A few years ago I stumbled across Robert Fulghum's essay "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." Although the essay seems exaggerated, I did learn important lessons in kindergarten that have influenced my life. I learned about friendship, about responsibility, and most important, about the melting pot.
Ballenger Heights Elementary, a place I proudly called home for six years, was a miniature United Nations nestled in the woods of South Dakota. Over half the students came from countries outside the United States, representing more than fifty nations. The school, in turn, did everything to endorse this diversity, from encouraging tolerance of and respect for each other's cultures and traditions to hosting annual International Weeks, where all 500 of us students, adorned in ethnic garments, performed traditional songs and dances from our countries for our classmates. I recall, whenever we learned a new student would be joining our class, we spent the preceding couple of days learning about his native country. Then on the day he was to arrive, we would prepare special traditional activities to welcome him. Not only were we able to help him assimilate better into the school, but also we were able to make friendships with him more easily. Reminiscing, we were like miniature ambassadors in the making. Even now when we have all traveled our own paths, our friendship bonds remain strong. Around Christmas time, we exchange greetings from across the globe to catch up on any latest developments in each other's lives.
After elementary school, my family moved to Springfield, a town predominantly Caucasian. At my new school, the minorities tended to cluster together. I realized that not everywhere do people have the opportunities to experience the cultural diversity I had experienced at Ballenger.
To promote cultural awareness, I founded a Chinese Club at my school. Throughout the year, we conduct numerous activities to learn about China and its traditional cultures. Last year, we fundraised for a trip to Chinatown in New York. Most students in the club have never had the opportunity to experience authentic Chinese culture, and the trip to an ethnic Chinatown provided firsthand experience.
Helping other students at my school experience Chinese culture gave me a satisfaction beyond articulation, but to extend my efforts, I began teaching Chinese to nonnative speakers at the newly established Springfield Chinese School. Chinese language is difficult to learn. Students often quit when learning becomes tedious. To make my students' experiences enjoyable, I included cultural activities and crafts in my lessons. I also prepared Chinese food to share with them. To my delight, their fascination in Chinese has steadily grown over the past two years.
When I first came to Springfield seven years ago, it was a small town with little diversity. Over the past few years, I have seen a growth not only in the size of the city, but also in the diversity of its residents. My school alone now has a Chinese Club and a Diversity Club. For the past two years we have held Diversity Day, a day similar to International Week at Ballenger. I am proud of the metamorphosis of my school and town and am thrilled I took part in this transformation.
Ballenger Heights Elementary, a place I proudly called home for six years, was a miniature United Nations nestled in the woods of South Dakota. Over half the students came from countries outside the United States, representing more than fifty nations. The school, in turn, did everything to endorse this diversity, from encouraging tolerance of and respect for each other's cultures and traditions to hosting annual International Weeks, where all 500 of us students, adorned in ethnic garments, performed traditional songs and dances from our countries for our classmates. I recall, whenever we learned a new student would be joining our class, we spent the preceding couple of days learning about his native country. Then on the day he was to arrive, we would prepare special traditional activities to welcome him. Not only were we able to help him assimilate better into the school, but also we were able to make friendships with him more easily. Reminiscing, we were like miniature ambassadors in the making. Even now when we have all traveled our own paths, our friendship bonds remain strong. Around Christmas time, we exchange greetings from across the globe to catch up on any latest developments in each other's lives.
After elementary school, my family moved to Springfield, a town predominantly Caucasian. At my new school, the minorities tended to cluster together. I realized that not everywhere do people have the opportunities to experience the cultural diversity I had experienced at Ballenger.
To promote cultural awareness, I founded a Chinese Club at my school. Throughout the year, we conduct numerous activities to learn about China and its traditional cultures. Last year, we fundraised for a trip to Chinatown in New York. Most students in the club have never had the opportunity to experience authentic Chinese culture, and the trip to an ethnic Chinatown provided firsthand experience.
Helping other students at my school experience Chinese culture gave me a satisfaction beyond articulation, but to extend my efforts, I began teaching Chinese to nonnative speakers at the newly established Springfield Chinese School. Chinese language is difficult to learn. Students often quit when learning becomes tedious. To make my students' experiences enjoyable, I included cultural activities and crafts in my lessons. I also prepared Chinese food to share with them. To my delight, their fascination in Chinese has steadily grown over the past two years.
When I first came to Springfield seven years ago, it was a small town with little diversity. Over the past few years, I have seen a growth not only in the size of the city, but also in the diversity of its residents. My school alone now has a Chinese Club and a Diversity Club. For the past two years we have held Diversity Day, a day similar to International Week at Ballenger. I am proud of the metamorphosis of my school and town and am thrilled I took part in this transformation.