Why learn about culture in my classroom?

I believe it is the responsibility of a teacher to aid in a student’s discovery of themselves beyond just who they are in school. Through my essential questions of figuring out what culture is and why it’s important, students are allowed space to reflect on themselves and their background. I think this practice will aid them in any unit to come as they can continue to develop their own sense of self, including their likes/dislikes, and then move to express those to better advocate for themselves and live a life where their learning makes sense to them.

Starting research in this unit is also hugely foundational to a life-time of intentional Google-searches! The internet is so vast, it is important to know how it can be used as a tool. Starting to use the internet in the classroom in this way was an introduction where students had a personal stake in their research, and genuine interest in what they were researching. With this foundation, future research in our classroom (and beyond our walls) will be smoother and more fruitful.