My Multicultural Classroom

Implementing multicultural ideas: We have discussed several interrelated themes concerned with equity--power, freedom, culture, respect, voice, discrimination and resiliance--which permeate educational content and shadow classroom interractions. I believe that the first step toward an equitable classroom is awareness of these themes in their educational manifestations. As the teacher, I need to be alert to issues of power and culture, for example, but I also must work to build student awareness--because teenagers are so naturally self-focused that they may not recognize even their own cultural values. As we saw in class, softer persuasion, in the form of music, video, fiction and storytelling are much more effective ways to raise awareness of differences--and samenesses--than preaching or teaching, because they work on and emotional level and because they are less threatening to the status quo. Teens can be fiercely protective of their identities and may react with fear and resistance if they feel they are being forced to learn about, value, or even accept, other cultures. Awareness also emerges as students become familiar with other cultures. Equity awareness could be built in a classroom through presentations about minority viewpoints--just as we did in our class. Incorporating diversity in the curriculum: Attitude is the most important factor in incorporating change. Many of the textbooks we evaluated, for example, had added stories or sections about minority history or culture, but they had failed the attitude test by maintaining a patronizing attitude, or actually advancing stereotypes. The literature book we looked at provided plenty of stories about African Americans, for example--stories about African Americans battling poverty or playing basketball. We have to work toward attitudes that can accept African Americans driving subarus, and eating quiche--and poor white rural families enjoying opera and ballet. I want to teach stories and historical events that respect people as people. Students don't like to be singled out and they don't like to be clumped. Unfortunately, many of the efforts of educators to establish equity end up making minority students uncomfortable. As one Japanese student said about a unit on Hiroshima and internment camps--"I don't like school to be the me show about me and my race." Interacting with my students: I will always treat my students with respect. I am still considering using titles (Mr. Ms) with my high school students, because the use of first names seems so much like master to servant or boss to employee. Especially when it comes to minority students, evey way they can be respected is building. The dominance of power is signalled in subtle ways. I think it is important that the minority students who visited our class continued to stress that they wanted teachers to be "color blind". I don't think they knew exactly what they meant by that--I took it to mean that they wanted equality of respect, and that singling out and giving special treatment are ultimately demeaning. The meaning of cultural competency: Competency suggests action--smooth, integrated, informed action. Cultural competency means open-mindedness--modeled by the teacher, and shared through example with the students--recognition of cultures (including my own) and understanding of the almost unavoidable possibility of bias. Teachers have bias, students have bias, textbooks have bias. Stereotypes go both ways--all ways. Active respect and familiarity of friendship, however, can overcome bias and stereotyping. Polls have shown, for example, that Americans distrust Congress, but that individual Americans almost always trust their own members of Congress. People find it easy to demonize groups, but they find it hard to betray their friends. The quote for the week of August 17th (an important week for MAT candidates) was from Nietzche: "The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently." Intellectual equity--equality of thought and idea--is the most important kind of equity to be found in a school. How possible it is for narrowmindedness to squeeze out "different" kinds of thinking--even in the smallest ways. But when one student's thoughts are crushed by the forces of classroom opinion, the thoughts, voices and identities of all are in danger.

Reflection 4.1 A brief inventory

Kids I find it easy to like: I really like teenagers, and I find it easy to like them all. I guess I am especially comfortable around bookish kids, kids who I think are similar to me as a teen.

Kids I find hard to like: There is a certain type of kid--a mouthy kid, an arrogant, flippant kid--that I have a harder time liking. I wish to point out, though, that those characteristics are behavioral, not necessarily something a person could see at first glance.

Kids I am sorry for: I feel sorry for kids who just don't get it--who seem bewildered by the world, by school, by peers. Maybe that's because I felt confused, left out and bewildered as a teen sometimes. On the other hand, don't all kids feel that way sometimes?

Kids I feel threatened by: An angry kid can be frightening to me, especially if he/she is physically large. I don't think I'm automatically afraid of any kids--though I used to be. It would depend to me more on the situation than on the kid or kids.

