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https://www.attica.lib.in.us/events

The Attica Public Library holds a lot of events, including story hour, that llows children and families of diverse backgrounds interact with each other. These learning experiences are very important, and are very well planned. They have a great thing going at the library to help families, along with their own list of ways that the community can help the families as well.

https://www.freefood.org/c/in-attica

This organization is a free food pantry where people can donate food, clothes, toys, etc. to those in need. It is a great place where we can all come together, and help one another.

There are many little organizations in my town that help indifferent ways that can be utilized to teach children the importance of diversity, no bias, and caring for others.

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Here's what is going on a Attica Piblic Library. We have something for all ages.

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https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/26/health/gender-equality-teaching-children-parenting/index.html

This CNN article discusses the topic of teaching children gender equality, and getting rid of gender biases or stereotypes. As CNN mentions, there are many stereotypes and many people who are biased towards certain characteristics or certain genders because of these stereotypes. The article highlights why it is important for us educators and parents to be role models, and teach healthy, non-biased, and non-stereotypical thinking.

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How to teach children about gender equality | CNN

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Parents and teachers should poke holes in gender stereotypes any chance they get and teach kids that boys and girls are more alike than different, experts say.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTqC4U_98Xo

This Youtube video is the perfect foundation for teaching children about diverse families. Whether it be about their culture, color of skin, or family structure they are taught that all of these situations should be accepted. They show many different cultures and family structure such as same gender parents, single parents, etc. This is a great resource for children learning about and appreciating diverse families.

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Our Family: A Film About Family Diversity

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https://onlinegrad.baylor.edu/resources/teaching-children-disabilities-inclusion/

This Baylor article discusses how you can age-appropriately teach children about disabilities. They discuss inclusion, respect, and understanding of the topic for many age groups, in hopes to help people teach their children about something so important and sensitive.

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"We accept you."

When expressed freely among peers, this phrase can have a lifesaving effect on youth who are vulnerable to bullying's most dangerous outcomes: depression, isolation, anxiety, and fear.
Teaching youth to share and accept each other's differences is part of building an inclusive culture that shields students with disabilities from bullying.
"It's become sort of the rallying echo for who we are as a group and how our group connects with one another," said David McClung, youth engagement specialist for Texas System of Care, which helps connect youth who have mental health needs with community organizations that provide care.

"The experiences you are going through may not make sense right now," he said, "but they can be used to fuel your passion and change the world."

Teaching youth to share and accept each other's differences is part of building an inclusive culture that shields students with disabilities from bullying. Numerous studies have documented that students with visible and invisible disabilities are at greater risk of experiencing bullying (PDF, 348 KB) than their peers.

Educating children about disability and inclusion can protect vulnerable students from bullying and encourage empathy and kindness among the student body.

Why Is Disability Education Important for Students?

Inclusion is mandated by law, but meaningful education about disabilities goes much beyond legal compliance. Creating an environment where all children feel included and valued is a necessary part of ensuring that students receive a comprehensive education that they can apply to the real world.

An inclusive culture begins with understanding that children are able to identify differences instead of pretending those differences don't exist. That can start with teaching person-first language, which refers to the individual first instead of equating them to a disability or neuro-diverse identity. For example, instead of referring to a classmate as autistic, a child can learn to identify their peer as a person with autism.
"When done correctly, it adds to the trajectory of a child developing their empathy."
"Kids have implicit bias just like adults do," said Becky Bell Scott, faculty member at Baylor University's Master of Social Work program online. "When they're not left to sort that out on their own, the differences become less pronounced through their lifetime."

Positive Effects of Disability and Inclusion Education:

Protects vulnerable students from bullying

Promotes inclusivity among the student body

Builds empathy and emotional intelligence

Helps students understand differences in a positive manner

Diminishes negative effects of implicit bias

Develops skills that youth carry with them beyond school

Disability education is an important part of social development that should be revisited at different ages to help children learn more as they grow and build an understanding of the world and their role in it.

"When done correctly, it adds to the trajectory of a child developing their empathy," Scott said.

