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Salem State College EDU 308: Teaching Strategies in the Multicultural Classroom

Spring 2012

(1.11.12draft)

Professor: Mary Ni, Ed.D., Phone: 978-542-7076; email: mni@salemstate.edu;

Office: SB203b; Office hours: T/Th, 12:00-1:30pm, and by appointment;

Classroom: SB307; Class Time: T/Th 1:40-2:55pm

Course Description**

This course examines the impact of culture on teaching, learning, and classroom climate. Issues of ethnicity, race, gender, linguistic style, family style, and cognition will be addressed. Includes current theory and research, as well as effective strategies to promote learning, intercultural relations, and self-esteem. Two classes per week, and 16 hours of field work required.

This is a highly interactive, introductory class. Starting from each individual’s personal experiences and background, students will consider the implications of gender, race, class, ethnicity, and sexual orientation as it impacts on our understanding and ability to communicate and work effectively with those who are different from ourselves. Using the classroom as a model community learning experience, students will use various modalities (readings, writing, lecture, dialogue, class exercises, presentations, and personal self-exploration) to study themselves and others through the contexts of the social, cultural, and psychological networks from which we all come.

**Important Note: This course will focus on the needs and necessary competencies of participants who intend to work in the field of education and other human service professions. Hence, students entering this course will be expected to engage in the self-exploration of personal attitudes, beliefs, and feelings. An important part of this expectation is the willingness of students to engage in their learning from an affective as well as cognitive dimension. While participation is important, if for some reason you feel a particular exercise or paper is too personal to complete, you should consult with me immediately to arrange doing an alternative, more traditional assignment.

Goals

To more deeply understand the impact of multicultural issues in relationship to ourselves and others;

To explore ethnicity, race, class, and gender in the context of our own family backgrounds;

To examine and deepen our understanding of the impact of culture on teaching, learning, and classroom climate;

To learn to apply course material and information in teaching and learning contexts;

To deepen our ability to express ourselves effectively both verbally and through the written word.

Course Expectations and Structure

1. Students will be expected to stay up-to-date with the readings and assignments. Class members should be ready to summarize the readings of the day. Each class will begin with a brief check in period in which participants can raise questions, thoughts, feelings, and issues of concern relevant to course material, assignments and readings.

2. Regular on-time class attendance and participation is essential as learning will be generated from our group discussions and activities. A series of (1) response papers will be assigned as well as (2) a lesson plan; (3) a cultural paper; a (4) a student group project.

3. Your presence is important (emotional, physical, as well as intellectual)! In the spirit of collegiality and community learning, absences from class are, hence, seriously discouraged. If you know you are going to have to unavoidably miss a class, please inform me via a phone call or email prior to the class you will be missing. It will be your responsibility to ask a fellow classmate to fill you in on missed information and assignments.

4. In a final integrative paper (5-7 pages) each participant will be asked to critically examine his/her learning in this class by discussing the tools, strategies, framework, practical skills, experiences (including field experience), and readings done over the course of the semester. This paper should integrate theoretical concepts with personal reflections, and relevant literature. Appropriate citations and references should be noted in a bibliography. In an addendum to this paper, please give yourself a grade and describe your rationale for it.

5. For each hour of in-class participation, students are expected to put in an average of 2-3 hours of outside preparation.

Evaluative criteria

1. 100% class attendance is expected. Come to class every time and on time. You will be given full credit for complete attendance and evidence of positive, thoughtful, creative participation. Deduction to this part of your grade will be made according to absences, lack of constructive interactions, or blatantly negative activities or comments. 20%

2. Field experience summary (2-3 pages) w/field notes attached. Field experience must be 16 hours, minimum. 10%

3. Demonstrated knowledge and mastery of readings and assignments (through classroom discussion, quizzes, written analyses and commentary). 30%

4. Cultural heritage paper (7-10 pages). 10%

5. Cultural group collaborative project. 20%

6. Final integrative paper (5-7 pages). 10%

Papers will be graded on quality of analyses including such aspects as thoughtfulness, comprehensiveness, and clarity. Consideration of correct grammar, spelling and sentence structure will also be taken into account. Papers should be typed (double-spaced, 1 inch margins, 12 size font). Pages should be numbered, and appropriate references cited in a bibliography in a consistent format. They are due on the due dates. Late papers will receive a penalty.

