DRAFT
2008 Course Syllabus
Dr. R. Deborah Davis
Teaching 103 Wilber Hall (office)
Culturally Relevant
Office Hours:
Wed. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00
Email: rddavis@oswego.edu
Phone: 315-312-2652
p.m.
117 Wilber Hall
Monday Course Overview
Culturally relevant teaching combines an examination of the cultural and socioeconomic
influences on teaching and learning (KNOWLEDGE) with a commitment to challenging social
(and educational) injustice (SOCIAL JUSTICE). In this course we will make use of common
experiences (AUTHENTIC LEARNING) to examine the social/cultural (and political and
economic) characteristics of educational settings. We will also examine social structures of
race, class, gender, (dis)ability, and sexuality which create dominant and subordinate
groups, privileging some and denying opportunity to others in the educational processes.
Candidates will identify obvious and subtle individual, institutional, and cultural actions
(REFLECTION) that perpetuate social structures. Candidates will collaboratively generate
ideas (COLLABORATION) for challenging social structuring in the classroom (PRACTICE) and
developing culturally relevant practice and curriculum.
This course introduces you to the major goals, principles, and concepts of
multicultural education and Culturally Relevant Teaching. As our democratic nation
becomes more culturally diverse, it is increasingly apparent that a multicultural education
benefits all students. However, most of us have not experienced a multicultural education.
For this reason, it is important to consider teaching as a process of inquiry that includes
learning more about cultural diversity. Further, since multicultural education is intended to
foster greater democracy, freedom, and social justice within education, teachers can play a
significant role in developing equitable educational experiences. Acquiring these views will
serve as a general focus for the course. Four major skills will guide our study:

Clarifying key concepts and terminology,

Discovering multiple perspectives in culture and history,

Understanding cultural and individual differences in teaching and learning,

Becoming a culturally relevant teacher.
The course also includes an understanding of the principles of Generating Expectations
for Student Achievement (GESA ).
Major Course Goals
This course will help you:

Develop a clearer sense of your own ethnic or cultural identity,

Examine your attitudes toward diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups,

Increase your knowledge about the histories, perspectives, contributions, and
current
issues of major ethnic groups in the United States,
DRAFT

