Final Thoughts...

In each of the stories I chose, the issue of a child being encouraged to perform within their native culture and the culture in which they are assimilating into are addressed. Each year, there are more and more children that are being integrated into American classrooms from countries all over the world, such as Mexico, Somalia, and Burma. Having such a diverse group of children is a blessing, as the children and teacher involved have the opportunity to gain more from learning about one another’s culture beyond what a textbook has to offer.

The mistakes that were made by the teacher in La Mariposa should be a lesson learned for individuals that are going to be educating children that do not speak a single word of English. It is imperative to take those children slightly further under the wing, just as a child with a learning disability would need a little more help and encouragement when engaging in classroom lessons and activities. To leave them out is not fair, and neither is forbidding them to speak in their native language or bring traditions of their native culture to school with them, whether it be their language, dress, food, habits, etc. I Love Saturdays y domingos does an excellent job portraying the integration of two cultures, as it shows how beneficial the young girl in the story is to have two sets of grandparents that can teach her about where she comes from, and what makes her who she is in terms of her current customs and traditions.

It is important that children who are either immigrants that speak only their native language, or those that are bi-lingual, are encouraged to assimilate into their new culture, but to keep their ties strongly held with their native culture. Teachers of these children should encourage them to participate in activities with their classmates and learn just as those around them are learning, but should also be allowed to engage with other children that speak their language, or are in the same boat in terms of learning a new language. Every child, no matter their race or ethnicity, comes from a different type of home where routines, traditions, and customs are different, but these differences should be seen as a positive way for them to learn from one another and get along with all different types of people based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Encouraging them to do so will only help them grow as people and broaden their perspectives for the future.