Diversity and Cultural Awareness Practices in the K-12 Classroom

Catalog description

This course addresses diversity, cultural awareness and sensitivity about cultures, concepts and methods in society, communities and educational settings. EDUC 400 Diversity and Cultural Awareness Practices in the K-12 Classroom (3)This course is an examination of diverse cultures, stereotypes, concepts and issues that impact the way individuals interact with one another in society. In relation to EDUC 315, it takes students to the next level as they experience cultural attributes from a media perspective, as well as being immersed into diverse settings throughout the course. It is designed for students to develop sensitivity and awareness of cultural influences in America and the public school systems. An emphasis is placed on sociopolitical aspects of the United States and other world cultures, sources of cross-cultural conflict, and approaches to cross-cultural conflict resolution as they relate to P-12 settings, their communities and the communities in which they teach. Cultural awareness is concrete and/or visible in society and is necessary for promoting sensitivity and respect of cultural beliefs and values amongst teachers, administrators and students. Course participants will be required to demonstrate knowledge of with regard to developing sensitivity and awareness of cultural influences on behavior as these relate to the community, society and schooling processes. Course participants will be required to analyze methods of teaching Multicultural Education and its various camps including: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Critical Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racist Pedagogy. The creative tension between dominant and subordinate voices will lead to both visual and written responses. The major goal of the course is to help students identify their diversity in American society and to develop their own creative voices, while drawing on issues of race, ethnicity, gender, geographical location, sexual identity, age, ability, social class, social status and other cultural attributes that make individuals uniquely diverse.