Sunday, February 8, 2009

Justice & Diversity: multicultural approaches

Four Multicultural Approaches:
  1. contributions: discussing cultures based on holidays and heroes
  2. additive: adding content, themes, and perspectives to curriculum. Can be a side bar to text or a small lesson, not necessarily integrated
  3. transformative: interweaving multiple perspectives into curriculum to transform student's views
  4. social action: getting kids to act for change. visit tolerance.org and the Southern Poverty Law Center
attributes of a transformational lesson:
  • multiple perspectives
  • more than one lesson
  • balance individual and group work
  • individualization: give many ways to demonstrate learning
  • give many ways to access learning
  • use many types of materials
  • include a critical analysis of understanding cultural assumptions
"Only when the curriculum canon is transformed to reflect cultural diversity will students .. be able to attain the knowledge, skills & perspectives needed to participate effectively in today's global society." -James Banks
Some fun ways to deliver instruction:
  • visual representation
  • use tactile items from the class
  • songs
  • primary resources (remind kids that they are acting)
  • physical recall

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