Kids I identify with: I identify with articulate kids. I don't know whether I was particularly articulate in high school, but I thought I was. So the kids who speak well, converse well, contribute well in class are the ones I identify with. I also identify with girls who aren't real girly.

Kids I gravitate toward: I gravitate toward the quiet kids. Especially in a classroom, I find myself engaging them in conversation and asking them if they need help. I also notice the more studious kids and those who seem to be paying attention to the teacher and discussion.

Kids I feel inadequate around: I feel particularly inadequate around some special needs kids, if I don't feel like I can reach them or communicate with them.

Kids I probably don't even notice: I notice every kid. I may not engage them all--but I am aware of them all. One of our daughters attended an elementary school where--as in many elementary schools--they handed out awards to students at assemblies held every few weeks. They handed out different kinds of things--friendliness, helpfulness, good student, most progress--you get the idea. My daughter attended that school from the 4th grade through the 6th grade and she never received one of those awards. Never. And she was a good kid. Above average grades, polite, sensitive, turned in her work, played well with other children. She just slipped between the cracks. Those are often the kids who don't get noticed.

A couple of years ago at South High, the administration conducted kind of a survey with the teachers. A list of all the students, by name, was printed out and handed around to the faculty. Teachers were supposed to initial by a student's name if they could put a face to it. After all the teachers had seen the printout, it turned out that some students had many initials by their names. Many, many other students, however, had no initials at all by their names. This experience really shook up the adults at South. It made me think of the story "Cipher in the Snow." About the boy who got off the school bus and died one day. And nobody really remembered knowing him.

Reflection 3.10

I interviewed two students during my student shadow day; both are seniors. The way it began was that I was talking to the girl I was shadowing about her post-high school plans. She is white, upper middle class, stable family. She told me about her plans to become an aerospace engineer and that she’s been investigating colleges like Purdue, Cal Tech, the military academies. Her older sibling attends Whitworth College, so she’s going to visit there soon.

While I was talking to her, I noticed another girl--of mixed race--listening and kind of cringing into herself when she heard the other student’s confident plans. So, I asked her what she wanted to do. She said she wanted to go to college, but was worried about money, about leaving her home and family. She hasn’t visited any colleges, but she did take the SATs, although she was unhappy with her scores (comparing herself unfavorably to her friend) and is looking at scholarships. She wants to study sports medicine. None of her older siblings have attended college.

I was struck by the difference in attitude and confidence between the two girls. Also by the attitude of everyone about the first girl’s assured success.

Later, I talked to a teacher who had taught both of the girls. I asked about the sports medicine girl first. The teacher said, “Oh, I think she’ll go to a four year college.” The teacher had more confidence in the girl than the girl had in herself.

About the aerospace engineer, the teacher echoed the prevailing belief that “she can do anything.”

Although the expectations of the teacher matched those of both girls, there was a subtle difference in attitude--on the part of all three. I had to conclude that it’s the unspoken--maybe even unthought--expectations of not only adults but the kids themselves that undermine some kids. The second girl may succeed--I hope so--but she may always feel “less” than the confident middle-class, white kids for whom success is a given.

Student Dialogue

For these reflections, I used the questions to lead a discussion with a group of students (my son's friends), rather than interview just one. Group members ranged in age from 15 to 17, included girls and boys, and represented different cultures and racial/ethnic backgrounds.

I asked first about power. They immediately responded that leadership opportunities, such as acting as a camp counselor, or an officer in a music group were situations in which they had power. In the classroom, they said, getting good grades and excelling in other ways (such as in a music group) gives them a sense of power. They named classroom discussions as an activity in which they felt powerful. They stipulated, however, that they only feel powerful in well-directed discussions in which everybody is given the chance to participate. I asked whether they felt like students had very much power in classrooms and they said no--the teacher has about 95% of the power, but they thought that was fine, however.

From their answers I would say that good ways to provide power to students in a classroom would be, 1) give opportunities for leadership, 2) provide lots of chances to achieve and excel, 3) include classroom discussions often, 4) use discussion techniques that give everyone a chance to speak.

