Author: Maria Pompano Role: K-12 Classroom teacher Location: East Haven, CT Date: 03-24-03 Our school has a mission statement that is displayed in each classroom and is included in the student handbook that is distributed on the first day of school. Each student must bring this document home and have it signed by their parent or guardian as well as sign it themselves. The mission statement clearly defines what our students are expected to know after graduating from EHHS. Included in this would be issues of respect and sense of community. The mission statement is read in each class so that students are aware of what is expected of them. No student should be treated differently based on cultural differences. One problem that I have found is that ESL students are placed in my classroom with little consideration of my knowledge of their culture. I would like to address this issue in the future.
	Author: tony vaspasiano Role: K-12 Classroom teacher Location: East Haven, CT Date: 03-24-03 Teaching multiculturalism on the high school level has been a rewarding experience for myself and not only for my students in the class but for the entire school. Students in my class share their cultural experiences which can include race,economics, ethnicity or psychological disorders. These students then present their experiences outside the classroom to the entire school as part of multicultural week at the high school. The course as well as the multicultural week activity, is an attempt to reduce racial,ecomomic, and ethnic isolation for the students.
	Author: Kerri Mendygral Role: K-12 Classroom teacher Location: East Haven, CT Date: 03-24-03 Atleast once a marking period students create a lesson and/ or an assesment of their choice as a class.This provides a positive experience of students taking an active role in their learning.More importantly, it gives the students a voice in an assignment. I have noticed that grades are usually better on this assignment than traditional ones due to their preferences. I usually make this assignment worth atleast a test grade if not more to improve a students standing in class.
	Author: Joseph Marangell Title: Teacher Role: K-12 Classroom teacher Location: East Haven, CT Date: 03-24-03 In my ninth grade classes, which are team taught, we espouse journal writing in each period. Students write the first five minutes of the period in their journals about issues relevant to both their own lives and the history curriculum. Students then have the opportunity to share and dialogue their responses. This provides a springboard for each day's lesson.

[Top]