Diversity
D
BY THE CHILDREN’S COALITION FOR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA
iversity is the rule not the (NASW), and the Council on Social Work exception. Diversity is Education (CSWE). Presently she is the everywhere. People are Director of the School of Behavioral and different. Different is not better Social Sciences at University of Louisiana at or worse, it’s just different. Monroe, serves as the Program Coordinator There is diversity in families. One person is and a full Professor in the Social Work the tallest. Another is the shortest. One has Program, and serves as the Chairperson on lighter colored eyes than all the Diversity Committee. In of the other family members, addition to her professional etc. Diversity is all around us, endeavors, she serves on so it is impossible to ignore it. the Board of Directors of the Parents address it every day Northeast Louisiana Sickle and it is the type of diversity Cell Foundation; she serves as and how it is addressed that an appointed member on the can be problematic. Parents State of Louisiana Sickle Cell teach children how to react Commission; Ouachita Jury to diversity based on how Commission; Twin City’s Art they react to it. All parents Council; and she served on model and teach directly and DR. PAMELA SAULSBERRY the now defunct Child Death indirectly the behaviors they Review Panel for Region 8. children will emulate. Dr. Pamela Higgins Saulsberry received Q: Why is important for parents to talk her BA in Social Work from Colorado State to their children about diversity? University; her MSW from the University A: In shaping the thought patterns and of Denver, and her PhD. from Jackson State behaviors of children about those who are University in Jackson, MS. She is a Licensed different from them, parents use direct, also Clinical Social Worker-Board Approved called manifest and/or latent or indirect Clinical Supervisor and a certified School methods. Manifest behaviors of modeling Social Worker and Nurturing Parent and and teaching our children are deliberately Black Effective Parent trainer and a member purposeful. Parents let the child know of the National Association of Social Workers exactly what is expected to do or think about 90 AUGUST 2020 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM
something or someone. Latent methods of modeling and teaching children are indirect, vicarious. Latent learning is a type of learning which is not apparent in the learner’s behavior at the time of learning, but which displays later when a suitable motivation and circumstances appear. I believe all parents have been with their child(ren) when a person that is disabled is encountered for the first time. Or it might be a person who is homeless, a person who is morbidly obese, a person who is blind, or a person who has a different language, or is a member of a different ethnic group. The first time a child encounters diversity in one of these categories, the parent’s words as well as the reaction of the parent will send a long and lasting message to their child. Because the parents will model for (behave) and teach (specific words spoken or not spoken) the child how to feel and think about the diversity of the person they just encountered. In essence, the parent’s words (tone as well) and behaviors model for the child how to think and feel about the diversity encountered. Some areas of diversity are not encountered because there may be no persons with a disability, or homelessness, a trans/transgendered person, etc. in the child or the parent’s social environment.
