Chapter 8Chapter 8

Affirming the Cultures Affirming the Cultures and Supporting the and Supporting the

Achievements of Achievements of Diverse StudentsDiverse Students

Chapter 8Chapter 8

Affirming Cultures and Affirming Cultures and Supporting Diverse StudentsSupporting Diverse Students

1972 -- 78% of United States students were 1972 -- 78% of United States students were European AmericansEuropean Americans

2004 – 43 % of US students were African, 2004 – 43 % of US students were African, Asian, Latin, or Native AmericanAsian, Latin, or Native American

By 2010 the percent of Non European By 2010 the percent of Non European American students is expected to be 50% or American students is expected to be 50% or moremore

Cultural CapitalCultural Capital

Schools tend to reinforce the knowledge Schools tend to reinforce the knowledge and values of the culturally dominant groupand values of the culturally dominant group

Sources of Cultural Capital:Sources of Cultural Capital:– CustomsCustoms– ValuesValues– LanguageLanguage– Material goods (books, pictures, objects Material goods (books, pictures, objects

etc.)etc.)– Educational ExperiencesEducational Experiences

The Mismatch DilemmaThe Mismatch Dilemma Most teachers are middle-class European Most teachers are middle-class European

Americans from suburban or rural Americans from suburban or rural backgroundsbackgrounds

Most are femaleMost are female

Most have little knowledge of other Most have little knowledge of other languages or cultureslanguages or cultures

Simply being a teacher from a non-white Simply being a teacher from a non-white background does not guarantee effectivenessbackground does not guarantee effectiveness

Using Cultural CapitalUsing Cultural Capital

Become familiar with your students Become familiar with your students background:background:

– Visit their neighborhoodsVisit their neighborhoods

– Become familiar with students Become familiar with students living circumstances living circumstances

– Talk to their parentsTalk to their parents

Using Cultural Capital (Cont.)Using Cultural Capital (Cont.)

– Find out about the occupations of Find out about the occupations of students’ parents and use parents students’ parents and use parents as resource people in your classas resource people in your class

– Use the richness of students’ homes Use the richness of students’ homes and communities as sources of and communities as sources of diverse, and powerful connections to diverse, and powerful connections to classroom learning (RELEVEANCE)classroom learning (RELEVEANCE)

English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners

There is no broad consensus on the There is no broad consensus on the best approach.best approach.

– Assimilationists favor English immersion.Assimilationists favor English immersion.

– Cultural Pluralists favor First-Language Cultural Pluralists favor First-Language instruction in all subjects except Literacy. instruction in all subjects except Literacy. English is taught during literacy English is taught during literacy instruction.instruction.

– Multiculturalists favor bilingual education Multiculturalists favor bilingual education in which student receive instruction in in which student receive instruction in both languages.both languages.

ELL – What’s Best?ELL – What’s Best?

Research suggests the best ELL Research suggests the best ELL program for a student depends on:program for a student depends on:

– AgeAge

– Previous Exposure to EnglishPrevious Exposure to English

– Language support at homeLanguage support at home

ELL – What’s Best? (Cont.)ELL – What’s Best? (Cont.)

Research suggests the goal of an ELL Research suggests the goal of an ELL program should be to help students program should be to help students maintain and build their first maintain and build their first language and…language and…

Add fluency and literacy skills in Add fluency and literacy skills in English but…English but…

Not attempt to replace the first Not attempt to replace the first language with Englishlanguage with English

ELL- What can a teacher do?ELL- What can a teacher do?

Learn some basic words and phrases and Learn some basic words and phrases and teach these to the classteach these to the class

Use the first language in songs, poetry, Use the first language in songs, poetry, dances, rhymes, and countingdances, rhymes, and counting

Include first language materials in Include first language materials in centerscenters

ELL- What can a teacher do? ELL- What can a teacher do? (Cont.)(Cont.)

Modify (simplify) your English when giving Modify (simplify) your English when giving instruction and providing directions for instruction and providing directions for assignmentsassignments

Allow students who share the same first Allow students who share the same first language to use that language when language to use that language when working in pairs or small groupsworking in pairs or small groups

Acquire dual language dictionaries and Acquire dual language dictionaries and other resource materials that will help you other resource materials that will help you translate between English and other translate between English and other languages.languages.