Age-Appropriate Ways to Teach Children About Disabilities

It's never too early to start teaching children about differences among their peers. With infants and toddlers, Scott recommended using picture books that include representations of people who look different and similar to them.

"Children as young as 1½ or 2 will verbalize that they see a physical difference in another child," Scott said. "We need to follow the curiosity. We need to not shame that and instead help make sense of it, normalize it, and talk about what is the same between them and the person they're observing for the first time."

Some differences may be invisible to children, so explaining developmental and learning disabilities can help children understand various types of ability. These discussions can include the autism spectrum, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and should also mention the strengths of children with these diagnoses.

In a school environment, social workers and educators can focus on unique aspects of disability education at different developmental stages:

5-9 YEARS OLD

Focus on concrete thinking: Young children internalize most information literally, so build concrete thinking skills by focusing on facts, not imaginations or implicit biases.

Identify differences and similarities: Just as children may be able to see visible differences, they can point out traits they share with others.

Humanize others: When a child takes notice of a person who is different from them, encourage the child introduce themselves and ask the other person's name.

Balance curiosity with respect: Remind them that it's OK to ask questions, but they should be thoughtful and respectful.

10-11 YEARS OLD

Focus on emotional thinking: Older children are beginning to associate feelings with specific experiences. Ask them to unpack how they feel after an interaction with someone new.

Address conflicted feelings: Some students may feel they are being watched or judged by their peers when they choose to be inclusive of others. Talk about these tendencies to care more about social perceptions than the social good.

Normalize confusion: Let children know that it's understandable to feel confused about how to best include others, but emphasize the importance of overcoming that fear and not singling others out.

Discuss social structures: Around this stage of development, children may form social groups or cliques. Talk candidly about the harm in excluding others because of perceived differences.

12-17 YEARS OLD

Focus on empathy and kindness: Encourage students to invite others into their friend groups, intervene when they see bullying, and be on the lookout for peers at risk of isolation.

Address social exclusion: Around this age, ingroup-outgroup behaviors become more pronounced than they are for preteens. Explain how isolation can cause signs of depression and anxiety; this can happen both online and in person.

Discuss individual differences: All students have their own unique traits, fears, and challenges. Teach students to identify and share their own differences that are beginning to emerge.

Introduce the continuum of ability: Teenagers can understand and internalize the concept of an ability continuum, meaning that physical and mental ability - like other aspects of identity - are measured by many variables that include visual and auditory processing, spatial awareness, creative thinking, executive functions, and other aspects of communication.

Revisiting these strategies throughout adolescence can help children build on what they know while they are experiencing their own development and setting social expectations.

"It is common for children to have a fear reaction about difference," Scott said. "We need to address that because we don't want them think people who are different from them are to be feared."

Supporting Disability Education in a School Environment

These interventions can be conducted by school-based social workers but are best implemented with the support of parents and school administrators. Other professionals who can help create and spread inclusive curricula and activities include teachers, school nurses, school counselors, and - most importantly - peers of students with disabilities.

"We want to have allies at least supporting that conversation, if not introducing it, so the burden's not always falling on the person who is perceived as different," Scott said.

Cultivating student involvement can help foster an environment where students with disabilities feel a genuine belonging with their classmates.

"Connection to other people makes huge differences," McClung said. "Not only in our sense of social belonging, but also in our physical health, in our emotional health, in our support systems, and how we get through difficult times."
"We want to have allies at least supporting that conversation, if not introducing it, so the burden's not always falling on the person who is perceived as different."
McClung leads a program called ACCEPT, which stands for Allies Cultivating Change by Empowering Positive Transformation. "The program connects youth and young adults between the ages of 13 and 25 to educate, advocate, and grow the youth voice in Texas," he said.

"Our youth have a whole lot to say about how we can build cultures in our schools that are inclusive and understand the point of belonging," McClung said.

Professionals like McClung are proof that supportive adults are an important part of helping youth facilitate activities within a school environment, at home, or in advocacy groups.

