Effects of Culture on Health- Theresa Lingardo

A bingo game my friend and I made for an afterschool program activity

Different cultures address different common issues in different ways. One of the things that varies the most is when it comes to health practices. A lot of different cultures have a lot of different ways of practicing medicine. Some groups are more spiritual about their health while others believe that medication is the best course of action. However, there is one thing that many cultures have in common, the need to help encourage mental health, especially for immigrant children. Being an immigrant child is not easy. There are a lot of stresses that can take a tole on such young bodies. A lot of the children have so much going on in their lives, and so much to deal with they just don't have a good outlet to just be a kid. I think that this is where a teacher comes into play. I believe that the teachers of immigrant children have a responsibility to help aid in the upkeep of the mental health of the children that they teach. This can be done by instituting a few simple activities in their lesson plans that are just plain fun, and let the kids relax and unwind a little bit. For example, the teacher can come up with fun games. The teacher could have the kids play a Bingo game with fun prizes, or a Jeopardy game with fun categories. Any of these options could be useful in creating a fun and interactive classroom that is a safe and relaxing place for immigrant children. Igoa also pointed out a good idea in Ch. 5. One teacher mentioned that she has her students keep a personal journal where they are required to write, but they can write about what ever they want (Igoa, 169.). I think this is a very healthy outlet for children. Writing things down and talk about it is a great was to keep a healthy mind, and in some ways, clear your head. Children who keep a journal are more likely to let their emotions out, rather than keep the stresses of their days bottled up.



My dance team



It is also important for immigrant children to keep physically healthy. A lot of cultures have different sports and physical activities that children can get into so that they keep moving and keep healthy. Getting kids interested in these activities is very important. A lot of times the parents of immigrant are very busy and have a hard time fitting these types of activities into their schedules. In these cases, it would be the best if schools could provide these types of activities for the children so that they can join and participate. Doing a fun activity is the best way to keep a young child physically fit, and it is also a fun way for them to meet friends and learn lessons like responsibility, teamwork, and hard work.