Family Diversity
Family is the most basic element of self-identification for young children. It is family which shapes and informs a young child’s sense of self and who they are in the world. Children identify themselves by their family structure. As children enter school, they may first experience diversity by noticing how their family is the same or different from other families.
In order to succeed academically and socially, children need to feel that their family - that they - are “all right” or, to put it in another way, that their family “fits in” and is part of the school community; they need to develop an attachment to their school community. Studies on academic performance draw significant associations between a student's perception of educator/school and parent support and their academic performances, i.e. students who perceive that they are more supported in school and at home generally have higher achievement levels. (See "The ABCs of Bullying" and "Take Action Against Bullying.")
For children whose family structure mirrors the traditional image of family (a mom and a dad of the same race and children biologically related to both), the majority of the visual and literary depictions of family reaffirms their reality. However, the US census shows that ever increasing numbers of children are growing up in families that do not mirror the popular image. These children have to reconcile their sense of self and sense of well-being in this context. As the poet Adrienne Rich so eloquently stated, “When someone with the authority of a teacher describes the world and you’re not in it, there’s a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing.”
In addition to this basic need to see themselves mirrored in their school environment, all children need to learn about the diverse community and world around them. Schools can provide a window to that world. This includes learning to see things from different perspectives and learning about different kinds of families.
