Cultural Community Outreach: Multicultural Fair Caitlin Jones TESOL 507 University of Phoenix February 22, 2015

Who will be involved? -Students -Parents -Local Businesses -Local Community Members

Events: -Foods of Different Cultures (Cafeteria) -Sports of Different Cultures (Gym and Outside Area) -Cultural Presentations (Various Classrooms)

How to provide background information to students in various curriculums in preparation: -Life Skills: prepare foods of different cultures -Social Studies: research different cultures and important events in their histories -Mathematics: focus on different money from different cultures and convert money into different forms (pesos, dollars, francs, etc.) -Language Arts: explore texts that represent viewpoints and authors of different cultures -Visual Arts: introduce students to artists and works of art that represent various cultures around the world

How to get people involved: -Use social media, the school website, and to invite parents to come in and participate. Encourage parents of ELL students to participate. This helps parents who may not feel like they are a part of the school community to feel accepted and welcomed. -Use teachers as liaisons between the school and local businesses to ask for volunteers who would like to participate or donate.

How does this benefit English Language Learners? Often, English Language Learners may feel like they are constantly trying to “fit in” in order to achieve success in school. This Fair allows them to celebrate their cultures and differences while sharing their traditions with their peers and community members. They are the “experts” and can share their passion for their culture with others.

How does this relate to a culturally responsive environment? -The Multicultural Fair would contribute to “addressing the needs and interests of all students of all backgrounds… within a climate of respect for differences” (Chartock, 2010).

After the Fair: - In different classrooms, students will (independently or as a group) choose a culture that they explored that day to research further. They could then perform research in different classes to focus on different aspects of that culture. If possible, they could interview their peers or others who represent that culture. Students could research different parts of the culture including: art and music, history, food, and traditions.

Other possibilities: -While different cultures are extremely important to learn about, “sexual orientation, age and ableness” are also important aspects to explore when talking about diversity (Brown and Kysilka, 2009). -Students or local groups who wish to present in order to address these topics are encouraged to attend and present.

After the Fair: -In order to thank the presenters and volunteers, there will be a banquet in the Media Center after the fair with snacks and drinks. Students will complete Thank You cards during that time in their classes and these will be given to the presenters before they leave.

References: Chartock, R.K. (2010). Strategies and Lessons and Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Primer for K-12 Teachers. Pearson Education. Brown, S., & Kysilka, M. (2009). What every teacher should know about multicultural and global education. Boston, Mass.: Pearson Education.