Strategies for Fostering Empathy and Understanding

AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS
Incorporate storybooks or narratives that include representations of children with various physical and intellectual abilities.

MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING
Ask students deliberate questions that encourage them to share and consider their own thoughts when encountering people who are different from themselves. Examples include:

What did you notice?

What was the same?

What was different?

How did you feel?

PEER EDUCATION
Empower students with disabilities to tell stories about their own experiences. This helps students be in charge of their own narratives, as long as they willfully opt in to sharing.

VIDEO EDUCATION
If students with disabilities don't feel comfortable sharing, facilitators can use online videos to share stories from similarly aged peers, followed by a classroom discussion.

COOPERATIVE GAMING
These games foster cooperation, as opposed to focusing on competition. This use of meta cognition encourages participants to consider the social dynamics of the whole group, not just with themselves.

Listening to students and young people in any community can help school personnel shape a meaningful curriculum of diversity and inclusion.

"Our goal is not to save the world," McClung said. "Our goal is to try to impact the lives of one youth at a time."
Citation for this content: Baylor University's online master's in social work program.

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How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion

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Prioritizing education about disability and inclusion can protect vulnerable students from bullying and develop empathy and kindness throughout the school environment.

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Developing or Encouraging Empathic Interactions in Children

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Developing or Encouraging Empathic Interactions in Children

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https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-families/5-tips-cultivating-empathy

There are many ways we can teach our children to develop a sense of empathy for others, but what are the best ways? This Harvard article walks you through the ways to ensure that your child learns and embraces the concept of empathy for others, and they also provide activities that will encourage them to be more open to talking about their feelings and empathizing with other people's feelings as well.

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Children learn empathy both from watching us and from experiencing our empathy for them. When we empathize with our children they develop trusting, secure attachments with us. Those attachments are key to their wanting to adopt our values and to model our behavior, and therefore to building their empathy for others.

Empathizing with our children takes many forms, including tuning in to their physical and emotional needs, understanding and respecting their individual personalities, taking a genuine interest in their lives, and guiding them toward activities that reflect an understanding of the kind of people they are and the things they enjoy.

Children also learn empathy by watching those we notice and appreciate. They'll notice if we treat a server in a restaurant or a mail carrier as if they're invisible. On the positive side, they'll notice if we welcome a new family in our child's school or express concern about another child in our child's class who is experiencing one challenge or another.

Finally, it's important for us to recognize what might be getting in the way of our empathizing. Are we, for example, exhausted or stressed? Does our child push our buttons in a specific way that makes caring for her or him hard at times?

Try this

Know your child. Ask your child questions. For example, what did you learn today that was interesting? What was the hardest part of your day? How would you most like to spend a day if you could do anything? Do you have a friend that you especially respect? Why do your respect that person?

Demonstrate empathy for others, including those different from you. Consider regularly engaging in community service or model other ways of contributing to a community. Even better, consider doing this with your child. Express interest in those from various backgrounds facing many different types of challenges.

Engage in self-care and self-reflection. Try to find time to regularly engage in an activity-whether it's going for a walk, reading a book, meditating or praying-that can help you avoid being overwhelmed by stress. Reflect and consult with people you trust when you're having a hard time empathizing with your child.

2. Make caring for others a priority and set high ethical expectations.

If children are to value others' perspectives and show compassion for them, it's very important that they hear from their parents that caring about others is a top priority, and that it is just as important as their own happiness. Even though most parents say that raising caring children is a top priority, often children aren't hearing that message.

Try this

Keep to a clear message. Consider the daily messages you send to children about the importance of caring. For example, instead of saying "The most important thing is that you're happy," you might say "The most important thing is that you're kind and that you're happy."

Prioritize caring when you talk with other important adults in your children's lives. For example, ask teachers and coaches whether your children are caring community members in addition to asking about their academic skills, grades, or performance.

Help your children understand that the world doesn't revolve around them. It's vital at times for parents to put children's concern for others above their happiness, for example, insisting at times that children turn off the TV and help around the house, be polite even when they are in a bad mood, or not dominate the airwaves when they are talking to other children or adults.

