Cultural topics in the Montessori classroom give children initial exposure to the many areas of knowledge that they will encounter throughout life, enabling them to develop an early interest in learning about the world, science and nature, history and culture, and music and art. Establishing cultural awareness in young children fosters their ability to care for others and enables the child to create connections between themselves and the physical world around them.
For young children, this may mean that parents share stories from their countries or tell folktales from their traditions. For older children, this may mean researching personal or cultural history and inviting families in to share these memoirs. Overall, it means including each child’s family, recognizing the value of difference and the importance of cultural history.
It is important for all educators to celebrate the cultures of the children in their classrooms. Creating opportunities for children and their families to share their culture and traditions creates a community of acceptance, appreciation, and respect. Teaching young children these concepts will no doubt have a positive impact on how they relate to others throughout their lives.
H&H Child Care Training Center knows the importance of cultural education and is always looking for ways to share strategies and activities with providers to increase cultural education and awareness with young children. Below are just a few courses H&H offers regarding cultural awareness and more are being added each week.
Training Guide for Families from Diverse Language and Cultural Backgrounds
Strength in Differences: Cultural Diversity
Check back often to see what new courses are add and browse our current courses to see the other topics available. H&H is always developing content that is relevant and researched based.