Introduction
One joyful aspect of teaching is introducing young students to the love of learning through reading. I guess that can be said for us all. In this unit, the story, A Piece of Home Jeri Watts, serves as a foundation for many discussions, including the topics of cultural differences, language barriers and ways to connect while living in a new place. As students hear the story and discover the challenges of immigration, they will begin to understand the importance of material culture as a bridge to a new life.
In this story, Hee Jun and his family have moved from Korea to West Virginia, where his father has accepted a teaching job. He struggles to adapt to his new life, speak English, keep up in school, and just be himself. He finds a connection to his old home through the discovery of the mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) flower, which his grandmother then plants in their new garden. The power of community is highlighted as he and his family start to feel at home, and a Rose of Sharon takes on important symbolism.
I teach in a self-contained Kindergarten classroom at Edgewood Magnet School in New Haven. I find the neighborhood/magnet setting a rewarding environment, with students coming to school each day from a variety of home circumstances and with differences in academic levels. As a result of these variables, the children have differing levels of background knowledge and life experiences. The classroom is a mixture of varied ethnicities, economic strata, and social and emotional strengths and weaknesses. Collaboration allows all students at all levels to learn in an inherently differentiated environment, learning new concepts and experiences through hands-on practices. Throughout the school year, the Kindergarten curriculum centers on social development, literacy, and cultural awareness, which is certainly appropriate for five- and six-year-old children. Our school mission and vision statements focus on equity and inclusion, acknowledging and including everyone in our learning environment. This unit on Asian immigration and Asian American history is in direct alignment with our school’s mission and vision.
In teaching cultural understanding, we often forget to acknowledge the complexity of immigrant journeys which include encounters with a system of border control and immigration restrictions. This unit aims to address this by specifically engaging with the history of Asian immigration to the United States. Students explore some of the key themes across the stories from a number of Asian countries including identity, belonging, cultural conflict, and the search for a better life. In other words, to engage with the journey itself and its many challenges.
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