in

and
Develop ways to combat racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of discrimination
classrooms, schools, and communities, and
Learn ways to include multicultural perspectives in your curriculum development
teacher decision making.
Required Texts:
Banks, James A. (2009). Teaching Strategies for Ethnic Studies. 8th edition. Allyn & Bacon.
Banks. J. A. and Banks, C. A. (2007). Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives. 6th
Edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Required Reading
Marx, S. (2006). Revealing the invisible: Confronting passive racism in teacher education. New York:
Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Derman-Sparks L., Ramsey, P. G. (2006). What if all the Kids are White?: Anti-bias multicultural
education with young children & families.. New York: Teachers College Press.
Additional readings supplied by Professor
****Note: If you have a disability that may require accommodations, please make an
appointment with me during the first two weeks of class. We will meet to discuss
your individual needs and plan for full participation and fair assessment through the
Office of Disability Services, 312-3358.
Attendance
Much of the value of this class comes from discussions and presentations. Also, course
work is often completed in teams. This approach relies on everyone=s responsibility to the
class. Regular attendance and participation is expected and will be recorded daily.
Frequent unexcused absences (more than two) will result in grade reduction by a
minimum of 10 points. Please Email me if you are ill or have a family emergency. If you miss class it
is your responsibility to find out what you missed from a classmate and get handouts from
the professor.
Assignments
Cooperative work in inquiry teams is fundamental to this course. Several assignments will
be completed in inquiry teams. Your contribution to your team is important and earns 10%
of your grade. To facilitate teamwork, I will meet with teams/members outside class to
discuss assignments, answer questions and help resolve difficulties the group may
experience. Team members will receive both a joint grade and, individual grade for
cooperative projects.
Individual reaction papers and/or in-class activities may be assigned at Professors discretion.
You are responsible for keeping a Process Journal. A process journal is intended to be a
place where your thoughts and feelings about readings, films, class presentations, small
DRAFT
group exercises, your field experiences, etc. are recorded. We will periodically set aside
time for the purpose of journal writing. Journal writing can be a very useful tool for
processing information we will be working with in class. I encourage you to use this tool
to help you write your Final Cultural Narrative paper. The journals will be checked
periodically, but you are not required to be turned in. All written assignments must be
typed (12 Point) and double-spaced. Your work will be evaluated primarily on its content
however, it is important that assignments are well-written. Please proofread and edit your
work carefully, I use a 5 error/rewrite rule. Assignments are due on time, unless prior
arrangements are made with me. Late work will result in a reduction of your grade for that
assignment.
Initial Cultural Autobiography: (The Essential Question: Who Am I and what do I
bring?) The purpose of this assignment is for you to gain a deeper understanding of
who you are, how you came to develop your values and beliefs and what is significant
about your heritage and life experiences, particularly your home and educational
experiences, which constitute the lenses through which you view the world. In other
words, you will be starting to develop your own personal theory of action by looking
back. This theory will serve as the basis for all your actions, particularly as they
relate to curriculum and pedagogical decisions in the classroom. This assignment is
designed to help you understand and come to grips with any biases or assumptions
you may take into the classroom with you. The key to this assignment is reflection.
This essay should be between 3-5 pages. (More detailed instructions will be given
in class)
Individual Project: Each student will select or be assigned an individual (or group)
topic or chapter from Banks & Banks, Multicultural Education: Issues and
Perspectives,
7th
Ed.
Each student will be expected to present a written report and do an oral
presentation. The written report should be 3 or 4 typed pages and the report
should be turned in the same day of the oral presentation. The oral presentation
will be a teach-in: You will model, demonstrate and teach your classmates about
the important themes, issues, events and background information in the selected
chapter. In other words show how the content in your chapter can be used to
develop culturally relevant instructional materials for your grade level(s). You are
expected to use a variety of teaching/learning activities during your teach-in.
