Homeschooling offers a wonderful opportunity to build a curriculum that aligns with your family values.

It allows you to create a learning environment where empathy and understanding are just as important as math and science. 

By consciously integrating DEI values into your lessons, you can prepare your child to be a compassionate and engaged citizen of the real world.

Let's take a look at your options for including DEI in your homeschool lessons.

Is Your Curriculum Inclusive?

Your curriculum should reflect the actual world in which we live. A curriculum that focuses only on the experiences of a single group—whether by race, family structure, or ability—can create a disconnect for your child.

To make sure your lessons are as rich and varied as the actual world we live in, ask yourself these questions:

• Does the material introduce a wide range of authors, cultures, and identities?

• Are people from diverse backgrounds central to the stories, or are they just minor characters?

• Do the characters accurately represent their cultures without relying on stereotypes?

• Does the curriculum encourage your child to connect with their own community and cultural background?

• Are different cultural traditions, languages, and religions respectfully included in the content?

• Are diverse family structures, such as single-parent households or same-sex parents, represented?

• Are characters with different abilities included in the stories in a positive way?

• When a conflict arises, are people of color never the sole source of the problem?

Many pre-packaged homeschool curricula do not fully align with these values, but you can always supplement and modify them with your own chosen materials.

A simple but effective strategy is to swap out the books your curriculum recommends with more culturally-aware options. For every traditional book on your list, look for one that tells a different story.

For example, instead of only studying the traditional narrative of the American Revolution, add a book that explores the experiences of Black loyalists or Native American tribes during that same time period.

When learning about groundbreaking inventions, consider supplementing a book about Thomas Edison with a biography of Dr. Charles Drew, a Black surgeon who invented the blood bank, or Dr. Grace Hopper, a female computer scientist who pioneered programming languages.

These aren't just one-off changes. To make a lasting impact, DEI must be woven into the fabric of your homeschool curriculum. Regularly add books by diverse authors to your reading list throughout the entire year.

Choose Your Words Wisely

Teaching DEI goes beyond the books you choose; it also involves the language you use. Words have power, and using inclusive language helps reinforce the values you want to teach your child.

For example, a simple change like using "primary bedroom" instead of "master bedroom" can help you move away from terms with a problematic past.

Learning to use respectful and accurate language for different communities is an important part of teaching cultural awareness. 

It is your job as the parent to educate yourself on these terms so that your teaching is both authentic and respectful.

Start Small and Keep Going

Making a change can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to overhaul your entire curriculum at once.

• Start slowly. Begin by substituting one book or adding a single lesson to your existing curriculum.

• Be consistent. Progressively use more inclusive language in your conversations.

• Follow their lead. If your student shows interest in a particular culture or historical figure, build on that curiosity with more materials.

By making these small, intentional adjustments, you will not only enrich your homeschool lessons but also raise a child who is compassionate and ready to engage with the diversity of the world.

More Resources:

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Glossary
• How to choose the best homeschool curriculum
• OurShelves (diverse children’s book boxes)
• Facing History and Ourselves (history lessons that stand up to bigotry)