Teaching in Urban SchoolsTeaching in Urban Schools

Usually urban schools have more cultural Usually urban schools have more cultural mismatches related to immigrant and mismatches related to immigrant and minority group status.minority group status.

Usually urban schools have more students Usually urban schools have more students who are at-risk academicallywho are at-risk academically

Usually urban schools have students Usually urban schools have students whose home background equips them with whose home background equips them with less cultural capital that would predispose less cultural capital that would predispose them to success in schoolthem to success in school

Urban Schools tend to have:Urban Schools tend to have: More students living in povertyMore students living in poverty

Higher percentages of single-parent Higher percentages of single-parent familiesfamilies

Lower percentages of credentialed and Lower percentages of credentialed and highly qualified teachershighly qualified teachers

Aging facilities Aging facilities

Limited space and materialsLimited space and materials

What Students in Urban Schools What Students in Urban Schools NeedNeed

Caring teachersCaring teachers

Teachers with cultural sensitivityTeachers with cultural sensitivity

Good student-teacher relationshipsGood student-teacher relationships

Affirmation of home culturesAffirmation of home cultures

What Students in Urban Schools What Students in Urban Schools Need (Cont.)Need (Cont.)

High expectations and performance High expectations and performance demandsdemands

Intellectual rigor focused on Intellectual rigor focused on important knowledge and skillsimportant knowledge and skills

Connections between classroom Connections between classroom learning and life experienceslearning and life experiences

What Successful Teachers DoWhat Successful Teachers Do

Confront their own prejudices (e.g. Confront their own prejudices (e.g. low expectations for students of color)low expectations for students of color)

Take steps to change prejudiced Take steps to change prejudiced attitudes or beliefsattitudes or beliefs

Avoid being “Color Blind” (this usually Avoid being “Color Blind” (this usually results in all students being treated results in all students being treated as American European middle-class as American European middle-class

What Successful Teachers Do What Successful Teachers Do (Cont.)(Cont.)

Assume the role of “Warm Demander”Assume the role of “Warm Demander”– Display warmth, caring and empathyDisplay warmth, caring and empathy– Teach students empowering knowledge Teach students empowering knowledge

and skills and skills – Include direct instruction in literacy and Include direct instruction in literacy and

communicationcommunication– Drive students to succeedDrive students to succeed– Refuse to accept excuses or shoddy work Refuse to accept excuses or shoddy work

What Successful Teachers Do What Successful Teachers Do (Cont.)(Cont.)

Require students to correct mistakes or Require students to correct mistakes or redo poorly done assignmentsredo poorly done assignments

Enlist the support of parents to make Enlist the support of parents to make sure students take homework seriouslysure students take homework seriously

IN GENERAL, THEY FOLLOW THROUGH!IN GENERAL, THEY FOLLOW THROUGH!

Cultivating Parental InvolvementCultivating Parental Involvement

Parental involvement is positively Parental involvement is positively correlated with student achievement correlated with student achievement and motivationand motivation

Teachers should cultivate parental Teachers should cultivate parental involvement early in the school yearinvolvement early in the school year

How to promote parental How to promote parental involvementinvolvement

Schedule a series of conferences Schedule a series of conferences early in the school yearearly in the school year

Make phone calls and send personal Make phone calls and send personal notesnotes

Invite parents to special class eventsInvite parents to special class events

How to promote parental How to promote parental involvement (Cont.)involvement (Cont.)

Ask parents to support special class Ask parents to support special class activitiesactivities

Invite parents to events that are more Invite parents to events that are more social and entertaining than academicsocial and entertaining than academic

Visit in students’ homesVisit in students’ homes

Encourage parents to volunteer in Encourage parents to volunteer in schoolschool

Responding to Gender DifferencesResponding to Gender Differences Most studies show these tendencies:Most studies show these tendencies:

– Boys value and enjoy mathematics and Boys value and enjoy mathematics and science more than language artsscience more than language arts

– Girls value and enjoy language arts Girls value and enjoy language arts more than science and mathematicsmore than science and mathematics

– Boys prefer to read non-fictionBoys prefer to read non-fiction

– Girls prefer to read fictionGirls prefer to read fiction

Responding to Gender Differences Responding to Gender Differences (Cont.)(Cont.)

