HSER 1143-98,99 Summer Syllabus

Please feel free to leave a voice mail on my cell phone. My goal is to return the call within 24 hours. Email is the most reliable form of communication. As I review email messages 2 – 3 times per week. Please use your metnet email associated within your course located under class list.

Inver Hills Web Site: http://www.inverhills.edu/

Registration:

To register for online courses at Inver Hills. You don't have to be a regular, full-time student. Limited enrollment registration makes is easy to take just one class. http://www.inverhills.edu/GettingStarted/ApplicationSteps.aspx#LimitedEnrollment

Finding course on D2L:

D2L is our online learning platform. The entire course will be self contained within D2L. On the left hand side of the page find the Inver login icon. Click on the icon and find D2L log-in and follow the directions. After registering for the course you will receive a letter from the college giving you a tech ID this is your user name to log onto D2L and your metnet email account. You can log into D2L now, however, our course will open on the first scheduled day of the course. Please activate your metnet email account, run a system check on your computer and log into D2L you can do this at the following web site; getting started for online courses. Any difficulties logging on please follow the directions on the web page. There is a sample course located at:

http://www.inverhills.edu/Online/prospective/index.html

Technical Preparedness:

Desire2Learn (D2L), the web application that Inver Hills uses to administer classes, has minimal demands that most computers will meet easily. If your computer passes the Desire2Learn system check an external link, your computer is able to use Desire2Learn.

https://inverhills.ims.mnscu.edu/d2l/tools/system_check/systemCheck.asp?ou=1700

Communication:

I will attempt to return assignments within 1 week. During the course I will be checking email at least every 3 days. If you do not hear back from me please call me on my cell phone at 612-239-5283. Communication is critical for the successful completion of the course.

Text

Banks, J., & Banks, C. (Eds.). (2006). Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives (6^th Edition) Wiley. ISBN 9780471780472

Rosenblum, K. & Travis, T. (Eds.). (2009). The meaning of Difference: American constructions of race, sex and gender, social class, and sexual orientation 5th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 9780073380056

You can find these books on the Inver Hills book store web site, http://www.inverhillsbookstore.com/Home.aspx

Or on your own, be sure you have the correct editions.

Class Calendar:

This course opens on D2L on May 31, 2009. The first official week of work begins June 4 and all work must be completed and turned in by August 1, 2009. The first chat date is Wednesday June 3, 2009, discussion questions answered by Friday June 5, and peer responses by Tuesday June 9.

Chat dates for this course:

Wednesday nights from 7:00 - 7:45 PM for section 98 and

from 8:00 – 8:45 PM for section 99

Missed Chats

All chats are required. If you are unable to attend the weekly chat because of a prior commitment please email me to let me know you will be completing the alternate assignment. The alternate assignment requires you to read the entire missed chat and briefly respond to your peers thoughts and questions and my questions within 48 hours of the chat. I do mean briefly. This alternate assignment should not take you longer than 45 minutes to complete. Place the completed assignment into the drop box in D2L under missed chats. I will not be responding to these. Information on assignments is given during chats. You are responsible for this information.

Discussion Questions:

Discussion answers will be due on Friday’s by noon. This schedule will allow students and instructor to read and respond to others postings prior to the chat. It will also allow other students to read and respond to cohort members prior to the chat.

Threaded Discussion Peer Responses:

Responses to peers discussion questions are due by Tuesdays. Every student is required to read all their peers answers to the discussion questions and respond to at least one peer answer for each question asked. The peer threaded dialogs are due on Tuesdays.

Rubric assessment of chats, discussion questions & threaded peer dialogs:
Weekly students will be graded on their participation in the chats, discussion questions, and peer threaded dialogs. The rubric that will be used to assess these is located in the content area of this course named chat and discussion assessment rubric. Please review the rubric in advance to determine how you can obtain the highest grade possible. Students are expected to participate weekly, 5 points will be deduced for each week discussions are late. Students are not expected to read or respond to late postings.

Deadlines:

Deadlines are extremely important in this course as both cohort members and the instructor organize their time based upon the principles of full participation. When course participants do not respond according to the predetermined deadlines, full participation from all members is thwarted.

Grades:

Ongoing grades can be found in the grade section of D2L.

