Teaching Racial Difference at an Elementary Age

Abstract

When we teach kids to talk about race at an early age, we teach them an understanding about others respecting others' differences. Talking about race at an early age helps children develop a sense of compassion and empathy for others. Developing a sense of empathy at an early age helps children grow into adults who aren't afraid to speak up when they see injustice in the world. This thesis project researched the background of multicultural education and the importance of teaching racial acceptance to children at a young age. This research was then used to create a series of five lesson plans to teach racial acceptance to children in the third grade.