open to criticism from groups that feel they are not beingequally treated. A national standard is out of the question because of the factthat different parts of the country contain certain concentrations ofnationalities. An example of this is the high concentration of Cubans inFlorida or Latinos in the west. Nonetheless, teachers are at the top of theagenda when it comes to multiculturalism. They can do the most for childrenduring the early years of learning, when kids are most impressionable. Byengaging students in activities that follow the lines of their multiculturalcurriculum, they can open up young minds while making learning fun. in onefirst grade classroom, an inventive teacher used the minority students to heradvantage by making them her helpers as she taught the rest of the class somesimple Spanish words and customs. This newly acquired vocabulary formeda common bond among the children in their early years, an appropriate timefor learning respect and understanding (Pyszkowski 154). Another exciting idea is to put children in the setting of the culture theyare learning about. By surrounding children in the ideas and customs of othercultures, they can better understand what it is like to be removed from oursociety altogether, if only for a day. Having kids dress up in foreign clothing,sample foods and sing songs from abroad makes educating easier on theteacher by making it fun for the students. A simple idea that helps teachers isto let students speak for themselves. Ask students how they feel about eachother and why. This will help dispel stereotypes that might be created in thehome. By asking questions of each other, students can get firsthand answersabout the beliefs and customs of other cultures, along with some insight as towhy people feel the way they do, something that can never be adequatelyaccomplished through a textbook. Students are not the only ones who can benefit from this type oflearning. Teachers ...
