Implications

In the following section I reflect on four implications of these findings for my own practice.
Then I share some potential next steps for anyone interested in continuing the work of creating a
classroom culture that celebrates diversity by increasing student capacity to trust those whose
views differ.
Teacher as Bridge Builder: As a child, I remember a song with the refrain, Were building
bridges out of walls that keep us apart. Any difference can be a wall. Its not easy to trust
someone who is different, nor is it simple to support someone struggling to trust, as I found out
the painful way with Finn and Luke. Even the emerging bridge of trust I was able to establish
between them would begin to break down without my vigilant support and guidance. We might
not have entered the profession to become bridge builders. However, in todays increasingly
diverse classrooms, teachers dont have a choice. To be effective educators, we must build
bridges between students as well as with content. I will still devote a great deal of energy
spotlighting students commonalities in order to build a strong sense of belongingness and trust. I
just wont focus so much on commonality that I overlook diversity. Rather, I will use what I
learned in this research study to illustrate how diversity improves outcomes for everyone, and
use that knowledge as material to reinforce bridges of understanding. When challenges arise, its
helpful to remember Situations, more than individuals, are what produce the difficulties, even
though it almost always looks as if it is the individuals who are fouling up (Farson, 1996, p.
130). A mark of good leadership is to remove obstacles and to create situations allowing people
to discover their commonalities, appreciate their differences and gain a deeper sense of
belonging.
I found it vital to include parents in this appreciation. When families trust educators value their
unique culture, parents involvement increases (Moll, 2001). In Finn and Lukes case, we reached
a deeper level of understanding and healing only after I collaborated with parents, conveying
respect for their beliefs. I invited each family, parents with diametrically opposed viewpoints, to
come together with the children to find points of commonality and to model respect for each
other's differences. Their children responded by dancing together after the meeting, a visible

weight lifted from their hearts. If parents trust they belong, then their children will bring this
feeling with them into class.
Use Words Intentionally: I learned we can quickly build trust with our words. Words shape
childrens self-esteem as well as classroom culture. In fact, supportive, nurturing language
impacts IQ and memory, while prohibitions and discouragements have a negative effect (Tough,
2006). Unfortunately, children dont come to school with equal exposure to words. The amount
and type of words children hear seems divided unfairly along economic lines (Tough, 2006). I
feel inspired by Carol Dwecks work (2006) regarding growth mindsets and the implication for
minimizing socioeconomic gap through language. Thats why I model supportive language to
honor my students inherent nobility. Rather than saying a child is being unkind, I say a child
needs to practice kindness (Kavelin, 2005). That way, students know I accept them even when
they make poor choices. However, I only noticed measurable increases in their ability to trust
after modeling for them how to talk about each others work and thinking. For instance, through
the Perspectives Wall change effort, they learned simultaneously to, benefit from and depend on
the expertise of others(Edwards 1998, p. 302). Additionally, during the Respect Circle change
effort, they learned how to talk about differing beliefs in a way that respected each persons right
to be different and belong. These language protocols both involved using clear supporting details
to respectfully express appreciation or disagreement with a peers viewpoint (Fernandez, 2015)
and helped children feel that the classroom was a place their perspective belonged.
Take Play Seriously: Loris Malaguzzi reminds us, Although learning is a serious matter, the
teacher must approach it in a spirit of playfulness (Edwards, 1998, p. 252). Guided
collaborative play helped my students find their inner compass and build common ground.
Cohen explains, Children project themselves into their play and work out problems of both
intellectual comprehension and emotional complexity (2008, p. 70). Through play, children
make sense of their own emotions and desires, while beginning to make sense of what others
feel and believe (Slade, 1994, p. 91). From Stuart Browns National Institute for Play, we are
reminded that:
The ability of the young child to create their own sense of their mind, and that of others,
takes place through pretend play, which continues to nourish the spirit throughout life,
and remains key to innovation and creativity. Deprivation studies uphold the importance

of this pattern of play, as understanding and trusting others and developing coping skills
depends on its presence (retrieved 2016).