Girls are more likely to attribute lack of Girls are more likely to attribute lack of success to limited ability in specific success to limited ability in specific subject areassubject areas

Boys tend to attribute lack of success Boys tend to attribute lack of success to bad luck, lack of interest, or low to bad luck, lack of interest, or low efforteffort

These differences make girls more These differences make girls more vulnerable to learned helplessness or vulnerable to learned helplessness or other forms of failure acceptanceother forms of failure acceptance

Teacher Reactions to GenderTeacher Reactions to Gender

Boys receive more interaction with Boys receive more interaction with teachers than girlsteachers than girls

Boys initiate many of the interactionsBoys initiate many of the interactions Teacher-initiated interactions also Teacher-initiated interactions also

favor boys favor boys Teachers ask more thought-Teachers ask more thought-

provoking questions to boys and give provoking questions to boys and give them more feedbackthem more feedback

Recommendations Recommendations Encourage boys to appreciate literature Encourage boys to appreciate literature Help girls learn to value mathematics Help girls learn to value mathematics

and scienceand science Encourage girls to actively participate in Encourage girls to actively participate in

lessonslessons Encourage girls to “speak their minds”Encourage girls to “speak their minds” Assign girls leadership rolesAssign girls leadership roles Continue to encourage boys’ motivation Continue to encourage boys’ motivation

and achievementand achievement

Learning Styles and Multiple Learning Styles and Multiple IntelligencesIntelligences

Research supporting the importance of Research supporting the importance of Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences is Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences is limitedlimited

Addressing all learning styles and Addressing all learning styles and intelligences in a lesson is difficultintelligences in a lesson is difficult

Students with an affinity for a particular Students with an affinity for a particular learning style or strength in a type of learning style or strength in a type of intelligence may be “reached” if that style intelligence may be “reached” if that style is part of the lessonis part of the lesson– The best approach may be to include a variety The best approach may be to include a variety

of learning styles and intelligences to classroom of learning styles and intelligences to classroom instruction over extended time periodsinstruction over extended time periods

Personal CharacteristicsPersonal Characteristics(Five Types of Students)(Five Types of Students)

Successful – task oriented, academically Successful – task oriented, academically successful and cooperativesuccessful and cooperative

Social – more person oriented than task Social – more person oriented than task oriented but may not be well liked by oriented but may not be well liked by teachersteachers

Dependent – frequently look to teacher for Dependent – frequently look to teacher for support and encouragement – tend to be support and encouragement – tend to be socially immaturesocially immature

Personal CharacteristicsPersonal Characteristics(Five Types of Students) (Cont.)(Five Types of Students) (Cont.)

Alienated – reluctant learners – potential Alienated – reluctant learners – potential drop-outs – some are openly hostile drop-outs – some are openly hostile

Phantom – fade into the background – may Phantom – fade into the background – may be shy, nervous, quiet, independent be shy, nervous, quiet, independent workers, do not volunteer, do not create workers, do not volunteer, do not create disruptionsdisruptions

See p.271 for Good and Power (1976) See p.271 for Good and Power (1976) suggestions for working with each type of suggestions for working with each type of studentstudent

THE ENDTHE END

DiscussionDiscussion

What are some ways to get to know What are some ways to get to know the community in which you teach? the community in which you teach? Why is this important?Why is this important?

What are some strategies you plan to What are some strategies you plan to use to promote parental involvement?use to promote parental involvement?

What are some strategies you will use What are some strategies you will use to minimize gender bias in your to minimize gender bias in your classroom?classroom?

Discussion (Cont.)Discussion (Cont.)

Many minority students’ parents do Many minority students’ parents do not speak English. How can you get not speak English. How can you get them involved in their child’s them involved in their child’s educational process?educational process?

What do you see as the greatest What do you see as the greatest teaching challenge associated with teaching challenge associated with student diversity? How will you begin student diversity? How will you begin to address that challenge?to address that challenge?