STOPPING PREJUDICES BEFORE THEY MULTIPLY

Each year I have been lucky to have a very diverse class of children whose families came from many different cultures and countries. At the beginning of the year the children hang with those who look like them, being unsure of others who appear different. Finding a way to teach them even though they may look different from each other they are the same,  was a big challenge until I thought of my garden.

I grow many different kinds of zinnias and marigold flowers, both of which come in all kinds of sizes, colors and varieties. In September I bring in a bouquet of zinnias and one of marigold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The zinnias come in many beautiful colors, some with stars in the center, some petals fuller than others, some in double petals, some dwarf, some giant, and those in-between sizes.  The marigolds also come in different sizes, shades from brown to yellow and almost white.

 

  I hold a bouquet of zinnias first and ask if they are the same flower or different kinds of flowers.  The kids always say different kinds.” Why do you think that? “ I ask. The response is because of color, size, looks, etc.  You are wrong I tell them they are all the same kind of flower, zinnias and just like us they come in all sizes, colors, and shapes.  I show the marigold s and ask the same question.  Again they guess they are different types of flowers and again I explain they are the same.  Then I say to them “look around at us-we are all people and look how different we look but we are still people.”  How many of you have brown hair, blonde hair, black hair, blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes, etc. We go over all the parts of the body, and all our different skin colors and then I ask “with all our differences are we still people with the same amount of hands, feet, spines, fingers, toes, teeth, eyes, etc.  What about our blood, do we all bleed the same color,  We go over all the same organs and I ask again are we all the same even though we are different looking.

 I than go even further and ask about who is the smartest and how do you know. Most of the time the kids think the tallest or biggest kid is the smartest.”  I ask how that can be.”  My young high school aids are always taller than me, I am only 5 feet .  “ I am the teacher and I am shorter than Josey and all the other high school people and all of the teachers. Does that mean they are all smarter than me?”  The kids begin to think all their stereotypes may be wrong. Then I give the zinger-“who is the oldest?” Usually they will pick the tallest kid.  Again I use myself as the example.  I am 74 but the shortest adult in our school.  “How can the tallest kid be the oldest in our class” I ask.  I am the shortest adult in our school and I am the oldest.  All the other teachers are taller than me and I am the only one old enough to be a grandma so you can’t be right about size making someone smarter or older.  We then go through all their birthdays and ages to prove the point. 

By the end of the day all of the concepts and the previous thoughts of their differences, and prejudices have been thrown out the window and they begin to accept how alike they all are even if they look different.  Bringing nature and beautiful flowers and comparing themselves helps sort out whatever they might have learned previously and in a more painless equation that just preaching to them.