Module 3: Readings
The Culture and Community of Your Classroom and School

Each week I will present more readings than you can easily get through. Fortunately, the Readings List will always be here for your reference. After the class ends, you will be able to return to the materials for a refresher. Remember the Tips on Reading on the Web as you approach this week's readings.

Multicultural Collaboration Using the Internet

More than ever before, technology can be a bridge connecting us to other worlds of experience. There are real people on the other side of the wires, and by honest communication, we better understand the human nature of all cultures. Why not use our ability to touch the global community to provide a meaningful and personal communication experience for our students?

This list of Internet based collaboration projects is also available via the class SiteMap. Please review the Internet projects available to you and begin to plan your class project.

Required Readings:

Bias in Curriculum Materials:

Forms of Bias in Text Books and Instructional Materials
This brief survey article categorizes the ways bias occurs in curriculum materials. This will raise your awareness and help you identify problems with your own classroom resources.

Self-Evaluation Guide: Curriculum, Instruction, Counseling, and Pupil Assessment
This document provides a number of questions that will help you self-evaluate your school district. These questions help you understand how bias and stereotyping can affect Curriculum, Instruction, Counseling, and Pupil Assessment.

Optional Readings:

Guidelines for the Selection of Instructional Materials
This piece deals specifically with the ways Native Americans are represented in curriculum materials.

How to Detect Bias in the News
The Canadian Media Awareness Network offers practical support for media education in the home, school and community and provides … "food for thought" on our fast-evolving media culture.

Understanding Stereotypes
This website is a three-day lesson plan that helps students understand how assumptions and biases can lead to stereotyping and unfair judgments.

Separate and But Not Equal
This is Virginia Commonwealth University's online exhibit about Race and Education in Prince Edward County during the 50's and 60's. This visual history highlights the disparity of opportunity that was prevalent across the South. Does this disparity continue across the nation in a more subtle and insidious manner?

Culture Traits and Generalizations
This article from the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs helps us identify stereotypes and begin to think about implicit bias in our teaching materials.

Creating Safe Schools: (Choose One.)

Anti-Bias and Conflict Resolution Curricula: Theory and Practice
by Wendy Schwartz ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education. This paper presents an overview of Tolerance, Conflict Resolution, and Violence Prevention Education.

Scared or Prepared? Assessing School Security
This step-by-step guide helps you understand the basics of school safety.

NEAT: A Quick Reference Guide for School Crisis Management
This checklist provides you with an outline for action should a crisis arise in your school.

Promoting Tolerance through Understanding, a high school elective class
This course was designed after a hate inspired assault on a high school campus. The goal of the course is to promote tolerance and stop youth violence. This successful course addresses the issues of prejudice, hatred, discrimination, and the result of these societal ills -- the violence that often is the aftermath. Sample lesson plans and teaching materials are available.

Bullying.Org Where You are not Alone
This website published children's stories, songs and poems dealing with the theme of bullying. They have a rich page of resources including links to a number of international projects.

ERIC Clearinghouse Virtual Library on Bullying

Students At Risk: Special Resources (Choose One.)

It can be argued that all students are at risk. However, some students are particularly alienated by the exclusionary practices of their schools. Here are links to several student stories that help us to empathize and understand.

NCREL: At Risk Students
This list of articles provides an overview of the topic.

Racial Profiling and Punishment in U.S. Public Schools
How Zero Tolerance Policies and High Stakes Testing Subvert Academic Excellence and Racial Equity. This article makes a strong case for rethinking many current trends in U.S. education.

Who Are the "At-Risk" Students of the 1990s?
by J. Hixson and M.B. Tinzmann NCREL, Oak Brook, 1990, provides an in-depth orientation to the "At-Risk" student.

Critical Issue: Rethinking Learning for Students at Risk
An overview of the issues, this article features many hyperlinks to interviews with working teachers and administrators. The bottom line? At-risk students (more so than most) need authentic, challenging, meaningful education.

(Dis)Ability and Schools
This is a list of sites dealing with special education issues.

Students Speak Out: (Choose One.)

Teaching Tolerance: 'A Coach's Word'
This Gay student's story from high school, speaks to the power of stereotypes to inflict lifelong pain.

I Don't Care Outreach for At Risk Students by Gina Paiz.
This tough talking personal narrative will help you understand the inner life of an "At-Risk" student.

It Just Hurts to Think: Notes from a Native Tongue
Excerpts from a student paper by Jerold White. This angry young black man explains the origins of his disdain and bitterness over the educational process.