“The girl in this story looks just like me!” As educators, we want all our students to see themselves represented in the books they read and the subjects they study. We want our students to know they can achieve great things and give them role models they can identify with along the way.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on some dramatic inequalities in our society. What can we as educators and curriculum developers do to be part of the solution?
- Develop materials that show people of different ethnic groups, genders, abilities, and ages in a variety of professional and societal roles.
- Write stories with characters representing all ethnic groups, abilities, and genders that show the breadth of the human experience. Students need to see themselves in the books they read. Students need others to see people like themselves as capable and valuable contributors to society.
- Expose students to literature by authors from a variety of backgrounds.
- Provide materials that showcase the contributions made by people of various ethnicities and genders throughout history.
- Provide avenues for students to safely discuss their feelings and opinions about current events. Students need to know that they are seen, heard, and valued.
To learn more about CSA Education’s work in developing diverse curricula, please email us at in**@cs****.com.