January 2010 • Volume 41 • Number 3 • Page 54
Letter from the President
Cathie Thibodeau
When I was in school, we referred to America as the "melting pot" because of the array of immigrants living here. Today we use various words like, "multiculturalism" or "cultural diversity" are used. Whatever terminology we use, we live in a society that is diverse, and everyone needs a basic understanding of that diversity.
In a hallway conversation I had with a New Jersey seventh grader, he shared that the United States would not be fighting a war if the people who were in charge would talk to one another and respect the differences between them; wise words from someone so young. I wondered when and where this young man had learned such a valuable lesson.
The conversation reminded me of two teachers who had shared a lesson from their immigration unit with me, which I then used on numerous occasions. One of those occasions was after 9/11 in a school where tensions were high, and the teachers were looking for a way to defuse the situation. It is one of those lessons that is applicable in any classroom anywhere. I would like to share this lesson with you and thank Jen and Cindy for sharing it with me. I do not know the origin of the lesson.
"Best of Both Worlds"
- Cut two hearts from oak tag.
- Decorate one heart with stars and stripes, symbolizing the American flag. (You can substitute another country and its flag.) On this heart draw pictures of things you think represent the best in America (or any other country where you live).
- For the other heart, choose a country from your own cultural background and draw pictures representing the cultural heritage that your family shares as part of its background. Examples include food, holidays, customs, language, music, etc. Decorate this heart using colors and symbols represented in the flag of this country.
- Cut one heart from the top to the midpoint; cut the other from the bottom to the midpoint and punch a hole in the top of this one. Interlock the hearts together. Thread a string through the hole and hang the mobiles for display.
Not only does this make a colorful display, it provides an opportunity for students to share their heritage.
Copyright © 2010 by National Middle School Association