. I keep finding myself going back to collaborations, this might be a future work in progress for my classes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
4 Ways to Foster Authentic Collaboration in the Art Room

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
4 Ways to Foster Authentic Collaboration in the Art Room % %

# data[].attributes.body
As an educator, I think it is important to gain a better understanding of conversating about art, how it makes you feel, what your truth is, and how this affects you and others. As we are all growing as educators and individuals, I think this is an engaging and beneficial video for anyone to watch is interested in opening up about art and the message it can send.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Art As Conversation | Sahara Clemons | TEDxCharlottesville

# data[].attributes.headline
Week 1 - Sparking diverse conversation. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Week 1 - Sparking diverse conversation. 

# data[].attributes.body
In researching ways to better support my students coming from different backgrounds, collaborations came to mind. I think collaborative artworks bring students together, as they share different ideas, different skill sets, and backgrounds. I have always admired art educator Cassie Stephens and found this video to be motivational looking at her collaborative work with her students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
In the Art Room: School Wide Collaboratives

# data[].attributes.body
As we are gaining a better understanding of the issue of race and racism within schools, I as an educator want to find ways to spark conversations within the art room. Students have every right to know the issues, and solutions to social topics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This activity is an adaptation of the lesson plan "Talking About Race and Racism" from Teaching Tolerance. Used with permission
Essential Question
What do I need to participate in an open and honest conversation about race, racism, and its depictions in The Washington Family?
Objectives

Students will reflect on their own comfort level when talking about race.

Students will distinguish between intent and impact and reflect on what it means in the context of class discussions about works of art.

Students will describe how stereotypes inform our implicit biases and how implicit bias impacts how we create and interpret art.

Students will establish norms and learn strategies for having open and honest conversations about the depictions of different people and groups in works of art.

Warm-Up
Write the prompts (below) on the board and allow students time to quietly and independently respond in writing. If you have a journal procedure, use it here. Allow time for sharing and discussion.

On a scale of 0-5, how comfortable are you talking about race? Explain.

On a scale of 0-5, how comfortable are you talking about racism? Explain.

0 = I would rather not talk about race/racism.

1 = I am very uncomfortable talking about race/racism.

2 = I am usually uncomfortable talking about race/racism.

3 = I am sometimes uncomfortable talking about race/racism.

4 = I am usually comfortable talking about race/racism.

5 = I am very comfortable talking about race/racism.

Establishing Rules and Norms
1. Classroom conversations need to be honest, respectful, and supportive. Share some of the strategies you will use to support students during these conversations. For instance, let them know that you will:

debrief with them or allow them time to reflect on their own (e.g., talking circles and journaling);

check in with them throughout the lesson to see how they are feeling and doing (e.g., fist to five);

encourage them to ask for a pause when they are feeling strong emotions that prevent them from moving forward (e.g., stoplight); and

introduce them to methods for communicating through strong emotions (e.g., RCRC)

Implicit Bias and Stereotypes Intent versus Impact Vocabulary Image/Text Graffiti (adapted from Teaching Tolerance)
1. Print out a reproduction of The Washington Family for each student or project the image in your classroom.

2. On a separate, blank sheet of paper, instruct your students to write a description of the painting for someone who cannot see it. Ask them to be as detailed as possible but stick to visible elements-not interpretations or judgments. (This step is introductory, meant to encourage students to look closely before making judgments.)

3. Identify the figures in the painting and answer any clarifying questions students may have about objects in the painting. Ask them to flip over their sheet of paper and write one to two sentences identifying the focal point of the painting. Students need to use visual evidence to back up their claim-for example, "George Washington is the focal point because his dark clothing draws our eyes in," rather than "George Washington is the focal point because he is the first president."

4. Tape or affix these sentences to desks or on walls around the classroom.

5. Signal students to move to another desk and read their classmates' work. Provide enough time for students to read and respond to the written text with their own notes (one or two minutes). Repeat until students have responded to multiple viewpoints. Remind students to respond to each other's comments.

6. Ask students to return to their seats and read what others have written. Have them write a final sentence commenting on the thoughts of their fellow students. Was there anything surprising or new in what they read?
Exit Ticket
7. Conclude with a large class discussion exploring the question, "What is the purpose of this artwork?" Incorporate information as needed from the image set or the National Gallery of Art website.

