29th Annual Student Research Conference
Tiny Mirrors: A Study of How Kindergarten Children are Taught to Reflect Cultural Mores
Sarah Lamkin
Dr. Amber Johnson, Faculty Mentor
Upon entering kindergarten, children encounter a whole new world, with expectations and required behaviors they may not have learned previously. Within each school district the behaviors taught in schools are relative to the school's atmosphere and values, and so through this study, I endeavored to identify these expectations and behaviors and what values they might reflect in one particular school district. Data was collected through qualitative questionnaires sent to kindergarten teachers in a multicultural school district in Illinois, resulting in a sample of nine teachers. The values of--and thus the culture promoted by--the school district were primarily identified through the school and district-wide methods to teach behaviors, along with the behaviors being taught. These initiatives and taught behaviors combine to suggest values within the district towards positive, proactive teachings of behaviors, with an emphasis on respect and understanding between and among students and teachers.
Keywords: Kindergarten, Kindergartners, School culture, School values, Expectations, Behaviors
Topic(s):Anthropology
Education
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: -4
Location: MG 1096
Time: 10:15