When I asked what made them feel free, one immediately responded, “Driving!” They also mentioned summer vacation, video games, cell phones, and getting older. They thought situations where there were no rules would probably make them feel free, but assured me that rules are very necessary in the classroom. In a classroom setting, they said that being given choices of assignments and activities made them feel more free. They said that the strict course of study they take as IB students restricts their freedom to choose other classes that they wish they could take. The realized that their commitment to music takes up a lot of their time and limits their freedom also.

For freedom, a teacher could 1) provide choices among assignments, 2) allow alternate activities, 3) limit restrictions and have fewer rules as students get older, 4) build a classroom environment that lets them communicate with their friends. They all thought a class in which they could blog the answers to discussion questions and could comment on the blogs of their classmates would be intriguing.

When I asked them what activities they thought were fun outside of school, they responded loudly with “Music!” They also mentioned sports, parties, hanging out with their friends and video games. Fun in school included music (again) and clubs. When I narrowed them to fun in the classroom, they mentioned discussions (even those who don’t participate said they like to listen), competitive activities, competition with classmates, eccentric teachers, interesting topics variety in activities. They said doing the same thing all the time is NOT fun and they like to have the classroom routine broken up with different activities. Those who attended charter schools said they missed the many activities they participated in when they were in middle school--such as field trips, group activities.

To bring fun to the classroom, a teacher could 1) vary instruction styles, 2) make the curriculum interesting, 3) spend more time in discussions, 4) vary the routine, 5) get out of the classroom when possible.

They were less animated when I asked them when they had a sense of belonging. Once again, they mentioned their music groups and music classes immediately. They said they felt they belonged when they were with their friends--either in or out of school. They said they had a sense of belonging in clubs and other groups where they shared interests with other members. They didn’t mention families, churches or sports teams.

To help kids feel like they belong, 1) teachers and those who organize classes and curricula should take care that scheduling doesn’t separate students from their friends, 2) teachers should be aware of friendships when small groups are formed in classes, 3) the bonds students have with other students should be encouraged, 4) students who share interests should be encouraged to do things together.

Finally, I asked them what I could learn that would make me a fantastic teacher. They said I should learn 1) lots of instruction techniques so they didn’t have the same thing in class all the time, 2) how to give students more choices in class, 3) how to teach so that content was related to “right now” and “real life”--but not in a contrived way (like some math and problem-solving questions). They don’t like being given a bunch of information and being told to put it together without being directed by questions or directions.

A few thoughts: They want structure--but not routine. They like to be with friends. Achievement makes them feel powerful. Freedom is part of growing up.

Reflections 2.8 and 2.9

Student Socializing Forces

The student I interviewed (an 8th-grader) indicated that what she learned in school (curriculum) closely matched what she learned at home--she’s often excited to come home and share with her family what she’s learned in history or science class. She felt the some of her teachers are the same kind of people as her family members but some are different.

She couldn’t see any relationship between what she learns at school and anything she sees in the media--unless she watches educational TV. The media seems to inhabit a different world than the world of her school--and her teachers.

She felt that her peers feel about the same way as she feels about the curriculum and the teachers at their school. She doesn’t know for sure how they feel, because they don’t talk about it very much. She says she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking about curriculum and teaching, but it’s never come up and she didn’t think she wanted to bring it up.

She realized that many of the moral and ethical lessons she learns at church are the same ones she’s taught at school, by her teachers. For example, to treat others as you would like to be treated, treat others with respect, tell the truth, don’t cheat, be kind.

It seemed to me that--at least for this student--the different forces in her life exist independently of each other. She has internalized values and attitudes from her family and other forces either are accepted by her according to those values. If what the teacher says or what she sees on TV doesn't match with her formed values, then she doesn't let them change her thinking. I had to push to get her to make the connections.

I suspect most kids are like that--they compartmentalize as much as they are socialized.

