AMCS 233: Education & Multicultural America American Multicultural Studies State University Moorhead

Course Description:

This course provides an introduction to multicultural fundamentals for education majors. Given that the United States is becoming more culturally diverse and operates within an increasingly globalized world, future teachers need to be equipped to understand the diverse cultures with which they work and from which their students come. It exposes students to the marvelous complexity and diversity of African Americans, American Indians, Chicano/Latinos and Asian Americans from historical and contemporary perspectives. The course content demystifies stereotypes and myths attributed to diverse groups and stresses the need for equitable access to quality education.

Student Learning Outcomes: In this course students will: ü survey historical themes associated with African Americans, American Indians, Latinos and Asian Americans and acquire a working knowledge of how these cultural experiences relate to the mainstream history of the United States. ü demonstrate a knowledge of concepts in multicultural education and the historical and contemporary educational concerns and experiences of ethnically and racially diverse populations in the U.S. ü gain a broad theoretical understanding of the social and political function of schools. ü build skills, resources and strategies for creating successfully inclusive educational environments. This course will fulfill DC7 requirements in the following ways: Goal: To develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes central to living in and contributing to a diverse world.

Student Competencies: MSUM students will be able to • Articulate one’s cultural heritage and how it affects one’s worldview, values, and assumptions, as well as exhibit a willingness to examine one’s personal values, worldview, assumptions, and biases. • Understand the causes, manifestations, and impacts of prejudicial exclusion, structured inequalities, and systemic oppression. • Demonstrate knowledge of the experiences and contributions of the many groups that shape societies and cultures, in particular those groups that have been historically excluded and oppressed. • Cultivate attributes such as flexibility, respect, and self-reflection necessary for adapting to changing and diverse communities and for building authentic relationships with diverse peoples. • Demonstrate intercultural communication skills (verbal and nonverbal) for interacting with those culturally different from one’s self. • Appreciate diverse perspectives and alternative approaches to interaction and problem solving and evaluate multiple perspectives and their underlying assumptions. • Recognize stereotypes and critically assess cultural images. • Employ skills necessary for working collaboratively in a diverse group toward a common goal.

This course meets NCATE/BOT Learning Standards of Effective Practice: Standard 3—Diverse learners: A teacher must understand how student differ in their approaches to learning and thus create instructional opportunities that are adapted to student with diverse backgrounds and exceptionalities: The teacher must: d. understand how to recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases, discrimination, prejudices, and institutional and personal racism and sexism; f. understand the contributions and lifestyles of the various racial, cultural and economic groups in our society; g. understand the cultural content, world-view and concepts that comprise Minnesota based American Indian tribal government, history, language and culture; h. understand cultural and community diversity, and know how to learn about and incorporate a student’s experiences, cultures and community resources into instruction; i. understand that all student can and should learn at the highest possible levels and persist in helping all students achieve success; j. know about community and cultural norms; p. bring multiple perspectives to the discussion of subject matter, including attention to a students’s personal, family and community experiences and cultural norms; q. develop a learning community in which individual differences are respected;

Standard 6—Communication: The teacher must: b. understand how cultural and gender differences can affect communication in the classroom;

This course also meets Elementary Education Standards I. A teacher of children in kindergarten through grade 6 must demonstrate knowledge of fundamental social studies concepts and the connections among them. The teacher must know and apply: (2) concepts of: (a) culture and cultural diversity; (b) the ways human beings view themselves in and over time; (c) the interaction between people, places, and environments; (e) interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions; (3) history, government, and culture of Minnesota-based American Indian tribes as integrating concepts throughout the elementary curriculum;

Required Texts and Materials: § Spring, Joel. 2007. Deculturalization and the Struggle for Equality: A Brief History of the Education of Dominated Cultures in the United States. 5th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill. (Spring) § Lee, Enid, Menkart, Deborah and Okazawa-Rey, Margo, eds. 2006. Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide to K-12 Antiracist, Multicultural Education and Staff Development. Updated ed. , D.C.: Teaching for Change. (Beyond Heroes) § Nieto, Sonia. 1999. The Light in Their Eyes: Creating Multicultural Learning Communities. : Teachers College Press. (Nieto) or Howard, Gary. We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools. 2006. New York: Teachers College Press. § Supplemental handouts—on reserve or handed out in class § 1-2 pocket folder with your name placed legibly on the front outside cover for your cumulative journal.

