Multicultural Education
BEF 534
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Course Facilitator: John Petrovic, PhD
Office: 323C Graves Hall (Tuscaloosa campus)
E-mail: petrovic@bamaed.ua.edu
Phone: 205 348 0465
Homepage: http://education.ua.edu/departments/leadership/social-and-cultural-studies/
Course Dates: January 23-February 3, 2012
I. Course Overview
In no small part, this course addresses in a very specific
way the following question: What is the purpose of schooling? Schooling has a
variety of purposes including economic, political, social, and intellectual
purposes. Historically, one of the political purposes of schooling has been to
realize the long-since cliché notion of the “melting pot.” This has consisted
of promoting patriotism by teaching myths, history, and stories (lies?, see
Loewen, 1995)[1]
about the country, its leaders, and form of government. One of the goals
embedded here most relevant to this course is assimilation to a specific
cultural milieu that has arisen over the past two and a quarter centuries and
the acceptance of class distinctions in terms of privilege and power. All too
often, well-meaning and limited forms of assimilation have taken on the much
more troublesome form of “Americanization.” “Multicultural education” began to
appear on the educational scene during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
What multicultural education means and/or should mean has gone through a number
of iterations and has been informed by various theoretical perspectives,
including critical theory, feminist theory, neo-Marxism, and queer theory. From
these perspectives, simple cultural sensitivity, or a “Taco Tuesdays” approach
to multiculturalism, has given way to deeper understandings and a search for social
justice in both education and in the larger society. Here multicultural
education has been enriched by critical pedagogy. Specifically anti-racist
education also adds to the depth of understanding of multiculturalism and to
the purposes of critical pedagogy.
In this course, we will explore such variations of
transformative pedagogy that are key to providing “multicultural education.”
One important question that we must address in this class is when pedagogy
becomes “transformative” and why. Here we will consider whether “pointing out”
differences is equal to “recognizing” them. In considering these questions, we
must first come to some sort of consensus on the role of education in the
acculturation and assimilation process and on the transmission of culture in a
pluralistic society. We must also consider the ways in which power operates to
ensure privilege (and vice-versa) through the social construction of
difference. We can then embark on fleshing out the specifics of a number of
multicultural education models and transformative pedagogies.
The course is divided, roughly, into two parts. In the first
part of the course, we will review the theoretical foundations of multicultural
education. Historically, these foundations have been based not in multiculturalism
but on coercion, cultural inferiority and deprivation theories, and a host of
–isms, including sexism, racism, heterosexism, classism, ableism,
ethnocentrism, anglocentrism, etc. (Cf. Spring, 2000).[2] We
will attempt to understand and expose privilege and power and the ways they
affect our understanding of difference. This understanding should also lead us
to interrogate more critically what the purpose of schooling in a “free,”
“democratic” society should be. In the second part of the course, we will
analyze the present-day circumstances of students affected by certain “isms”
and differences in power and privilege. We will consider the ways in which
schools (and practices therein) serve to perpetuate them and how critical
multicultural education can help to transform “ism-ic” schools.
Generally speaking, the first part of the course is meant to
be almost purely theoretical, and the second part of the course is meant to
focus more specifically on school policies, practices, and pedagogy. However,
since it is impossible and short-sighted to try to disentangle theory from
practice, we will continue reading theoretical work as well throughout the
second part of the course. The goal is to connect theory to practice and back
again.
II. Required Texts
Michie, G. (2005). See
you when we get there: Teaching for change in urban schools. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Johnson, Allan G.
(2005). Privilege, power, and difference
[2nd ed.]. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
III. General Policies
· Special Needs—If any member of the class feels s/he has a disability and
needs special accommodations as addressed by the ADA, please let me know so
that I can work with you to provide reasonable accommodation. You should
provide this information/request immediately before or after class on the first
or second meeting to ensure your fair opportunity to participate in this class.
· Attendance—This course will be run in seminar fashion. In other words,
informed discussion, exchange of ideas, and debate is the heart of the class.
That cannot happen if you do not attend class. Attendance at every class
meeting is expected and your grade will reflect your attendance in combination
with your participation (see “grading” below). Your first 3 hours of absence
will not be counted against you. All other absence will—barring any unusual
extenuating circumstances. Regardless of the cause, a 2-3 page reading
reflection will be required to make up for any absences beyond the first. Each
absence beyond the 2rd will cause your grade to be lowered by a full
letter, and the make-up paper will still be required.
