Students will research and develop a five (5) page paper (double-spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman text and one-inch margins) that highlights a specific topic (or theme area) that has been covered in this course

Prompt: Students will research and develop a five (5) page paper (double-spaced, 12 pt. font,
Times New Roman text and one-inch margins) that highlights a specific topic (or theme area) that
has been covered in this course. This may include (but is not limited to) such themes as:
• The meaning of culture and/or race and how this affects work with children and youth;
• Cultural approaches, traditions or customs that influence such areas as family life, childcare
education, child-rearing, health care, family relationships, gender roles and life-styles;
• The influence of power imbalances, racism, discrimination and/or related intolerance in aspects
of child and youth work;
• Non-verbal communication or cultural orientation differences that affect child and youth work;
• Extent and implications of cultural or linguistic diversity within child and youth work;
• Cultural orientations which affect family life and childcare in a selected society or group;
• Other selected topics (See Professor for approval).
Where possible, students should relate their information to cultural practices or realities in North
America – Canada and U.S. (as opposed to the realities in foreign countries, or societies). They should
also describe the relationship, if any, to cultural practices in dominant, mainstream culture.
Within the papers, students should also identify which aspect of their chosen theme might hinder
them, in their own childcare practices (and why). In other words, which issues may be most
problematic or challenging to them, in terms of their own cultural backgrounds and their intended
professional goals. Where possible, students should also identify which aspect may be easiest to deal
with, or may provide opportunities for connections with clients and/or personal growth.
Papers will be five (5) pages, plus a title and reference page, with a minimum of 8 research sources
(books and articles) which have been published within the last 10 years. Students are encouraged to
use course readings as some of their research sources. However, course readings should not make up
more than 3/8 of the total number of references. No internet sources (i.e. webpages) will be
accepted as references, with the exception of articles from online-only journals, or reports, such as
CYC-Online http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/ or online versions of printed jou