Looking Beyond the Rainbow: Skin Tones and Beautiful Browns

Rainbows emerged as an interest of the Green Dragonflies when the school year began.

After several weeks of working with the primary and secondary colors, Jess and Ashley, the Green Dragonfly teachers, saw an opportunity to extend the conversation and affirm that black and browns and tans are beautiful colors too.

Ashley: We have talked so much about the colors of the rainbow. But there are so many OTHER colors in our world too- in nature, on people, and all around us. What colors can you think of that are in our world?

Hazel: Pink!
Sage: Black.
Giovanni: Brown.
William: Aquagreen and turquoise.
Giovanni: White!
Hazel: Blue-ish gray.
Meredith: What about tan?
Isaac: Salmon.
Giovanni: Blonde, like my hair.
Meredith: Cranberry.
Charlie: But what color is this poster? (pointing to the yoga poster hanging in the gathering area) 
Ashley: Hmm, that’s a good question. What would you call it? (Pointing to the background)
Charlie: No, the guy.
Isaac: That guy is White. White.
Ashley: Hmm, he is a White person. Actually, all of the people on this poster look like White people. But...their skin isn’t really the color white….
William: No, that paper (pointing to the easel) is white. The people aren’t.

So, the Green Dragonflies began to explore skin tone, using literature and art to build upon the children’s ideas about their own skin and identities. 

They continued their color mixing experiments using skin tone paints, creating many shades of brown and sometimes seeking to match their own skin tone too. 

“I think I’m gonna make a match for me! (Mixes…) It’s not a match for me. It reminds me of a darkish reddish.  If I add some white, what does it make?!” - Charlie
“I’m on the right track! Look how close this is! I think I can call it light chocolate mixed with peach?” - Hazel
“This color reminds me of my grandpa. He has the same color as me.” - Nola

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In early education, entry points are key moments in which children can make personal and authentic connections with a critical topic. For the Green Dragonflies, rainbows served an entry point -- a means to begin important conversations about skin color and identity in a way that was meaningful and accessible to the children. As teachers committed to anti-bias education, Ashley and Jess are always on the lookout for such moments, in order to build upon these powerful learning opportunities as they arise in the context of an emergent curricular model.