Culture and Diversity External Resources

Video: Cultural Humility

"Cultural Humility: People, Principles and Practices," is a 30-minute documentary by San Francisco State professor Vivian Chávez, that mixes poetry with music, interviews, archival footage, and images of community, nature and dance to explain what Cultural Humility is and why we need it. The film describes a set of three principles that guide the thinking, behavior and actions of individuals and institutions to positively affect interpersonal relationships as well as systems change.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices

What does this term mean to you? How does it apply in early childhood education? With Black History Month in mind, Dr. Nefertiti Poyner sits down and discusses what culturally responsive means, and how we can all reflect on and improve upon our practices when working with our youngest students. Here's Part 1, Let's Dig Deep: Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices


Promoting the Positive Racial Identity of Black Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Programs

We know that the first 1,000 days are a sensitive period in children’s development, but did you know that the early years are also important for positive ethnic-racial identity? Positive ethnic-racial identity is protective and promotive for children’s healthy development - especially children from racially and linguistically minoritized families and communities. Unfortunately, this is an area rarely discussed and educators who care for and teach babies are undervalued and receive low compensation. In this webinar, participants will examine how Black families and their babies have been dealing with two pandemics – COVID-19 and racism.

Anti-Bias Education: Recommended Books

Anti-bias curriculum is an approach to early childhood education that sets forth values-based principles and methodology in support of respecting and embracing differences and acting against bias and unfairness. Anti-bias teaching requires critical thinking and problem solving by both children and adults. Here is a list of books that can help!

Affirmation and Celebration: New Report Offers Recommendations for Supporting Multilingual Preschool-Age Children during the Pandemic

Affirming and celebrating all language practices supports children’s identity, and social and emotional well-being, as well as fosters their learning and development. That’s the top message from a new report that focuses on ways that parents, family members and other adults can help multilingual preschool-age children cope with the stress and trauma of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Nurturing Your Preschool-Age Multilingual Child Amid COVID-19: The Important Role of Languages describes the language development of multilingual children and how to nurture them through daily conversations and other interactions.

Conversations About Culture: Video and Lesson Plan

This video and lesson plan introduces the concept of cultural humility as a guiding principle for effective cross-cultural communication and collaboration. It includes a variety of helpful information, self-assessment tools, and reflective exercises for educators, students, and faculty engaged in cross-cultural research and partnerships.  It was produced in association with the UB Centre for Social Research.

Children’s Book: Building a Home – Available Online in 7 Languages!

The New Canadians Centre in Peterborough has published this new children’s picture book that shares the experiences of immigrant children when they arrive in Canada. Building a Home is available online in 7 languages. Written and illustrated by Peterborough artist Casandra Lee (herself a recent immigrant), Building A Home was inspired by the stories of six local newcomer children.

Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity in Teaching ‘People Safety’ Skills

Kidpower has developed a list of lessons learned about creating cultural awareness to address potential obstacles in teaching people how to advocate for and protect the emotional and physical well-being of themselves and others - especially children. The purpose is always to build a mutually trusting and respectful relationship, listen, and adapt to meet people where they are.

Video: Syria was once a Beautiful Country

Developed as part of a research project called Syrian Refugee Children’s Narratives of Experience, this beautiful and insightful, 15-minute video documents thirteen children’s memories of Syria, a transition country, and their early days in Canada, two years after their arrival. 


Safe Spaces: Youth with Refugee Experience and Their Parents Harnessing Resilience

In a recent study, ten workshops were organized for Arabic-speaking refugee youth and their parents. Facilitated by the Syrian Canadian Foundation and psychiatrist Dr. Omar Reda, the workshops aimed to provide a safe space for refugee families to build better inter-family understanding and integrate trauma stories to build resilience. Here's what parents and youth had to say, illustrated in a simple infographic.