The Responsibilities of White Teacher Candidates and Teacher Educators in Developing Racial Literacy

This article aims to help teacher educators consider how to build racial literacy in their White teacher candidates, providing guidance through pedagogical strategies and approaches based on our and others’ research. In addition, much of the pedagogy that we developed in working with our White teacher candidates can be translated to teachers working with White students at other levels, and it can also help teacher educators develop their own racial literacy.     

Drawing Parallels in Search of Educational Equity: A Multicultural Education Delegation to China Looks Outside to See Within

In 2004, a professional delegation of multicultural educators visited the People's Republic of China to explore how diversity issues are addressed and how students are prepared for entry into the international workforce. The delegation, sponsored by the People to People Ambassador Programs, observed numerous parallels to the American system of education, including the challenge of providing equity for students of minority cultures, especially those in poor rural areas, and the conflict between modernization and preservation of cultural heritage.     

Use of the token economy system to intervene on a school-wide level

Many writers have suggested that professionals dealing with psychological problems in school settings need to consider procedures for consulting on a system level, rather than on an individual or a group level. In this report, a token economy system was implemented for all 459 students in a K-6 elementary school. Managing an intervention program at the system level required comprehensive procedures for staff training and program modification. The results showed a major decrease in classroom disruptions and a decrease in negative teacher interactions during the token economy system compared with baseline data. Data analysis the following summer on system-wide variables demonstrated that the number of suspended students and number of days of suspension decreased, that the rate of gain on achievement tests in reading and mathematics increased compared with the yearly rates suggested by test scores the previous year, and that the teacher turnover rate decreased. Several variables considered necessary for the effective implementation of the program were discussed.     

Attribution in the classroom: How just is the just world?

Research in the area of attribution theory is reviewed which documents the tendency to explain whatever happens to someone else as a just consequence of his own personal characteristics, rather than the result of environmental circumstances. The ramifications of this tendency in teachers' perceptions of students are discussed, and suggestions are offered for guarding against this sort of attributional bias.     

Effect of EMR placement models on affective and social development

The study investigated the effects of three EMR placement models on children's social and affective development. The Barclay Classroom Climate Inventory (BCCI) was administered to 45 randomly selected classes from a population of 115 classes representing Self-Contained (SC), Selected Academic Placement (SAP), and Learning Center (LC) models. For SAP and LC children, BCCI assessments were obtained in both EMR and regular class settings. The BCCI data comprised self, peer, and teacher expectations. Results indicated that the SC setting resulted in the strongest support in terms of acceptance, and the SAP-EMR settings resulted in the fewest suspected problems. Thus it appears that stronger social support systems exist and fewer problems emerge for the children who are placed with others of similar cognitive ability.