Reflection 2.6

Achievement

The people I interviewed ranged in age from early 30s to 70s, both genders, from both professional and non-professional careers. Their achievements focused on family and occupational successes, such as raising children or completing a difficult project, as well as personal achievement--such as receiving the Eagle Scout award. The skills they believed helped them achieve their goals included hard work, collaboration skills, flexibility, knowing their own limits, determination and having a joyful attitude toward life. They admired those attributes in others, and achievements in others that reflected their honesty, sense of duty and overcoming weakness.

From these interviews, I think some important conceptions of achievement are: 1) it requires determination to finish tasks and follow through, 2) success means collaborating with others with flexibility and honesty, 3) overcoming obstacles is more important than receiving recognition, 4) achievement requires recognizing the skills and gifts of others.

Reflection 2.2

Autobiography

In the town where I was born, there were no black people. In fact, I don’t recall ever even seeing a real African American person in the flesh until I was eleven years old and went to Seattle to stay with my cousins for a while. Obviously, all the kids in all my grades at school looked pretty much like me--middle class, white, small town. Some of our dads were ranchers, some were storekeepers, some were millworkers or loggers, some were professional men--all of us dressed alike, watched the same TV and (at least in grade school)--had the same ideas, goals and philosophies.

While there were no children of other races in our school, a different culture was strongly represented. In the early 1900s, a colony of immigrants from Finland had settled in the area; many of my schoolmates and teachers were of Finnish origin. And many of the “Finlanders”—as my dad called them—spoke Finnish at home and maintained their cultural traditions; they had their own church, their own graveyard. My mom and dad had many good friends among our Finnish neighbors (my mom had taught some of them in school) and my parents’ acceptance and appreciation for this “foreign” culture helped me to become aware, in a positive way, of how differences can enrich us.

Another early influence in the development of my cultural competency was my paternal grandmother, who had lived on an Indian Reservation as a child. She told us stories, demonstrated dances and described episodes from her childhood that always portrayed her profound respect for Native Americans and their culture. I was fascinated. Later, when I was in high school, one of my teachers often made disparaging comments about Indians and Reservations. Because of what my grandmother had taught me, his sarcastic remarks offended and hurt me--even while the other kids laughed.

These positive messages about cultures were ultimately more powerful in shaping my views than some other family influences. My mother’s family had moved west from Tennessee a generation earlier and had brought their intolerances with them. My maternal grandmother, in particular, showed her prejudice toward African Americans whenever the opportunity presented itself. I can’t imagine what she would have thought about one of us sitting next to a person of another race in a schoolroom. I remember once when my sisters and I were visiting with her she cautioned us—with intense disgust--to stay away from a certain house across the street because a family of Mexicans had moved in.

We didn’t pay any attention to her, however, and when Lupe came out to play and invited us into her yard we happily joined her—until Grandma came out and hustled us back into the house. Poor Grandma! As it turned out, we kept sneaking over to Lupe’s house. We actually spent quite a bit of play time with Lupe that summer and became pals. That I remember Lupe after all these years shows what an impression it had on me as a child to be exposed to a child who was different from me.

My parents recently shocked me during a discussion about President Obama’s policies by admitting their lifetime racism toward African Americans. I remembered how, one summer when I was in high school, I sought out a guy on a forest firefighting crew who came from Detroit, Michigan, and was African American. My parents were worried and wondered what might happen. But I was simply curious; I had never had a conversation with someone who was black. As much as I wanted to talk with him and get to know him, our relationship (must to my parents’ relief) was very brief. Communication between the two of us was hopeless; I couldn’t understand a word he said. My grandmother was appalled when she heard about it, “Didn’t he smell?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

By the time I was 16, I had seen and heard much about the Civil Rights movement which had been going on throughout my childhood (I was born in 1955. As we studied these events in school and followed the news, I could tell that some of my teachers were very uncomfortable about the changes that were going on—the students, on the other hand, I recall being universally supportive of segregation and equality. It was a time of generational conflict and many of us espoused liberal, inclusive philosophies in reaction to—and in rebellion against--our parents’ and teachers’ narrower attitudes. By the time I graduated from high school, in 1973, I was a feminist, a liberal and a supporter of Civil Rights for all.

