Give children exposure to many different cultures.
Culture in the early childhood classroom reaches beyond those who may look different from each other. American culture increasingly includes nontraditional families, such as children living with grandparents or same-sex parents. In addition to reflecting cultures from around the world, responsible preschool teachers should remember to include the subcultures of the American people.
Pictures
Pictures on walls are the most obvious way to demonstrate culture within the preschool classroom. Pictures can be attached to the walls with clear contact paper at the child's eye level. Include the culture of the children in the room, but mix these images with cultural images different from the general classroom population. Include cultures from other countries as well as differing family dynamics, such as a child in an image with grandparents.
Books
Use story time to discuss different cultures. Fill the preschool story area with books on different holidays, cultural celebrations and books depicting nontraditional family styles, such as books about single parents. The book area is a significant place to teach culture and the reading area created for the children should include culturally diverse materials. Make sure the material is written at a preschool level so the class will understand what they are viewing and hearing.
Local Cultures
Review the community of the preschool and reflect the cultures of that community. If one culture is dominant within the community, create artwork depicting that community and surround it with artwork representing minority cultures. The local cultures are the cultures that children witness when they are not at preschool, so bringing these cultures in through artwork or in other ways helps bring the community culture into the classroom.
Classroom Cultures
Review the cultures of the individual students. Is one student culturally Italian, while another is of Middle Eastern descent? Honor each culture by celebrating specific holidays, recognizing traditions or displaying specific images with which each child is familiar. A great way to reflect the subcultures of the classroom is to create and display a family wall where children either draw their families or families provide photographs of themselves.
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