It’s helpful to encourage children to make friends who aren’t like them. First, we have to recognize that for many young children, "differences" are disconcerting. Teaching children to see similarities is important, but the goal is not to eliminate our differences. By Janet Schmidt Preschool vs Kindergarten . Getting to know people different from oneself leads to reduced prejudice and increased understanding. Analogies are a fun, efficient and effective means of teaching about similarities and differences. It’s their way of acknowledging and valuing me. Does it include diverse individuals and oppose cultural stereotypes? Start by introducing the compare/contrast text structure. Children should learn about diversity at a young age to prepare them to be members of an increasingly global community. On the contrary, Montessori style uses a fluid/unstructured approach where each student is allowed to express him/herself and the teacher adapts to the students style in order to impart knowledge. Tips on how to teach youth to accept, respect, and value differences: Generally, people are treated differently because they’re seen as “the other.” For children, anything outside of “normal” may seem undesirable. Both programs expose kids to exploring and discovery through hands-on activitie… Start using analogies to analyze and experiment with word relationships as part of a game or other enjoyable activity. Remember that children’s questions and comments are a way for them to gather information about aspects of their identity and usually do not stem from bias or prejudice,” writes Scholastic. The books we used were Bat and Owl by Lee Waters. I picked these 2 objects because they are items that most students are very familiar with, and they have some pretty obvious similarities and differences. Practice collaboration by working in small groups to generate ideas and create books 6. In their book Classroom Instruction That Works, Robert J. Marzano, Debra J. Pickering, and Jane Pollock present four “forms” of identifying similarities and differences: comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies.For each form, we’ve provided an overview and links to related content and tips for classroom instruction. Through a group activity, in-class reading, group discussion, and pair work, students learn how to recognize and embrace differences in families between classmates’ and their own. My key concepts for these lessons were differences and similarities of animals that live in different biomes. Some of the most common ways to help students organize their thinking are with three tools: a Venn Diagram, a T-Chart, and a Double-Bubble Map. Plus they simply want to know more. But the reality is children will be confronted with these issues through the media, in day-to-day conversations, or with their peers. Children often have questions when they encounter people they see as different from themselves, be that difference based on ability, race, gender, sexual orientation, appearance, or origin. Ultimately, the goal is to create a more tolerant and compassionate culture for current and future generations. As a children’s health educator who uses a wheelchair, students frequently ask me lots of questions about my disability. . Teacher’s paper bag and each student’s paper bag filled with the following things: A picture of your Gain knowledge by learning what the term diversity means 3. Don’t shy away from hard answers. Similarities And Differences - Displaying top 8 worksheets found for this concept.. Each session includes reflection time with journaling responses to thought-provoking prompts, and there is a pledge at the end of all of the sessions, describing what is expected of those who have been through the program. Children are remarkably good at observing differences in the world. They might be from somewhere else. Identification of similarities and differences can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including comparing, classifying, and creating metaphors and analogies (Marzano, Pickering, Pollock, 2001). Learn more. Teaching students about similarities and differences paves the way for them to develop important comparative, analytical and critical thinking skills. They use the same approach when it comes to teaching. Show students how to discuss the similarities and differences of the two texts in a discussion format by using the keywords for comparing and contrasting. Let me share my favorite way of doing this. By answering my students’ questions, I hope to help them see people with disabilities as more whole people. Remember that children’s questions and comments are a way for them to gather information about aspects of their identity and usually do not stem from bias or prejudice,” writes. It’s best to correct the underlying misconceptions behind their statement or engage them in a conversation about how their words could hurt feelings. Why is that?”, Adult: “Well, they have an accent. Consisting of 55 pages, it includes explanation posters to help introduce the concepts of comparing and contrasting, as well as a varie 5 Nutritious Recipes to Try this Season By Alicia Dosh-Eller, MPH Having a happy holiday in 2020 also means having a …, Vaping: Not Worth the Risk Toshia Jordan, MS Substance Use Prevention Coalition Coordinator of Fuquay Varina Each year, the Great American Smokeout encourages individuals …, Preventing Bullying Online and Offline: October is National Bullying Prevention Month Jessica Fowler, CADC, LCAS-A Substance Use Prevention Specialist The 2020-2021 school year has …, Healthy Relationships: A Vital Protective Factor Robin Pittman, MS, CHES Family Life Program Director As a parent, watching your child grow into a young …, For more information, contact: info@poehealth.org, 224 Sunnybrook Rd. Kindergarten Literacy Preschool Literacy Activities Similarities And Differences Meet The Teacher Big Words Compare And Contrast Speech And Language Language Arts zoo continued . Kindergarten TEKS: (12) Reading/comprehension. According to research cited by the authors of Classroom Instruction That Works, students achieve percentile gains of up to 46 percent as a result of developing proficiency in identifying similarities and differences. Be thoughtful about your own words, too. Provide a variety of graphic organizers to help students make comparisons. Studies show that ignoring differences actually makes discrimination worse. Within any given classroom at any particular grade level, a teacher will understand that their students come from diverse backgrounds and will have unique, personal and individual differences. Representing similarities and differences in graphic or symbolic form enhances students' understanding of and ability to use knowledge. The parts of the body and Their Uses | Educational Videos For Kidshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OErgsaBWUC4A similarity is a sameness or alikeness. This is an important developmental learning strategy. Preview of Article: Exploring ‘Same’ and ‘Different’ in a Preschool World. . Studies show that ignoring differences actually makes discrimination worse. Teacher Reflections: Play technique means that instead of having children listen to the teacher’s lecture in a classroom setting, they are given developmental activities that nurture their problem-solving skills, creativity, teamwork, leadership and more. That doesn’t make them weird – just different, and different isn’t bad.”