IV. Assignments and Grading
· Participation and Attendance, 20 points. Informed discussion is the heart of this course. Therefore,
all students will be expected to contribute to discussions, applying the
readings. Students are encouraged to bring their own experiences, personal
reflections, and ideas to discussions with the idea that they will shed light
on concepts and ideals being discussed in class. But we must also recognize
that our own ideas cannot be stagnant; I, the readings, and your classmates
will serve as sounding boards. You might not always like or understand what
comes back, but you must always struggle with it. PLEASE
DO NOT COME TO CLASS IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE ASSIGNED READING.
Rules
of engagement:
1. Never take what you or someone says as your/their final word on the subject. After all, change and progress is what education is about.
2. Attack ideas, not people.
3. Don't get defensive when #2 happens to you.
4. Don't feel obligated to say things like, "Maybe I'm wrong but..." or "Playing devil's advocate..." Usually people hide behind such phrases so that others won't think that they are thinking what they are thinking. You're saying it, so you must be thinking it. If you are thinking it, it is likely you believe there is some truth to it. This makes it worthy of sharing, without qualification, for discussion. Remember, we are still playing by rule number 1.
· Presentation (20 points). Each of you will be required to present a chapter of
the Michie text. Your presentation should include an analysis of the ways in
which the teacher engaged (or not) in critical multiculturalism. This analysis
should integrate in a substantial way the readings from the first two days of
class as well as the readings assigned for the day you are presenting.
· Paper (60 points). You will complete one class paper
that will be divided into three main sections as described below. Your paper
should be 15-20 pages in length, have 2.0 spacing, and be in 12 point font. You
have two paper options to choose from:
OPTION 1
Introduction
(approx. 250 words)
Section 1,
Theory. In this section of your paper, you
should consider the theoretical underpinnings of multicultural education. What
are they? What do they mean to definition and purposes of critical
multiculturalism as opposed to vulgar multiculturalism? Given these theoretical
underpinnings, discuss the connections among multicultural education,
anti-racist education, and critical pedagogy. What are these things? Why/how
are they required to be symbiotic? In other words, can you have one without the
other? How does answering this question involve consideration of privilege and
power? What would multicultural education mean/look like without its critical
and anti-racist partners?
Section 2, Content or Issue. In this section of your paper you may choose either to
examine your ability to make your own practices within your given area of expertise
multicultural (“multicultural” as defined in paper #1) or to examine the ways
you handle or not and [should] have
handled a specific “ism” in your classroom. You should spend the first pages of
this paper describing your pedagogical style and strategies in the content area
you have chosen or strategies and “hang ups” around the ism you have chosen.
What aspects of your own socio-cultural and political autobiography have
contributed to your pedagogical style and beliefs around multiculturalism
and/or the particular ism you have chosen? Are your pedagogical styles and
strategies “multicultural?” (refer to your first paper) To what extent? How
might you change your practices (and why should you) or what ideas could you
effectively add to your teaching arsenal based on the reading. You need to
choose at least one additional reading (suggestions will be offered) to
complete this assignment.
Section 3, Reflection.
In his introduction, Michie writes that the teachers in his book “don’t always
see what they are doing as ‘radical,’ and they wouldn’t necessarily cite
‘critical pedagogy’ as the bedrock of their work in schools.” What are some of
the “small victories” these teachers achieve and given your reflections in
section 1 and your further reading around the concept of critical pedagogy and
reflections on your own practices, in what ways are these teachers engaging in
critical multicultural education? In what ways are they not? How would more
thorough-going critical pedagogues critique their work and “improve” it?
Reflecting on your own practices as a teacher or your own educational
experiences as a student, what have you learned from these teachers?
Summary and Conclusions
(approx. 250-500 words).
OPTION 2
Introduction
(approx. 250 words)
Section 1,
Theory. Follow the description of section
one above.
Section 2, School Climate and Curriculum Analysis. Using the conceptual framework you developed in section 1
of your paper and the charts developed by Nieto and/or Banks to help you,
analyze and identify the level of multiculturalism present in your school and
curriculum. How multicultural is your school? To what extent and in what ways
is multiculturalism reflected in your curriculum guide, across the curriculum?