Adults figure things out by talking through it; children by playing through it. Children at this
developmental stage are more interested in imitating school and work through play than actually
doing it in the adult context (Edwards, 2012). Since they are still constructing the framework
critical for further learning, their work must be more about the process than the product. Guided
collaborative play helped my students learn how to work together, even with those who held
different views, without imposing adult standards of production on them.
Establish Community through Common Purpose: Bahullh said, Let your vision be world
embracing rather than confined to your own selves and that by doing this not only would people
foster trust and unity, but also transform society(B.,& S., 1976, p. 25). Overcoming a common
challenge or serving a greater cause builds trust in the classroom by creating a shared sense of
empathy. Businesses today find developing empathy leads to success, because Innovators who
have empathy can step outside their own perspective and see issues from multiple viewpoints
(Boss, 2012, p. 43). In diverse places such as Canada, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and India, people successfully bridge differing perspectives for the common goal of
building vibrant communities for their children. When children participate with their parents in
crossing cultural divides, such as the unofficial caste system in India or opposing alliances in the
Congo to beautify neighborhoods and establish educational institutes, they learn they can
transform society together (Frontiers of Learning, 2015). At the Nancy Campbell Collegiate
Institute, a school in Ontario Canada, student surveys revealed the real source of happiness for
them stems from service to the community. Having this common purpose, they explain, creates a
strong sense of belonging and trust (Choose Happiness, 2015). My students theatrical
production required diversity of effort to accomplish and was their common purpose that
transformed our learning space. Children missed Finn when he was absent and knew he felt sad.
Perhaps their collaborative play turned in that direction for him, since they knew he loved
theater. He did return to school after many in the group expressed a need for his expertise. When
children find they make a difference together, they learn to trust the power of diversity and build
community around a common goal.

Potential Next Steps: While learning from my students what they needed to trust, I grew as an
educator. First, my students with special needs taught me the value of impeccable language.
When I scripted the language protocol to support them, all students gained better access to group
learning. Additionally, when I taught less, students learned more, paying closer attention to
each others answers as they collectively sought answers to their own questions for the
Perspectives Wall. Finally, when celebrating diversity became an attitude permeating how we
learn instead of an additional program to implement, I conserved energy! I already explore openended questions, curate students work, hold class meetings and improvise stories. By combining
these practices with intentional language protocols, I learned to leverage resources to achieve my
aim. Though findings indicate my students' capacity to trust those whose views differ did
increase, there remains much work to create a classroom culture that fully celebrates diversity.
Do I have an answer for Alex about whether he can trust a friend who doesnt believe in Optimus
Prime? Honestly, Im not sure yet. Some lingering questions I would like to explore include:
o What other strategies in guided collaborative play have the greatest impact on
helping children celebrate diversity?
o How can I support parents to effectively prepare their children for group learning
in todays diverse classrooms?
In my memory, I still see those young learners sitting quietly in a circle eagerly waiting for my
answer to Alexs question. Can he trust his friend if they dont believe the same? My generation
has grown up in a system burdened with structures promoting distrust. In this context I
acknowledge, not the limitations of the children I serve, but my own. I believe each generations
role is to help the next one walk a few steps closer to answering his question; a future time when
humanity will fully embrace diversity of thought born of racial, cultural, linguistic and religious
differences. Since this future belongs to the children, I also believe it isnt within my generations
capacity to predict all the roadblocks they must overcome on that path. However, my hope is that
adults can work together to build bridges, share knowledge with each other and instill in children
desire to take the next steps. So, what is my answer for Alex? Since he cares about Oscar, his big
brown eyes implore me to answer the question he is really asking, How can he trust his
friend? And to that I reply, Alex, I am here to help, but ultimately you have to discover for
yourself. And when you do, you will help make this world a better place.