Required Readings

1. Sapon-Shevin, Mara, Because We Can Change the World, ISBN# 0-205-17489-2, Allyn and Bacon, 1999 (SS)

2, Louise Derman-Sparks, et.al., Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children, ISBN#0-935989-20-X. National Association for the Education of Young Children. 1998. (LDS)

3. Lee, Enid, et.al., Beyond Heroes and Holidays, ISBN# 1-878554-11-5, McArdle Printing (Lee)

(Other required readings may be distributed in class or placed on Canvas)

Students with disabilities If you are a student with a disability and need special accommodations, please identify your self to me and provide appropriate written documentation from the Director, Office for Students with Disabilities, (V) (978) 542-6217, (TTY) (978) 542-7146. In order to access needed accommodations and timely coordination of available support services, this should be done immediately.

Policy on Cell Phones and Laptop Use

Laptops and cell phones should be turned off during class. Exception to this is when students are asked to access their computers in class or they are working on small group assignments and would like to access the internet or wider sources in information relevant to their projects. Personal, non-class related correspondence, web-surfing, text-messaging, etc. is unacceptable and will negatively affect one’s grade. If there is an urgent situation, please let the professor know to allow for an exception.

Course Schedule (subject to change)

1. Jan 17 Introduction to the Course and Class Members. Topic: Who Are We and Why Study Multicultural Issues, make name cards

Assignment for Jan 19: get your books, write a paragraph about yourself and add a picture of yourself to Canvas

2. Jan 19 Check in. Topic: Emotional Literacy as an important component of inclusive classrooms

Assignment for Jan 24: Write a two page paper (typed, 12 in font) about your experience(s) with strong emotions how you deal with emotions, how your family, teachers, friends have dealt with emotions, what emotions are acceptable and/or not acceptable. You might want to tell a story about a time you or someone you know had strong emotions about something that happened in a school setting, what happened, if you would change something about the experience or not.

3. Jan 24 Check-in; Go over papers. Introduce SS Chaps 1-4

Assignment for Jan 26: from SS, Read the Introduction and Chap 1, 2, 3, or 4. You will be assigned a specific chapter in class. (1) Be prepared to teach your chapter to others in our class. Write down from your chapter (2) an activity that you can prepare yourself to teach, (3) a song you can prepared your group and/or the class to sing (4) elements of the chapter that you agree and/or disagree with, (5) list the major important points that you think readers should take from this chapter, (6) notice what kinds of emotions come up in yourself and others when you teach your chapter. Begin to make arrangements for your field work experience.

4. Jan 26 Check-in; discuss papers; do peer teaching of Intro, and Chaps 1-4

Assignment for Jan 31: (1) Read from SS, Chap. 5 and 6 (1) Be prepared to teach your chapter to others in our class. Write down from your chapter (2) an activity that you can prepare yourself to teach, (3) a song you can prepared your group and/or the class to sing (4) elements of the chapter that you agree and/or disagree with, (5) list the major important points that you think readers should take from this chapter, (6) notice what kinds of emotions come up in yourself and others when you teach your chapter.

5. Jan 31 Check in; Review and teach Chaps 5-6. Discussion of learning styles and styles of giving and getting support

Assignment for Feb 2: Write a 2 page paper about how you learn best, what kind of support you like or want, what a good outcome has been. Give some concrete examples to support your statements (i.e., in a story of successful learning and the process that brought you to the positive conclusion).

6. Feb 2 Check in. Finish Chapter presentations. Discuss and pass in learning style paper. Also pass in your addendum regarding your field placement site and visiting schedule.

Assignment for Feb 7: Review listening guidelines and set up a 40 minute per person, face to face listening session with a classmate. After the session write a two page process summary about this experience, explaining what happened, how it was to listen without interrupting and speak without interruptions, what you learned about yourself, how this process might relate to your teaching.

7. Feb 7 You may use this class period to do your listening session.

Assignment for Feb 9: complete your two page listening session paper.

8. Feb 9 Check in. Review and discuss listening session papers. Go over poem format from Linda Christensen. Start writing a poem about yourself using the format she describes.

Assignment for Feb 14: Review from Lee, “Where I’m From: Inviting Student Lives into the Classroom”, pp. 391-394. Using the poem format that Linda Christensen describes, finish (1) a short poem about where you are from; and, (2) Bring in one artifact related to your identity and culture to “show and tell.”

9. Feb 14 Show and Tell w/ Poem. Explain Personal Cultural History Exercise from Lee.

Assignment for Feb 16: Read from Lee, “Personal Cultural History Exercise”, pp. 66-67; Then, (1) do the drawing part of the personal cultural history exercise and write an explanation of your picture. Come prepared to discuss and share your drawing and explanation with your classmates.

Also, begin to research and write about your own ethnic background and identity development and family customs and habits (your cultural paper). Use sources from the library and internet as well as interviews from family members, relatives and friends. This formal 7-10 page paper is due in class on March 1. You should be sure to include a reference page of all the sources that you used. Please do not cut and paste from a travelogue. (That is called plagiarism and will result in a failing grade.)

