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DR 1: Children are personally and socially competent
⇣ Indicator: SOC—Children demonstrate effective social and interpersonal skills
⇣ Measure 10: Awareness of Diversity—
Child acknowledges and responds to similarities and differences between self and others, and learns to appreciate the value of each person in diverse communities
	Descriptors	Examples
7	Adapts to other’s needs (notion of justice and inclusion)	Uses gestures or asks adult to translate to invite a child who speaks another language to play with the group. Moves chair(s) over so that child who uses a wheelchair can come to the table.
6	Identifies differences and similarities between self and others	Communicates: “We both have ponytails, but mine is longer.” “I’m a girl, and Tony’s a boy.” “You are big, and I am little.”
5	Notices, asks questions or makes comments about people’s characteristics or behavior	Says, “boo-boo?” when noticing someone’s blemish or scar. Says or signs, “What’s that?” to the adult wearing new glasses. Comments on hair color, eye color, or skin tone that isdifferent from his or her own. Shows interest by touching the hair of a child whose hair color or hair texture is different from his or her own.
4	Explores different ways to put characteristics or actions of others into categories, sometimes incorrectly	Calls all children younger than self, “Baby.” Points to character in book and either calls out the name of or points to a child in the room who has the same physical characteristics. Labels someone with gray hair as “Grandma,” “Grandpa,” “Oma,” “Lola,” etc. Says, “Mommy,” when referring to purse.
3	Imitates behaviors or actions of familiar people	Pretends to read to baby doll like an adult would. Indicates preference for eating what others are eating. Tries to feed adult. Imitates brushing hair or using purse like adult.
2	Notices the difference between familiar and unfamiliar	Looks longer at adult with new glasses. Notices unfamiliar person who comes into the room. Turns toward person speaking in an unfamiliar language. Looks away from adult wearing a hat. Cries in presence of unfamiliar adult.
1	Attends to people, events, or objects	Orients to voices. Attends to faces.

Measure 10 — SOC 7

Awareness of Diversity

Child acknowledges and responds to similarities and differences between self and others, and learns to appreciate the value of each person in diverse communities

In order to make sense of the world, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers explore, test, and question. As they grow, young children begin to identify themselves as unique individuals with a name, gender, and certain characteristics. They begin to notice and appreciate differences and similarities between themselves and others. As young children notice and question differences and similarities, they look to the adults they trust for signals for how to respond and how to feel (social referencing). Accordingly, inclusive attitudes grow from inclusive adult modeling and guidance; fearful and exclusive attitudes come from the same source.

In the world of the infant, everything is new and worth exploring, touching, and tasting. Infants have no preconceived notions of what is acceptable or unacceptable; things are simply the way they are, and people are the way they are. In the beginning, infants attend to people, events, and objects around them. Towards the middle of their first year, they begin to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people. While they are curious about new people, they usually feel safest if they are in the arms or lap of somebody they know and trust.

Young toddlers are interested in the behavior and actions of familiar people and imitate adult actions, such as brushing hair or reading a book. At this age, children can also distinguish differences between what they are eating and what others are eating, usually preferring to eat the same food they see on the plates of others. By age two, most children are learning the concept of boy and girl; and as adults focus them on distinguishing color, toddlers also begin to comment on skin and hair color differences. In general, toddlers start to categorize themselves and others by gender and physical appearance. As they are learning, they sometimes over-generalize and, for example, call all men “daddies” or may say that a girl with very short hair is a boy.

Young preschoolers become increasingly aware of physical similarities and differences as they explore their personal characteristics as well as the characteristics of others. Young preschoolers are busy trying to understand the “whys” of the world and may ask many questions about why people have different skin or hair color, or why someone uses eye glasses or a wheelchair. As they become aware of differences in gender, ethnicity, and abilities, they also begin to take on both the positive and the negative attitudes that may be held by the adults in their environment.

Older preschoolers identify themselves as boys or girls and begin to define gender-appropriate behaviors based on what they see and experience in their environment. As older preschoolers become more peer and group oriented, they begin to identify similarities and differences between themselves and their social peers. At this time, children seem to realize that differences are one way people are categorized. Because preschoolers look at the significant adults in their lives as role models, the way they respond to diversity will depend on the example set by those adults. Children who have witnessed inclusive behaviors will tend to adapt to the needs of others. On the other hand, children exposed to adult prejudice will have a harder time being open to differences.

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