Multicultural Encounter. The best cross-cultural experiences are those that explore deep
culture rather than surface culture and those that involve personal social interaction
rather than observation from a distance. You will participate in a hands-on
multicultural experience that takes you out of your own culture to learn about
another culture. You will complete a cross-cultural experience and describe the
experience in a 2 page, typed paper. The paper should describe the experience and
explain how it expanded your cultural awareness, knowledge about a cultural
perspective, or growth towards greater understanding and tolerance for a cultural
group different from your own. Examples might include attending ORI events
around the selected book, religious services, fine arts and dramatic performances or
DRAFT
exhibitions, a gay community event if you are straight, speeches with cultural
themes, and ethnic festivals and performances.
First Book Reaction Paper (Due Session 6) In a literature circle you will reflect on the
characters’ experiences in terms of social structures (race, class, gender, ability,
sexuality) and reflect on how your philosophy of teaching may be affected by having
discussed the book Revealing the invisible: Confronting passive racism in teacher education
Cooperate with your inquiry team to analyze and discuss the book. Discuss the profiled
tutors and their experience grappling with passive racism and or white identity.
Choose someone whom you find especially compelling and explain why you feel this
way. How are they different? How are they similar and dissimilar to you? What does
this individual have in common with your thinking? Write an individual reaction paper
to the book; what you learned about assumptions and culture in the U.S.; your personal
reactions; and how this book might affect you as a teacher. The paper should be
approx. 3-4 pages. Please include specific examples to support your analysis. Discuss
implications for culturally relevant teaching. What implications do you see for your life
at this time and for your future work as a teacher? Be sure to include specific examples
from the book.
Learning-Teaching Context Study (approximately 3 pages)
This assignment is a component of the Teacher Work
Sample(TWS)assessment required in your Methods class.
Candidates are required to purchase and use iWebFolio
for recording TWS assignment.(Details given in Methods class)
You must describe the context in which you teach including the characteristics of the
school, classroom, and students. This Learning-Teaching Context paper must incorporate
your knowledge of individual differences; learner characteristics (e.g., race, class, gender,
ability, linguistic community, etc); and environmental factors that impact learning and
teaching. You should describe only those factors in the learning-teaching context that directly impact
your teaching and student learning. For each factor you describe, you must analyze how that factor impacts
the teaching of your instructional sequence and your students= learning.
Ethnic Study and Presentation (Due session 8-9) For this assignment you will be in
different groups (by Ethnic groups studied). You will read, discuss and analyze the
ethnic group histories in Bennett, chapters 4 or 5, (5th Edition) and specific data
chapters in Aguirre (4th edition) as assigned. Prepare a 30 minute class presentation to
share your work. Details will follow.
Second Book Reaction Paper (Due Session 11) In a literature circle you will reflect on the
characters’ experiences in terms of social structures (race, class, gender, ability,
sexuality) and reflect on how your philosophy of teaching may be affected by having
discussed the book. For the first paper, each inquiry team will read What if all the Kids
are White?: Anti-bias multicultural education with young children & families. Cooperate with
your inquiry team to discuss and analyze the book. Write an individual reaction paper
to the book; what you learned about people and culture in the U.S.; your personal
reactions; and how this book might affect you as a teacher. The paper should be 3-5
pages. Please include specific examples to support your analysis.
DRAFT
Cultural Narrative Paper ( Due Final Session) The Cultural Narrative paper is an overarching, synthesizing mini-essay (5-7 pages) that identifies and analyzes themes or
concerns that are significant to you. The essay focuses on yourself as a learner in this
course, using your previous writing as data. Here are some questions to consider: What
issues and themes in the course really held your attention and called forth an
intellectual and emotional response? Have your views on important issues changed or
deepened? What ideas, issues or experiences were of continual interest to you? Why
do you think they were significant? What did you learn from your practicum
assignment? Has your view of yourself and/or beliefs about teaching changed in any
way? How do you see these changes (if there have been some) connected to the course
