What is Multiculturalism and WhyHow is it important

What is Multiculturalism and Why/How is it important to me as an Educator? Year 1 Awareness Study Year 2 Structures Study Year 3 Multicultural Model Implementation

Setting Ground Rules m 1 • Respect Activity http: //www. edchange. org/multicultural/activities/activity 1. html • Assigned Reading: Chapter 1 of Ronald Takaki’s A Different Mirror, Foreword Jim Cummins from Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education, A Brief History of Multicultural Education http: //www. edchange. org/multicultural/papers/edchange_history. html, Defining Multicultural Education. http: //www. edchange. org/multicultural/initial. html

Ground Rules m 1 • • Listen actively -- respect others when they are talking. Speak from your own experience instead of generalizing ("I" instead of "they, " "we, " and "you"). • Practice timely attendance. • Do not be afraid to respectfully challenge one another by asking questions, but refrain from personal attacks -- focus on ideas. • Participate to the fullest of your ability -- community growth depends on the inclusion of every individual voice. • Instead of invalidating somebody else's story with your own spin on their experience, share your own story and experience. • The goal is not to agree -- it is about hearing and exploring divergent perspectives. • Be conscious of body language and nonverbal responses -- they can be as disrespectful as words. • Raise your hand as necessary and when appropriate to speak. http: //www. mhhe. com/socscience/education/multi_new/activities/groundrules. html Paul C. Gorski

What do we know? m 1 • Anonymous Survey Activity Defining multiculturalism – All staff same sheet of paper and pencil – NO NAMES Write definition of multiculturism, definition of diversity, whether you think you teach with these to items in mind – differentiate culturally, what percentage of our teachers teach with these items in mind, on a scale of 1 -10 how important is multiculuralism on student achievement – Crumble paper up, stand in a circle with back to inside, throw paperball over your shoulder with eyes closed, once prompted open eyes and turn around, go and pick up a paperball, uncrumble. – Share results without opinions – Facilitator emphasizes different starting points and helping each other to clear up misconceptions and practices. • Multicultural Quiz (handout) http: //www. mhhe. com/socscience/education/multi_new/acti vities/awarenessquiz. html

Setting the Stage m 2 • Discussion of assigned reading and definition of multiculturalism • Main points and Q&A

Timeline of Multicultural Education m 2 • binder

Circles of My Multicultural Self m 3 • House Assignments: Ethnicity Exploration

Goal setting: Individual Needs/School Needs m 3 • Reflection discussion

Blake’s model m 4

Ethnic Exploration Presentations m 5, m 6, m 7 • Each presentation time for Q&A

Facilitating Difficult Dialogue m 8 • Assigned Reading: Part 1 Culturally Relevant Schools Chpt. ’s 1 -3.

Interpersonal Relationships m 9

Connecting with School Prejudice m 10

Collaborative Problem-Solving Case Studies m 11

How do we relate this to m 12 • Colleagues • Students • Parents/Families

Exploring Language: Definitions m 12

Challenging Communication m 13 • Discussion

Classroom m 14 • Incorporating vs Integration • Differentiating Instruction beyond learning styles • Assigned Reading: Chapter 5 Culture, Identity and Learning pg. 144 Affirming Diversity

The Depth and Breadth of Multiculturism m 14

Setting up the multicultural classroom environment m 15

Learning Social Roles: Boy/Girl m 15 • Assigned Reading: Chpt. 8 Learning from Students pg. 308 Affirming Diversity.

Awareness of the contexts in which we work and live m 16 • Step 1…. • • • Step 2 Structures… Step 3 Implement Mastery… Step 4 Advocacy…

References