Grades will be assigned as follows:

1%		Course Goals
	24%	Participation (Chat & Threaded Dialogue)
	25%	Cultural Autobiography
	25%	Reflection Paper
	25%	Reaction Paper

90 – 100 % A

             80 - 90 %    B
             70 - 79 %    C
             60 - 69 %    D
             59 % and below F

Course Description:

Emphasizes the development of classroom teachers who are multiculturally informed, gender fair, and disability aware. Examines issues such as racism, sexism, oppression, prejudice and discrimination. The course aims to increase students’ capacity to identify, discuss, and reflect on the ethical dimensions of political, social and personal life and to examine the responsibility of classroom teachers to practice productive citizenship. Emphasis is on demonstrating multicultural competence required of all successful teachers working with diverse youth. Meets State of Minnesota human relations requirement for teacher licensure.

Instructional Goals and Objectives:

1. Identify the contributions and lifestyles of the various racial, cultural, and economic groups in our society.

2. Examine own cultural affiliation and related privileges and barriers.

3. Describe how learning is influenced by individual experiences, talents, and prior learning, as well as language, culture, family and community values.

4. Examine how to recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases, discrimination, prejudices, and both institutional and personal racism and sexism.

5. Demonstrate awareness of various cultural and racial groups in the U.S., including Minnesota-based American Indians, and their contributions to education and

American society.

6. Discuss why all children and youth should be valued, inclusive of race, socio-economic status, gender, exceptionality, home language or other social, physical

or cultural characteristics.

7. Identify methods to incorporate the diversity of cultural and community resources into a learning environment.

8. Identify, analyze and be able to assess learning approaches for achieving educational equity for diverse populations.

9. Formulate ways teachers can be agents of change in classrooms, schools and communities.

10. Meet INTASC* standards 3, 6, 10.

*Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium

Student Goals and Objectives:

The class is grounded in the principles and practices of adult learning. The instructional model is to be collaborative, making use of student experiences to enrich and enliven class discussion. Knowledge will be constructed in dialogs between experiences, reflection and theory. Part of the class process will be a deliberate effort to incorporate student goals and objectives into the module.

What are your goals for the course?

More or less…

These goals need to be returned to the instructor the first week of class in the drop box.

Course Outline

Week 1 Course & Online Introduction

Assignment:
Complete course goals and place them in the drop box this week.

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1
Post your course goals here (and in the drop box). Why are these goals important to you? Why did you choose to take this crisis and assessment class? Why does this class interest you?

Question #2
After completing the Online Readiness Assessment at: http://www.inverhills.edu/Online/prospective/online_readiness.html

from the perspective student online learning page. Please complete the Minnesota Online Distance Learning quiz found on this same page also. Then identify fears you may have around completing this on-line course.

Question #3
What coping strategies will you implement in order to be successful in this on-line course?

Defining Multicultural Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 1, Multi Cultural Education: Characteristics and Goals

Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#6 (Tripping on the Color Line: Black-White multiracial families in a racially divided world, Heather M. Dalmage), and

# 48 (The Bankruptcy of Virtuous Markets, Michael K. Brown, Martin Carnoy, Elliott Currie, Troy Duster, David B. Oppenheimer, Marjorie M. Schultz, David Wellman, from Whitewashing Race: The myth of a color-blind society, same authors)

Post your answers to the questions in the discussion area under content. Read others postings and respond to others answers using the rubric as your guide for critical dialogs analysis in the threaded dialogs.

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

What is Banks & Banks definition of multicultural education? How does this definition relate to other definitions? Please list source of alternative definitions?

Question #2
What does it mean equality verses equity? Which one do we want in our classroom? Why?

Question #3
In what ways can the characteristics of a group help us understand an individuals behavior? In what ways are group characteristics limited in explaining an individual’s behavior?

Question #4

Is affirmative action a racist policy or an anti-racist policy? Why?

Week 2 Culture and Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 2, Culture in society and in Educational Practice Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#8 (Whiteness as an 'Unmarked' Cultural Category, Ruth Frankenberg, Personal Account: A Wonderful Opportunity, R.M.A., Personal Account: I Thought My Race Was Invisible, Sherri H. Pereira, and

#4 (Real Indians: Identity and Survival of Native America, Eva Marie Garroutte, from her book, by the same title), and

#26 (Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Beverly Daniel Tatum)

Read in content area: “Ten things everyone should know about race”

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question # 1
What is the definition of culture? Why is it important to know?

Question # 2

How is individualism viewed differently in the United States and in nations such as China and Japan? Why? What are the behavioral consequences of these varying notions of individualism?

Question #3

What are the positive and negative consequences of adolescent choice to “sit at the table” with other African Americans?

