Children's Village's Culturally and Linguistically Inclusive Approach Featured in Chalkbeat Philadelphia
After reading stories on racial and cultural differences, teachers engage students in a self-portrait activity that invites children to consider their own identity. Teachers display the creations and children's comments about their favorite features.
“We understand that if students see themselves valued, reflected, and honored in books and learning experiences that we provide them, they’re more likely to learn,” Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, the deputy chief of the district’s Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
— from Chalkbeat’s 2022 Philadelphia Early Childhood Education Guide on efforts to improve outcomes for the city’s youngest learners.
Children’s Village is commited to ensuring every child succeeds and an essential aspect is providing young children with a sense of belonging. We are honored to be featured in Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s 2022 Philadelphia Early Childhood Education Guide. Read the full article by Nora Macaluso here!
Read more about out culturally responsive classrooms here!
Read more about recent honor as a champion for equity in early education here!
Teachers provide paper and crayons in a wide range of skin-tone colors, pipe cleaners, play hair, buttons, and other craft material and ask the children to look into a mirror and create their self-portrait (see pictures below)
Learning About the Chinese New Year: After a read aloud of "My First Chinese New Year" by Karen Katz, preschoolers worked together to paint a colorful mural of a dragon. This exploration is one of many ways our teachers honor the cultural diversity among our families. Studying other cultures and learning more about their own contribute to students' greater appreciation of our diverse world.