Course Requirements: This course requires: ü your active participation. You are asked to be present and to be prepared to fully participate in class activities. Your class participation contributes to both your own experience and the experiences of the rest of the class. Much of what you experience in class will be difficult to make up. Therefore class attendance is essential and three unexcused absences will lower your grade one letter. If you miss class, it is YOUR responsibility to find out or make up what has been covered with in class

ü 4 quizzes on the educational experiences of American Indians, African Americans, Chicano/Latinos, and Asian Americans as discussed in class and Spring (200 pts.) For quizzes, you must have made PRIOR arrangements with me, or provided me with written, documentable evidence to receive an excused absence for that quiz. Arrangements for making up quizzes for excused absences should be set as quickly as is possible. The makeup should be completed before the graded quiz has been returned to the class. An unexcused absence for a quiz means that your grade for that quiz will be lowered 1 full letter grade from what you earn.

Since this is a writing intensive course, you will be expected to write formally and informally in this class on a weekly basis. ü a cumulative journal which must be typed (150 pts). This cumulative journal for the semester will be due on May 1 and it has 2 facets: § weekly reflections of .75-1.5 pages in length on class discussions, readings and videos, movies, articles, or programs you find outside of class about topics we discuss in class and other observations you may make about the topics we discuss in this class. The focus of this exercise is for you to demonstrate your engagement with the course materials and to make connections between ideas, explore questions on issues you agree with, disagree with, or are unsure about. § responses to assigned questions which will be handed in each week for grading but when returned to you, will be placed in the cumulative journal due May 1. These 1-2 page responses must have your name, the date due, the assigned question on them, in addition to your answer.

ü observations of or participation in at least 4 “live” multicultural events (100 pts.) Due May 1 in your cumulative journal. While there will be several events on campus, you can also attend events in the community. Attach a program or a ticket to your comments, if possible. In each observation you will need to describe • what you observed • what you learned and how it relates to topics in this class • your personal reaction to the event • what surprised you or what you expected to learn but didn’t about people of color • how what you have learned from this might benefit your teaching in a positive way. Try to take in a variety of experiences, getting exposure to several different cultural groups. STRETCH yourselves! I will announce several multicultural events in class and if you hear of any, please also share them with the class.

ü a multi-component Final Group Project (250 pts) which will have oral, research and written components to it and require you to integrate what you have learned in this class. (You will get more information about the full project later in this course.)

Course Grading Policy: The total number of points you earn over the semester determines your grade in this course. You will earn points through the completion of class work inside and outside of class. Furthermore, you may add up to 20 points to your point total through the completion of extra credit assignments. All earned points count equally toward your total, so it is possible for each of you to receive an A in this class. Grades will be calculated by a straight percentage of your total points:

93-100% A 90-92 % A- 88-89 % B+ 83-87% B 80-86% B- 78-79% C+ 73-76% C 70-72% C- 68-69% D+ 63-67% D 60-62% D- 59% and below F

Course Policies Regular attendance and participation in class discussion is expected. Skipping class can be extremely detrimental since each class session is a DOUBLE class period and there frequently will be in class assignments for which there will be no make-ups. Exams will cover ANY of the material covered by the course. If you miss class, it is YOUR responsibility to find out or make up what has been covered in class.

Absences from the midterm, discussion or group assignments, or final exam will result in automatic F’s for those portions of the course unless PRIOR arrangements have been made with the instructor or written documentable excuses are provided.

Please turn cell phones off in class unless you are anticipating being called for an emergency. If you receive such a call, please leave the classroom quietly so that you do not disturb your classmates.

In conjunction with Disability Services, in addition to informing your instructor, “Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 477-5859 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), CMU 114 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.”

