The melting pot metaphor suggest that people from different backgrounds come to the United States and through the process of assimilation adapt to a new lifestyle integrating smoothly into the dominant culture. This article argues that immigrants from diverse cultural and ethnic groups that try to keep some of their cultural traditions may encounter conflict when trying to adapt to their life in the new context. The author contends for a cultural curriculum of the home endorsing family cultural values and traditions tha is overlooked by schools and educators, disregarding its potential for enhancing children’s learning process and academic achievement.

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In a context that is increasingly becoming more diverse, we consider it essential to promote activities to develop linguistic and cultural awareness among preservice teachers. This chapter is based on the narratives of college students who when enrolled in an English as a Second Language class participated in a project where they accompanied newly resettled refugee families on their first visit to their children' s school. Using narrative inquiry, the authors analyze the students' experience and describe the impact it had on them. The students' reflections provide evidence of their developing cultural awareness. The authors conclude that teacher educators can engage preservice students in authentic experience aimed at developing cultural awareness.

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