I tried to engage her in a conversation. Fifteen years ago Dr. Frances Kendall wrote a book on cultural diversity in the classroom. The author recognized at that time that children must be educated to accept differences and celebrate likenesses found in all human beings. But since then, Dr. Kendall has felt the need to take a bolder approach and has written a second book because racism, discrimination and basic disregard for human life have increased over the years. Dr. Kendall believes that teachers and their attitudes hold the key towards improving multicultural education in the classroom.
Teachers provide experiences through which children can begin to develop their own values.
Teachers encourage children to explore, to initiate, to question, to grapple with tough questions, to be active rather than passive learners. Teachers are active participants in children's learning. Multi-cultural education can be taught in the preschool curriculum. Children in the early elementary grades often study the family and community. Gathering pictures of each family and discussing the differences and similarities is a good place to start.