Education  250 (Fall 2006)
Multicultural Education

Online version available at: http://www.davidson.edu/academic/education/education.html

  • Click on “Courses”; then select EDU 250

Enrolled students:  http://blackboard3.davidson.edu

  • Username:  davidson\username

  • Password:  network password (then click “user login”)

OFFICE HOURS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

  • Instructor: Dr. Rick Gay

  • In office for drop-ins, Jackson Court #1: T & TH 4:00-5:00, W 3:00-5:00

  • Also available 24/7 by e-mail and phone mail

  • E-mail: rigay@davidson.edu

  • Phone: 704-894-2685

 

REQUIRED PRIMARY COURSE TEXT

  • Bennett, Christine I.  Comprehensive Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice. 6th ed.  Allyn and Bacon, 2007.

 

REQUIRED READINGS AVAILABLE ON BLACKBOARD SITE FOR DOWNLOAD

  • Bolgatz, Jane.  “How Come They Get Mad about the Cleveland Indians?”  Talking Race in the Classroom.  Teachers College Press.  2005.  36-56.

  • Robins, Kikanza Nuri, et al.  “Valuing Diversity: Claiming the Differences.  Culturally Proficient Instruction: A Guide for People Who Teach.  2nd ed. Corwin Press. 2006.  123-142

  • Singleton, Glenn E. and Curtis Linton.  “What Do You Mean by Race?”  Courageous Conversations about Race.  Corwin Press.  2006.  157-179.

  • Howard, Gary R.  “White Educators and the River of Change.”  We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools.  2nd ed.  Teachers College Press.  2006.  69-86.

  • Watkins, William H.  “’Scientific’ Racism.’”  The White Architects of Black Education: Ideology and Power in America, 1865-1954.  Teachers College Press.  2001.  24-40.

  • Garcia, Christy.  “Swimming against the Mainstream.”  In Learning to Teach for Social Justice.  Linda Darling-Hammond, et al, eds.  Teachers College Press.  2002.  22-38.

  • Asante, Molefi Kete.  “The Afrocentric Idea in Education.”  The Journal of Negro Education 60.2 (Spring 1991).  170-180.

  • Diller, Jerry V. and Jean Moule.  “Working with White Ethnic Students.”  Cultural Competence: A Primer for Educators.  Thomson.  2005.  277-294.

  • Diller and Moule.  “Working with African American Students.”  229-258.

  • Diller and Moule.  “Working with Latino/a Students.”  190-207.

  • Diller and Moule, “Working with Asian American Students.”  259-276.

  • Gay, Geneva.  “Cultural Congruity in Teaching and Learning.”  Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, & Practice.  Teachers College Press.  2000.  147-153.

  • Robins, et al.  “Assessing Your Culture.”  107-121.

  • Powell, Rebecca.  “Confronting Homophobia.”  Straight Talk: Growing as Multicultural Educators.  Lang.  2001.  75-84.

  • UNC-TV.  Something in Common: A Study Guide for Teachers.  Ten Segments.


 

COURSE DESCRIPTION 

This course will examine the critical issues related to diversifying today’s educational system.  Specific topics will be discussed relating to curricular content and assessment techniques along with broad topics related to the educational system’s role in preparing its citizens to live and work in a global society.  This course views the multicultural education as encompassing teachers, parents, students, administrators, employees, employers, and society at large.  The main purpose of this course is captured in the following statement by Guild (1994):  “Ensuring success for the diverse population that schools serve calls for continual reexamination of traditional assumptions, expectations, and biases.”

The texts and assigned readings for this course have been carefully chosen to reflect Davidson's mission as a liberal arts college: "To Liberate the Minds of Young Men and Women for Useful Lives of Leadership and Service." In addition, these assignments reflect the conceptual framework of the Department of Teacher Education: "Preparing Facilitators of Learning."

COURSE GOALS

1. To analyze the four interactive dimensions of multicultural education: equity pedagogy, curriculum reform, multicultural competence, social justice.

2. To analyze the core values in multicultural education: acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity, respect for human dignity and universal human rights, responsibility to the world community, respect for the earth.

3. To attend to the school’s hidden curriculum by the following:  understanding multiple historical perspectives; developing cultural consciousness; developing intercultural competence; learning means to combat racism, sexism, and all forms of prejudice and discrimination; rasing awareness of the state of planet and global dynamics; developing social action skills.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

By December 14, students completing this course should be able to do the following:

1. Articulate, orally and in writing, positions on the various issues encompassed by multicultural education.

2. Apply, orally and in writing, the presumptions of multicultural theorists to classroom situations.

3. Write and present useable classroom lesson plans that attend to the school’s hidden curriculum.

GRADING POLICY

Your grade will be determined by the following factors:

30%: Mid-term Review--October 5
30%: Final Examination (Cumulative) -- December 8-14
30%: Class Participation

10%: Original Lesson Plan

Please note that I like to think of the classroom as a very active place in which students and professor work through challenging topics and differing interpretations of texts and issues. To facilitate such an approach it is important for all of us to stay on task during the entire semester and be prepared for class discussion by having carefully read and considered the topics of the day.

As you will note, class participation counts heavily in this course.  I will base your class participation on many factors.  You should be prepared to be called upon randomly.  Several times throughout the semester, I will ask you to do a little writing during class.   Possibly, I will give a pop quiz on the readings.

You will also be asked to compose an original lesson plan that addresses issues covered in class.  There are many examples of such plans in Chapter 9 of Bennett.

