Becoming a Multicultural Educator: Developing Awareness, Gaining Skills, and Taking Action

Providing an essential foundation for teachers-in-training and veteran educators, Becoming a Multicultural Educator: Developing Awareness, Gaining Skills, and Taking Action focuses on the development and application of research-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies for multicultural education in PK–12 classrooms. Award-winning authors William A. Howe and Penelope L. Lisi bring theory and research to life through numerous exercises, case studies, reflective experiences, and lesson plans designed to heighten readers’ cultural awareness, knowledge base, and skill set. Responding to the growing need to increase academic achievement and to prepare teachers to work with diverse populations of students, the fully updated Third Edition is packed with new activities and exercises to illustrate concepts readers can apply within their future classrooms and school-wide settings. With the support of this practical and highly readable book, students will be prepared to teach in culturally responsive ways, develop a critical understanding of culture and its powerful influence on teaching and learning, and feel empowered to confront and address timely issues. FREE DIGITAL TOOLS INCLUDED WITH THIS TEXT The edge you need to succeed!  SAGE edge gives instructors and students the edge they need to succeed with an array of teaching and learning tools in one easy-to-navigate website.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments List of Exercises About the Authors Section I: Background Chapter 1: Multicultural Education: History, Theory, and Evolution Changing Demographics Understanding Why Race and Ethnicity Matter The Need to Close the Achievement Gap Prejudice and Discrimination Issues Poverty and Class Issues Issues on Working With Immigrants and Refugees Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Issues Teacher Preparation and Professional Development Issues Available Teacher Workforce Issues Community and the Role of Parents Moral Obligations and Responsibilities In Summary Initial Focus on Ethnic Studies Influential Publications and Organizational Forces Influential Agencies and Organizations in the Development of Multicultural Education Similarities and Differences With Other Studies of Culture A Quick Comparison of Terms A New Definition of Multicultural Education Becoming a Multicultural Educator So What Is Multicultural Education? Five Approaches to Multicultural Education Chapter 2: Becoming a Multicultural Educator: A Four-Step Model What is Effective Teaching? What is a Multicultural Educator? Essential Knowledge for Multicultural Educators A Repertoire of Skills for Multicultural Educators Personal Qualities or Dispositions for Multicultural Educators Curriculum Standards as a Guide for Multicultural Education in Schools Professional Teaching Standards as a Guide for Multicultural Educators Why Attend to Culture? Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers in Using Culture Becoming a Multicultural Educator Section II: Knowledge Chapter 3: Historical Perspectives on a Multicultural America Race as a Biological or Social Construct Native Americans African Americans Asian Americans Hispanic Americans European Americans Today’s America Civil Rights Movement Timeline Federal Civil Rights Laws Other Education Laws Free Speech Rights of Students Chapter 4: Foundational Knowledge for Culturally Responsive Teaching Essential Elements of Culture Socioeconomic Status and Education Religion and Education Gender and Education Understanding Racism Understanding the Impact of Policy on the Learning Environment Learning Styles and the Achievement of Culturally Diverse Students Knowledge About Communication Styles The Role of Culture in the Process of Learning Culturally Responsive Teaching and Curriculum Development Section III: Awareness Chapter 5: Understanding Cultural Identities and Their Influence on Teaching and Learning What Is Cultural Identity? Challenges to Uncovering Our Cultural Identities Naming Groups With Which We Identify The Challenge of Entitlement What Does It Mean to Be White? The Influence of Cultural Identity and Worldview on Approaches to Teaching and Learning Chapter 6: Developing Awareness of All Humans as Cultural Beings Factors That Influence Our Perceptions of Others Racial Identity Development in Children Self in Relation to Others as Cultural Beings Responses to Differences: Stereotypes, Bias, Prejudice Does Difference Make a Difference in Schools? Hate Crimes, Bullying, and Harassment in Schools Dealing With Bullying and Harassment The Need for a Safe School Climate Understanding the Law and Education A Look at School Discipline Helping Students and Teachers Develop Positive Perspectives and Values Section IV: Skills Chapter 7: Curriculum Development and Lesson Planning Defining Curriculum The Curriculum Development Process Characteristics of a Multicultural Curriculum Seven Forms of Bias in Curriculum Materials Checking for Bias Planning Learning Experiences From a Multicultural Perspective Multicultural Principles Key Concepts for a Multicultural Curriculum Chapter 8: Instructional Approaches Needed by Multicultural Educators The Purpose of Education Models of Teaching Differentiated Instruction Chapter 9: Developing Skills in Teaching Language and Understanding Linguistic Diversity Educating Second-Language Learners Language Proficiency and Achievement Experiences of English Language Learner Students Language Diversity Schools and the Home Misdiagnosis Beyond Language: Preparation for a Diverse, Global Society Chapter 10: Assessment That Is Culturally Responsive Evolution of Assessments Types of Assessments High-Stakes Testing Bias in Assessment Principles of High-Quality Assessment Systems Guidelines for Development of Classroom-Based Culturally Responsive Assessments Authentic Assessments Portrait of a School in an Assessment Transition Section V: Action Chapter 11: Creating the Multicultural Classroom A Starting Point: Developing a Multicultural Education Platform of Beliefs Visioning Goal Setting as a Multicultural Educator Learn About Your Students Maintain High Expectations for Student Outcomes Work to Integrate Multiple Perspectives About Collaboration Functioning as a Partner What Can You Do as Partners Toward Multicultural Education? Instructional Practice Inventories Journaling and Anecdotal Logs Assessment Instruments Action Research Professional Development Options Enhancing Your Skills as a Reflective Practitioner Chapter 12: Creating the Multicultural School School Culture as a Shared Set of Values and Beliefs Assessing School Culture Developing a Shared Vision Developing a Culture of Collaboration and Teamwork Collection and Analysis of Student and Other Data Goal Setting and Multicultural Education Identification and Selection of Promising Practices Implementation and Monitoring Strategies to Support Teacher Learning The Diversity Project: An Illustration of Schoolwide Action Planning to Implement Multicultural Education Appendix: The Vital Multicultural Classroom: Resources, Organizations, and Associations Glossary References Index

