Acceptance of all children
As the new school year has started, some children will be faced with the stress that comes from peer reactions to their differences.
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To enable all children to benefit maximally from time spent in the education space, it is important that teachers and educators create an environment of acceptance for all children.
The school environment must be safe and nurturing for each child. Whilst this is important for building positive self-esteem, every child must feel valued and loved in their state of uniqueness.
It is a sad reality that children who are different from their peers, or those who have special needs often face all sorts of lifelong challenges, including being teased or being bullied. Adapting to the limitations of these differences or needs is in itself a hurdle that requires support to make inclusion possible.
The consideration for inclusion involves being given the same opportunities to play and learn as others.
Opportunities to partake in activities with other children in the family and school must be created because when it comes to children, they are all more alike than different.
The care of such children should be supported, and suitable services provided to make life more comfortable.
It is the responsibility of educators to create a safe environment that promotes exploration, meaningful interactions, respect and acceptance for all children.
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The most effective strategy to help children accept their peers with special needs or who are different is to create a positive environment of acceptance where they see the caregiver exemplifying love and kindness. Modelling appropriate behaviour is necessary as children learn by imitation.
Treating all children equally as much as possible, speaking positively about every child, and shunning the tendency to be biased, are important ways of creating an accepting atmosphere. The fact that a child needs assistance does not mean that they should be made to feel incompetent.
Taught
Children should be taught that we all do things differently and that is okay. We do this by pointing out the differences which they often observe by themselves anyway.
Rules about how to treat others should be clearly stated and encouraged without compromises among the children.
Name-calling of whatever sort should not be tolerated. Shaming should also not be used as a strategy to get children to behave well or cooperate with demands and expectations.
With permission from the family of a child with special needs, discussions can be held with the children about the different needs and how they can impact a person’s everyday life. The ‘why’ questions that children like to ask should be answered in all honesty.
Attitudes, practices
The attitudes and practices of educators of young children significantly impact how children with special needs and their families are accepted by other children and families.
It is known for a fact that during the first five years of their lives, children are more accepting of differences. And so this period is an important window of opportunity to address the moral issue of the inclusion of all children beyond the school setting.
Children who learn to be accepting are likely to grow up more humane. These are the ones who will end up advocating strongly inclusion in other spheres of life where stereotyping and discrimination prevail.
One influential leader puts it this way, “If we want to include everyone, we have to help everyone develop their talents and use their gifts for the good of the community.
That’s what inclusion means ̶ everyone contributes.” Diversity and inclusion are about giving value to every human being, no matter the differences- Unknown.
The writer is a Child Development Expert/ Fellow at Zero-to-three Academy, USA.
E-mail: nanaesi_19@yahoo.co.uk