ABSTRACT
American teachers of the 21st century work in classrooms that are very different from those of just a few years ago. The dramatic surge of immigrants since the mid-1960s has changed the composition of American classrooms and has redirected its curriculum. In addition to the expansion of English as a Second Language (ESL) and other programs designed to help immigrant children, the general curriculum has also continued to change. New reading material refl ective of the cultural diversity of America has become commonplace, expanding the core of material that now defi nes our literary cannon. Similarly, this diversity requires new curricular approaches that help students celebrate both their differences as well as the common culture that binds the nation.