About the Author :
William A. Howe has over 45 years of experience as an educator and professional staff developer from elementary grades to higher education in Canada and the United States. He has taught courses in multicultural education at the University of Hartford, University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac University and most recently at Albertus Magnus College. He was the former program manager for multicultural education, bullying, and civil rights at the Connecticut State Department of Education. From 1998 to 2015 he was the Connecticut State Title IX Coordinator overseeing compliance in sexual harassment and gender equity. In addition to conducting workshops on Title IX he has served as an expert witness on sexual harassment in schools. He is a regular presenter at state and national conferences and has appeared on both radio and television on diversity issues. In addition, he has been quoted in the New York Times, Associated Press, Christian Science Monitor, Hartford Courant, CampusSafety and other news publications and journals. He has conducted over 600 workshops and speaking engagements for 24,000 attendees on multicultural education, cultural competence and diversity. He has chaired 9 national conferences and 18 regional conferences on multicultural education.  He is Past President of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). He is a Founding Member of the Asian Pacific American Coalition of CT (APAC) and Past-Chair of the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Commission.  In 2006 he was named Multicultural Educator of the Year by NAME. He was an Honoree at the 11th Annual “Immigrant Day” at the Connecticut State Capitol in 2008, a day to honor immigrants from throughout Connecticut who have made valuable contributions to their communities and/or professions. In 2012 he was recognized with by the Pakistani American Association of Connecticut (PAACT) for his service to the community. On May 2, 2015 Dr. Howe received an Official Citation from the Connecticut General Assembly in recognition of a Commitment and Leadership to the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Community in Higher Education and Public Service.  In 2015 he has was recognized by Teachers College/Columbia University as a Distinguished Alumni. In 2019 he received the Ebenezer D. Bassett Distinguished Humanitarian Award for Civil Rights and Equity from Central Connecticut State University and the Ebenezer D. Bassett Memorialization Committee. He is on the Editorial Board of Multicultural Perspectives, the official journal of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). His textbook on multicultural education, coauthored with Dr. Penelope Lisi, Becoming a Multicultural Educator: Developing Awareness, Gaining Skills, and Taking Action (2019, SAGE) received the 2013 Philip C. Chinn Multicultural Book Award from NAME. The textbook is also published in Chinese. In addition, he is a coauthor of the Handbook for Achieving Gender Equity through Education, 2nd Edition (2007, Routledge).    Dr. Penelope L. Lisi is Professor Emerita at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). Between 1994 and 2018, she taught in CCSU’s graduate level programs in educational leadership, served as director of the doctoral program between 2014 and 2018, and taught in CCSU’s master’s degree program in Montego Bay, Jamaica, for 20 years.  In her faculty position at CCSU, Dr. Lisi served for 20 years as director of the Center for Multicultural Research and Education. As director, she implemented professional development projects to support faculty in addressing equity issues in the university classroom. She directed the Diversity in Teaching Network (DITN), a federally funded three-year project to recruit diverse students into CCSU’s teacher preparation program. The Center for Multicultural Research and Education was a primary sponsor of and collaborator for the annual New England Conference for Multicultural Education (NECME) for 18 years. Dr. Lisi’s scholarly work has focused  on leadership for social justice, leadership for teaching and learning, and leadership in international school settings. In 2000, Dr. Lisi received a Fulbright Scholar Award to the University of Iceland. Over the next 16 years, she received 12 research grants and made more than 25 trips to Iceland to investigate educational leadership in a changing environment. Dr. Lisi has delivered more than 50 peer-reviewed papers in the United States, Ireland, Cuba, England, Finland, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland, Jamaica, Iceland, and Ukraine. Since 2005, she has been an adjunct professor for The College of New Jersey’s Global Studies Program in Palma de Mallorca. Prior to her work at CCSU, Dr. Lisi taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in the United States and for 3 years in international schools in Norway and Denmark. For 5 years, she served as executive director of the Connecticut State University Center for Educational Excellence, a system-wide faculty development resource. A primary outcome was the initiation, development, and implementation of Project IMPACT, a professional development project to support faculty on the four state university campuses in transforming university-level courses to include diverse perspectives and content. Dr. Lisi received her bachelor’s degree in education and French at DePauw University, her master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin– Milwaukee, and her doctoral degree at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Between 1998 and 2018, Dr. Lisi served as senior editor of Multicultural Perspectives for the National Association for Multicultural Education, and currently serves serve on the editorial board. Her textbook, coauthored with Dr. William A. Howe, Becoming a Multicultural Educator: Developing Awareness, Gaining Skills, and Taking Action (2014, SAGE) won the 2013 Philip C. Chinn Multicultural Book Award from NAME.

Review :
"Great book for most facets of multicultural education because it includes an equal balance of theoretical information on multicultural education as well as instructional methodology." "Accessible, a primer for those interested in learning about multicultural education." "Becoming a Multicultural Educator puts student diversity and multicultural teaching at the center with clear coverage of important ideas, including theory and research. The authors are dedicated teacher and scholars!" "Research based; usable for students with ESL backgrounds; strong focus on diversity in a classroom and attitudes on diversity; good case studies provided on challenging topics." "Becoming a Multicultural Educator does a great job with incorporating real classroom applications to the discussion of diversity."