. 2 ... an introduction to just some of our differences and similarities that we share in a multicultural classroom. They will begin to understand the definitions of diversity and realize that focusing on the differences alone may cause conflict. By answering honestly, you create opportunities for more conversations about differences which also shows your child that it’s okay to ask respectful questions. “Generally, children want to know why people are different, what this means, and how those differences relate to them. Happy Holidays from the Poe Center! How do we get young children to accept differences? Kindergarten - Unit Four - Celebrating Our Differences Elaborated Unit Focus This particular unit encompasses several national holidays that Kindergarten classrooms usually celebrate and study extensively. For example, some questions imply that disabled people are sad or unable to do things for themselves. ... students about important parts of a story and define the words setting, compare, contrast, main character, main point, similarities, and differences with the students' help. For little ones, I introduced the concept of a Venn diagram using 2 Hula-Hoops and index cards. Increase the rigor by including activities that involve generating, analyzing and comparing metaphors, similes and analogies. Toll Free: (866) 402-4799 Children’s curiosity knows no bounds. Multisensory activities provide you with an opportunity to appeal to learners with various learning styles, learning profiles, strengths, needs and preferences. For example, "A similarity in the texts is that they are both about the squirrels. Supplement them with text and pictorial organizers to address the needs of students of varying levels of comfort, ability and proficiency. It’s helpful to encourage children to make friends who aren’t like them. When students contrast two texts, they are identifying the differences between the two. The group activity helps students to recognize similar and different traits between themselves and other students. Using their laptops they also found out differences via the Internet. Have students compare the two items on multiple levels (e.g., physical characteristics, ingredient composition, function and nutritional components.) Celebrating Similarities and Differences We read The Crayon Box That Talked and then discussed how differences make each of special and allow us to do bigger and better things... Teachers Week Teachers Corner Kindergarten Teachers Preschool Literacy Preschool Lessons Learning To Drive Kids Learning Counseling Activities School Counseling Copyright © 2020 Bright Hub Education. 3. – Educational video targeted to middle-school students about diversity, Poe’s Nutrition & Physical Activity Campaign, Girl Talk: Mother-Daughter Workshop - Online, Girl Talk 2: Mother-Daughter Workshop - Online, Happy Healthy Holidays! If you’re unsure about what to say, try: ‘I need to think about your question and talk to you later.’ Or, you can always go back to a child and say: ‘Yesterday you asked me a question… Let’s talk about it.’” By answering honestly, you create opportunities for more conversations about differences which also shows your child that it’s okay to ask respectful questions. Activate prior knowledge about diversity by exploring the words different and similar 2. According to contact theory, one of the best ways to improve intergroup relations is simply interpersonal contact. Here are some other articles that may offer some additional assistance in addressing issues of difference with children: Teaching Diversity: A Place to Begin by Scholastic, 6 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Disabilities, Tips for Talking to Kids About Gender and Sexual Orientation, How To Talk About Diversity With Your Kids, Sometimes You’re A Caterpillar – Educational video targeted to middle-school students about diversity, https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/teaching-diversity-place-begin-0/, http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov01/contact.aspx, https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/05/unconscious-bias-training/525405/, Grade Level: 6th – 8th seem unlike them. This video was taken in the spring of 2013 during my student teaching experience. Recognizing Our Similarities and Differences. Kindergarten Mini-Unit By Michelle White . Kindergarten is a more structured education system where the role of a teacher is pre-defined and they follow the same technique for all students. This can be a springboard for analyzing similarities and differences in a variety of contexts across the curriculum. It can be embarrassing to hear your child ask questions about “different” people, but questions often come from a place of innocent curiosity. Use the List of Directed Questions in a way that matches the age group with which you are working.For example, hand out the list of directed questions. 2) Teach children to not be afraid to ask hard questions. Analogies Proficiently identifying similarities and differences is to academic achievement as mastering high frequency words is to literacy. It’s best to correct the underlying misconceptions behind their statement or engage them in a conversation about how their words could hurt feelings. Preschool and pre-kindergarten curriculums are similar in many ways. Diversity activities teach young children to respect and celebrate the differences in all people. It’s best to be as honest as possible, and it’s okay to say “I don’t know.” Scholastic advises “children often interpret a lack of response to mean that it’s not acceptable to talk about differences. Review your child’s media and related influences. Subsequently, each and every student may learn new knowledge differently and this naturally, will affect how they perform in the classroom. Here is a cute activity my team member, Ms. While sometimes these conversations seem tough, it’s an important opportunity to help kids actively choose to be inclusive of people who (at first!) Teaching children to see similarities is important, but the goal is not to eliminate our differences. However, the setting is different in the texts because ____." I’m Susanna from Whimsy Workshop Teaching, and today I’m sharing some examples of how I use books from the Zoozoo Animal World to teach similarities and differences. Even though a pre-K or kinder student may not be able to articulate it, they are often put off by differences. We brainstormed the differences and similarities … However, sometimes the questions portray falsehoods that kids may have already begun to internalize. Procedures. Elicit the similarities and differences between a 'pen' and a 'pencil' as an example and put the key words on the board in the relevant sections. By acknowledging differences and similarities simultaneously, kids will find they can learn from people who aren’t like them. This page outlines teaching curriculum ideas for Diversity, Differences, and Similarities as elements of the “Caring” category of the Curriculum for Life component of the open source Education for Life Program.. 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