MULTICULTURALISM IN KINDERGARTEN\u27S THEORY AND PRACTICE

Multikulturalizem označuje družbo, ki je etnično ali kulturno heterogena in spodbuja kulturno, jezikovno in versko različnost. Identiteta je odraz odnosa, ki ga je človek postavil do samega sebe in do skupnosti, v kateri živi. Otrok z rojstvom pride v družino, ki že ima določene norme, vrednote, simbolni sistem, posebnosti družine, ki se s časom zasidrajo v posameznika. Kultura je trajen proces mišljenja v razvoju posameznika in se začne z njegovim rojstvom. Oblikuje in bogati se trajno, ko otrok in mlad človek pridobiva spoznanje o sebi in okolju. Otroke moramo seznaniti, da ne obstaja samo ena kultura temveč imamo več kulturnih manjšin, skupnosti, veroizpovedi, različna stališča, oblike praznovanj, različne prehranjevalne navade, spolne usmerjenosti itn.. Da pa bi že otroci v vrtcu lahko sprejemali druge kulture, morajo najprej dobro razviti lastno identiteto in spoznati lastno kulturo. Pot do tega pa ni lahka in kratka. Da bi otroci različne kulture sprejemali čimbolj strpno in se vanje vključevali, dosežemo tudi z lastnim vzgledom. V diplomskem delu je predstavljeno načelo multikulturalizma in cilji. Kako lahko to načelo in cilje vzgojitelj uresničuje pri svojem delu v multikulturnem oddelku.Multiculturalism denotes the ethnical or culturally heterogeneous society that encourages cultural, linguistic and religious diversity. Identity is a reflection of relationship, which man has established with himself and the community, where he resides. With birth a child becomes a part of family with already set norms, values, symbol system and its peculiarities that eventually settle in an individual. Culture is a permanent thinking process present in an individual\u27s development and begins with his birth. It forms and enriches permanently when a child or a youngster learns about himself and the environment. Children should be taught about the nonexistence of a single culture and the existence of more cultural minorities, communities, religions, various points of view, different forms of celebrations, eating habits, sexual orientation, etc. Kindergarten children should develop their own identity and get acquainted with their own culture in order to be able to accept other cultures. Path to this however is neither easy nor short. By setting an example children will be able to accept other cultures the most tolerantly. This undergraduate thesis presents the principle of multiculturalism and its objectives. In addition, it also presents ways how a kindergarten teacher can carry out this principle and its objectives while working in a multicultural group