Diversity and Multiculturalism at Sunflower Preschool
Boulder as a city is not necessarily known for its diversity, yet at Sunflower Preschool, we tend to attract a very diverse international population. This intention of creating a school where cultural diversity is both encouraged and respected was adopted into Sunflower's philosophy from the beginning (1981) and grew from the founder/director's life experiences.1
During any given school year, we have been fortunate to have children from many parts of the world. In past and present years, we have enrolled children from: China, Chile, Denmark, England, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, India, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Switzerland and Tibet.
When you walk into our classrooms, you can see that we respect all the children's cultures. This sharing of cultures and traditions at Sunflower revolves around the students who are attending at the time.
Photos and objects from many nations decorate our classroom. We utilize items from diverse cultures throughout the learning centers. For example - in our Practical Life and Dramatic Play areas, the children play with costumes, dolls and objects from around the world. We celebrate traditions and holidays with a variety of international foods. (deliciously prepared by our parent volunteers)
All families are encouraged to share stories and music from their heritage, so that we can broaden our understanding of the world. The participation of many families throughout the years has enriched our curriculum and our lives - especially the children, who have learned to celebrate our cross-cultural similarities and differences.
Sunflower also enrolls children from many different family structures. Teaching tolerance of all people is an integral part of our philosophy. Our doors are open to everyone, as we respect and recognize the diverse backgrounds of all children.