Socioeconomic Classism, Class Equity and Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 3 Race, gender, and disability in the classroom

Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#13 (What’s Class got to do with it?, Michael Zweig)

#14 (Getting Ahead: Economic and Social Mobility in America, Daniel McMurrer and Isabel Sawhill)

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions

Question #1

Why is it important for teachers to strive for both excellence and equity for their students?
What can you do to try and achieve both goals in your teaching?

Question #2

Give examples of how such variables as race, language, class, and gender interact to influence the behavior of a particular student. Give examples if available.

Question #3

Which approach to multicultural education described by the authors would you be most comfortable using?

Case scenario:
Which approach to multicultural education is Julie using? Which aspects of her teaching do you especially like? Which aspects would you change?

Week 3 Social Class and Educational Equality

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 4
Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#28 (A Day in the Life of Two Americas, Leonard Steinhorn and Barbara Diggs-Brown), #37 (Stupid Rich Bastards, Laurel Johnson Black)

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

Give examples of how each of the following factors contributes to educational inequality: a) educational structure, b) funding inequities, c) testing practices, d) teachers and curriculum. Give real life example for at least one inequality.

Question #2
What is tracking? Why do you think is more widespread in large, diverse, school systems and in schools serving primarily lower-class students than in upper-middle-class suburban, private, and parochial schools?

Religious Diversity and Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 5

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

How does social class intersect with religion?

Question #2

Are religious congregations primarily composed of people from the same social-class background? How do different religious organizations respond to low-income people? How do low-income people in your community feel about religious organizations?

Week 4 Gender, Sexism Equity and Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 6
Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#9 (The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female Are Not Enough, Anne Fausto-Sterling)

#34 (Anti-Gay Slurs Common at School: A Lesson in Cruelty, Laura Sessions Stepp)

#33 (Fast Girls: Teenage tribes and the myth of the slut, Emily White)

Read in the content area “The 2003 National school Climate Survey”

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

List and define in your own words the seven forms of gender bias that you can use when evaluating instructional materials identified in this book. Examine a K-12 textbook in your teaching area and determine whether it contains any of these forms of gender bias. Are there forms of other of bias reflected against any other group? Please share your findings here.

Question #2

Give three examples of how teachers can supplement textbooks to eliminate the seven forms of gender bias identified in question #1. Go online and search for equity websites that provide supplementary resources. Share them here with your peers.

Question #3
Why have centuries of female efforts to gain educational access gone almost unnoticed and unrecognized? How has that experience differed from civil rights efforts undertaken by African Americans, American Indians, Latinos and other groups?

Question #4

Some statistics show that students hear 25.5 anti-gay slurs per day and 75% of the teachers do nothing about it. Why is this problem in our school systems today?

Classrooms for Diversity: Rethinking Curriculum & Pedagogy

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 7

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

What is a gender-balanced, multicultural curriculum?

Question #2

What is feminist phase theory? Define and give examples.

Question #3

What problems do the contributions and bifocal phases have? How do the women’s curriculum and gender-balanced gender balanced curriculum phases help solve these problems?

Week 5 Transforming the Curriculum

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 8

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions

Question #1

Why does the racial achievement gap exist?

Question #2

When Butler uses the phrase women of color, to what specific ethnic group is she referring? Why did this phrase emerge, and what purpose does it serve?

Question #3

How does racism, combined with sexism, influence the ways in which people view and respond to women of color? How can content about women of color serve as a vehicle for transforming the school curriculum?

Question # 4
What are the benefits of celebrating Black History Month or Hispanic Heritage Month or Asian American History Month? How might these celebrations be problematic?

Race & Ethnicity in Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 9
Rosenblum & Travis Readings: Read 2*

#22 (What Are You? Joanne Nobuko Miyamoto)

#25 (The Cost of Whiteness, Thandeka)

#28 (A Day in the Life of Two Americas, Leonard Steinhorn and Barbara Diggs-Brown)

#59 (Let’s Spread the Fun Around, Ward Churchill (from Acts of Rebellion, same author)

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

The author argues that students of color are often placed in double jeopardy in school, in part because of differences between their cultures and the culture of the school. Explain what the author means by this concept. What have you seen? How can teachers help reduce the problems students of color experience in schools.

Question #2

How can curriculum reforms related to ethnic diversity contribute to educational equality?

Week 6 Linguistic Diversity & Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 12
Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#56 (Black Men: How to perpetuate prejudice without really trying, Barry Glassner)

#57 (Racism in the English Language, Robert B. Moore)

#58 (Gender Stereotyping in the English Language, Laurel Richardson)

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

How can teachers draw on home experiences of non-English speakers and speakers of non standard varieties of English to help these students develop competence in standard English?

