Walking into the Ocean Vista Early Education Pre-K Center in the Ocean View School District, notices in Japanese, Spanish, and English make obvious the multilingual nature of this school community. The school’s vision and mission statements, collaboratively developed by staff and leadership, are displayed on the bulletin board. These statements communicate the high value placed on diversity, the importance of strengthening children’s home language along with English, and the staff’s commitment to each child’s fullest development according to his/her individual needs. The school’s bilingual staff nurtures each child’s interests and encourages exploration of the varied and multiple learning opportunities offered each day:
Bookshelves are stocked with a rotating selection reflective of home languages, culture, and instructional themes; the children have recently visited the zoo, so animal books abound. Teachers informally read to and with children in their home language.
At the writing center, supplied with a variety of pens/pencils, paper, envelopes, and cards, children write or “pretend-write” in their various approximations, then share their comments with teachers, parents and peers. Some draw and discuss images of animals seen on the recent zoo field trip, or excitedly talk to classmates about their displayed artwork. Objects in the room are labeled in each of the languages spoken by children in the class. Music is frequently heard both indoors and out, as children spontaneously dance to Japanese folk songs and favorite Mexican children’s selections. Social skills are modeled and practiced, as children demonstrate increasing consideration for others and respect for diverse languages and cultures while working together in group activities. These include building a zoo with toy animals, laying out a wooden railroad track, setting the table for dramatic play, learning not to make fun of a classmate’s fall, or participating in “family style” mealtimes at which they pass food items to each other, capably serving themselves.
Parents are an integral part of the children’s school day, reading to children, working with them at the writing table, interacting at center activities, and inviting participation in games or stories reflective of the home culture.