WK: Creating Affirming Environments

I would make my setting reflect diverse cultures visually and with sound because I want all the children to feel the classroom is theirs. I would decorate the walls with posters and pictures of people from different countries and scenery from daily life in different types of places all around the world such as markets, buildings and festivals. I also put up words in different languages and play music from different cultures. 

The thing I would want to put my biggest effort into would be toys. It is because toys appeal visually and are things that children use the most and naturally have interest in the most. I also think that using toys from different cultures is a good way for children to learn about cultures and make children barrierless towards new cultures and people from different cultures. Starting from having dolls that reflect races and cultures, I would like to get toy food that reflect different cultural norms, blocks from buildings from different countries, traditional toys, and stuffed toys based on characters that are popular in other countries.

Above is an example of toys that reflect Japanese culture. I would collect these kinds of toys from different countries.

Adriana shows the decorations of cultural things that families brings. I think this is a good idea. I also would ask children and families to draw what they do outside of the school or what is important to them.  I would have time for them to talk about and teach me and other children things from their cultures such as dances, songs, foods, methods making animals with origami and so on.