Located above are four artistic creations of preschoolers from Merrill Palmer Early Childhood Center. These creations were completed during my clinical experience at that center:

1. A butterfly drawing created during self-selection time at the art station.

2. A student’s drawing of her family completed during self-selection time at the art station.

3. A student’s drawing of herself and myself standing beside her, completed during self-selection time at the art station.

4. A butterfly created from craft materials during self-selection time at the art station.

Artifacts 1 and 4 were created on a day when the students were learning about insects.

Artifacts 2 and 3 were created randomly and were not related to their lessons.

After viewing these artifacts, one might question how butterflies relate to diversity – or one might question how art relates to diversity at all. However, I firmly believe that art can be a useful, powerful tool to relate to all students of many diverse backgrounds. Being an artist myself, I discovered this to be true when completing my clinical experience at Merrill Palmer Early Childhood Center in Detroit. The classroom that I was placed in provided many areas for students to practice their artistic creativity, including a writing center, an art station, and two easels set up for them to use (see pictures below). It was while working at these stations with the children when I realized that art is a universal language, just like music or math. Through art, a teacher can have his/her students complete activities where they draw themselves, or their families, or their cultures, furthermore allowing them to express who they are as an individual in their own, creative way. Students could also share their creations with their fellow classmates, informing each student of their background and also helping me get to know each individual student a little better. As a result, I will be able to develop a relationship with my students because I am developing a better understanding of who they are and where they came from.

Art allows students to have something in common, and to further relate to one another regardless of differences. Whether I am placed in a diverse classroom or not, I will be sure to use art to create a unified environment and to obtain a better understanding of the students I am teaching. Through implementing strategies such as this, I am sure that – with practice and with time – I will become an effective educator of a diverse classroom.