The Sikh Next Door introduces students and adults to four Sikh American youth, who take them on a tour of their bi-cultural lives. This short film and the accompanying lesson plans encourage students to think about diversity, immigration, history and personal identity.
The Sikh Next Door is a fun, educational video and companion curriculum that introduces 6th through 12th graders to Sikhs. The package is aligned with national teaching standards and has been approved for usage in California public schools. Told through the voices of four Sikh youth, this short film is a resource that demonstrates the bicultural lives of Sikh Americans and engages students in a discussion about multiculturalism. The free teacher's guide with complementary lesson plans and activities can be downloaded here, under "Additional Resources". The classroom exercises focus on living in a multicultural society, and require minimal planning and background knowledge for presenters and teachers. Upper grade levels have the opportunity to use the video for more detailed discussions about world religions.
Adult audiences have also used The Sikh Next Door for corporate training or diversity education.
A team of educators, an award-winning filmmaker, two teen advisors, and a group of Sikh experts worked together to design The Sikh Next Door project. Major funding and program support came from the "September 11th Anti-Bias Project" of The National Conference for Community & Justice and the ChevronTexaco Foundation. The Sikh Next Door was selected for presentation at the National Association of Independent Schools annual conference. For additional student and teacher resources, visit www.sikhnextdoor.org.
EDUCATOR QUOTES: "Narrated and presented by young people, The Sikh Next Door provides a realistic and engaging portrait of what it means to be Sikh in America. It is sure to appeal to both teachers and students." -Sonia Nieto, author of Affirming Diversity
" Outstanding response to The Sikh Next Door at the annual New England Conference on Multicultural Education (NECME). The workshop was packed. Feedback to me was extraordinary. We must invite the presenters back next year for the 14th Annual NECME Conference, Hartford, CT, Wed. Oct 21, 2009.” -Dr. William A. Howe, CT State Dept of Education/Past President of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME).