10. Feb 16 Check in. Share and Discuss personal cultural history drawings.

Assignment for Feb 21: Read from Lee, et.al., White Privilege: “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, pp. 79-82; and “White Racial Identity and Anti-Racist Education: A Catalyst for Change”, pp. 45-51. Also read from LDS, Chapter 4, “Learning about Racial Differences and Similarities.” Reflecting on what you have read (a) write down a question that arises for you from the readings that you will pass in, (b) take notes on the chapters.

11. Feb 21 Check in. Collect questions. Discuss white privilege, white identity development, and learning about racial differences and similarities. Video: doll like me.

Assignment for Feb 23: Read from Lee, pp. 237-243, “The Institutionalization of Racism”, “A People’s History,” and,”Roots of Racism.” Referring back to these two chapters as well as the readings from your Feb 21 assignment, write a 2-3 page reaction paper on these authors' comments which incorporate your own experiences and/or observations with white privilege, power, and difference. Be prepared to discuss the readings and your papers in class.

12. Feb 23 Check in. Topic Roots of Racism. Pass in White Privilege paper for review and discussion.

Assignment for Feb 28: Complete outline of cultural history paper.

13. Feb 28 Discuss variants of cultural similarities and difference

Assignment for Mar 1: Complete cultural history paper

14. Mar 1 Check in. Discuss and pass in Cultural History Paper.

Assignment for Mar 6: Read from Lee, the story of C.P.Ellis and read from Sapon-Shevin, Chapter 7, “Speaking the Truth and Acting Powerfully.” Write a 1-2 page story of a time you or someone else around you noticed something was wrong and did something to make thing right.

15. Mar 6 Check in. Discuss and review readings, and stories. Pass in and discuss paper on speaking the truth.

Assignment for Mar 8: Make a list of some cultural groups you feel most familiar with and some cultural groups you feel least familiar with. Explain your reasons for feeling the way you do. Also describe a cultural group that you would like to know better, why you would like to know this group better, and what particular ways you might accomplish this goal.

16. Mar 8 Check in. Pass in and discuss lists. Break into small project groups. Write down an agenda, goals, and action plan, have all group members sign it, and passed in. (Also write down any questions or concerns you might have, and help you might need to accomplish your tasks.) Be prepared to discuss and present your ideas to the larger group for dialogue and feedback. Pass in group project outline.

Assignment for Mar 20: Research a topic of controversial concern that is relevant to your research topic. Bring in two articles (one pro and one con) relevant to your issue of choice. Write your own brief (1 paragraph) analysis of the issues and what you think needs to happen to make things better.

SPRING BREAK (March 12-16)

17. Mar 20 Discuss articles in small and large group format.

Assignment for Mar 22: Communicate with each your group project members. Everyone should communicate outside of class with each other re: something of relevance related to your project. Document these conversations in Canvas.

18. Mar 22 Review and process documentations and break up into small groups.

Assignment for Mar 27: Communicate with each of your group members, organize and updated group project outline to hand in

19. Mar 27 Check in, discuss and address outstanding issues, meet with your small group.

Assignment for Mar 29: read article re: 1st presentation

20. Mar 29 Check in. Presentation 1 and guest speaker #1__________________.

Assignment for Apr 3: read article re: 2nd presentation

21. Apr 3 Check in. Presentation 2 and guest speaker #2 ________________ .

Assignment for Apr 5: read article re: 2nd presentation

22. Apr 5 Check in. Presentation 2 and guest speaker #3________________ .

Assignment for Apr 10: read article re: 3rd presentation

23. Apr 10 Check in. Presentation 3 and guest speaker #4________________ .

Assignment for Apr 12: read article re: 4th presentation

4. Apr 12 Check in. Presentation 4 and guest speaker #5_________________ .

Assignment for Apr 17: read article re: 5th presentation

25. Apr 17 Check in. Presentation 5 and guest speaker #6_________________ .

26. Apr 19: Presentation process wrap-up

Assignment for Apr 24: (1) In a 1-2 page summary, describe your field experience, what kind of class you attended, what you observed and learned. (2) Attach your field work notes and confirmation letter to pass in with this summary, as a part of your portfolio.

27. Apr 24: Check in. Topic: Field Experiences. Discuss and review field observation experiences. Hand in field notes, confirmation letter, and 2 page summary.

28. Apr 26: Check in. Field Experiences (cont.)

Assignment for May 1: Work on your final paper.

29. May 1: Check in. Hand in final paper. Topic: Significant learning, experiences, information and strategies for teaching in a multicultural classroom.

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Girl Like Me Video:

http://youtu.be/z0BxFRu_SOw