American Multicultural Studies Departmental Policy Please DO NOT expect to take make-up exams, receive time extensions on assignments, or arrange for final grades of incomplete without adequate PRIOR consultation with instructor. Such requests will be considered ONLY if extenuating circumstances are indicated.

Schedule:

Week I: Introduction, Overview and Getting to Know Ourselves and Each Other • “Where I’m From” poems • Circles of Our Multicultural Selves Readings: “Curriculum as Windows and Mirrors” (handout) [Meets Standards 3: H, I, Q,P; 6B & El Ed Standards I2a-c]

Week II: Identities and the American Educational Traditions • Educational Reflection • Purposes of American Education Video: School: the Story of American Public Education, pt. 2 & 3 Readings: Beyond Heroes: 422-426 Spring: Chapter 1 [Meets Standards 3: F,H,I, Q, P; 6B & El Ed Standards I2a-c, e]

Week III: Multicultural Education: What does it offer? • Definitions • Goals • Approaches • Banks’ Classification • Need exercise Readings: Nieto: Chapter 3 & 4 Beyond Heroes: ix—38; [Meets Standards 3: H, I, Q, P; 6B & El Ed Standards: I2a

Week IV: Education as a Racialized Process • Concepts & Definitions • Ethnicity & Race • Racial Experiences Reflection • Privilege exercise • Institutional Racism Reflection Videos: Understanding Race (portions) True Colors Readings: Nieto: Introduction & Chapters 1-2 Beyond Heroes: 83-88, 109-113; 166-169 [Meets Standards 3: D,I,Q,P; 6B & El Ed Standards: I2a, e]

In weeks 5-14, Standards “how human beings view themselves in and over time” and “interactions between people, places, and environments” and “interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions” are infused throughout.

Week V, VI & VII : African Americans & Education • I Dream a World exercise • Dr. Carter G. Woodson • Civil Rights Videos: Road to Brown Beyond Brown Readings: Spring: Chapter 3 Beyond Heroes: 124-130 Nieto: Chapter 5 *Quiz 1-- African Americans [Meets Standards 3: D,F, J, Q,P; 6B & El Ed Standards I2a, b]

Week VIII, IX & X: American Indians & Education • Whose story exercise • Boarding Schools • Federal Policy & Treaties • Tribal Government • Language revitalization Videos: Waasa Inabidaa, Episode I: We Are All Related Waasa Inabidaa, Episode 5: We Gain Knowledge Dakota Conflict Readings: Spring: Chapter 2 & pp. 118-123 Beyond Heroes: 132-136; 366-367; 379-380

*Quiz 2—American Indians [Meets Standards 3: D,F,G, J,Q,P; 6B & El Ed Standards I2a, b, 3]

Week XI & XII : Chicanos, Latinos & Education • Bilingual Education • Tracking • Newspaper exercise • Library exercise Videos: The Chicanos, Episode 3: Taking Back the Schools Dealing with Diversity, Program 9: Hispanic American Cultures in the USA Hispanic Americans: Hispanic Education at the Crossroads Readings: Spring: Chapter 5 & pp. 126-139 Beyond Heroes: 74-79; 178-190

*Quiz 3—Chicanos/Latinos [Meets Standards 3: D,F, J, Q,P; 6 & El Ed Standards I2a, b] Week XIII & XIV: Asian Americans & Education • Immigration • Stereotypes Videos: Dealing with Diversity, Program 12: Asian Americans in the USA Being Hmong Means Being Free Reading: Spring: Chapter 4; 124-126 Beyond Heroes: 281-298; 415-416

*Quiz 4—Asian Americans [Meets Standards 3: D,F, J,Q,P; 6B & El Ed Standards I2a, b]

Week XV: Curricular & Institutional Transformation Wrap Up Final Project Discussions Reading: Nieto: Chapters 6 & 7 Beyond Heroes: 40-56

[Meets Standards 3: D, F, J,Q,P; 6B & El Ed Standards I2a]

Final Exam period--Projects