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Boise State University

Teacher Education Course Syllabus

Course: Cultural Diversity in Schools *Integrated service learning

Course Number: ED-BLESL 200                                          Section: 002

Schedule: T/Th 3:15-4:30pm                                                Location: E223

Instructor: Dr. Aileen Hale                                                    Office: E412

EMail: aileenhale@boisestate.edu                                         Phone: 426-1136   

Conceptual Framework:  The Professional Educator 

Boise State University strives to develop knowledgeable educators who integrate complex roles and dispositions in the service of diverse communities of learners. Believing that all children, adolescents, and adults can learn, educators dedicate themselves to supporting that learning.  Using effective approaches that promote high levels of student achievement, educators create environments that prepare learners to be citizens who contribute to a complex world.  Educators serve learners as reflective practitioners, scholars and artists, problem solvers, and partners. 

Standards and Assessments

 COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is an introduction to cultural diversity in education, including an historical overview of programs for students from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds, contemporary multicultural and bilingual education, and education for social justice and equity.  * A field experience component is required.

 COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• To investigate and gain deeper understanding of a socio-cultural group.  Identify group perspectives with relation to education, and how these perspectives correspond with the framework of the typical American school/the school their child attends.
• To use the intellectual writings of members of your cultural group to inform your understanding of their belief and value systems and how these systems affect their understanding of education.
• To build on the language, dialect(s), learning styles, and interests of students whose background differs from the teacher’s to help children/students master academic material.
• To learn skills in reducing prejudice and stereotyping such as cooperative learning, developing a multicultural curriculum, locating and using good multicultural resources, and involving parents in schooling.
• To develop a critical understanding of how social justice, diversity, democracy, and equity relate to the individual, school and the world.
• To more effectively teach children from diverse cultural backgrounds

REQUIRED READINGS:

1. Nieto, S. (2004)  Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education. Boston: Pearson, 4^{th or 5th} Edition. (*To Purchase)

2. Brown, C. (1988). Like it Was—A Complete Guide to Writing Oral History. NY: Teachers & Writers Collaborative. (Chapters distributed in class)

3. Frank, C. (1999). Ethnographic Eyes—A Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Observation. NH: Heinemann. (*To Purchase)

4. Spradley, J. (1979). The Ethnographic Interview. NY: Harcourt Publishers. (Chapters distributed in class)

5. Hayes, C., Bahruth, R., & Kessler, C. (8988). Literacy con carino. NH: Heinemann Publishers. (Reading assigned in class)

6. One ethnographic novel and children’s literature of your choice relevant to your culture of study

7. Articles distributed by the instructor  

ASSIGNMENTS: 

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION: (30%)

Due to the nature of this class your attendance and participation are vital to your learning. Thus, full and complete (on time) participation is expected and required. Your assignments must be completed in a thorough and thoughtful manner. All papers must be typed and spell-checked. References to readings should also be properly cited (APA/MLA).  Much of your participation will be in group format, thus if you miss or are late to a class, it will affect your whole group, as well as the entire class. As participation is 30 % of your grade, active participation in activities and dialogues will be noted.  Included in participation is one’s attitude toward instructor and classmates and overall contribution toward class.  Simply showing up to class is not enough. If you must miss class for outstanding circumstances, please notify instructor (by email/phone) as soon as possible to consider makeup work. Timely completion of all assignments contributes to your participation grade. 

Blackboard discussion: a model for a blackboard reflection will be posted for you on BB. You will be responsible for completing 5 blackboard reflections for reading assignments. Please complete while doing reading & bring copies to class for discussions. Reflection should include: 1) practical application of reading; and 2) response to specific points from text.  They will be given 5 points each, and count toward the evaluation of your overall participation. Reflection responses must be posted by 10pm evening prior to class discussion. *If it is not received by this time, it will not be counted. 

MULTICULTURAL LESSON/FILM CLIP (15%)

Research an internet website, library source, and/or film clip which demonstrates an effective way of teaching children from the culture you are studying.  Prepare a 1 page synthesis for classmates and present source as a multicultural lesson for class. You are encouraged to work in partners/small groups for this project. 

FINAL WRITTEN CULTURAL CASE STUDY: (35%)

The purpose of this case study is to learn more in-depth from a particular perspective of the cultural group that you are studying.  Through gaining deeper understanding of a cultural group, the case study is intended to help you know how best to educate children from a given cultural group.  The case study is not an end, in and of itself, but is designed to set you on a lifelong path of learning about issues of social justice, diversity, democracy, and equity affecting this cultural group.   

The Final Cultural Case Study should be an analysis, synthesis, and application of:

1. Course readings—specific to your culture or generalized application of readings.

      Include any major concepts and issues raised during class discussions and course readings. Include and cite text/articles assigned for class.  Keep your reading reflection papers to include in your synthesis. 

2. Literature Review—Each student is required to research outside literature related to their cultural group of study.  Readings to enhance your understanding of the culture should include:

a)      One ethnography or other culturally informative literature, ideally written by a member of the group, but may also be an outsider;

b)     One piece of children’s literature, revealing cultural beliefs/values/worldviews.  

c)      Articles also may be accepted with approved by professor.

