{49.256800505289796,-123.12752531415559}
One thing that is very important to me as a future educator, and as a person, is valuing diversity. I believe that valuing diversity is directly linked to caring for others/our community, and that caring for our community is linked to caring for our environment. I have always felt that no one is born with prejudice or hate, those things are taught. I want to make a point of teaching my students, love, acceptance, and valuing that which is different from ourselves — even if that difference is something within us. In the same way no one is born indifferent, I believe indifference is rooted in a lack of care and knowledge. I do not want to teach my students to be indifferent, biased, or prejudiced, but rather to be an active participant in making the world a better place. Both for the environment and for the people living within it.
One way I can go about doing this is by educating my students on diversity. This can be done in seemingly simple ways such as reading them a book or celebrating a variety of cultural holidays from around the world, but these actions can have a deep and lasting impact. In the children’s book Acceptance Is My Superpower by Alicia Ortego, the main character, Lisa’s mom explains to her that “If everyone were the same in the world, it really would be plain”(Ortego, A., 2021). This is the same sentiment that I want to instill in my students! All of our differences are what make us beautiful, unique, and interesting. It would be incredibly boring if we were all the same. One way I can tie this lesson into caring about our community and our environment in a tangible way is to have a class garden. In our class garden we could plant a diverse array of plants, some flowers, some vegetables, etc. In doing so we will represent the diversity of our classroom and of our communities as well as the beauty and value that each individual plant (person) adds to the whole garden (community/classroom).
By creating a class garden and other projects like it, I (as an educator and adult) will be giving my students an opportunity to care for not only their environment, but also their community. Teaching my students about diversity is one way in which I can help them care for the environment and each other. As Lisa says “Our differences are many, making the world a better place. Diversity is acceptance of all our different ways. If everyone understood that we’d all have better days”(Ortego, A., 2021). Just as our natural environment flourishes off diversity, so do our communities! Acceptance is indeed a superpower that can bring about vast positive change.
Ortego, A. (2021). Acceptance is my superpower: A children’s book about diversity and Equality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chHvhYFHuvE