Few Conversations About Race and Identity Are Happening at Home. Can Educators Help?
Since 1969, the Sesame Workshop, creators of “Sesame Street,” has made concerted efforts through its programming to create a positive sense of self by celebrating differences and exploring social identities like race, gender, religion, social class, and more to help grow smarter, stronger, and kinder kids. However, based on the findings from a major national study by Sesame Workshop and NORC at the University of Chicago, parents today are not having frequent conversations around key social identities with their children.
NEA Today spoke with Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop and Derrick Gay, a former classroom teacher, an expert on issues of diversity, inclusion, and global citizenship, and a research advisor for the “Identity Matters” study, to learn how educators and parents can work together to have these important conversations.
The study reveals that parents are comfortable talking about identity, but don’t do it—particularly parents who come from dominant groups (white, Christian, straight, middle class, highly educated). Why aren’t they talking about it?
Derrick Gay: There are a number of reasons. First is a lack of awareness. If someone belongs to a dominant group, they just may be unaware that individuals CONTINUE READING: Few Conversations About Race and Identity Are Happening at Home or in the Classroom