Unique Experiences Spark Cultural Curiosity in Kindergarteners

“It’s important for students — even our youngest learners — to explore different cultures. Everyone has a story to tell, and listening to these stories allows us to discover new worlds,” said Kindergarten teacher Micaella Ipsan.

During Latine, Latinx, Hispanic Heritage Month, the students learned about Cuba, the small Caribbean island from where Ipsan’s family hails. To make this faraway place, located more than 1,300 miles from Englewood, feel relatable to her young students, Ipsan told them stories of her background and experiences.

“I spoke passionately and was vulnerable in telling my story,” says Ipsan, “I let them know how my family worked very hard to be here in America today, and I think it helped create excitement in them.”

The students learned about Cuba’s history, cuisine, education, and what a typical day looks like in the life of a Cuban. They were excited to see footage of children like them playing in the street and climbing trees. The students also listened to Latin music, learned salsa, and made Cuban flags.

A group of Kindergarten students attended a global music workshop with Pellito el Afrokan, a world-renowned Afro-Cuban percussionist and musician who visited our campus in October. Afrokan’s grandfather, Pello el Afrokan, created a musical style called Mozambique — a vigorous style of Cuban music and dance derived, like the conga, from the music of Cuban street carnivals or comparsas — in 1960s Cuba. As the eighth-graders in the drumming elective carried out the complex rhythms as he taught, Afrokan led the Kindergarteners in dance.

“This is just one of many examples of our amazing faculty lighting a spark for young students through personal experience and self-expression,” says Head of Early Learning Lauren Mactas. “These powerful moments foster a sense of inclusivity and community in our school.”