Using Department-Wide Themes to Promote

Globalism and MulticulturalismSampson Community College Early Childhood DepartmentJoEllen Axthelm,Susan Baxter,Torwanna Coe,Perry Gillespie,Kristina Quay,Teresa Wolf

The Concept

• Semester Themes were created to better demonstrate to students the kind of experience we want them to offer children. It is intended to help make us stronger in the “do as I do” area instead of the “do as I say”.

• Each semester we have a preselected theme. ALL early childhood classes incorporate the theme into the class content. This might be achieved by having the theme shine through in assignments, or using the theme in examples or class activities. Bulletin boards and the office area are decorated to go along with the themes.

The Concept

• We created a shared folder on our school’s server where we put the resources we find, ideas we want to share, or web pages that are helpful.

• The students “collect” ideas for the theme all semester long from all their classes. At the end of the semester, they have a detailed theme to keep and use in their work.

• The Early Childhood Educators Club enhances the theme experience through field trips, lecture series, and other theme-related activities.

Globalism and Multiculturalism

• It was very important to us that the theme concept encourage and support our department globalism statement as well as demonstrate a strong sense of multiculturalism in all EC classes.

• Example Global Education Statement: Throughout this course we will explore diversity and inclusion as it relates to each topic and/or project to broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of a global world.

• The department made a conscious decision to only select theme topics that would support these important issues.

Selecting a Theme

• The selection process occurs months before the semester actually begins. This allows the entire department to collect resources and supplies to prepare for the upcoming theme. Early selection also allows faculty to build anticipation with the students in advance.

• In selecting the theme, the department brainstorms ideas and discusses each. Each idea is evaluated on it’s ability to incorporate globalism and multiculturalism as well as the ability to weave into all EC classes.

Selecting a Theme

• Themes we have used so far: Rain Forest/Jungle (mini theme in only two classes)

Travel Celebrations

• Other Theme Ideas Picture This (photography) Weather Space Oceans

Making a Plan

• We consider it our job to set the stage for the students.

• Once a theme is selected, we have a brainstorming session where we come up with ideas of how to implement the theme. Individual classes Common thread weaved throughout all classes Department wide theme events

• We strive to start off right – we all begin discussing the theme the first day of class.

Using Our Travel Theme as an Example

• We would like to share some actual examples with you.

• During the Spring 2008 semester we incorporated the “Travel” theme into all EC classes.

• Here are some of the ways we did that:

We Incorporated It Into Offices

We added the theme to our syllabi, our

handouts, our assignments. . . . .

In The Hallways. . . .

We tried to make every class and

every departmental activity relate in some way to the travel

theme. It was like a

semester long vacation!!

EDU 131 – Child, Family, Community

• A Fun and exciting opportunity to involve families at home!

• What you will need…o Suitcase/ Containero Activities with a common themeo Journal for Families to shareo Letter to the parents describing the activities

EDU 145 – Child Development II• Berk textbook provided numerous examples of

developmental “issues” from around the world

• Provoked lively class discussions of the many differences among cultures of the world (and within the U.S.)

• Promoted appreciation and respect of diversity

•

EDU 145 – Child Development IIOther ideas….• Map posted in classroom

• Use of news/internet articles dealing with child development issues from around the world

• Multicultural holiday traditions discussed monthly

• “Week of the Young Child” display on Mexico

• Just have fun!

EDU 262 – EC Administration IITraveling Ad Boards

EDU 262 – Traveling Ads and other “travel” assignments

• This was a great activity for students to showcase their “perspective” child care centers or family child care homes and become a traveling ad for their business.

• Other “travel themed” ideas for EDU 262:

- students made their own field trip policy for their center or family child care home.

- field trip photo album – students gathered pictures of different places they would take children on a field trip. Examples of these assignments are here for you to view.

EDU 280… Traveling through Literacy

Prop Boxes with a travel theme…

Traveling with Puppets…

Selecting the piece of poetry to travel with… outside here we come!

Traveling with… flannel story aprons

Selecting a good story… travel based… make your own set and make a pre-made set

Traveling with…small groups and pillowpacks

Pillow Packs are filled with science or math activities linked to literacy… travel home with the children.

Week Of The Young Child

1. During Week of the Young Child, an extra credit assignment was offered to students.

2. A Country and Its’ Children.

3. Each class selected a country to study

4. Flag, Map of Country, Games, Holidays, Celebrations, Traditions.

5. A class-wide project was constructed and displayed in the hallway.

6. Enjoyed By All!

Week of the Young Child

Early Childhood Educators Club…Theme Tie-In to Travel

Field trip to Marbles Museum

How This Might Work in Other Curriculums• English

Paper topics related to travel Produce travel guides

• Math Travel Expenses Trip Planning

• History Transportation History of various travel locations

• Sociology The cultures of various travel destinations

Our Current Theme for Fall 2008

We are incorporating all celebrations:•Personal,•Family,•Department-Wide,•School-Wide,•Community,•State,•National,•World-Wide

We Celebrate our Graduates and

Completers

We wanted to demonstrate to

students how we would move children from

personal celebrations

outward

We celebrate special occasions,

seasons, and holidays. We are trying to bring in a

wide variety of cultures and

countries to the theme.

EDU 235 – School-Age Class

• Each Class meeting we consult our “Celebration Calendar”

• I tell about a celebration going on somewhere in the world on that day

Celebration Calendar

• We look to see where on the map the celebration is taking place.

• We learn a bit about the celebration

• We may watch a YouTube video of the celebration

Terriffic Theming!

• We have found using department-wide themes has helped to demonstrate to our Early Childhood Students how to make the various curriculum areas tie together.

• The theme has also helped the students to apply their new knowledge to their work with children more readily.

• It has been a great way for CC instructors to work together as a department.