Culture is a rich source of knowledge that is part of every child’s family you s
Culture is a rich source of knowledge that is part of every child’s family you service. We as teachers must be aware of the cultural influences that are within our communities and what our students, families, and parents have to offer our classroom. As you grow your culture is part of how you were raised, and family traditions are passed down through generations. This cultural connection to our families is important to our identity and has a profound effect on how we view the world. As a teacher, it is my job to highlight the aspects of culture that influence a child and can be a teaching tool within the class curriculum. Learning about culture helps with our sensitivity and compassion for children as we care for them. The more we know the more open we become and can provide children with an understanding of their world as they explore all the aspects of learning.
This assignment is to get you thinking about the community in which you live, service, or venture into in your free time. Southern California is a petri dish of culture, and you can find about every culture you want to explore and learn more about. For this assignment, you will need to choose a culture that you wish to learn more about and educate your classmates on. Following the attached guideline, you will need to research a culture and provide a written report on your findings. You will submit this assignment to the class discussion and then you will get the opportunity to explore what your classmates have researched to share with you. This assignment is due by the end of week 7 no later than October 8 so your classmates have time to explore your report and you have time to explore your classmates’ reports.
Some cultures to explore in our area are…… Pilipino, Portuguese, Chaldean, Kurdish, Hispanic/ Mexican -American, University Student Culture, Pacific Islander, Asian……
You can choose any other culture that is not listed as well.
I. Purposes
1. To provide the student with the opportunity to explore the diversity of cultures and
communities in San Diego.
2. To expand one’s awareness of the uniqueness of each person/culture and the “bridge” of
commonalities.
3. To gain knowledge in specific practices that influence a family’s participation and/or
interaction in an early childhood setting (meeting families’ needs in the preschool).
4. To gather information about community resources that support families from a variety of
cultures and backgrounds.
II. Written report to be submitted: You will organize your written report in the
following order:
1.. An introductory paragraph stating what cultural group in San Diego you have chosen to write
about and why. Include information about how you did your research and where you found your
materials.
2. Summarize the information you gathered about your chosen culture, emphasizing facts you
learned that will help others in the class to appreciate, understand, and value this culture.
3. End with a paragraph sharing what you personally gained from this assignment. How has it
changed your attitude, comfort level, sensitivity, or appreciation of diversity?
4. A bibliography of all materials, etc. Be very thorough: include all pertinent information about
each source. When sharing information about the person you interviewed, use first name only,
but do include age, profession, and family data.
III. Required sources of information to be included in your submission:
1. One community social club, agency, newsletter, support group, relief organization, museum,
church, etc., that exists to provide support to the cultural/ethnic group you are learning about.
(United Way has a publication of community clubs and agencies. Balboa Park has the “International
Houses”. Many cultural groups have a newsletter that can be found in front of grocery stores, etc. in a
“local” neighborhood. Some local groups have websites or national groups may have local links. School
districts often have information on specific ethnic/cultural groups. Even the phone book has listings that
can be helpful.)
2. One interview with a person from the culture/ethnic group you are learning about. This person
might be a neighbor, a parent in your preschool, a friend-of-a-friend, even a relative.
3. Two published sources of information, including books, magazines, journals, newspapers,
websites. These should be from reliable sources and very current; nothing published before 2015
will be accepted.
Note: These are the minimum requirements. You may choose to use additional resources and
materials.
The goal of this assignment is to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of our San Diego
community. It is also to be a “bridge-builder” of awareness that we share much in common with all our
fellow citizens. We are looking to find ways to best serve the needs of all young children in our care and
their families.