The document outlines a presentation by Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee on early awareness of difference in children and the importance of guiding conversations about identity, race, and bias. It emphasizes the need for adults to actively engage in meaningful dialogues, practice empathy, and model understanding when addressing topics of difference and justice with children. The agenda includes storytelling, discussing personal experiences, and providing resources for ongoing discussions.

1. The Caedmon School
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Seattle Girls’ School
Our Earliest Experience of Difference
And the Lessons We Can Apply to Our Children
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

2. Agenda
 Getting to Know You
 Story Telling
 What We Wished from Our Adults
 Going Forward
 Questions and Answers
 Resources
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

3. In Our Conversations…
 Listen to Understand
 Tell Your Truth
 Assume Positive Intent
 Seek Bravery Over Safety
 Practice Empathy
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

4. Getting to Know You
Warm-Up Questions
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Do you have any guilty
pleasures?
Do you have a strange non-
negotiable?
Do you have an unusual
phobia?
What is your “showing up
naked to school” dream?

5. Earliest Memory of Difference
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Think about a time from your
childhood when you learned
something about identity,
difference or justice.
What happened?
What did you think, and how
did you feel?
Looking back, what do you
wish the caring adults around
you had done or said?

6. Being That Adult for Children
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
What are the conversations you want to have that
you’re not having?
What are the conversations you want to have better?
Race/Ethnicity
Socioeconomic Class
Gender and Sexuality
Religion
Others?

7. Going Forward
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

8. Early Awareness of Difference
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
Age Signs
6 months Can discern racial feature differences
3 years Awareness of own and others’ gender.
Beginning awareness of gender roles
5 years Desire to categorize – self, others
Curiosity about meaning of differences
Aware of biases
7 years Can regulate biases versus behaviors
Starting to parrot adult messages
3rd grade Are aware of societal stereotypes
cross group play can increase
5th grade Have internalized stereotypical messages
cross group play can decrease

9. Before You Talk
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
 Study up on other parents having
conversations
 Use people, outings, media, etc.
 Identify and clarify where you stand
 Initial verbiage
 Brainstorm follow-up questions
 Practice with others

10. While You Are Talking
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
 Find out what they’re actually asking/saying
 Find out why they’re asking/saying
 Respond straightforwardly
 Be mindful of emotion
 Be explicit about where you stand
 Model and coach humility, delight, and
curiosity about difference
 “Great question” “What do you think?”
“You’re thinking about that, huh?” and “Let
me think about it some more”

11. After You Talk
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
 Go back to earlier
 Double-check their understanding
 Re-establish and clarify if needed
 Reconciling disagreements and other
messages
 Follow-up with alternate message givers

12. Example Statements
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)
 “Boys are annoying!”
 “Why is she a different color than me?”
 Her lunch smelled real bad.
 “Why doesn’t he have a daddy?’
 How come we don’t go away on vacations
like everyone else?
 “How come no one looks like me?”
 “Why does he talk so funny?”
 Her house was so small.

13. Questions and Comments
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)

14. Presenter Information
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
6th Faculty and
Professional Outreach
Seattle Girls’ School
2706 S Jackson Street
Seattle WA 98144
(206) 805-6562
rlee@seattlegirlsschool.org
http://tiny.cc/rosettalee
Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee (http://tiny.cc/rosettalee)