How to Incorporate More Cultural Education in Your Homeschooling
As an instructor, you want the best for your children. One of the most significant challenges for educators, especially homeschooling parents, is incorporating cultural education into the classroom. Educating students about different cultures is a monumentally important role and must be carried out with the same importance as you’d carry out spanish clep test practice. The challenge is finding a way to engage students in different cultures in a way that gets them excited about the world. Below are four excellent ways to bring cultural experiences into your classroom. Each requires a little bit of research and planning, but they are typically affordable and accessible to students of all levels.
Literature
One of the best ways to bring culture into your homeschooling classroom is to use literature. Before choosing a random novel as your next literature unit, try finding a work of literature that has a unique cultural perspective. Literature does not have to be limited to a novel during reading time, as we have explained before. There are plenty of books from other countries you can add to your curriculum, or to offer your students to read.
Museums
Museums are excellent ways to explore a culture and take a trip outside the classroom. Through visiting local art, science, or history museums, you can give your students an exciting cultural experience. They can see aspects of different cultures with their own eyes and to better understand them. Many museums offer free admission for homeschoolers, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, so call ahead and see what they offer.
Documentaries
Many TV streaming services offer a selection of documentaries. When planning a new unit, do a little research first; there is a chance you can find an age-appropriate documentary for the unit. Be sure that you screen each documentary before showing it to students. Not all documentaries will provide a high level of quality for classroom use. While you probably do not want to center every unit around watching a documentary, they can be useful tools to have in class occasionally. Many entertainment sites will provide lists of documentaries available if you would like some help finding the best one for a cultural experience.
Local Opportunities for Enrichment
Before you pull out that travel guide and start planning your next family vacation, take a look around your own local community. Many cities will create art pieces for the public to enjoy. For example, Centerra hosts the African Chapungu Sculpture Park and Litchfield hosts the Native American Fine Arts Festival. Not only are local events good for enriching the understanding of the world, it also helps to establish bonds in the community.
As the workforce becomes increasingly global, giving students cultural knowledge is more important than ever. As an educator, you want your students to be as prepared as they can be before they go into the world. Exploring these ideas would be a great way for your students to learn and explore the world around them.