Invite students to reflect on their learning by creating a portrait of justice. This work might be inspired by someone living or historic, or an idea or event; encourage your students to choose someone or something specific . Students might look to acts like civil rights legislation or Supreme Court decisions, or to transformed relationships between individuals For inspiration, lead students in a discussion of a work of art such as Gold Face Type (1966) or All the Boys (2017) by Carrie Mae Weems and consider how these works might relate to justice.

Ask students to reflect on a series of questions before creating their work:

What does justice mean to you?

What structures, systems, or individuals caused/are causing the original injustice or inequity, and why?

Who was/is affected by these injustices, and how?

Who was/is involved in overcoming the injustice? What did/do individuals or groups champion or imagine to make justice a reality? Consider any challenges or barriers these individuals fought and overcame.

How did/does this particular example of justice positively affect individuals, communities, or society?

Students may choose to create a work of art that is realistic or abstract in nature. Encourage them to think about what kinds of lines, shapes, colors, and textures communicate their thoughts and feelings about justice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This activity is an adaptation of the lesson plan "Talking About Race and Racism " from Teaching Tolerance. Used with permission Essential Question What do I need to participate in an open and honest conversation about race, racism, and its depictions in The Washington Family?

# data[].attributes.body
As an art educator, I am always researching new ways to incorporate culture within the art room. I found this site to be very beneficial!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
*
Written by Nadia T
*

Check out these 15 Cultural Diversity Activities for Elementary Students to teach children about children of the world.

The world is so large that it can be tough to teach children about places that exist outside of their own immediate physical world. There is so much to learn about other countries and people.

We live in America and we also spent 10 years in South Africa. I was fascinated by the cultural differences and daily norms that were each so very different from the life I lived in America.

Different cultures from around the world have so much that could and should be celebrated.
I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore and am compensated for my work. I received product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
From music, languages, and food to school, dressing and sports there is so much of beauty and excitement that each country and culture brings to our world.

What is cultural diversity?

Cultural diversity is about creating equity, respect, and understanding between people from different cultures..It's about understanding that each of us comes from a specific culture, which has its own history, language, norms, values, and beliefs. It is about inclusion.

When we talk about cultural diversity in the world today, it encompasses many things - race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, and skills are just some examples.

Why do we need cultural diversity?

Cultural diversity makes a community stronger. It helps create better ideas, more creativity, innovation, and forward-thinking. It allows for better problem solving because it brings together a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and knowledge.

Cultural diversity is important to everyone - regardless of culture or background.

Let's Celebrate Diversity

Add these activities to your lesson plans to promote inclusion.

Choose one country a week and do a small "trip around the world" each week. These cultural activity ideas are great for the classroom as well as for home too.

You could make it even more fun by choosing one particular day a week that you would be 'flying' out to this country to experience some of their cultures.

Here are my favorite activities to teach children about diversity.

15 Cultural Diversity Activities for Elementary Students

1. Celebrate holidays and traditions from around the world

My kid's calendar includes a variety of holidays. Make sure to acknowledge and celebrate these dates in your classroom. You could even decorate the classroom for different cultural holiday celebrations like Christmas, Eid, Hannukkah, etc.

See my post on Ramadan Decorations Ideas For Kids. You could set up a book area that incorporates these books during that week of celebration too. Learning experiences are enhanced through fun decorations, especially in young children.

2. Read books about other countries and their special cultures.

We really love the Lakeshore Children of the World Book Set. The books contain interesting facts, more about the spoken language, what the money looks like and wonderful discussion questions to ask students.

How are we each the same? How are we a little different? What makes us unique? Do a craft activity that would encourage a child to focus on the different physical features of people from different countries. The People Shapes Project Kit was perfect for this! It included tacky glue and everything you see below minus the trays.

The paper doll set comes in a variety of skin color options so kids can create and celebrate every ethnicity. They are also gender-neutral so can be adapted to a child's own creativity.

We were focusing this week on India and Mexico. So she set out to create an Indian and Mexican little girl. She noticed that the Indian girl was wearing a lot of sparkly sequins on her outfit and added these to her paper doll puppet.

My 8 year old really enjoyed this project. It was definitely a little tough for my three year old to do, as she needed a lot of help with gluing and cutting small parts and pieces. This activity is perfect for elementary aged students.