Question #2

What special problems do language minority students experience in schools? What programs and practices can schools can schools implement to help these students experience educational success?

Question #3

Debate the pros and con of bilingual education.

Colorblind perspective in Schools

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 11

Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#22 (What Are You? Joanne Nobuko Miyamoto)

#25 (The Cost of Whiteness, Thandeka)

Read in the content area “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions

Question #1

How does the social context influence the expression of racism and discrimination? Give examples.

Question #2

In what ways does colorblind perspective contribute to racial discrimination and institutionalized racism in schools? How does the colorblind perspective make it easier for white liberal teachers to discriminate? Give examples from your own observations.

Question #3

After becoming aware of white privilege, what will you do to end it?

Week 7 Approaches to Multicultural Curriculum Reform

Multicultural Curriculum & Approaches to Teaching

Read Banks & Banks Chapter 10

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

According to Banks, what factors have slowed the development of a multicultural curriculum in schools? What is the best way to over come these factors?

Question #2

What is mainstream-centric curriculum? What are its major assumptions and goals? How does this influence mainstream students and students of color?

Question #3

Which of the four levels of integration of multicultural content are you most comfortable with? Most uncomfortable with? What problems might a teacher encounter when trying to implement the transformation and social action approaches? How might these problems be overcome?

Ableism, Inclusion & Education

Read: Banks & Banks Chapter 13, 14 & 15

Rosenblum & Travis Readings

#39 (Public Transit, John Hockenberry from Voices from the Edge, Ruth O’Brien)

#40 (‘Can You See the Rainbow?' The Roots of Denial, Sally French
Personal Account: I Am Legally Blind, Beth Omansky Gordon)

#51 (Disability Definitions: The Politics of Meaning, Michael Oliver)

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

How did the civil rights movement influence the movement foe educational equality for students with disabilities?

Question # 2

How does the concept of lease restrictive environment influence alternative placements for students with disabilities?

Question #3

Should all students who age gifted and/or have disabilities be educated in the regular classroom? (Notice the multi-dimensions of this question) Why or why not?

Question #4

Why, according to the authors, are students of color and low-income students overrepresented in special education classes and programs?

Question #5

What does it mean “inclusive pedagogy”? Give specific examples of this concept.

Week 8 Families, Communities and School Reform

Read : Banks & Banks Chapter 16 & 17

Read under content area “Stages of Engagement in Equity Advocacy”

Bulletin Board Discussion Questions
Question #1

What does the author mean by “culturally responsive education”? Why does she think it is important? According to the author, is culturally responsive education sufficient to guarantee academic success for all students of color and low income students? Why or why not?

Question #2

What five conditions does the author believe are needed to improve students’ academic achievement? How are these factors interrelated?

Question #3

What is critical pedagogy? How can it be used to enrich and strengthen multicultural education? What positive contributions can parents and the community, make to create an effective multicultural school? Give specific examples.

Assignments:

Written Cultural Autobiography

A cultural autobiography in which you describe your own cultural identity. Consider how it is shaped generationally, how it is affected by location, education, language, etc. This assignment also can include interviews with relatives or neighbors.

The main goal of this writing assignment is twofold: to challenge students to reflect on events and life experiences that have shaped their cultural premises, and to have them share their reflections in class so that cultural diversity among them may be discovered in a natural way. This assignment demands that students unravel their cultural assumptions critically.

Cultural autobiography is a reflective, self-analytic story of your past and present. First, narrate your life experiences that you consider of significance in shaping your worldview. You may include typical and/or exceptional events from your childhood, school years, religious life, family life, etc.; memorable encounters with individuals of various backgrounds, cultures, ethnicity; etc. Second, analyze how these memorable encounters with individuals of various backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicity experiences have shaped your culture--standards for thinking, valuing, behaving and evaluating (Goodenough, 1981)--and interpret the cultural meanings of these experiences to you.

Personal reflections of your life in reference to your cultural upbringing include your understandings of who you are today and how you developed these personal perspectives as the result of life experiences when you were a child. Reflect on personal experience throughout your life as you interacted with people different from yourself and the key points of transformation to bring you to who you are today! Reflect on your own cultural identity where you came from as well as what influences you today! What was it like when you were a child? What were your earliest memories of seeing or interacting with someone of who was raised different than you? Or acted or looked different than you? What were your positive or negative experiences with people different than yourself? What were your thoughts on things people said to you about people different than yourself? You may include typical and/or exceptional events from your childhood, school years, religious life, family life, etc.; memorable encounters with individuals of various backgrounds, cultures, ethnicity; etc. The narration and analytic interpretation may or may not be separated in your writing.

