Cultural Diversity Week

Nǐ hǎo, Salam, Namaste, Hello!

At Doncaster Primary School we embrace and celebrate the cultural diversity of our students each and every day. Our diversity is respected, celebrated and shared every day we are at school, not reserved for one week of the year. 

There are ongoing discussions about how lucky we are to have friends from a range of cultures and backgrounds, and learning about each others cultures is integrated into everything we do. 

All grades from Prep to Six also participate in Cultural Studies specialist classes where they explore, investigate and discuss a variety of cultures and the importance of diversity.

This week, March 18th to 24th, is Cultural Diversity Week in Australia. It is centred around Harmony Day which is on next Wednesday, 20th of March. Harmony Day was started in Australia, and is a day to celebrate unity and diversity.

At DPS we celebrated Cultural Diversity week in a range of ways, in the classroom and our specialist lessons:

Library/Cultural Studies: Throughout the school we read books about different cultures, learnt about the importance of avoiding using stereotypes and discussed our cultural backgrounds. We also investigated and discussed some important celebrations which are happening at the moment - Ramadan, Nowruz and Easter.

Preps sang about all our different colours and different shapes, as well as finishing off their "I'm Australian too!" cut out adding on the flags of their cultural backgrounds. Drop into the library to see all the cultures of our Prep students!

Physical Education: Cultural Diversity Week has enabled students to play a range of traditional games from a range of countries including Pakistan and India (Oonch Neech), Italy (Bocce), Greece/China (skipping and hula hoops), Columbia (Stop) and Chile (Corre, Corre la Guaraca). The Level 2 students thoroughly enjoyed challenging themselves rolling their hoops across the gym. Students were unaware that hoops could be used other than hula hooping around their waist. 

Visual Art: In Visual Art, the Level 3 students enjoyed collaborating with a partner. They decorated goldfish to celebrate the Persian New year. The goldfish represents life and good luck.

Students also had the chance to create cherry blossoms as found in Spring in Japan, and discuss the Asian celebration; Lunar New Year!

LOTE: Check out the separate LOTE page in this newsletter for all the exciting activities!

Classrooms: Students at DPS were also involved in range of cultural discussions, activities and stories in their classrooms. 

The Grade 6s even had a multicultural feast - yum!!

Lisa Foster

Cultural Studies/Library Specialist