Regional differences can impact teaching opportunities in the U.S.in a variety of ways. Regional differences can lead to a number of adjustments in the way one lives, the content that can be taught in the classroom, and the manner in which one interacts with the community. (Chinn & Gollnick, 2017, p. 211) Teacher pay and per capita are examples of variations that can be attributed to regional cost of living. Teaching opportunities in rural areas may lead to smaller class size and more individualized instruction, but also are deficient in resources and lack the ability to offer advanced curriculum. I worked in a rural high school that had a student body of 140 students. We could not hire a foreign language teacher so we used a distance learning program to fulfill state college prep graduation requirements for students. One thing that I preferred about the rural area was the ability to interact more with the students and their families. Students should have an understanding of globalization and how it impacts their lives. (Chinn & Gollnick, 2017, p. 231) Globalization is a system that connects countries economically, politically, environmentally, and culturally through a global economy supported by free trade, international corporations, and worldwide labor markets. (Chinn & Gollnick, 2017, p. 281) The incorporation of globalized perspectives can help students comprehend the interconnectedness between different countries. It will allow them to understand the losses and benefits of people as a result of globalization. These concepts help to facilitate more critical thoughts about the changes that are occurring in the country because of globalization. Sources of alienation between adolescents and their families include influence shift, parental expectations, and the want for autonomy. Problems may develop between an adolescent and parent when emotional ties shift from the family to peers. As peer influence increases, parental interaction with their child may decrease. Parental expectations add to problems when they expect problems with their children, resulting in a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Chinn & Gollnick, 2017, p. 244) Adding to the problems is the adolescents asserting their rights to assume adult behaviors but without complementary adult-like responsibility. I should use a multicultural curriculum that support and celebrate the cultures of the students. It should include the histories, experiences, traditions, and cultures of the students in the classroom. I should facilitate the learning by using hands-on activities. I should demonstrate genuine care for my students and let them know I have high expectations. In order to do to get to the aforementioned aspects I must first establish my own cultural identity by identifying with the various cultural groups to which I belong. I must also accept the fact that there are prejudices that I have that may affect the way I react to students. I have to acknowledging these prejudices, because then and only then can I develop strategies to compensate or overcome them? Gollnick, D.M., & Chinn P.C. (2017). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society. (10th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson Become educated about school traditions/mascots, etc. Often these are rooted in historical or regional events 1. Understand the collective and individual histories of the students and their families, through interviews, surveys, class projects 2. Create special programs for immigrant students, helping them to learn about the cultural norms of the school/area, as well as share their own experiences 3. Become knowledgeable about school and community resources available to students and families, relative to economic, religious, ethnic, or linguistic needs 4. Become knowledgeable about second language acquisition processes, as well as assimilation and acculturation processes Build a community of learners that values difference and affirms students’ identities, experiences, and uniqueness 2. Why should global perspectives be included in the P–12 curriculum? 3. What are the sources of alienation between adolescents and their families? Sources of alienation between adolescents and their families include influence shift, parental expectations, and the want for autonomy. Problems may develop between an adolescent and parent when emotional ties shift from the family to peers. As peer influence increases, parental interaction with their child may decrease. Parental expectations add to problems when they expect problems with their children, resulting in a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Chinn & Gollnick p.244)Adding to the problems is the adolescents asserting their rights to assume adult behaviors but without complementary adult-like responsibility. 4. To prepare to understand and use the culture of students in your own teaching? 1. 2. 3. 4. I should use a multicultural curriculum that support and celebrate the cultures of the students. It should include the histories, experiences, traditions, and cultures of the students in the classroom. I should facilitate the learning by using hands-on activities. I should demonstrate genuine care for my students and let them know I have high expectations. Multicultural teachers should help students understand the big ideas, the concepts that undergird the subject. They should encourage students to question what is written in textbooks and in newspapers and what they see on TV and the movies. They should help students learn through hands-on activities Students indicated that they are more willing to work and perform better when they feel teachers care about them. When teachers care, they have high expectations for their students and push them to meet those high expectations. Multicultural teaching should start from the students’ life experiences. Multicultural teachers incorporate the voices of the students and their families and communities, and they encourage students to speak from their own experiences. This effort legitimates the voices and experiences of the students’ culture rather than just the dominant culture. 5. In developing multicultural proficiencies, educators first need to know their own cultural identity and the degree to which they identify with the various cultural groups of which they are members. Secondly, they should be able to accept the fact that they have prejudices that may affect the way they react to students in their classrooms. By acknowledging these prejudices, they can develop strategies to compensate or overcome them.
