I am a Special Education teacher, co teaching in the fourth grade with a general education teacher at Davis Street Interdistrict Art Magnet School in New Haven, Connecticut. Davis Street Interdistrict Art Magnet School is a smaller urban school. Presently a little over 400 students attend this Pre-school to fifth grade school. Demographically we are a very diverse school. A large percentage of my students are African American, but we embrace cultures from South America, Asia, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, India, Germany, Trinidad and Topanga and our own United States! We celebrate our diversity each year, usually in May with
International DAY
. My unit will be utilized first in my classroom during this school wide event and then the students will present their projects to the entire school during our International Day celebration. Along with International Day, my unit will tie in our school wide theme of technology, arts and multiculturalism. This means that though out the school year we incorporate technology, arts and multiculturalism in every thing we teach. We have a computer technician and weekly the students participate weekly in laptop lessons. We have an art program where the art teacher collaborates with teachers to embrace the school's social studies and science curriculum. For multiculturalism, Davis Street School celebrates International Day each year exhibiting art projects, reports on countries, music and food from around the world. During this celebration students learn about the culture, people, the land, food, language and other interesting facts about their country of study. We do this every year allowing students with the opportunity to learn about other cultures and to embrace differences. Every class chooses a different country to celebrate. Next year for International Day my class will celebrate and embrace China and its culture.
