Teaching Diversity: Prejudice and Discrimination in Primary Education

This essay explores the complex issue of teaching primary school children about prejudice and discrimination, considering arguments both for and against its appropriateness. It relates these concepts to broader themes of equity, equality, inclusion, power, and diversity, using a fairy tale to illustrate the challenges young children face in understanding these nuanced ideas. The essay references Jane Elliott's experiment and various academic perspectives to highlight the importance of inclusion and the presence of power dynamics in society. While acknowledging the potential for early awareness and the benefits of shaping tolerant attitudes, the essay also recognizes the naivety of primary school children and the difficulty in conveying such intricate concepts. It concludes that with appropriate teaching methods, young students can learn about prejudice and discrimination, contributing to the eradication of social evils and promoting a more equitable and inclusive society. Desklib provides students access to this essay and many more resources to assist them with their studies.

Running head: DIVERSITY
Diversity
Name of the Student-
Name of the University-
Author note-

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Aiming to establish and generate a fair idea about the concepts of equity, equality and
diversity, this paper will relate the concepts to the idea of whether children of primary section
should get lessons on prejudice as well as discrimination. Teaching primary kids about prejudice
as well as discrimination will assist them in learning the ideas at a tender age (Thompson 2011).
However, it needs to be expressed that students of primary section are extremely naïve as well as
young to be able to grasp the nuances of intricate concepts. This paper will strive to argue both
‘for’ and ‘against’ the proposition. With the help of a fairy tale, the upcoming paragraphs will
establish whether kids of primary section are quite young to understand the intricate concepts of
prejudice as well as discrimination. The upcoming paragraphs will try to relate the concepts of
equity, inclusion, power as well as diversification amongst the masses.
The notion of power, inclusion and diversity are very important aspects that should
govern the daily functioning (Cline and Frederickson 2009). The experiment of Jane Elliott, the
cases of discrimination were rampant amongst the diverse blue and brown eyed students who
considered the blue eyed students as superior (Jane Elliott 2019). It can be said that primary kids
are aware of the discrimination and need to be taught about its presence. The aspect of inclusion
amidst diversity is propagated by Pearce who narrates about the experience of a teacher with
respect to cultures (Pearce 2005). Similarly, primary students have to know about inclusion. The
aspect of power, propagated by Apple and Beane presents that there is a clear societal division
between the holders of power and others (Beane and Apple 1995). Thus, it is necessary for kids
to learn about power (Ahn 2010).
Once upon a time, there were three little children who had estranged from their parents at
a very young time had been subjected to the tortures at an orphanage. The children were brought
up the authorities of the orphanage in a very strict manner. Due to the sheer lack of relevant care

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as well as guidance, they had been subjected to a poor and unhealthy lifestyle. The first child was
deaf; the second child was unable to exercise the gist of speech, the last kid suffered from severe
low vision. During one of the regular days, while the kids were preparing themselves for lunch, a
beautiful fairy had appeared. She had started distributing equally nutritious and sumptuous food
to each child. It was detected that she had indulged in the distribution of nutritious food
following the particular requirements related to every child. The beautiful fairy had engaged in
distribution of the healthy food to the deaf and the dumb children. However, the beautiful fairy
had extended her help to the blind kid by feeding him. The fairy is a metaphor for the good
deeds in life. Thus, the beautiful fairy continued her regular visits to the kids and continued
distributing healthy food to them.
Kids studying in primary section are quite young to learn about the myriad notions of
discrimination as well as prejudices. It also has to be verbalized that school kids of primary
section are too innocent to be taught regarding the intricate conceptions. The terms ‘prejudice’
and ‘discrimination’ points towards the innumerable injustices that are rampant across the world
(Krishnan 2015). The notion of prejudice points towards the inculcation of preconceived notions
to segregate one person from others (Sirakaya-Turk, Nyaupane and Uysal 2014). It is to be noted
that ‘Discrimination’ is dependent on segregating on the basis of prejudices (Asch 2017). It is
quite difficult to teach toddlers and it is quite difficult for the kids to learn these subtle ideas at a
tender age. Primary school kids are quite susceptible to the intricate ideas. Primary educators
should endeavor to inculcate measures as well as ideas to teach about the plethora of concepts
related to the perpetration of equity as well as inclusion amidst diversification.
Studies present that early instructors, family members also need to indulge in innovative
as well as collaborative activities that will assist the students in indulging in creative activities