3. Provide opportunities for children to practice empathy.

Children are born with the capacity for empathy, but it needs to be nurtured throughout their lives. Learning empathy is in certain respects like learning a language or a sport. It requires practice and guidance. Regularly considering other people's perspectives and circumstances helps make empathy a natural reflex and, through trial and error, helps children get better at tuning into others' feelings and perspectives.

Try this

Have family meetings. Hold family meetings when there are family challenges or conflicts, and in those meetings give children a voice and encourage them to take the perspective of other family members. Listen carefully to your children's views and ask your children to listen carefully to the views of others.

Encourage empathy for peers. Ask children about their classmates and other peers. Ask children when they're in conflicts with peers to consider their peers' perspectives.

Reflect on empathy and caring. Notice with your child when you're together and someone exhibits strong empathy-or shows a lack of empathy-either in your daily life or in a book or on television. Discuss why acts of empathy are important and why lacking empathy can be harmful.

Discuss ethical dilemmas. Discuss with your child ethical dilemmas that help them appreciate various perspectives, e.g., "Should I invite a new neighbor to my birthday party when my best friend doesn't like her?" "Should I tell my friend if I know her boyfriend, who is also my friend, cheated on her?"

Support doing with. Encourage children not just to do service, to "do for" others, but to "do with" others, working with diverse groups of students to respond to community problems.

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5 Tips for Cultivating Empathy - Making Caring Common

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Empathy is at the heart of what it means to be human. It's a foundation for acting ethically, for good relationships of many kinds, for loving well, and for professional success. And it's key to preventing bullying and many other forms of cruelty.

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Preventing Biases When Working with Children

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Preventing Biases When Working with Children

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https://www.pbs.org/kcts/preciouschildren/diversity/read_teaching.html

Preventing bias in children can be very difficult in today's world where there are so many stereotypes, but this PBS article provides great ways to prevent bias in our children. This article met many expectations, and discusses wonderful ideas on how to properly prevent bias and break stereotypical thinking.

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Teaching Young Children to Resist Bias

Reprinted with permission from the The early years are the time to begin helping children form strong, positive self-images and grow up to respect and get along with people who are different from themselves. We know from research that children between 2 and 5 start becoming aware of gender, race, ethnicity, and disabilities. They also begin to absorb both the positive attitudes and negative biases attached to these aspects of identity by family members and other significant adults in their lives. If we want children to like themselves and value diversity, we must learn how to help them resist the biases and prejudices that are still far too prevalent in our society.

Bias based on gender, race, disability, or social class creates serious obstacles to all young children's healthy development. In order to develop healthy self-esteem, they must learn how to interact fairly and productively with different types of people. Naturally, children's curiosity will lead them to ask questions: "Why is her skin so dark?" "Why does he speak funny?" We may hide our own negative feelings, or hope that children simply won't notice, but our avoidance actually teaches children that some differences are not acceptable. We must face our own biased attitudes and change them in order to help foster all children's growth.

What parents and teachers can do:

- Recognize that because we live in a society where many biases exist, we must counteract them -- or else we will support them through our silence.

- At home or at school, give children messages that deliberately contrast stereotypes by providing books, dolls, toys, wall decorations, TV programs, and records that show: men and women in nontraditional roles, people of color in leadership positions, people with disabilities doing activities familiar to children, and various types of families and family activities.

- Show no bias in the friends, doctors, teachers, and other service providers that you choose, nor in the stores where you shop.

-Remember what you do is as important as what you say.

- Make it a firm rule that a person's appearance is never an acceptable reason for teasing or rejecting them. Immediately step in if you hear or see your child behave in such a way.

- Talk positively about each child's physical characteristics and cultural heritage. And, help children learn the differences between feelings of superiority and those of self-esteem and pride in their own heritage.

- Provide opportunities for children to interact with other children who are racially/culturally different from themselves and with people who have various disabilities.