This would be a wonderful classroom activity. You could have each child build a 'puppet' from one country and then stick them around the room.

We may have a few different physical characteristics, but what about on the inside? How are we different? Are our emotions any different? Check out my feelings and emotion chart for kids

4. Print out a world map or use a globe

Show children where each country is located. You could even talk about how many hours it would take to fly to that country.

4. Bake or cook a special recipe from other countries.

10 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Studentshttp://bit.ly/2gXBCl4

6. Go visit a restaurant that has authentic food from other countries.

Sample cuisine from these countries. For example, have curry at an Indian restaurant. Try a dish that is special to that country. Just be careful because some cultural foods incorporate a lot of spice!

7. Listen to music from other countries -

Ask students what they think of the music. Does it make them feel like dancing? Does it make them feel happy?

8. Spelling the country names -

We used Lakeshore's Sweet Treats! Letter Molds to bake these little cakes together. Once we were done decorating the cakes, we would spell out each country's name before eating them all up. I'm always trying to weave spelling and hidden learning into all the activities we do together.

9. Listen to a recording of a person speaking that language.

It would be interesting to see if the children can understand any of the words the person is saying.

10. Cultural Greetings

Learn how to say hello and goodbye in each language.

11. Talk about animals that live in each country.

Children always love learning more about animals.

12. Discuss stereotypes, prejudices, and racism

If it is age-appropriate, then discuss this further. What are stereotypes? Are you defined by a stereotype too? Is that fair? Talk about how each individual can self-define who they are. Build understanding.

15. Create Multicultural Decorations

Do art projects that incorporate cultures. This will be a beautiful classroom decoration and will also serve as a reminder of the inclusive and celebratory nature of the classroom.

13. Expand the resources found within your classroom

Build a culture of celebrating diversity in your classroom. Bring in special toys, music, posters, videos, and even movies. Children will love seeing their own culture represented within their classroom.

14. Have a multicultural day, also known as Heritage Day

Have each student dress up in a cultural outfit. Then, have each student talk about some of the special things they love about their own cultural heritage. They can bring in specialties like special toys, books, music, and even cultural foods and desserts. This. is a great way to encourage diversity in the classroom and even in the school.

15. Create Multicultural Decorations

Do art projects that incorporate cultures. This will be a beautiful classroom decoration and will also serve as a reminder of the inclusive and celebratory nature of the classroom.

16. Sing the Celebrate Our Differences song.

More cultural activities

Cultural diversity activities for preschoolers, toddlers, and really, for all ages is such a fun and adaptable activity. It is always filled with beautiful colors and a lot of interesting facts and learning. Let's create a classroom filled with love and unity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
15 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check out these 15 Simple Cultural Diversity Activities for kids to teach children about inclusion, equity, and about children of the world.

# data[].attributes.body
I think continuous research on diversity and promoting an inclusive classroom should be consistent for educators. As every year we are introduced to several students with different backgrounds, experiences, and needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As art educators, we not only want students to create art, but we also hope to create a learning environment where every student feels included, valued, and encouraged. The desire to create a positive experience in an inclusive art room helps drive everything we do. Our students know they are valued and represented in their learning. They can create personal art inspired by a diverse variety of artists and themes. In an inclusive art room, students learn and thrive from identifying similarities and celebrating differences in others.

What is an inclusive art room?

An inclusive art room is developed when a teacher takes into consideration the needs of all students. The teacher ensures students of all backgrounds are not only tolerated and respected but are actively included in the classroom environment and curriculum. Art, in particular, provides teachers a unique opportunity to give positive representation to diverse populations. Teachers can incorporate artists and themes to connect with students from marginalized groups while showing all students everyone is valued.

Why is inclusivity important?

Art teachers should strive to create an inclusive art room because they understand the impact acceptance, respect, and validation have on a student's learning potential. Many of us can relate to the simple fact that feeling valued impacts our self-esteem. It transfers into how we work, learn, and create. Imagine the impact if all of your students felt this way when they come into your art room. The weight of fear, insecurity, and pain could be lifted from your students if you make an effort to demonstrate that you see and value them as unique individuals.