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and learning (Lewallen et al. 2015). If the teachers fail in the incorporation of proper measures,
the school kids will become the victims of incorrect learning. It needs to be recognized that the
myriad notions are quite difficult subjects that has to be dealt following a careful manner. Studies
project that the maturity level exhibited by the children belonging to the primary section are not
sharpened or developed at the tender age (Ponzo and Scoppa, 2014). For an effective learning, it
is crucial to develop proper thought process and aesthetics that assists in collating the varied
ideologies.
The fairy story encompasses the beautiful fairy had engaged in the equal distribution of
food to every kid. Every child could exercise the right to get proper and equal food. The tale
inculcates the idea of proper inclusive measures amongst diversity. Young toddlers find it quite
difficult to comprehend these subtle ideas as well as the difference underlying the myriad
concepts. A kid in the primary section will necessarily find it difficult to gauge the particular
reason for the fairy’s selection of the particular kid for the purpose of feeding.
For teaching the school kids belonging to the primary section about the twin ideas of
discrimination as well as prejudice, it is necessary for the educators to comprehend the ongoing
temperament as well as the receptive power of the children. Teachers need to exercise their right
to know about the cognitive skills of students. Otherwise, it might become difficult for them to
gauge the myriad differences.
Additionally, kids in primary section are too naïve to know about the topics in relation to
inclusion and diversity. For example, kids belonging to schools that do not offer amalgamate
multiculture, will find it quite difficult to understand the notions in relation to prejudice. The
proposition stating that primary kids are too innocent is true as well as justified because these
kids are not conscious of the innumerable malpractices in the world.

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On the contrary, the proposition of primary kids being too young can be contested and
debated to arrive at different ideas. Various studies project that immigrant children become
easily conscious of the presence of discrimination at a very tender age (Brown 2015). Further,
teaching students about the myriad forms of prejudices as well as discrimination can help them
to gauge the disadvantage of exercising discrimination (Brooker 2002). Though the kids are too
innocent, the inclusion of chapters on equity, diversity and inclusion can help in shaping as well
as broadening the temperament and encourage the future endeavors (Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke
2000). Primary school kids in schools offering multicultural student base can easily learn the
nuances of diversity as well as inclusion (Urton, Wilbert and Hennemann 2014).
Studies justify that transitioning to the stage of the primary section is an important phase
for a child (Wilbert and Hennemann 2014). The students in the primary section harbor the
capability of grasping and understanding the inculcation of concepts that they have learnt at a
tender age (Van der Stel and Veenman 2014). Although the students of the primary section are
quite naïve, the various broad concepts of the presence of discrimination as well as prejudice can
be taught by amalgamating them with the individual concepts of diversity and equity. It is
important to organize activities that demonstrate the equal distribution in chocolates or gifts.
Proper teaching of inclusion amidst diversity can help in assimilation (Schachner 2016). Equity
can be demonstrated by the distribution of chocolates following the intake capacity.
To teach about prejudice, the early educators should conjure fairy tales. Studies project
and justify that fantastic tales tend to grasp the attention of children by generating a moral (Van
Coillie and Verschueren 2014). The fairy tale can be employed to teach about zero
discrimination. The fairy’s effort in feeding the blind child reflects equity. Equity points towards
the distribution of proper benefits following the intrinsic requirement of each individual minus

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any impartial tendencies (Pereira, Schwanen and Banister 2017). The primary teachers should
connect to the fairy’s manner of exercising zero discrimination. Proper usage of fictional
examples can help the students in the identification of and in erasing the innumerable cases of
recurring prejudices and discrimination. Discrimination as well as prejudices need to be taught to
the young children to delete the injustices. Though the kids are quite naïve, they can comprehend
the concepts under proper guidance.
I think it is quite important to include the values related to equity, diversity, inclusion and
equality to cultivate the good practices in human life. I believe in personal value system, which
upholds and values the implementation of the ideas of quality and other good practices. In my
personal life, I have included the habit of the regular exercise of the above-mentioned notions. I
have inculcated the habit of treating fellow human beings in an equal manner, even amidst the
diversity. I think that the inculcation of teaching methods are quite necessary to act as assistance
for the primary students in gauging the presence of discrimination and prejudice. I believe that
the young students exhibit the ability to learn these ideas.
The personal value system can also be related to the views of McIntosh who had
propounded that teaching little kids about the aspects needs emphasis on the power in
multiculturalism (McIntosh 1988). The theories propagated can be related to the practices of
teaching young students about the concepts.
In conclusion, it has to be considered that the young kids can learn about prejudice as
well as discrimination, provided the teachers employ the required means. In conclusion, it needs
to be expressed that to assist in the future eradication of these social evils, the primary schools
need to teach their students about the concepts.

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