Yesterday we had a session on multicultural education. I learned the following:
Sidebars in textbooks often encourage stereotypes. Instead, offer examples that are seamlessly woven into a lesson.
Don't have the “heroes and holidays” mindset (i.e. Black History Month): it puts people in boxes on calendars, instead of celebrating then all the time.
Multi-Cultural Education is NOT:
at odds with western civilization and with the teaching of western history, literature, and thinking.
appropriate enrichment only for students who have already mastered “basic” content and skills.
a curriculum movement only for disenfranchised or marginalized groups.
We have the ability to help change mindsets of children, as well as to help them develop pride in their own culture/background/life history.
Students do better when they have something to relate to, so we need to give enough examples to reach every kid in our class. Learn about the students so you can leverage their backgrounds to help them get invested.
Teach them to stand up for themselves.
During that session, the CS (Curriculum Specialist) did something very nice for me, which shows me how good she is as a teacher. I arrived at class early, and she had this to say to me, "I know you like fidgeting on your computer during class, but this session's notes are only in hard copy, so no computers today. But, here's a binder clip and some masking tape to play with."
I learned that binder clips are a great and quiet way to entertain fidgety students to help them focus.
We also had a special session on science education. I learned to always have a substitute teacher binder, which includes attendance rosters, emergency class plans (Mythbusters and the Scientific Method, House and the Scientific Method), and exam review sheets. Also, make sure the students have computer and internet access, because they won't always have them at home. Inform the students on the locations and hours of local libraries. Also, make friends with a lab supply salesman, the art teacher, and local fast food shops for free (or cheap) lab supplies, including sugar packets and straws.
Class went really well yesterday. I had all of my students working hard on writing a letter to the editor of the New York Daily News regarding an article about cutting down a grove of trees in the Bronx. They were writing to inform the readers about the effect of deforestation on global warming. They didn't want to stop writing to leave class!
Only one more day of teaching left, and one day of review and assessment after that. Almost done. And I'm almost sad about it.
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