A Multicultural Education Approach to Teaching Diverse Learners ((3 Credits))

Catalog description

The course is designed to help current and future educators acquire the concepts, paradigms, and explanations needed to be successful practitioners in classrooms and schools that are varied in terms of culture, race, language, and socioeconomic status. The notion of culture will become more complex through new perspectives of teachers, who are additionally going to see race, class, gender, social class, and exceptionality as interrelated ideas rather than as separate and different ones. Teachers will acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to collaborate successfully with students from various ethnic backgrounds as well as support the cross-cultural instruction, values, and competencies of students from dominant groups. The topics included in this course pertain to cultural, ethnic, racial, and diversity matters within the realm of education. These include exploring issues related to socioeconomic diversity, examining the presence of cultural bias among teachers, analyzing their attitudes, and corresponding behaviors, and encouraging teachers to reflect upon their own social identities. Additionally, the conversation delves into the historical context of educational practices that have marginalized certain cultural groups, as well as the development of curriculum and instructional strategies that cater to the needs of diverse students. Gender equity, gender and sexuality, and the presence of gender bias are also explored, along with the importance of nurturing caring teaching skills and effective classroom management. Lastly, the impact of bullying on the academic achievement of LGBTQ individuals is examined, with a focus on targeted populations within this community. Furthermore, students will explore strategies for developing collaborations between families and the school community.