I am very fortunate to teach at a school that truly embodies diversity. Our students come from families rich in cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds that represent 65 countries! Diversity comes in other forms as well, and last year an Adoptive Parents Discussion Group was created. According to one of our school counselors, Linda Wax, this group had a goal this year to create a "display that fulfilled several purposes: to create a sense of pride in the children from adoptive families, to educate children and adults about some of the "sameness" but also "differences" in families who are formed through adoption, and as a way of celebrating and highlighting yet another form of diversity in our school." After much brainstorming and collaboration, this is the result that now brightens our school lobby:
To give the children an active role this project, they were asked to think of something they'd like other people to know about being adopted. They illustrated thier ideas through drawings, collage and poems. These are some of their images that surround the tree:
An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or cicumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.
-Chinese Legend
Me, my mom, and my dad at the beach.
This is the house I lived in when I was adopted.
We all share the same sun.
