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Multicultural Education
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
Class meets: Mondays/Wednesdays from 1:25 - 3:20 in Roop
202
Professor: Solange A. Lopes-Murphy, (540) 569-2936
Office Hours: Tuesdays/Thursdays 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Roop 323, by
appointment or via e-mail at lopesmsa@jmu.edu
**Text Suggested: Blair, T. R., and Jones, D. L. (1008).
Preparing for Student Teaching in a Pluralistic Classroom. Boston:
Allyn and Bacon.
** The text is strongly recommended as an additional source of
information to the class discussions. However, students are not
required to buy it.
Course Goals: By the end of four weeks of instruction, the student
will be able to...
1. recognize the importance of multicultural education in teacher
education programs, and build knowledge bases about our multicultural
reality to improve the pedagogical practices in multicultural school
settings;
2. express understanding of the different learning styles and
cultural backgrounds of students in order to develop alternative,
diverse styles of teaching;
3. develop a sense for students' individual differences,
concerns, and strengths to help them encounter their own personal
social reality;
4. understand the multicultural reality of the American
civilization, and integrate the multicultural social heritage
of our civilization into the regular school curriculum;
5. recognize the need to develop an array of skills needed to
work with diverse school populations; and
6. design learning strategies that encourage students to develop
a sense of community, acceptance, and collaboration.
General Requirements
1. As future professionals, you are expected to be present in
class and arrive on time.
2. The JMU Honor Code applies fully to all work done in this
class.
3. The use of gender-free language is required for all written
work.
"The National Council of Teachers of English should
encourage the use of nonsexist language...Language plays a central
role in socialization, for it helps teach [people] the roles that are
expected of them. Through language [people] conceptualize their ideas
and feelings about themselves and their world. Thought and action are
reflected in words, and words in turn condition how a person thinks
and acts. Eliminating sexist language will not eliminate sexist
conduct, but as the language is liberated from sexist usages and
assumptions, women and men will begin to share more equal, active,
caring roles." (National Council of Teachers of English, 1975)
Lesson Plan
You will modify a lesson you have previously designed. The
purpose of this activity is to stimulate reflection on the types of
activities and approach included in your lesson and how much these
address diversity. After analyzing your lesson plan, you will be
required to share your modified lesson plan with a group of 4
students. As a group, you will select one lesson plan to be discussed
with the whole group. The lesson plan presentations will be on
September 6 & 11. This activity is worth 15% of your total grade.
Reflective Journal
You will develop a reflective journal related to the class
discussions, reflections, and classroom activities. This will be used
as a cognitive assessment to determine your understanding and thoughts
on the issue of multiculturalism. Your journal is worth 10% of your
total grade. Your journal should not contain more than three
double-spaced typed pages. Journals are due on September 13.
In-Service Sessions
During the first 2 1/2 weeks of course each group (to be
determined by the instructor on the first day of class) will interview
either administrators, teachers or high school students who are
representative of a cultural group (e.g., African American, Asian,
Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Southern Appalachian White, Native
American). You can also focus on issues such as exceptionality,
social class, gender, sex orientation, religion, etc. to conduct your
interview.
If you are interviewing an administrator or a teacher, your questions
should focus on the demographic changes in the schools/classrooms and
the types of programs being created to accommodate these populations'
needs. If you are interviewing a student, the questions of the
interview should focus on issues of inclusion, the need for
variation/modification of teaching styles, difficulties in learning,
particular concerns in academic achievement, assessment measurements,
and suggestions for improvement. This should be an informal talk. Do
not audiotape, videotape, collect samples of student's work or
anything that requires obtaining permission.
This will be a collaborative effort. Each of you will be a member of
an interdisciplinary team reflecting a number of content areas. Using
the responses from the interview, your presentation will cover two
topics:
1. what difficulties does this particular group of students
encounter in high schools, and
2. what can a classroom high school teacher do to alleviate these
difficulties.
Make it meaningful, interesting and visual. This session should be
about 20 minutes in length and is worth 25% of your total grade.
Exams
There will be no exams administered during the course of this
class.
Evaluation
Attendance 5% (.625% each class)
Class Participation 5% (.625% each class)
Punctuality 5% (.625% each class)
Lesson Plan Reflection/Presentation 20%
Reflective Journal 10%
In-Service Sessions 25%
Total 70%
Grade Scale
68% and above = A
67.9% - 65% = A-
64.9% - 62% = B
61.9% - 59% = B-
58.9% - 55% = C
54.9% - 50% = D
below 50% = F
Tentative Schedule
Dates Topics
8/28/00 Introduction to the course
Definition of ME
8/30/00 Video: Blue Eyed
HOMEWORK: You will fill out the following learning style inventories
and bring a printout of the results to class:
http://www.howtolearn.com/personal.html
http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/ilsweb
.html
** Please bring a lesson plan you have developed to the 9/4 class
9/4/00 Learning Styles
How to Develop Multicultural Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan Reflection
9/6/00 Goals and Importance of ME for teachers
Parental Involvement
Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Misconceptions
Lesson Plan Presentations
9/11/00 Lesson Plan Presentations
Simulation Activity
9/13/00 Affective Factors in Academic Success
Classroom Management in a Diverse Setting
Assessment
Teacher Expectations
Teacher Expectations
In-Service Sessions
Journals due
9/18/00 Class does not meet
9/20/00 In-Service Sessions
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