Beyond Tolerance

Lori Russell-Chapin, in Psychology Today, explains that more and more work places are finding the need to help employees cope well with diversity. She writes:

“We live in a diverse and global world. This inclusivity often brings about misunderstanding and conflict. However the true goal of diversity is to embrace the complexities and blessings, rather than dread the change that inclusivity may bring.  People or ideas that are different than our own often create discomfort for fear of the unknown. Many companies require inclusivity workshops to assist workplace employees in better understanding the many opportunities that diversity offers. The emphasis is to move from a position of being afraid of differences to tolerating differences to appreciating the benefits of differences.  A consulting workshop we offer is called ‘Beyond Tolerance.’”

In the world of early childhood education, author and teacher Nadia Jaboneta, in her book, You Can’t Celebrate That: Navigating the Deep Waters of Social Justice Teaching, writes about her efforts to help young children grow up with an appreciation of differences:

“I now understand it’s important to be pro-active in sparking conversations about race and religion – with both children and adults – rather than waiting for something hurtful to happen as a provocation for me to act. I’m also continuing to develop my understanding of core aspects of anti-bias learning.”

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