Getting Started with Culturally-Sustaining Mythology
Last year, I adapted our school's existing unit on Greek Mythology (centred on The Odyssey ) to be more culturally-respectful for my international students. My learners come from a wide range of places, cultures and ethnic backgrounds. To say it was a success is an understatement. Not only did students express their appreciation for being able to bring their prior knowledge and family cultures into the classroom, they also loved learning about mythologies they'd never even heard of. From my point-of-view, I learned as much as the students because they were empowered to be experts in their fields. The pride they took in exploring and sharing their cultures' most enduring stories was an experience I want to repeat again and again - I also want to share it with other educators so all students benefit wherever they are. My father's culture and ethnicity were completely invisible in my own education, and I want to ensure that my students avoid that experience. I also want to...