Perspectives on Culture and Diversity

Most of my respondents even those with an ECE background responded with surface level concepts of culture like: customs, beliefs, traditions, language.  One response in particular from Mary Lukas was discussed how culture is what can draw us together or separate us, people move through rings in and out as they grow and change.  This was something that was new to me.  Matt responded with things that happen on a regular basis not just once in a while to celebrate something.  I think he was close to understanding the below the surface concepts.  I was pleasantly surprised that the two people who were non-ECE people gave their answers (Dan and Brandon).

Diversity was well defined by all as being variations or differences in beliefs, practices, races, ethnicities, language.  One person discussed in terms of each individuals uniqueness based on their interactions and life path.  Mary’s response, made me think from a different perspective.  “If we are describing life in the largest sense, we refer to diversity across species.  If we narrow our focus we refer to diversity within species.  For humans, diversity tends to both separate and enrich us.  Another conundrum.”

All responses are listed below in their entirety.

Matt Tapscott, 55, married for 20 years, father of 5, family child care provider

Culture: That which makes a group of people unique. For example, food, music, social interactions, customs that are maintained (as opposed to "customs" that are irregular in their practice).

Diversity: The experience of multiple cultures living and thriving within the same neighborhood, community, region.

Kate Werling, 62, world wide trainer and coach with Creative Curriculum

When I think of culture: Beliefs, values, attitudes, rituals, routines.

When I think of diversity: Individual uniqueness, experiences, strengths and needs.

Jackie Perkins, 45, African American,single mother of 3 kids and family childcare provider

Diversity to me is a difference of the majority that sets a standard for a society to acceptable behavior. As for culture it is a belief a way of life that values are shared and can be in different forms e.g music, language or art.

Mary Lukas, 62, widowed, contracted coach and trainer in ECE

Here is what comes to mind when I think of culture and diversity:

I think of richness.  I think of identity, and that everyone I encounter has an identity grounded in rings of culture from large groups that share culture and increasingly smaller groups and finally each individual's culture based on their own experiences.  And that all of those intersecting rings define diversity.  

So - what IS culture?  The human race has survived because of it.  Culture is the shared values that draw people together, but also culture separates people who don't share the same values.  Our race is biologically driven to ensure its continued existence, so at our deepest level we all have the urge to care for each other.  But we also have a deep urge to define ourselves within the context of our family unit.  So there is always an interplay between sharing and excluding, and we constantly move in and out of circles of culture, depending on our needs and shared values.  For example, a child care provider might work very closely with a parent for the good of the child, but might not worship, eat, recreate, vote, partner, or look the same way.  

Each day we encounter individuals who share some of our cultural values, but not all of them.  Diversity is the term that labels that experience.  In addition diversity describes biological differences within our life circles.  If we are describing life in the largest sense, we refer to diversity across species.  If we narrow our focus we refer to diversity within species.  For humans, diversity tends to both separate and enrich us.  Another conundrum.  

For adult learners and for early childhood educators these terms refer to sameness and difference, and offer opportunities and challenges as the educator intersects with and manages intersection with the wealth that is both culture and diversity.  Opportunity and challenge.  Life!

Brandon, 28, heterosexual male, married, no kids, no EC background.

Culture: customs and knowledge of ancestors belief, keeping customs and beliefs.

Diversity: variations of different beliefs, cultures, ethnicity.

Dan, 56, Heterosexual male married for 33 years, father of 3 boys, no EC background

Culture: customs and traditions of a society

Diversity: difference between one culture or another.