Anthropology for Wyoming Teachers

Abstract

Though some anthropologists may argue otherwise, many would probably agree that anthropology belongs in our nation's schools, integrated into both school curriculum and teacher education. Because anthropology provides a broad cross-cultural perspective and a framework within which to study many other subjects, some would even argue that it should be the basic building block for elementary teacher education and a required subject for secondary school science and social studies teachers. Furthermore, as anthropologist Larry Breitborde (this issue) discovered while working with elementary teachers at Beloit College, "there is already a significant amount of anthropology in the curriculum, but at a covert level" By teaching anthropology to teachers, a perspective and a framework are offered within which teachers can better understand many seemingly diverse fragments of their curriculum, enabling them to approach their subjects in a more coherent and less ethnocentric fashion.