MAKING A NEIGHBORHOOD THE SESAME-STREET WAY - DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGY TO EVALUATE CHILDRENS UNDERSTANDING OF RACE

Since its inception, Sesame Street has modelled racial harmony; howeve r, as a result of the rising racial unrest in the United States in 198 9, we launched a four-year race relations curriculum initiative design ed to be more explicit about physical and cultural differences, and to encourage friendship between people of different races and cultures. To assess children's basic knowledge and attitudes about diverse child ren living and playing together a variety of methods were developed, i ncluding a game 'Make a Neighborhood', to assess how living in a segre gated environment influences preschoolers' understanding of race relat ions. The game allowed us to observe how preschoolers sort drawings of children who differ by race, clothing and hairstyle into places in th e neighbourhood. Results indicated that Chinese American, African Amer ican, Puerto Rican and Crow Indian preschoolers integrated homes, scho ols, playgrounds, churches and stores when given drawings of children from their own groups and White children. White preschoolers integrate d Chinese American and White, Puerto Rican and White and Crow Indian a nd White children in every structure. However, White preschoolers were significantly more likely to segregate African American and White chi ldren in the homes, schools, playgrounds, churches and stores. Based o n these results, segments were produced which show White children visi ting an African American friend's home.