What evidence do you have (or lack) to place your school/program/teaching where
you do on the various continua represented in the rubric? Examine the textbooks
your school uses and your library holdings. Survey colleagues as to their
(self-reported) “multicultural” practices. Given the class readings, what
recommendations might you make to make your school and teaching (even) more
multicultural?
What issue(s) in particular is your school not dealing with
effectively? Why? This could be a structural problem. For example, rowed
classrooms cater to one learning style or you might simply lack materials or
you may have various forms of tracking. It could be a policy problem to the
extent that certain groups of students are more impacted by school policies
(zero-tolerance policies or colorblind punishment policies, e.g.). It could be
a conceptual challenge. For example, you don’t see how multiculturalism
generally or a particular issue of multiculturalism is relevant to your school.
It could be a personal philosophical inconsistency with some of the ideals of
multiculturalism. This might be, as you might discover in doing a cultural autobiography, due to a clash of one your identities with that of another
person. In this case, what are your responsibilities as a “multicultural”
instructional leader and can you make them consistent with your own
identity(ies)?
Section 3, Reflection.
Drawing on the lessons you learned from the teachers in Michie’s book, describe
how they engaged in critical multiculturalism (or not) and how the
structure/philosophy/policies at the school level (as you describe and analyze
them in section 2) can positively and negatively impact the practices of
teachers in the classroom.
Summary and Conclusions (approx. 250-500 words).
OPTION 3
If neither of the first two options melts your butter or meets
your professional needs/interests, please feel free to consult with me to come
up with your own paper topic.
Notes on grading of
papers:
While
it is not required, I would encourage you to be working on the various sections
of your paper throughout the course. I also encourage you to submit drafts of
any section of your paper as you develop them. Until you hand in the final
version of your paper, you should always consider it a draft to be revisited,
edited, addended, etc., as you engage in more reading. Grading option: You may
hand in each section of the paper separately and have each section graded
separately as we progress through the units or you may hand in the full paper
once at the end. Your complete paper
is due Sunday, February 26.
The following criteria
will be taken into account in the grading of your paper(s):
1.
Does the paper adequately, coherently, and accurately address the theoretical
underpinnings discussed in the course?
2.
Does the paper integrate the readings in academically reasonable ways that
serve to build an argument and/or effectively elucidate major concepts?
3.
Is the information in the first section of the paper brought to bear in the
other sections of the paper in a way that evidences a theoretically grounded
analysis?
4.
Does the paper evidence thorough reading on the part of the writer?
5.
Does the paper provide evidence of the ability of the author to engage in
praxis?
· Final
grading: 100-90 A, 90-80 B, 80-70 C, 70-60 D, 60-0 F
V. Schedule of Readings
|
Privilege,
Power, and Ideology: The Theoretical Underpinnings of Critical
Multiculturalism |
|
|
January 23 Privilege and the problem with (vulgar)
multicultural education |
Reading: Johnson, pp. vii-40; Ignatiev; Garvey |
|
January 24 Marxist underpinnings of critical
multicultural education |
Reading: McClaren & Munoz; Freire; McLaren
(pp. 183-192); Novelli
(optional) |
|
January 25 Education as critical,
anti-racist, and multicultural |
Reading:
Blum;
Nieto; Jaramillo Video: Ethnic
Notions |
|
Critical
Pedagogy and the Issues: Social Stratification and Racism |
|
|
January 26 Race, class, and schooling: Can
you say “social stratification”? |
Reading: Johnson, pp. 41-89; Mantsios; Kozol (To be assigned), Video: A Question of Fairness |
|
January 27 |
Video: Untracking Schools |
|
January 28 Race, ethnicity, and privilege:
What does it mean to be purple in school? |
Reading:
Michie,
xi-xiv, 1-14 and 15-49 (group 1); McIntosh; Tenorio;
Peterson; Miller;
McLaren, 193-218; Johnson pp. 108-124 Video:
The Color of Fear |
|
From
Theory to Practice: Critical Pedagogy and the Issues: Sexism, Heterosexism,
and linguicism |
|
|
January 30 Gender: Sexism and Improper
masculinities |
Reading: Johnson, pp. 90-107; Martino; Angel-Urdinola Video:
Tough Guise |
|
January 31 |
|
|
February 1 Sexual orientation: The walls are
str8; you be too. |
Reading: O’Conor;
Gordon;
Ellis;
Temple Video: It’s
Elementary or Bullied |
|
February 2 Language diversity: Please, speak
English (and if you’re from here, speak standard English) |
Reading:
Michie, 85-117 (group 3); Krashen;
Perry;
Delpit; de Mejía |
|
From
Theory to Practice: Critical Pedagogy and the Issues: Cultural Capital and
the Necessity of Double Consciousness |
|
|
February 3 Changing what counts as cultural
capital |
Reading:
Johnson, pp. 125-153; Michie, 119-151 (group 4); Michie, 153-182 (group 5); Michie,
183-195; Delpit;
McLaren, 218-219 |
Complete
Citations for Readings:
Angel-Urdinola, Diego F. F. and Wodon, Quentin T., The
Gender Wage Gap and Poverty in Colombia (August 2003). Archivos de Economia Working
Paper No. 239. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=581581
Banks,
J. A. (2002). Chapter 1, Goals and Misconceptions. An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Boston: Allyn and
Bacon.