The University of Idaho, where I went to college, was neither a hotbed of dissent nor a diverse community. Two of my roommates dated Asian guys. A few of the football players were black. Mostly, however, the people around me--again--looked and acted just about like me (although students with liberal politics--like me--were in the minority). The experience of my roommate who was involved with a Chinese-American man was interesting, however. She was completely rejected by his family--for being white. He could not cope with the anger of his parents and they eventually broke up. I realized that racism works in all directions.

Like many other young adults, when I was in college I became more interested in religion and spirituality. I had been raised on the fringes of a church, but our family rarely attended. As I studied the doctrines of world religions, of Christianity and of my own Christian church, I became convinced of the divinity of every member of the family of humankind—no matter what culture or race or lifestyle. This belief has shaped my philosophy more than any other factor. The peaceful teachings of Jesus and the examples of righteous people have been a continuing influence for good in my life. I came to believe in community and collaboration, rather than competitiveness and conflict.

A person’s world-view is not finished when she graduates from college. I’ve had many experiences as an adult that challenged my idealism and refined my ideas about life and cultures. In 1979, for example, we moved to a tiny community in North Idaho where I first became aware of the culture of the rural (white) poor. Our daughter attended a school (and I subbed there) where 99% of the students were getting free or reduced lunch. The economy was troubled; mills were closing, but poverty had been a way of life for most of the people around us--even in good times. I admit, I had a really hard time accepting some of the life-style values I saw. It was particularly troubling to me that young people wanted nothing more from the future than a seasonal job, unemployment payments (they called “rocking-chair”) in the winter, a snow machine, beer to drink and a gun to shoot. And, like their parents, to sit in their squalor and be consumed by hate, anger and racism. Finally, I realized that I was surrounded by a culture more foreign than that of the Finnish immigrants I grew up with. I found it difficult to extend my tolerance for other cultures should be to this culture as well.

The experiences of my children have taught me too. When we lived in Golden, Colorado, in the late 80s there were many Hispanic families in our neighborhood and children in my kids’ schools. (When we later moved to Oregon I was instantly struck by the BLONDNESS of everyone.) One of my daughters was very close friends with a girl her age named Maria Rascon. Like most of the Hispanic kids we knew, she came from a family with a many-generation history in Colorado or a nearby state. Unlike many of them, she came from a family that was quite wealthy--much higher on the socioeconomic ladder than us. They were members of our church and the girls were almost inseparable. We moved to Salem when my daughter was in the 7th grade; immediately she was exposed to racism at school where students were mocking and taunting “Mexicans.” Horrified, she stood up for the Hispanic kids--in memory of her dear friend Maria--and became a target of harassment herself, at least temporarily. She had to learn that, while the Hispanic kids in Golden were part of the “dominant” culture, that was not true here. There is a great deal more diversity in Salem than there was then, and there is less racism in our schools. My son sits in high school honors classes with many kids of other races--including Hispanic kids, but only very rarely an African American.

When I was young, I expected racism to disappear by the time I had kids in high school. I learned about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, I saw the segregation barriers come down and I thought the next generation would have learned to live and “sing, in harmony and love.” I believed the Coke advertisements.

Today, I realize that defeating racism will take much more time and more teaching and I worry much more about it now than ever before. I wonder about my role as a teacher who is a member of the “dominant” culture. I feel nervous about mentioning race and worried that some innocent comment or action I make might be offensive to another culture, or interpreted wrongly by others as racism. I don’t believe culture and race are exactly the same thing. Sometimes members of other races are part of the “dominant” culture. Sometimes white people are not. I try always to be aware of cultural differences, but I worry that noticing them leads to stereotyping.

My grown children have settled all over the world. I have kids living in England, France, Ukraine and Okinawa (as well as Texas and Manhattan.) Where ever they are, I am proud to say, my kids appreciate and respect the cultures they find.