3-B Culture and Cultural Identity

Culture

Young learners explore concepts of likenesses and differences among cultural groups through social studies. Learners interact with class members and discover culturally based likenesses and differences. They begin to identify the cultural basis for some celebrations and ways of life in their community and in examples from across the world. It is important that teachers use culturally relevant materials and practices in the classroom.

Unity and Diversity

While diversity should be celebrated in the classroom and students should be given a chance to see how different cultures interact with each other, unity should also be stressed in the early childhood classroom. An example of this might be to show how different cultures eat different foods or celebrate different holidays. Then the teacher makes connections to show students how similar different cultures are in terms of how they celebrate and how they interact with their families.

Cultural Relevance

Classrooms are diverse places, and teachers must be culturally responsive when designing instruction and selecting materials to support instruction. Teachers must supplement with materials that acknowledge and celebrate different perspectives. These different cultural perspectives are integrated into the content areas, not just highlighted as special events. In other words, a culturally responsive approach means that teachers and students are celebrating and learning about diversity on a daily basis because it is an integral part of the classroom culture. This includes demonstrating sensitivity to various socioeconomic backgrounds and to individuals with disabilities (physical, cognitive, emotional, etc.).

When selecting supplementary materials, be careful to include:

• Literature/materials that reflect different cultures, especially those represented in the classroom

• Materials that show cultural diversity in educational settings (including post-secondary) and the workplace

• Multicultural celebrations

• Materials that celebrate history from various perspectives (race, nationality, gender, etc.)

• Articles or stories about overcoming socioeconomic barriers

Multicultural classroom library

On the exam, you will be required to identify effective approaches to choosing multicultural texts and resources. When setting up a multicultural classroom library, a teacher should consider the following:

Accuracy.

Accuracy of cultural representation is a crucial aspect of high-quality, multicultural literature, and books must contain current, correct information to avoid reinforcing stereotypes (Agosto, 2002; Shioshita, 1997).

Authentic dialogue.

The dialogue in the text should accurately represent culturally specific oral traditions (Landt, 2006).

Presentation of information or issues. The information in the text should not leave out information that is unfavorable to the dominant culture. For example, a text about slavery should not have diluted information about the brutalities of slavery.

Tips on using a multicultural approach to selecting books and resources are:

• Avoid stereotypes and negative representations in print and illustrations.

• Ensure situations are realistic and positive.

• Confirm that the characters address conflicts and challenges and solve issues in a positive manner.

• Choose texts where diverse characters are the main characters with complex storylines.

Socio-economic considerations

Diversity is not always about the language students speak or the customs in which they participate. Diversity also applies to students' socio-economic circumstances. Some students will come to school without having eaten breakfast. Some students will come to school without basic necessities. It is the role of the teacher to provide effective instruction for these students. Assigning homework that requires computer and Internet access is not being considerate of students' socio-economic circumstances because some students do not have access to these tools at home. In addition, communicating with parents via email may not be most effective because parents may not have Internet access at home. Taking the time to consider all aspects of diversity in the classroom, including socioeconomic status, is essential in being an effective teacher.