- Respectfully listen to and answer children's questions about themselves and others. Don't ignore, change the subject, or in any way make the child think she is bad for asking such a question.

- Teach children how to challenge biases about who they are. Give them tools to confront those who act biased against them.

- Use accurate and fair images in contrast to stereotypes, and encourage children to talk about the differences. Help them to think critically about what they see in books, movies, greeting cards, comics, and on TV.

- Let children know that unjust things can be changed. Encourage children to challenge bias, and involve children in taking action on issues relevant to their lives.

Building a healthy self-identity is a process that continues all our lives. Help children get a head start by teaching them to resist bias, and to value the differences between people as much as the similarities.

Additional Resources:

Neugebauer, B., ed. 1992. Alike and different: Exploring our humanity with young children. Washington, DC: NAEYC. #240/$8.

Document Use/Copyright

Copyright © 1999 National Association for the Education of Young Children. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

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Precious Children: Teaching Young Children to Resist Bias

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Teaching Young Children to Resist Bias from PBS television special Precious Children

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Children Understanding the Concepts of Similarities and Differences

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Children Understanding the Concepts of Similarities and Differences

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrjb4SZnxg

We're Different, We're the Same by Bobbi Jane Cates, Illustrated by Joe Mathieu, copyright 1992.

We're Different, We're the Same is a Sesame Street book that shows the concept of similarities and differences, but highlights the aspect that we are all wonderful and special. They also love highlighting the concept of us having the ability to make the world a good place based on how we treat people whether they are similar or different to us.

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Sesame Street: We're Different, We're the Same | Read Along Series

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Standing Up for Oneself (Helpful Children's Book)

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Standing Up for Oneself (Helpful Children's Book)

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https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/487746.Bullies_Are_a_Pain_in_the_Brain

Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain by Trevor Romain, illustrated by Steve Mark, Free Spirit Publishing, copyright 1997.

This book really highlights the aspect of standing up for yourself when it comes to bullies, and even talks about standing up for others as well. It is a great way to teach children that it is okay to stand up for themselves, it is actually encouraged, and the best ways to stand up to a bully whether it be for yourself or someone else.

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Bullies are mean. Bullies are scary. Bullies are a pain in the brain—and every child needs to know what to do when confronted by one. Thi...

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Positive and Confident Self-Identities in Children

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Positive and Confident Self-Identities in Children

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https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/i-am-enough

I Am Enough by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah Bobo, Balzer + Bray publishers, copyright 2018.

This book is a wonderful book to encourage positive self-identities and confidence in our children. It highlights the aspects of being kind to one another (no matter their culture, color of their skin, etc.) loving yourself, and respecting others. I would like to note that this mainly covers the idea of young girls learning to love themselves, and being kind to others. It is a great read for young children.

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Skip to Content

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

This could be a great choice for teaching the language-arts concepts of rhyme, rhythm, and poetry.

Each of us is beautiful in our own special way. We're here to share love and help one another through good times and bad.

The illustrations, which depict exclusively girls (no boys and no adults), strongly reinforce a message of acceptance, including self-acceptance. They depict girls with diverse traits and interests. There are girls with different skin colors, girls in wheelchairs, and girls in hijabs. There are girls shown participating in conventional girl activities, such as playing dress up and jumping rope, and girls doing things that might be associated with boys or tomboys, such as sparring in martial arts, running a race to win, and climbing a rope ladder. There are also a lot of images of the main character (an African American girl with natural hair) enjoying her solitude.

What's the story?

I AM ENOUGH is a rhyming poem rather than a story. It begins with a series of similies, where the main character names things she is "like": the sun, the wind, the student, and so on. Then it shifts to a reflection on love, acceptance, and the conclusion that we are here to help one another.

Is it any good?

Talk to your kids about ...

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Skip to Content The parents' guide to what's in this book. This could be a great choice for teaching the language-arts concepts of rhyme, rhythm, and poetry. Each of us is beautiful in our own special way. We're here to share love and help one another through good times and bad.