All students benefit from such a safe and inclusive learning environment. While some of your students may not identify with a minority or marginalized group, by including everyone, each student can learn from a variety of perspectives, becoming a more well-rounded individual and artist.

Not every group will be visible or known to you. Some students may not share that they are an English language learner (ELL). Other students may be coming to terms with their sexual orientation or gender identity. If you want to develop a truly inclusive art room, you should strive to include everyone, whether your student population reflects each diverse group or not.

For more on creating an inclusive art room, check out the Celebrating Diversity Through Contemporary Art and Strategies for English Language Learners PRO Packs. Look for both of these PRO Packs and more in PRO Learning.

Create inclusive lessons.

The lesson planning process for an inclusive art room is key because you can't simply say you respect and value all students and then exclusively teach them artists and issues of the status quo. Think of the saying, "Actions speak louder than words." Yes, having inclusive posters and images around the room is a great start, but the heart of your classroom is the learning! Your curriculum should reflect your belief that all students should feel valued and included.

Take a look at your curriculum. Consider asking yourself:

Which artists are represented?

Are they mostly white, European males?

Do you have a good mix of male and female artists?

Do you have a variety of racial and ethnic groups represented?

Now let's go beyond physical characteristics and open up the definition of inclusion even wider. Ask yourself:

What about ELLs?

Do you include artists with physical and/or cognitive special needs?

Think about how presenting artists from an even wider variety of life circumstances can benefit your students. Art is for everyone and is made by everyone. Show your students how! You'll create an inclusive environment and inspire your students of all backgrounds in doing so.

When selecting or planning activities for your students, look for what's missing in your existing curriculum. Who isn't represented? Start implementing some examples of artists from these groups. They may fit well into a unit you already teach. For example, you may demonstrate the same skill, but change the artist or pair the artists together. By adding more diverse representation to your curriculum, you're already beginning to show students they are valued in your art room.

Have the difficult conversations.

Sometimes adding diverse perspectives into your curriculum can lead to some tough conversations and conflicting viewpoints. Even at the elementary level, class discussions can open up about race and stereotypes. These conversations may be uncomfortable, but they are necessary. By asking students to think about their comments and explain them, growth can occur. The biggest impact may be when students call each other out or have their own dialogue. Of course, with different age levels and in different communities, these conversations can be more difficult. You, as their teacher, know your students and how to facilitate a class discussion where each students' voice is valued and respected.

Sometimes these conversations can lead to inquiries outside of the classroom from parents, staff, or even administration. When faced with any question or concern from others, firmly explain your learning objectives and the rationale for why it's important. Ask them questions as to why they are opposed to what you are teaching. This will help you gain some understanding of their perspectives. Respond to their concerns. Inclusion is not a political weapon; you are simply trying to show respect and value to everyone, in and outside your art room.

Foster inclusivity in the physical environnment.

The physical environment of an inclusive art room is another way you can show your students you value people from a wide variety of groups and life experiences. Posters of artists and/or their work are a great way to represent diversity in your art room. You could also display posters with quotes or statements that explicitly say your room is a safe space for all people.

Several companies and organizations produce such posters, but you can also create your own! Look at your own curriculum for inspiration of artists or quotes you could put up in your room. If you can't find a poster that says precisely what you want to communicate with your students, do it yourself! Whatever your teaching philosophy or mission statement is, share that with your students. Let each class know exactly how you feel about them and your desire to include them in your art room.

Student Groups to Consider:

ELL students

LGBTQ+ students

Students of color

Students with physical special needs

Students with cognitive special needs

Students of low socio-economic status

You can advocate and support these students by how you structure the physical environment of your art room, and by the diverse lesson plans you teach. Think of the impact you can have on a student with physical special needs when you include an artist like Henri Matisse. The famous French artist continued to create art after surgery left him confined to his bed or a wheelchair. Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo's story of perseverance to paint after contracting polio and suffering numerous injuries is another great example to share with students. Positive representation matters and can be incredibly inspiring to your students. Each student deserves to see themselves reflected in your art room and your art curriculum.
How do you define an inclusive art room? What lessons, accommodations, or visuals have you used in your inclusive art room?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inclusivity for All Learners in the Art Room

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As art educators, we not only want students to create art, but we also hope to create a learning environment where every student feels included, valued, and encouraged. The desire to create a positive experience in an inclusive art room helps drive everything we do.