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Culture and Diversity By: Ashlee Kolles Today’s Diverse Classrooms As future teachers how can we ensure we are creating a welcoming, inclusive environment? • Promote equality, encourage cooperative learning, and interdependence between groups • Educate students on prejudice, discrimination, oppression, stereotypes • Teach students to think critically, to empathize, to recognize moral choices, and to make their voices heard • Teach Students to respect differences Class Activity Respecting Differences I think cats make great pets Vanilla ice cream is delicious Red is my favorite color I enjoy watching sports Two Classroom Methods To Reduce Racism, Prejudice, and Student Exclusion • Small team method • Facing history method • http://www.facinghis tory.orgMichelleObama Economic And Social Class Differences Social Class For most, social class means just how much money one has or doesn’t have Education, income, occupation, and wealth (resources, characteristics, or attributes that people “have”) are common criteria for gauging social class Socioeconomic Status Relative standing in the society based on income, power, background, and prestige Poverty And School Achievement About one in five Americans under the age of 18 lives in poverty. By 2010, it is likely that 40% of all American children will live in poverty at some time in their lives (koppelman, 2008) Most success remains linked tightly with a student’s social class status. Contrary to many stereotypes, more poor children live in suburban and rural areas than in central cities Ethnicity and Race in Teaching and Learning By 2020, almost 2/3 of students will be from African American, Asian, Latina/Latino, or other Ethnic groups” (Meece & Kurtz-Costes, 2001) With about 65% of the students in the classroom coming from these ethnic groups, what percentage of the teachers will come from a similar ethnicity? Ethnicity vs. Race – What’s the Difference? Ethnicity- A cultural heritage shared by a group of people. Race- A socially constructed category based on appearances and ancestry. Melting Pot For years, the goal of American schools was to be the fire under the melting pot and get new immigrants to assimilate. • The students needed to change – not the schools • Educators believed some students to be “culturally deficient” or “culturally disadvantaged” • The belief that the student’s home life was inferior because it did not prepare him for education Multiculturalism “Ethnic groups today want to maintain their culture and identity while still being a respected part of the larger society. Multiculturalism is the goal” (p.168). • Multiculturalism supports a society that values diversity. Achievement Gap based on race Some ethnic groups consistently achieve below the average for all students (Okagaki, 2006; Uline & Johnson, 2005). Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress 260 250 Asian/Pacific Islander White 240 230 220 Hispanic 210 Black 200 190 180 1996 2000 2003 2006 Research indicates 4 main causes of achievement gap • The Legacy of Discrimination • Cultural Mismatches • Language Differences • Poverty The Legacy of Discrimination Desegregation of Schools begin 1954- Brown vs. Board Of Education 1969- Alexander vs. Holmes County Board of Education Segregation Today Black and Hispanic students • Chosen less often for gifted classes • Chosen less often for acceleration or enrichment programs • More likely tracked into “basic skills” classes Stereotype Threat an apprehensiveness about confirming a stereotype (Aronson, 2002) • Short-term Effects: Test Performance • Long-term Effects: Disidentification • Combating Stereotype threat: changing the students beliefs “The message is for teachers to help all students see academic achievement as part of their ethnic, racial and gender identity” Impact of Stereotype Threat 12 10 African Americans Caucasians 8 6 4 2 0 Stereotype Threat No Stereotype Threat Cultural Mismatches • Schools are designed with the white middle-class student in mind • Lim, Jae Hoon (2008) ‘Double Jeopardy: The Compounding Effects of Class and Race in Schools’ Equity & Excellence in Education How do we meet the needs of all students? Create culturally relevant classrooms • Students must experience academic success • Students must develop/maintain their cultural competence • Students must develop a critical consciousness to challenge the status quo Teaching Every Student • Know your students • Respect your students • Teach your students