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Home > Blogs > Lakota Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > April > 02 > Entry
Lakota teaches diversity
I asked Lakota administrators to share with me some of the things they do to promote diversity within their buildings. This is the list the district compiled.
Examples of how diversity is part of the educational day at early childhood schools: 1. Individual classrooms use resources to help children appreciate culture. 2. Parents volunteer for cultural presentations. 3. An ESL teacher from India shared her culture with students. 4. Students studied a month-long behavior theme of Appreciating Likeness and Differences in conjunction with Black History Month.
Elementary School examples: 1. Second-graders studied traditions and cultures of the world, including what schools look like in other countries. 2. Students participated in multicultural math games like Mancala. They used geometric designs from Africa, South America and from Native Americans. 3. Teachers presented reading materials on a variety of topics, including civil rights, women’s suffrage, the Holocaust and Martin Luther King, Jr. 4. One elementary school is opening a store to be run by students with severe disabilities. 5. Students do a “Meet the Scientist” presentation where they choose a scientist from a different culture and explain how people from that culture contribute to science. 6. In December, parents shared about Jewish and Muslim holiday customs. 7. Students studied Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Harriet Tubman to talk about how their actions affected fair and equal laws. 8. Students learned of African American men and women who played roles in American history. 9. Second-grade students read non-fiction texts that highlighted important historical movements in diversity and culture. They engaged in class discussions. 10. A parent teacher organization sponsored “Games around the world,” night to demonstrate games from other countries. 11. In December, students talked about immigration and completed surveys about their heritage. They discussed December holidays. 12. Some sixth-graders will attend Camp Campbell Gard in the spring to experience the Underground Railroad, recreating the journey of many slaves.
Junior high examples: 1. Eighth-grade students conducted a research project on “invisible” groups, such as those with disabilities, children in war-torn Uganda and those living with genocide in Darfur. 2. A Mutual Care and Respect Committee was established to develop activities anround the strategic plan core values of mutual care and respect. 3. Created a club named “Transforming a Generation” to celebrate diversity through school activities.
Freshman School examples: 1. Art and Tech students study the works of Gordon Parks and James Van der Zee, two African American photographers as well as the extensive work by Edward Curtis documenting Native Americans in their native cultural settings at the end of the 1800s. Students also study work of Dorthea Lange and Loretta Lux. 2. The jazz program highlights the contributions of African American artists throughout the entire school year, combining social issues with musical ones. 3. The art classroom environment promotes and encourages open communication amongst the students as they work, providing all students the ability to exchange ideas and to appreciate diversity. 4. Students read and act out several texts focused on African Americans.
High School examples. 1. Department chairs at East started a Building Leadership Team to do a book study on best practices on working with students from different backgrounds and how staff can recognize and honor students with diverse backgrounds. 2. Both high schools have multi-cultural clubs who lead diversity activities and presentations each month. 3. Students take trips to the Freedom Center and to historically black colleges.
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