experience?
Grades
Traditional A-E structure will be used. Grading will be criterion-referenced. Evaluation
criteria, and issues of fairness and consistency will be discussed prior to assignments.
Assignments vary in worth in terms of percentage of the final grade.
Each assignment is graded out of 100 points. An assignments total effect on your grade is
based on the percentage weights shown below:
Participation, Preparation and Process Journal ……………………………………………………………10
Initial Cultural Autobiography (Due Session 2)…………………………………………………………. 5
Individual Project Presentation ………………………………………………………………………………………..15
Multicultural Encounter……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10
First Book Reaction Paper (Due Session 6)………………………………………………………………….. 10
Learning-Teaching Context Study (Due Session 7)………………………………………………….. 10
Second Book Reaction Paper (Due Session 11)…………………………………………………………….. 10
Ethnic Study and Presentation (Due session 8-9)………………………………………………………. 15
Cultural Narrative Paper ( Due Final Session)…………………………………………………………….. 15
Letter grades are earned. The following are percentage points. A 94-100, A- 90-93, B+ 8789, B 84-86, B- 80-83, C+ 77-79, C 74-76, C- 70-73, D 69 or less E (repeat).
DRAFT
Monday Class
2008
Sept 1
Course Sequence
Davis
NO Class (LABOR DAY)
Session 1
Sept 8
Introductions and Multicultural Pursuit
Overview of Course Syllabus, book selection
Introduction to group work and Inquiry Teams
Readings for next week (by author): Ndura; McIntosh; Nile & Stratton
Assignment: Write your Cultural Autobiography (due next week)
Cultural Introductions: “Who am I and what do I bring?”
Discussion from readings: Contextual overlap
Video: A Place at the Table (Starting Small)
Reading: Banks: chapters 1-4
Session 2
Sept 15
Cultural
Autobiography
(due)
Session 3
What is Multicultural Education – Geneva Haden
Sept 22
Viewing and discussion of Freedom Writers Diary
Readings: Banks & Banks - Chapter 2 – by Erickson
Session 4
The Deep Meaning of Culture - Activity
Sept 29
What is Culture/Ethnicity and why does it matter?
Readings: Banks & Banks - Chapter 1 & Chapter 10
Begin First Book: – Revealing the Invisible chapters 1-5
Session 5
Learning Context / Culturally Relevant Teaching
Oct 6
Viewing & discussion of film: Race: The Power of an Illusion Part 2
Readings: Banks & Banks - Chapter 3 & Chapter 4
Revealing the Invisible chapters 5-9
Session 6 Topics: Social Class/ Role of Race - Presentation – Chapter 3 & 4
Oct 13
Video: RACE: The Power of an Illusion Episode 3
Readings: Banks & Banks – Chapter 5 & Chapter 6
Handout: Mulvihill & Swaminathan- “I Fight Poverty. I Work!”
Multicultural
Encounter Due
First Book
Reaction
DUE
Session 7 Topics: Poverty in schools Classroom Climate
Oct 20
and Gender Equity - Presentation – Chapters 5 & 6
Readings: Banks & Banks – Chapters 7 & 8 & 9
Begin Second Book: What if All the Kids are White Chps 1-4
Session 8 Topic: Culturally Relevant Teaching and Classroom Climate
Oct 27
Presentations – Chapters 7, 8, 9
Video : Last Chance for Eden
Readings: Banks & Banks – Chapters 11 & 12
Second Book: What if All the Kids are White? - Chps 4-end
Learning
Context
Study DUE
DRAFT
Session 9
Topic: Perspectives on Equality – Presentations - Chapters 11 & 12
Nov 3
* Introduce Ethnic Group Study *
Readings: Banks & Banks Chapters 13 &14
Assigned chapters in Banks for Ethnic Group Study Project
Session 10
Topic: Equity and Inclusion in Schools – Presentations - Chapters 13& 14
Nov 10
Ethnic Study Groups meet to prepare Teach-ins
Readings: Banks: As assigned for EGS project
Handout - Bennett: Ch 9 pgs 321-340 and Lessons assigned
Session 11
Nov 17
Book Talk - (What if All the Kids are White?)
Ethnic Study DUE Groups 5 & 6 & 7 Teach-Ins
(Limit: 30 min. each group for presentation)
:
Session 12
Nov 24
Ethnic Study DUE Groups 8 & 9 Teach-Ins
(Limit: 30 min. each group for presentation)
Session 13
Dec 1
Ethnic Study DUE Groups 10 & 11 & 12 Teach-Ins
(Limit: 30 min. each group for presentation)
Session 14
Dec 8
Ethnic Study DUE Groups 13 & 14 Teach-Ins
(Limit: 30 min. each group for presentation)
Session 15
Dec 15
Ethnic Cultural Fest
Second Book
Reaction DUE
Final Cultural
Narratives DUE
Participation, Preparation and Process Journal ……………………………………………………………10
Initial Cultural Autobiography (Due Session 2)…………………………………………………………. 5
Individual Project Presentation ………………………………………………………………………………………..15
Multicultural Encounter…(Due Session 5………………………………………………………………………. 10
First Book Reaction Paper (Due Session 6)………………………………………………………………….. 10
Learning-Teaching Context Study (Due Session 8)………………………………………………….. 10
Second Book Reaction Paper (Due Session 11)…………………………………………………………….. 10
Ethnic Study and Presentation (Due as listed)……………………………………………………….
15
Cultural Narrative Paper ( Due Final Session)…………………………………………………………….. 15
Letter grades are earned. The following are percentage points. A 94-100, A- 90-93, B+ 8789, B 84-86, B- 80-83, C+ 77-79, C 74-76, C- 70-73, D 69 or less E (repeat).