Lastly, reflect on the process of writing the cultural autobiography. How has this process helped you discover your multiculturalness?

Submit the cultural autobiography in 5 to 10 double-space typed pages. Since I am interested in seeing how you are able to reflect on and examine your own cultural assumptions, which is important in becoming an effective teacher in a multicultural environment, you will not get a good grade by simply narrating how your life has been. To be able to do a meaningful interpretation of your past and present, you need to have a clear understanding of how one's culture is constituted and how one becomes multicultural.

Choose a few consecutive or separate paragraphs from your writing to share with your peers on the D2L site. These selections should include analysis and interpretations of the event. Students will post these excerpts to the D2L site and read and ask questions and reflect on at least two (2) peer postings. Please be mindful that it is difficult to share personal stories. Responses to peers are to be respectful and nonjudgmental. The purpose of this assignment is to learn about other students' cultural assumptions and more fully explore your own cultural assumptions.

Reaction Paper

Select from one of the following:

1. Interview Individual from a Diverse Ethnic Background

2. Attend Cultural Event

3. Attend a public presentation on Cultural Diversity

Write a reaction paper which will be assessed on the content and depth of understanding. In selecting an experience identified above you must select from ethnic backgrounds other than your own as part of the learning experience.

Prior to completing this assignment you must have completed your own cultural autobiography designed to explore your own cultural background, attitudes, and beliefs. You will become as knowledgeable as possible about the specific ethnic group(s). This will help orient you to salient cultural beliefs and values. Selected readings for the cultural group must be completed prior to the event or interview. Verification of attendance must be completed to include date, location, time, and name of event, or signature of the individual tied to the interview or event.

Reflection Paper

Read 5 of the following articles. Write a 3 – 5 page reflection paper on the articles read. In addition, find supportive articles that will demonstrate your awareness of the Minnesota-based American Indians and their contributions to education and American Society. In writing the reflection paper include components of American Indian language, history, government and culture and their impact on academic achievement of students from diverse groups.

American Indian

Culture and Language in Native American Education by Lee Sherman

http://www.nwrel.org/nwreport/2003-03/

Cultural Survival vs. Forced Assimilation: the renewed war on diversity, by Reyhner, Jon

http://209.200.101.189/publications/csq/csq-article.cfm?id=1293

Plans for Dropout Prevention and Special School Support Services for American Indian and Alaska Native Students, by Jon Reyhner

http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/INAR.html

Curriculum Development for Native American Students by Hap Gilliland

http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Curr.html

A Specialized Knowledge Base for Teaching American Indian and Alaska Native Students by Jon Reyhner, Harry Lee and David Gabbard
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/TCarticle.html

Culture and Language in Native American Education by Lee Sherman

http://www.nwrel.org/nwreport/2003-03/

Teaching Young Children about Native Americans by Reese, Debbie

http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-4/native.htm

Any articles from the indianeduresearch.net site (this website has changed it’s ULR if you find it please let me know)

http://www.indianeduresearch.net/confpap.htm

Any professional website that you find. Pleases share this information with your peers

Course expectations

Class Participation:
Students are expected to participate in all sessions of the class. Full participation is required. Students are to email instructor to determine if missed work can be completed. Student will be dropped from class after two consecutive weeks of unexcused absences in as stated in student handbook.

Course Expectations:
Students are expected to read all materials assigned for class and participate in weekly chats and threaded discussion. Students are expected to treat the instructor and each other with respect; each individual has a right to have their opinion heard. Plagiarism and cheating are unacceptable, and will result in failure in class.

Disability Services:
Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation for a disability can contact the Disabilities Service Office at 651-450-8628, (voice), or 651-450-8369 (TTY), or visit them on the second floor of the Library Building.

Policy on religious observances:
Inver Hills Community College strongly supports the principles of free expression and respect for the diversity of beliefs, including religious observances, among our academic community. It is the policy of the college to provide reasonable accommodations for students when religious observances conflict with classroom activities or course requirements. It is the responsibility of students to inform instructors in a timely fashion prior to such conflicts. If a mutually agreed accommodation is not possible, students may initiate an appeal. The procedure for this appeal is the same as the Grade Appeal Policy listed in the catalog, however; the appeal must be initiated by the student within two weeks of the conflict.