Using instructional dilemmas to explore
issues of culture and social justice*
Susan P. Maude and Mary Jane Brotherson
Iowa State University
2013 Early On Faculty Colloquium
Michigan State University
June 3, 2013
*Built upon 2009 presentation to the ECE-Unified Faculty Work Group, Iowa
State University Miller Fellowship by Eva K. Thorp, George Mason University
Session Overview
As preservice students prepare to work with
children and families from diverse cultural
communities, they often encounter dilemmas
that create feelings of confusion and
discontinuity. This session shares a tested
approach for using students’ own real life
dilemmas to explore the cultural lenses and
assumptions they bring to the dilemmas and
to develop a repertoire of culturally
responsive practices.
Objective
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To describe how real life dilemmas can be
used to address issues in early intervention.
To explore and practice a variety of
strategies for addressing student-generated
dilemmas.
Agenda
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Introductions and Session Overview
Defining Dilemmas and their Power
Desired Outcomes for Students
Choreographing Dilemma Discussions
Selected Dilemma Strategies for Practice
Questions and Applications to Your Contexts
Introductions: Dilemmas stay with us
Think back to your internship, “student
teaching’, or early “interventionist”
experience. Recall a dilemma that has
“haunted” you. How has that influenced
you?
Defining dilemmas
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Student generated narratives
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Experiences from work with children, peers,
families, and colleagues which students find
disorienting, perplexing, challenging, or
frustrating.
Defining Cultural Dilemmas
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Cultural dilemmas come from cultural
discontinuity.
Cultural dilemmas involve interactions with
those whose culture or language is other
than one’s own.
Cultural dilemmas occur when this
interaction challenges one’s beliefs or
assumptions.
Dimensions of Culture:
Common Sources of Dilemmas
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Proximity
Time
Language and Communication Style
Childrearing Practices
View of Family and Roles
Independence vs. Interdependence
The power of dilemmas
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Deeply felt personal experience – there is
ownership
Pulls at the heart
Taps into shared experience – others can
identify with it
Contains obvious conflicts and cultural
dimensions that promote dialogue and
problem solving
Opportunity for transformation
Desired student outcomes
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Increase exploration of cultural lens
Increase ability to take perspective of others
Increase repertoire of problem solving strategies
Increase repertoire of teaching strategies
Increase repertoire of collaboration strategies
Increase capacity to become advocate and ally for
children and families
Increase cultural understanding
Capturing a dilemma
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The setting and people involved
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The situation, described in narrative form
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Statement of the challenge, what was
perplexing
Choreographing dilemma discussions
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Establish transparent philosophy base,
assumptions, and “guidelines”.
Identify objectives for cultural dilemmas.
Select one or more student dilemmas.
Set the stage – introduce problem solving or
solution focused approach.
Develop questions and instructions.
Apply problem/solution focused.
Selected dilemma strategies
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“Her space isn’t my space” – dimensions of culture
“How can I” – reframing
“That reminds me of” – early memories
“Just the facts ma’am” – events vs. assumptions
“What was he thinking” – Tchart
“We all have strengths” – Tchart
“Ghosts in the dilemma” – role play
Selected dilemma strategies
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“What would my elders say?” – finding resources
“What would my readings say?” – finding resources
“If I believed that, what would I do?” – mining the
philosophy
“Failure is not an option” – Apollo 13
“What would you do?” – piggybacking
“Metaphorically speaking..” – finding and working
with a metaphor
What I wish I’d said – what I can say – role playing
Practice
Choose one of the sample dilemmas OR recall a
dilemma that has been presented by a student
(staff):
1.
What are the developmental issues for the student?
2.
What appear to be the cultural dimensions of the
dilemma?
3.
What are the course themes this dilemma could
enrich?
4.
What problem solving strategy might best support
your desired outcome?
Taking it Home
In which courses you teach might the dilemma
strategy be implemented?
How and when?
What program goals would be supported?
Some Closing Tips for Faculty and
Community Partners
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Be mindful of your own judgments.
Keep students focused on single event;
monitor for generalizations.
Monitor for blaming, judgment, and quick
movement to a solution.
Remind students that there may be many
paths of action.
Useful References
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Brookfield, S. (1995). Developing critical thinkers: Challenging adults
to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting. Newark, NJ: John
Wiley.
Florio-Ruane, S. (2001). Teacher education and the cultural
imagination: Autobiography, conversations, and narrative. Mahwah,
NJ: Erlbaum.
Nieto, S. (1999). The light in their eyes: Creating multicultural
learning communities. New York: Teachers College.
Sánchez, S.Y. & Thorp, E.K. (2007) Teaching to transform: Infusing
cultural and linguistic diversity into preservice and inservice
preparation. In P. Winton, J. McCollum, and C. Catlett (Eds),
Preparing and supporting effective professionals: Evidence and
applications in early childhood and early intervention. Washington,
DC: Zero to Three Press.