This unit introduces students to the concept of community in general and how individual entities cooperate to make decisions. By examining historical events that led to the formation of the European Community, students are introduced to a community in an international context. The six lessons include: (1) "Cooperation and Community"; (2)…

School motivation and achievement for an individual is the product of a complex set of interacting goals, goals which may be more or less significant to individuals from different cultural backgrounds. This paper describes a project which examines the nature of goals held by students from different cultural groups, the compatibility of these goals…

Since the publication of the first edition of this book, the nation has moved from silence about the reality of racism to the denial of its existence. Talking about racism is never easy, but the eight chapters from the original edition and eight new chapters provide insight into racism in education and strategies for change. Included are: (1)…

Research conducted on career counseling with African Americans has centered on a few main themes. One theme is that career development models and inventories are based upon the White middle-class American male. Therefore, these models may not be relevant for minority individuals. Second, differences between African American culture and majority…

New multicultural anthologies too often end up looking suspiciously like the color palate of a paint-by-numbers kit. Canonical tokenism is quickly seen as a ruse by minority students and teachers who are circumspect and adept at uncovering counterfeits. As an alternative to tokenism, one recommendation is to use Patricia Bizzell's "contact…

This book address the underlying problems of teaching controversial subjects in the college and university history classroom. The volume criticizes both sides of the debate, rejects calls for a uniform, chronological history curriculum, and rejects the claims that only ethnic or racial 'insiders' are qualified to teach about their communities. The…

Four essays consider aspects of ensuring that every child can succeed in school. The first, "Appearing Acts: Creating Readers in a High School English Class" (Joan Kernan Cone), explores the self-perceptions of students and uses them to inspire their enthusiasm for reading. The cultural sensitivity of the teacher is instrumental in…

The changing demographics in U.S. institutions have contributed to the increasingly multicultural nature of classroom participants. Thus, teachers play a significant role in the desired educational outcomes when they value diversity. This study delineates a rationale for teacher education in terms of the multicultural construct. Multicultural…

This pamphlet discusses the problems of child sexual abuse, and introduces the Heart to Heart program created by the Ounce of Prevention Fund in Illinois. The pamphlet begins with reflections of adolescents who were sexually abused during childhood, and presents statistical information on this issue. It also discusses the various effects of…

This paper describes an interdisciplinary 9-unit course at Pasadena (California) City College, entitled the "American Cultures Block Program." The block is divided into three distinct sections: (1) "United States History from 1865 to the Present"; (2) "Humanities Through the Arts"; and (3) "Introduction to…

This study examines whether and how the experiences of children of Caribbean heritage in school in Britain differ from those of their classmates. Chapter 1 summarizes the research that justifies concern about the academic achievement of children of Caribbean heritage. Chapter 2 discusses the research theories that attempt to explain…

The Cross Island Parkway divides the New York City borough of Queens from suburban Nassau County. Surveillance patrols in several Nassau communities observe families who are suspected of living in Queens and illegally registering their children in Nassau schools. This report describes a preservice, urban teaching program at Hofstra University, a…

Differences among students can yield rich benefits as well as pose difficult problems during collaborative learning. Students can draw on diverse individual experiences to exchange information, to understand different expressions of shared commonalities, and to construct new possibilities jointly. However, they also face the potential pitfalls of…

Unofficial, vernacular literacy of four diverse sixth-grade groups in a midwestern area was explored using naturalistic, direct observation in classrooms, informal interviews, and literacy survey. Research spanned the 1991-92 through the 1994-95 school years. The focus group, which was studied all 4 years of the research period, attended an…

The goal theory of achievement motivation establishes that goals stressed by schools dramatically affect whether children develop a success orientation or give up when faced with failure. This paper examines how Australian children from diverse cultural backgrounds view achievement and success in the classroom. A questionnaire derived from the…