Suggestions for readings will be provided in class to get you started on the research process. The internet can be used as a resource but cannot be the only source of information for the project. Students should include references for selected books and articles; and a synthesis of cultural insights gathered from the literature which reveals your understanding of books’ discussions and cultural themes. Synthesize how insights gained from literature could affect one’s teaching of children from your specific cultural group. 

3. Cultural Interview—you will need to interview one informant  from your culture of study who is related to your service site. Questions will be developed in class. The purpose of the interview is to give you an inside/”emic” perspective of the culture. You should consider specific issues related to educating students of this culture and the particular challenges they face in the U.S. educational system. Your interview should be tape recorded, but does not need to be transcribed. Quotes from your interviewee can be used to highlight themes in your final paper.  When quoting from the interviews, no real names of children, teachers, or schools can be used in your paper or when talking about your project. This is to protect the identity of those who have volunteered to help you.  A synthesis and analysis of what you learned from your interviewee, compared and contrasted with literature should be considered in light of their implications for teaching or working with members of this cultural group.  

*It is important to consider the informant’s age (ie. If you are working with elementary school age children, consider interviewing their teacher or a family member). *Include interview questions in appendix of paper.  

4. Service-Learning—you should keep a journal of the cultural insights you gain while participating in your service-learning experience throughout the semester.  In the final paper, you should discuss how the experience validated/invalidated your prior/”book knowledge” of this culture.  The purpose of the service-learning component is help you learn experientially from the community of the culture you are studying, rather than only reading about your culture. 

Service Options: A complete list of options will be provided in class.

             *Other service options may be considered, with instructor’s approval.

             *Students are encouraged to work in partners at their service-site. 

Service-learning will be assessed on the following basis:

• Participation in class discussions demonstrating a critical understanding of service-learning experience and ability to make connections with class themes

      (democracy, diversity, social justice, equity);

• Completion of 3 reflection papers on service experience: pre/mid/post
• Keeping a journal of your experience
• Timely completion of required 20 hours of service. 

(Submission of your service log hours will be due at the mid and end of the semester).

• Agency evaluation of your attendance and participation.

*(You will NOT pass this class if you do not fulfill this component of the course)   

FINAL PRESENTATION (20%)

The findings from your Final Cultural Case Study paper will be presented to the class. You should make this presentation as interactive and engaging as possible to convey the main points of what you learned.  Do not tell, but actualize your story.  Make use of power point, videos, etc. to share your cultural insights.  Consider how your experience in this class has changed your understanding of the culture studied and could provide ideas for more effectively teaching or working with students from this culture.  Prepare an outline of your presentation to distribute to the class.  Your grade for this presentation will largely be based on how effectively you convey the information to the class. 

*Your outline and brief summary of group/class discussion will be submitted at the end of your class presentation. Please bring literature to class that night for your group as well as copies of your outline for entire class. 

* Please cite all references to literature in body of paper and include a final reference page.

GRADING:

Grading Scale: A=90-100; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69

A-Reserved for exemplary work. Your work shows deep thought, analysis, and

synthesis of the readings and activities. You made connections among the

readings and with your service learning experience. You shared with your

classmates; examined your biases and prejudices and were willing to make changes

based on new information. You attended class in both body and spirit.

B-Distinguished work. You fulfilled all the assignments according to

specifications. You were present most of the time. You did the readings, but

didn’t really get into them or make personal connections, either to our own life

or to your service learning experience. Sometimes you shared in class. You were

able to embrace some new ideas and information.

C-Average work. You fulfilled the assignments minimally. If you did all the

readings, you didn’t really get below the surface to the deeper issues. You made

few connections among the readings, activities or service learning experience.

You rarely entered into the discussions in class. You have made few changes in

your thinking about diversity, democracy, equity and social justice.

D-Below average work. Attendance and participation were sporadic. You didn’t

really enter into the learning opportunities presented to you. Assignments were

completed in a haphazard, slipshod manner that shows lack of planning,

commitment, and deep thought.

F-You put nothing into this class.

Academic Honesty

Cheating or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.  Boise State University functions to promote the cognitive and psychosocial development of all students.  Therefore, all work submitted by a student must represent his/her own ideas, concepts, and current understanding.  Academic dishonesty also includes submitting substantial portions of the same academic course work to more than one course for credit without prior permission of professor.  If a student is found cheating or plagiarizing material, it may result in a failing grade.

Late Work:  Work is accepted up to a week late for up to half credit. For

example, if a paper is turned in after the due date and worth 50 points, the

late assignment is given up to 25pts. If you pace yourself and keep up with the

readings throughout the semester, you will have no problems keeping up. 

DIVERSE ABILITIES. I wish to be inclusive of all backgrounds, voices and

abilities. If you need special accommodations in any way, please let me know

right away so we can come to an adequate solution together.

CELL PHONES. Out of respect and common courtesy for your instructor and

classmates, PLEASE turn off your phones BEFORE the start of class.

Tentative Class Schedule—subject to change