Bigelow,
B. (1994). Getting Off the Track: Stories from an Untracked Classroom. In Rethinking Our Classrooms: Teaching for
Equity and Social Justice. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools.
Blum,
L. (2004). Antiracism, Multiculturalism, and Interracial Community: Three
Educational Values for a Multicultural Society. In Heldke, L. and O’Connor, P.
(Eds.),
Oppression, Privilege, &
Resistance: Theoretical Perspectives on Racism, Sexism, and Heterosexism. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Chomsky,
N. (2000). Chomsky on MisEducation. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield,
Publishers.
Condron,
D. and Roscigno, V. (2003). Disparities within: Unequal spending and
achievement in an urban school district. Sociology
of Education, 76(1), 18-36.
De Mejía, A. M. (2004). Bilingual
education in Colombia: Towards an integrated perspective. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism,
7(5), 381-397.
Delpit,
L. (1988). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in teaching other people's
children. Harvard Educational Review, 58, 280-287.
Delpit,
L. (1997). Ebonics and Culturally Responsive Instruction: What Should Teachers
Do? Rethinking Schools, 12(1).
Ellis,
V. and High, S. (2004). Something more to tell you: Gay, lesbian or bisexual
young people’s experiences of secondary schooling. British Educational Research Journal, 30(2), 213-225.
Freire,
P. (1973). Education for Critical Consciousness. New York: Continuum.
Frye,
M. (2004). Oppression. In Heldke, L. and O’Connor, P. (Eds.). Oppression, Privilege, & Resistance:
Theoretical Perspectives on Racism, Sexism, and Heterosexism. Boston:
McGraw Hill.
Garvey,
J. (1996). My Problem with Multicultural Education. In N. Ignatiev & J.
Garvey (Eds.), Race Traitors. New York:
Routledge.
Gordon, L. (1994). What do we say
when we hear “faggot?” In B. Bigelow, L. Christensen,
S. Karp, B. Miner, and B. Peterson (Eds.), Rethinking Our Classrooms: Teaching for Equity and Social Justice.
Milwaukee. Rethinking Schools.
Ignatiev,
N. (1996). Immigrants and Whites. In Ignatiev, N. & Garvey, J. (Eds.), Race Traitors. New York: Routledge.
Jaramillo,
R. and Mesa, J. A. (2009). Citizenship
education as a response to Colombia’s social and political context. Journal of Moral Education, 38(4), 467-487.
Kailin,
J. (2002). Antiracist education: From
theory to practice. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Kozol,
J. (1991). Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York:
HarperPerennial.
Krashen,
S. (1997). Why bilingual education? ERIC
Digest. Available at http://www.ericdigests.org/1997-3/bilingual.html
Mantsios,
G. "Class in America: Myths and Realities." Rereading
America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing, 2nd
ed. G. Colombo, R. Cullen, and B. Lisle (Eds.). New York: Bedford Books,
1992. 72-85.
