My students are Sikkimese, Nepali, Bhutanese and Lepchas. Politics too has become a part of their young lives. The Border Security Forces stationed near the sensitive border with China evoke a number of questions. Some of which I am unable to answer. Many fourth and fifth graders have questions on Tibet.
Tibetan culture is a dominant force in Sikkimese society.
These experiences have led me to introduce culture studies and politics into my classroom although in a very informal way. As a teacher, I wonder how to make international politics an interesting subject. Sometimes it becomes inevitable to talk about it. Especially when the Chinese border is only a few hundred kilometres away. Also, encouraging students to understand and accept other cultures must be a conscious move on the part of the teacher.