A NOTE ON ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

Class works much better when all attend. It will be difficult to perform well on the review and exam if you are habitually absent. Tardiness is a major pet peeve for me; it is distracting and shows a lack of respect for your colleagues. If you are tardy, you will not be allowed to complete in-class writings.  Habitual tardiness and absenteeism will affect your class participation grade.  Miss five classes, excused or unexcused, you will receive an “F” for the course.

HONOR CODE

All work must be pledged.  Do not discuss the mid-term review until all papers have been returned; do not discuss the Final until Friday, December 15.

 

COURSE CALENDAR

 

The following list includes reading assignments from our core text: Multicultural Education: Theory and Practice (below, cited as Bennett).  The other readings can be found on the Blackboard web site; each is cited by author, and full bibliographic information is included above.

 

Aug 22:

Course Introduction

 

Aug 24: 

The Four Interactive Dimensions of Multicultural Education and the Critics

  • Bennett (3-12)
  • Bolgatz, “How Come They Get Mad about the Cleveland Indians?” (Blackboard)

 

Aug 29: 

The Core Values, Why Multiculturalism is Essential, and the Conditions for Multicultural Schools

  • Bennett (12-36)
  • Robins, et al, “Valuing Diversity.”  (Blackboard)

 

Aug 31: 

Defining Culture, Differences between Culture and Race, Ethnic Groups

  • Bennett (41-57)
  • Singleton and Linton, “What Do You Mean by Race?” (Blackboard)

 

Sep 5: 

Cultural Assimilation and Pluralism, Aspects of Ethnicity

  • Bennett (57-70)
  • Howard, “White Educators and the River of Change.” (Blackboard)

 

Sep 7: 

Prejudice and Racism

  • Bennett (76-89)
  • Watkins, “’Scientific’ Racism.” (Blackboard)

 

Sep 12: 

Ethnic Identity and Stereotyping

  • Bennett (89-100)
  • Garcia, “Swimming against the Mainstream.” (Blackboard)

 

Sep 14: 

Myths about Africa

  • Bennett (100-107)
  • Asante, “The Afrocentric Idea in Education.”  (Blackboard)

 

Sep 19: 

Anglo-European and Jewish Americans

  • Bennett (117-134)
  • Diller and Moule, “Working with White Ethnic Students.” (Blackboard)

 

Sep 21: 

No class meeting today

 

Sep 26: 

African-Americans

  • Bennett (134-145)
  • Diller and Moule, “Working with African American Students.” (Blackboard)

 

Sep 28: 

American Indians and Latinos

  • Bennett (151-166)
  • Diller and Moule, “Working with Latino/a Students.” (Blackboard)

 

Oct 3: 

Asian-Americans, Muslims, and Arab-Americans

  • Bennett (166-186)
  • Diller and Moule, “Working with Asian American Students.” (Blackboard)

 

Oct 5: 

Mid-term Review

 

Oct 12: 

Learning Styles

  • Bennett (195-207)
  • Gay, “Cultural Congruity in Teaching and Learning.” (Blackboard)

 

Oct 17: 

Culture, Learning Styles, and Teaching

  • Bennett (208-221)
  • Robins, et al, “Assessing Your Culture.” (Blackboard)

 

Oct 19: 

Gender and Sexuality

  • Bennett (227-244)
  • Powell, “Confronting Homophobia.” (Blackboard)

 

Oct 24: 

Perspectives on Class and Ethnic Differences

  • Bennett (244-252)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 1: “Overview of Diversity in North Carolina.” (Blackboard)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 2: “Melting Pot vs. Salad Bowl?” Sweetwater Elementary School (Blackboard)

 

Oct 26: 

Special Education

  • Bennett (252-260)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 3:  “Norms and Name Calling.” Ligon Middle School (Blackboard)

 

Oct 31: 

The Nature of Respect and Culturally Relevant Teaching

  • Bennett (267-276)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 4: “Making a Place at the Table.” Haw Creek Elementary (Blackboard)

 

Nov 2: 

Differentiating Instruction in Heterogeneous Classrooms and Mastery Learning

  • Bennett (276-285; 285-290)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 5: “Out of the Comfort Zone: Fear of ‘Other.’” Asheville High School (Blackboard)

 

Nov 7: 

Bilingual Education

  • Bennett (293-303)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 6: “Does Diversity = Division?” Siler City Elementary School (Blackboard)

 

Nov 9: 

Multiple Intelligence Theory

  • Bennett (304-307)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 7: “Assumptions and Stereotypes.” Asheville Middle School (Blackboard)

 

Nov 14: 

Experiential Learning and Cooperative Learning

  • Bennett (290-293; 307-312)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 8:  “Messages in Community History.” Red Springs High School (Blackboard)

 

Nov 16: 

Multicultural Curriculum Development

  • Bennett (321-341)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 9: “The Hardest Conversation: Sexual Orientation.” (Blackboard)
  • UNC-TV Study Guide, Segment 10: “A Summary of the Challenges.” (Blackboard)

 

Nov 21: 

Lesson Plans:  Goal One – Multiple Historical Perspectives (Bennett 341-353)

Lesson Plans:  Goal Two – Cultural Consciousness (Bennett 354-375)

 

Nov 28: 

Lesson Plans:  Goal Three – Intercultural Competence (Bennett 375-396)

Lesson Plans:  Goal Four – Combat Racism, Sexism, Prejudice, and Discrimination (Bennett 396-416)

 

Nov 30: 

Lesson Plans:  Goal Five – Planet Awareness (Bennett 416-432)

Lesson Plans:  Goal Six – Social Action Skills (Bennett 432-450)

 

Dec 8-14:

Final Exam

 

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