Martino,
W. Gendered Learning Practices: Exploring the Cost of Hegemonic Masculinity for
Girls and Boys in Schools. Retrieved from www.doe.tased.edu.au/equitystandards/gender/framewrk/learning.htm on 9/7/2005.
McIntosh,
P. (2004). White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to
See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies. In Heldke, L. and
O’Connor, P. (Eds.), Oppression,
Privilege, & Resistance: Theoretical Perspectives on Racism, Sexism, and
Heterosexism. Boston: McGraw Hill.
McLaren,
P. (2003). Life in Schools. An Introduction to Critical Pedagogy in the
Foundations of Education. (4th Ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
McLaren,
P. & Munoz, J. (2000). Contesting Whiteness: Critical Perspective on the
Struggle for Social Justice. In Ovando, C. and McLaren, P. (Eds.) The Politics of Multiculturalism and
Bilingual Education: Students and Teachers Caught in the Cross-Fire, pp.
22-49. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Miller, K. (1994). Tapping into
Feelings of Fairness. In B. Bigelow, L. Christensen, S. Karp, B. Miner, and B. Peterson
(Eds.), Rethinking Classrooms:
Teaching for Equity and Social
Justice. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools.
Mills, M., Martino, W., and Lingard,
B. (2004). Recruiting and retaining male teachers: Policy issues in the male
teacher debate. British Journal of
Sociology of Education, 25(3),
355-369.
Nieto,
S. (2004). Chapter 9, Multicultural Education and School Reform. Affirming Diversity [4th
Ed.]. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Novelli,
M. (2010). Education, conflict and social
(in)justice: Insights from Colombia. Educational
Review, 62(3), 271-285.
O’Connor,
A. (1994). Who Gets Called Queer in School? Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual
Teenagers, Homophobia and High School. The High School Journal,
77(1&2), 7-12.
Peterson, Bob. (1994). Teaching for
Social Justice: One Teacher’s Journey. In B. Bigelow, L. Christensen, S. Karp, B. Miner,
and B. Peterson (Eds.), Rethinking
Our Classrooms:
Teaching for Equity and Social Justice. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools.
Pharr,
Suzanne. (2004). Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism. In Heldke, L. and O’Connor, P.
(Eds.). Oppression, Privilege, & Resistance:
Theoretical Perspectives on Racism, Sexism,and Heterosexism. Boston: McGraw
Hill.
Taylor,
Frank. (2003). Content analysis and gender stereotypes in children’s books. Teaching Sociology, 31(3), 300-311.
Temple,
Julia R. (2005). People who are different from you: Heterosexism in Quebec High
School textbooks. Canadian Journal of
Education, 28(3), 271-294.
Tenorio,
Rita. (1994). Race and Respect Among Young Children. In B. Bigelow, L. Christensen, S. Karp, B.
Miner, and B. Peterson (Eds.), Rethinking
Our Classrooms: Teaching for Equity and Social Justice. Milwaukee:
Rethinking Schools.
|
Doing a cultural autobiography Respond to the following prompts. Then use the information to write
a one-page reflective narrative about what you learned, specifically sharing
what discoveries about your family, ethnicity, culture stand out most and
why. 1. Name the country/ies other than the U.S. that you identify
as a place of origin for yourself and your family. 2. Identify your ethnic/cultural group membership and write
out at least three examples of advice that has been handed down through your
family by your ancestors, such as a family motto. 3. List at least five values that are most important to your
cultural/racial identity and then rank order them from most important to
least important. (Identify the source of these values and try to categorize
them, e.g., religious belief, political ideal, family tradition…) 4. Write down what
particular family members’ attitudes are towards people who are culturally
and ethnically different (White Americans, African Americans, Native
Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Gays/Lesbians,
Physically Challenged People, Religious People, Rich/Poor People, etc.) 5. Write down at least two things that you were encouraged
(explicitly or implicitly) to believe about people of other groups. 6. Compose a list of
what was discussed and what was not discussed and why you think that was so. 7. Complete the
following sentence starters:
8. Write out a timeline
in 5 year blocks. For each block, recall and write down specific incidents in
your live that affected your thinking and/or feelings about people who are
culturally or ethnically different from yourself. 9. Use what you have
thought about and learned from doing #1-8 to write to write a one-page
reflective narrative about what you learned, specifically sharing what
discoveries about your family, ethnicity, culture. |
