Moving Beyond Test-Prep Pedagogy: Dialoguing With Multicultural Preservice Teachers for a Quality Education

In a “post-NCLB era,” the schooling experiences of mostly low-income students of color continue to be consumed by a test-prep pedagogy—narrowed curriculum, low expectations, and ignored relationships. In this article the author describes a pedagogical approach using educational dialogues to engage preservice teachers to critically define a quality education.     

Multicultural Education Within the Era of Internalization and Globalization

In this article, the author presents the results of a multistate study examining how teachers, and specifically secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers, conceptualize and implement teaching for social justice in standards-based contexts. Additional analysis underscores how this practice both reflects and extends earlier equity-oriented reform movements.     

Overcoming Cultural Racism: The Promise of Multicultural Education

The author argues that cultural racism undergirds both individual and institutional racism, and, thus, it is the driving force behind racist policies and practices in educational institutions and in society. Because both liberal and conservative agendas operate within an ideology of White supremacy, both have been inadequate in addressing cultural racism. A multicultural movement that explores the concept of "Whiteness" and that encourages educators and students to take an antiracist stance can provide an important response to cultural racism.     

Diversity and the Modeling of Multicultural Principles of Education in a Teacher Education Program

In this study, we examined preservice teacher perception on the modeling of principles of multicultural education at a university of predominantly White students. Preservice teachers (N = 79) at the end of a multicultural education course responded to a survey based on the principles of multiculturalism. The students conducted an 8-week evaluation of the modeling or integration of multiculturalism in their teacher education classes. Statistical analysis indicated that 95.4% of preservice teachers perceived an integration of instructional principles of multicultural education, whereas 69% perceived integration of curricular principles of multicultural education. Findings suggested that diversity is a critical element of multiculturalism in the teacher education program needing attention.     

Assessing Performance-Based Outcomes of Multicultural Lesson Plans: A Component Within a Comprehensive Teacher Education Assessment Design

Lesson plans can serve as a rich means of evaluating multicultural/diversity (MCD) learning outcomes for student teachers. However, a structured evaluation procedure is needed to effectively elicit meaningful data for program feedback. This study examines the evolution of a lesson plan evaluation component and presents the lesson plan instrument, rubric, and evaluation data. The lesson plan assessment was one part of a comprehensive, university-wide evaluation project funded by the U.S. Department of Education to assess MCD outcomes. Results indicated only about 50% of teacher education candidates demonstrated at least minimal skills in creating an effective, meaningful MCD lesson plan. Implications for teacher training are discussed.     

Introducing Multicultural Education to the Digital Age: A Review of Culture,Difference, & Power

Teacher candidates must metaphorically "step out of their own skins," challenging stereotypical cultural metanarratives, to teach effectively. This study describes results of collegian mentoring 1stthrough 12th-grade students representing diverse ethnic and/or socioeconomic status groups in conjunction with a sophomore-level course on diversity taught at a university in the Northwest area with less than 10% ethically diverse populations. Analysis of surveys administered to participants, comments, and participant observations showed that some students developed more understandings of diversity than others by semester's closing. Discussion of the results and recommendations for integration of diversity throughout the teacher education curricula are presented.     

Towards a Cultural Understanding of the Disability and Deaf Experience: A Content Analysis of Introductory Multicultural Education Textbooks

This paper reports the findings of a simple normative content analysis of 11 multicultural education textbooks to determine the extent to which disability and deaf culture are represented. In addition, this study examines multicultural education textbooks to assess the extent to which perspectives of members of the disability and deaf communities are represented in the discourse about disabled and deaf persons. Results indicate that on average less than 1% of the total pages of text reviewed addressed or mentioned disability or deaf culture. Of these, it was found that on average about 6% of the pages addressed disability or deaf culture. In addition, inaccurate information was presented and perspectives were often not informed by a substantial body of literature that has emerged in the field of disability studies. It was found that multicultural education textbooks rely heavily on information about persons with disabilities from Special Education that may not be widely accepted by disabled or deaf persons. A follow-up paper examines the implications of the exclusion of disabled and deaf persons and their perspectives from the discourse about the shared and collective disability and deaf experience in favor of a dominant perspective widely held by the nondisabled professional community. Questions are raised about whether this is consistent with the values and goals of multicultural education and teaching. A rationale and recommendations are proposed for engaging disabled and deaf persons about their shared and collective experience and for promoting cultural competence and proficiency with respect to the disability and Deaf experience in multicultural education.     

(Re) Claiming Native Youth Knowledge: Engaging in Socio-culturally Responsive Teaching and Relationships

This article reveals Native youth perspectives on socio-culturally responsive education. The authors draw on two studies conducted in the Southwest among Navajo and Pueblo students. Youth convey the importance of meaningful, reciprocal, and transformative learning experiences and relationships at school. The article ends with suggestions for creating a socio-culturally responsive school environment.     

Vive la Resistance! (De)Constructing Classmates in a White Working Class High School

English Language Arts class in a predominantly white suburban high school may seem like an unlikely site for transformational pedagogy. Teachers and students speak the same national language and most of the teachers grew up and were educated in working class communities. Despite these roots, it is far too easy for teachers to forget that our “portfolios of experiences” have created access to middle class cultural values. If teachers unconsciously internalize middle class values, we might unwittingly judge working class students as academically deficient rather than engage in empowering, critical pedagogies. Teachers might reconsider student resistance as a force for co-creating curriculum to empower otherwise marginalized students.

This piece explores the nuances of social class, power, and language through the experiences of a teacher and her 11th grade students as they negotiate two units of study that are heavily laden with social class: poetry and college entrance. Analysis and reflection indicate that students in a white working class high school can benefit from pedagogies that embrace, rather than dismiss, student resistance.     

Towards a Cultural Understanding of the Disability and Deaf Experience: Implications of a Content Analysis of Introductory Special and Multicultural Education Textbooks

This paper summarizes and discussing the findings of two content analyses of introductory textbooks to special education and multicultural education conducted to determine the extent to which disability and Deaf culture are represented and discussed. Findings of both studies indicated minimal discussion of Disability and Deaf culture, a heavy reliance on perspectives of persons who are not disabled or Deaf about the Disability and Deaf experience, and inaccurate representations and information about Disability and Deaf culture. This paper is a follow-up discussion of the implications of the findings of these studies. A rationale and recommendations for supporting a cultural understanding of the Disability and Deaf experience are presented. In addition, recommendations are suggested for engaging disabled and deaf persons about their shared and collective experience and for promoting cultural competence and proficiency with respect to the Disability and Deaf experience.     

Toward an Expanded Understanding of Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Education: Constructing Identity through a Critical,Additive Bilingual/Bicultural Pedagogy

This literature review will take a focused look at the three currently accepted theoretical foundations upon which two-way bilingual immersion programs are based. Through an examination of research on identity construction in childhood and adolescence, particularly as seen through a critical pedagogical lens, it proposes that there exists a fourth and relatively unexamined component: identity construction. Further, it postulates that identity construction is of particular relevance to linguistic minority students.     

竹夫人與湯婆子

一 竹夫人供夏季納凉用,湯婆子供冬季取暖用,同屬於床上用品.現代都市家庭中早已不用,當代青年可能見都没見過.前幾天看電視節目,看見浙江省某市的民俗博物館中展出竹夫人,不由得慨嘆,我們七老八十的人幾十年前使用的東西,竟然成了文物啦!     

讀《文史通義·易教·書教》

夫史之為用,亦大矣哉!上通干百年之事,下垂千百世之例.借事喻物,以明治國之大道;按制依度,以應鄉里之瑣事.至其使命,則為"究天人之際,窮古今之變.