Session 3: Instructional Practices: Empowering The Curriculum

Do Now:

Reflect on the following question. Then, take a moment to write down your answer.

What concerns and/or questions do you have about implementing multicultural education in your classroom?

Knowledge

“When students are empowered, they will have the ability to influence their personal, social, political and economic worlds. ..that will motivate them to participate in social change to help create a more just society and world” (Banks, 2006, p. 203)

Types of Knowledge

Personal/Cultural Popular Mainstream Academic Transformative Academic School

Personal Cultural Knowledge

Developed by students explanations, concepts, and interpretations based on personal experiences in their culture

How can this affect the classroom?-Without a clear understanding of personal

cultural knowledge, some of the behaviors of minorities students may be deemed negative and inappropriate by school staff.

Popular Knowledge

Developed by students from the concepts , explanations and interpretations they see within the mass media and popular culture.

How can this effect the classroom?-Students can come into the classroom with misconceptions or stereotypes about other cultural groups.

Mainstream Academics

Developed by the students from the concepts, explanations and theories of traditional Western-centric knowledge in history and social sciences.

How can this effect the classroom?

-Have students challenge or debate over historical ideals and events.

Transformative Academic Knowledge

Developed by the students by challenging mainstream academic knowledge by expanding and revising. When this process occurs scientific revolution happens and new paradigms will exist with established ones.

How can this effect the classroom?-Encourage students to view history from the

view of the “other group”-Develops critical thinkers by using powerful

concepts and social issues

School Knowledge

Developed by students by information that is presented in textbooks and teachings of the teacher.

How can this effect the classroom?-Teachings are taught as memorized concepts

for recall, rarely is there a challenge for critical thinking to help students develop cultural literacy.

-There should be a reform all on educational levels for the good of all reflecting various aspects of culture to empower effective participation of the nation in a democratic society.

In the classroom

Next we will look at possible ways to develop the 3 identifications and knowledge within the students to prepare them to be effective citizens who can function within various ethnic, racial and cultural groups in society.

Methods For Teaching

Begin the unit by using current events from newspapers, magazines or internet dealing with racial, ethnic or cultural diversity.

Followed by a social science inquiry, which is a study of historical information to develop an understanding of public policy.

Methods For Teaching cont’d

Once the students have an a historical perspective have them examine their own values.

– Spread opinion (in small groups identify their position and discuss)

– Unfinished sentences (teacher gives the students an incomplete sentence and have the students finish them and discuss)

– Strongly Agree/Disagree (class survey)– Action Projects (Research a topic on racial, ethinic or

cultural relevance and collect data through surveys, and analyze and interpret the data collected to develop a possible solution.)

Variations

Think of ways you can incorporate these multicultural strategies into your classroom with students in all groups and across the curriculum…

Group Lesson Planning Activity

Begin by getting into a group with your grade or content area.

Directions (Lesson Planning Act.)

Divide into groups according to content or grade level taught. Once you are in your groups, create a lesson or take a lesson you have

already implemented in your classroom and add some of the key concepts you have learned in all three sessions.

Please keep in mind the following:– definition and goals of multicultural education– how to develop the three cultural identities– the types of knowledge students have or develop– possible strategies discussed to implement with any give unit.

You can use the attach form as a guide for your lesson. Each group will have 30-45 minutes to work on your lesson. Present and share with the group.

Group Presentation Protocol

As each of the groups present their lesson plan, please follow the following protocol to keep the workshop running smoothly!

1. Be respectful.

2. Be honest.

3. Keep it under five minutes!

4. Have fun!

References

Banks, J.A. (2006). Cultural Diversity and Education: Foundations Curriculum

and Teaching (5th ed.). Seattle: Pearson Education, Inc.