Another part of the project was to write “About the Author.” I took a picture of each student, which they added to their books. The students wrote about themselves and about their families’ cultures. The kids wrote about what makes them a family—their beliefs, their holidays, and their ethnic heritage. The students loved the project! They asked if they could write in the morning, when they just arrived in the classroom. It is important to note that the culture of all students was embraced. It was not only the culture of minorities. In my perspective, multicultural education should not focus only on minorities. All students are equally important, although different from each other.
The instructional teaching strategies used in my class focused on whole class, small groups, and one-on-one activities. The whole class discussions highlighted the social issues being presented by the book selection. Some of the activities implemented to deepen the reading comprehension and social engagement were grand conversations, book talks, guided reading, reading logs, readers’ theater, skill-based cooperative groups, differentiated projects, and mini-lessons. Other strategies used during Readers’ and Writers’ Workshops are guided imagery, cultural-based music, and the use of Google Earth to help students to visualize the geography and the people of other countries. Kim, Green, and Klein (2006) suggested that school counselors and educators to use role-play to help students to reflect about similarities and differences. They also suggested students to create their own endings to stories as a way to solve story problems.
Culturally Relevant Instruction that Lasts for a Lifetime
When discussing diversity with students, it is no longer sufficient to teach them about people’s food, holidays, or dress code; it is vital
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In my perspective, multicultural education should not focus only on minorities. All students are equally important, although different ...