Teaching a culture of acceptance starts on the first day of the school year. Part of our role as educators is to foster an environment of acceptance. This involves creating a culture of daily acceptance of ourselves and others, building self-esteem and reducing bullying. No matter the makeup of your classroom, acceptance of appearance, culture and ideas is crucial for a welcoming environment.

In a world full of amazing people, we all encounter life differently. There is no ‘one size fits all’ experience. Feeling as if you don’t fit in is painful, especially for children. These books about acceptance illustrate:

• that it’s okay to be different and the importance of being yourself and focus on the self-esteem, confidence and courage to do this.
• characters modelling empathy, compassion and acceptance of themselves and others.
• characters accepting situations out of their control and learning how to cope during such events.