"Hi Heather:
First of all, I too feel that Maslow's hierarchy has much to offer. I have never liked the term hierarchy here as Maslow describes it more as though it were a continuum which we cycle through depending on where we are ion our lives,…"
Promoting Tolerance
Hello everyone,
I’m new at this – please forgive any “faux pas”.
I have started this year as a Co-Chair at our local Elementary School. We are a small school, but one with a diverse student body. As I noted (and heard from my children) the comments some kids were saying at recess times about “kids being weird, because they talked funny”, I realised most children were referring to others speaking in a different language.
I have now organized several events at our school to get children and parents, teachers, volunteers, etc., involved in a more “tolerant” behaviour toward children that speak different languages. So we created a program of reading before bedtime once per month in different languages. We started in January with Portuguese/English, in February with French/English, in March in Italian/English and are now planning another evening at school at the end of April to be in Spanish/English.
This is a fairly successful program at our school, and one that children really enjoyed, especially since they are also taught to say “Hello” in all the different languages. It is fairly inexpensive, Council pays for hot-chocolate/juice and cookies (or other light snacks) and we make it a “Pyjama Night” for the kids (they really enjoy the part of coming to school in their pyjamas). Was wondering if other schools are running similar programs that promote tolerance towards other cultures? If so can you please share your ideas.
Thank you
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Shari on -
It sounds like you've come up with a great way to have children appreciate each other's culture and languages!
I have seen examples of other schools doing a "dinner around the world" evening - having parents from different cultures cook dishes from their country of origin, with each country or region having it's own section or table in a buffet styled meal. It's a great way to involve parents in the process and create connections between those parents and the school! Take the opportunity during such an event to highlight student work, curriculum information and more! For what it's worth - this example and similar has been used in several successful PRO grant applications.
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Permalink Reply by Benedita P. Wilkerson on -
Hi Shari,
Thank you for your reply - the "Dinner Around the World" is a great idea, and it involves parents and can involve students as well, if we ask them to write the recipe and share with others! Thank you for sharing - much appreciated.
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Permalink Reply by Gay Stephenson on -
Hi Benedita - thanks so much for posting this discussion! I know it takes some courage to write in a public space like this - we're all kind of learning together, as we go along... It's inspiring to see the work you have taken on in your first year as Co-Chair. Reading to/with kids was always my favourite volunteer activity, when my kids were in elementary school. And you've come up with such a wonderful, clever and inclusive program!
I'm looking forward to all the ideas people share with you in this discussion...
Gay
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Permalink Reply by ZS Worotynec on -
The multiple languages activities you are incorporating into your curriculum is pretty terrific. Research tells us that children who have strong literacy skills in their mother tongue will more easily learn 2nd and subsequent languages. So, kudos. See http://www.mylanguage.ca for more info, research and resources on maintaining the home language.
However, I'd gently ask you to consider the term "tolerance". In Canadian society, those who support and promote diversity in education want to do more than tolerate. That said, I would also caution against the tourist approach and the practice of "celebrating" diversity. It's important to address diversity, but celebrating - especially if through one-time only events like "dinner around the world" - can eroticize cultures and mark them as "other". Indeed, the posts above refer to "other" cultures, "other" languages. We need to ask ourselves Other than what? Other than the dominant culture? If we use the language, we send the message: other than the dominant culture is "other" and it won't matter if we have lederhosen or plastic sushi in the doll corner. We won't be inclusive if we tolerate the other. As educators, we must acknowledge differences, but not tolerate, or celebrate or exoticize. I would like to see diversity woven throughout all of the curriculum.
For other education resources, also see:
Children's books - anti-bias, multicultural, multilingual, etc:
http://bit.ly/azyUm9
Newcomer Children Information Exchange:
http://www.amssa.org/ancie/
Multicultural Pavilion (US site):
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/
Best,
ZS
immigrantchildren.ca | @immigranttalk
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Permalink Reply by Benedita P. Wilkerson on
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Hello ZS,
Thank you for your reply. The words that I used might not be "correct" terminology, but unfortunately are very much the reality of our school. Children were "not tolerating" other languages being spoken around at recess times... causing certain friction among students. Having said that, I am not a teacher, nor a principal, only a parent trying to promote a better environment for my children in their place of learning. I am a "multicultural individual" having been raised in 3 diferent countries and now living and building a family in a fourth country - also happen to be fluent in various languages - so for me there really is no "other language", it was just a way of attempting to describe what we were doing at the school. Also, we have tried this approach on a monthly basis, and it's being well received by children as well as parents. I agree with you that often we think of others in a diferent way only because of a language/cultural diferences - but that is sincerely not my prespective.
I would also like to thank you for the websites, I will certainly look into them and if possible (and agreeable by the school) promote them at out next event.
Thank you for your comments.
Sincerely,
BW
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Permalink Reply by ZS Worotynec on
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Hi Benedita. As a parent in this school, I think you have real power to affect change and I applaud your efforts. I think language is important and I see you are thinking outside the 'tolerant' perspective. I just want to support educators who are promoting, supporting equity, inclusion, integration, etc. without limiting their approach.
As educators, we all have an obligation to challenge the status quo --- and, each other.
Best,
ZS
Don't know how old the children are that you are speaking about, but I was remiss not to mention two terrific books: "The Affective Curriculum: The Anti-bias approach to teaching young children" by Nadia Hall and Valerie Rhomberg and "Include Me Too: Human Diversity in Education" edited by Kenise Murphy Kilbride.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Hunt on -
we all have an obligation to challenge the status quo --- and, each other.
agree tenfold. that is the only way growth will ever occur.
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Permalink Reply by Sheila Stewart on -
http://cal2.edu.gov.on.ca/april2009/EquityEducationStrategy.pdf
Posting the link to "Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy" document. Boards are to have their Equity and Inclusive Education policy in place by this fall. It should serve to address and support the acceptance of linguistic and cultural diversity in schools.
I am posting a separate discussion about this document shortly.
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Permalink Reply by Benedita P. Wilkerson on
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Hi Sheila,
Thank you so much for sharing that information. Truly appreciated. Will read and send a copy to our Principal as well.
BW
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