The textbook Teaching Young Children in Multicultural Classroom emphasizes the importance of embracing cultural diversity in a classroom. The textbook highlights cultural diversity factors in the United States, which include colonialization and immigration of early settlers and explorers. Early trade was also a major reason for the entry and exit of various cultures (De Melendez & Beck, 2018). This essay focuses on the important cultural lessons that can be learned from comparing Colombian and Middle Eastern American cultures.
The three main differences in culture established include religion, attitude towards the culture, and diversity in food preferences:
- Colombian culture and representatives are viewed differently from the Middle Eastern. According to chapter 1 of Teaching young children in multicultural classroom, Middle Eastern Americans have been under the negative attention of the media (De Melendez, & Beck, 2018). This attitude results from the tragic event of September 11, 2001, the wars with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.
- Colombian cuisine includes various types of meat, while some Middle Eastern Americans avoid consuming pork, bacon, and ham.
- Colombians most commonly practice the Catholic faith compared to the Middle Eastern Americans, whose primary religion is Islam.
The concept of multicultural diversity is an essential topic for teachers. This is, due to the fact, that it enables them to not only comprehend the differences in language, cultures, and capabilities but also utilize this knowledge in teaching young children (De Melendez, & Beck, 2018). To help Middle Eastern children feel comfortable despite their cultural differences, I would encourage all students to talk about their families and activities. By doing so, children can initiate in communicating and find common interests with other students. Additionally, as a representative of Colombian culture, I could ask my Middle Eastern students to tell other children and me about their lifestyle and traditions, promoting cultural acceptance.
References
De Melendez, W. R., & Beck, V. (2018). Teaching young children in multicultural classroom: Issues, concepts, and strategies. Cengage Learning.