Skills in cultural competence are in high demand as we all become more interconnected around the globe. These skills, which are essentially behaviors and attitudes that enable us to work effectively cross-culturally, are a central part of my classroom teaching. And, it starts early on. Here are a few ways that I provide opportunities for some of my youngest student to start honing their skills of cultural competence early on.
The French speaking world is so much larger than France and Canada, and I strive to expose my students to the many countries and cultures around the world that use the French language. Beyond European countries such as Belgium and Switzerland, French is used in many African countries including Senegal, Benin, Guinea, Cameroon, Chad and Rwanda just to name a few. Additionally there are francophone areas in the Caribbean (Haiti, Martinique) and the south Pacific (French Polynesia and New Caledonia). In an effort to engage students in the language and culture of these countries, my French students have been corresponding with students from around the francophone world.
Three years ago my fourth grade class connected with the Fontamara School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The partnership was made through a connection I have with the Power of Education Foundation, which started the Fontamara School following the earthquake in 2010. My students wrote autobiographies in French to talk about their homes, families, likes and dislikes, and their school. The students at Fontamara also wrote to our fourth graders following their lead of topics which made it rather easy for my students to understand the French.
Two years ago one of my classes was paired with a Peace Corps volunteer teaching in a school in Senegal. Our Peace Corps partner, Samantha, kept a blog of her experience, and the my class was able to follow her adventure in addition to corresponding with her students in French. They even got to see pictures that Samantha posted on her blog of students in Senegal writing to us.
This year we were able to take advantage of my school’s partnership with the APAPEC School in Rwanda. Each year a teacher from each school spends two weeks in this sister school. One of our first grade teachers recently traveled to Rwanda and prior to her departure my students wrote personal letters that she presented to the APAPEC students. Many of the classes in the school are taught in French and upon her return she brought letters in French from the students in Rwanda. I put them on display on bulletin board outside of my classroom with QR codes so that community members can scan and listen to our French students reading their letters.
These connections between my students and students in Haiti, Senegal and Rwanda have been a truly authentic way of engaging the skills of cultural competence. Students are often quick to point out what we all have in common, but we as educators need to push students to look for what is different as well. This is where we have to put our cultural competency skills to work. It is easy and somewhat effortless to respect, honor and understand that which we share in common. The learning and strengthening of skills of cultural competency come from respecting, honoring and understanding that which is different.