Diversity pedagogy

DIVERSITY PEDAGOGY Cultural Components in Bilingual Teacher Preparation

Rosa Hernández Sheets Texas Tech University September 12, 2009 Universidad San Francisco de Quito Ecuador http://diversitypedagogy.com/Diversity%20Pedagogy/ diversityhome.htm Sheets © 2009

Session Goals  Bilingual

Signature Program Models  Culture in School Learning  Diversity Pedagogy  Candidate Cultural Competency  Issues in Bilingual Teacher Preparation Sheets © 2009

Bilingual Signature Program Models  Coherent

Vision  Measurable Mission  Coherent Course Curriculum

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Coherent Vision  Clear

mental picture of what candidates look like at program completion.  Explicit conceptual framework present and constant in all aspects of program preparation.  Admitted candidates and hired faculty demonstrate potential to achieve program goals.

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Measurable Mission 

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Goals, program design, and implementation — guided by an overarching conceptual framework — are continually adjusted, improved, and evaluated.

Program prepares candidates with knowledge on how to create optimal learning conditions and with skills to effectively facilitate student learning.

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Course Curriculum  Courses

are developed and designed by groups of faculty through rich collaborative experiences.  Instructors understand how candidates learn, how they learn to teach, and how they view teaching.  Measurable objectives present in individual courses and across program.

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Suggested Components in the Conceptual Framework  Socio-Cultural

Learning Theory  Language Acquisition  Diversity Ideology  Assessment  Technology Sheets © 2009

Culture and Cognition • Your thinking is shaped by the meanings you give to contextual social conditions.

• Why you choose to do something is determined by the culturally influenced dimensions of self.

• Culture influences classroom decisions.

• Awareness and acknowledgement of the patterns of your thinking (habits of mind) is important.

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Conceptualizing Culture • Culture in learning • Culture as a powerful language tool.

• Culture as learning tools and symbols • Culture as link (disconnect) to school learning • Culture as cognition in thinking patterns • Culture in teaching practices • Culture in knowledge construction • Culture as influence for meaning making • Culture as socialization process (values, beliefs) • Culture in teacher communities of practice Sheets © 2009

Culture and Cognition Learning occurs at the fusion point between previously acquired cultural knowledge and the new knowledge being presented.

Mismatch in student-teacher cultural knowledge and lack of knowledge of student始s culture can result in teacher始s unawareness or misinterpretation of students始 cultural competencies and cognitive strengths.

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Culture in School Learning • Teachers behaviors are influenced by their perception of the role of culture in the teaching-learning process.

• School can be a source of stress rather than a place for learning.

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What is Diversity Pedagogy?

Teaching-learning theory connecting culture and cognition.

Eight Dimensional Elements Teacher Pedagogical Behaviors Student Cultural Displays

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Teacher Pedagogical Behaviors Classroom actions and attitudes that establish the nature, quality, and type of learning conditions needed to enable children to learn what is intended.


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Student Cultural Displays Cultural displays are observable manifestations of the norms, values, and competencies children learn in their homes and communities which provide insights to who they are, how they act, and what they know.

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8 Dimensional Elements Teacher Pedagogical Behaviors

Student Cultural Displays

Diversity Identity Interpersonal Relationships Culturally Safe Classroom Context

Consciousness of Differences Ethnic Identity Development Interpersonal Relationships Self-regulated Learning

Language Culturally Inclusive Content Instruction Assessment

Language Learning Knowledge Acquisition Reasoning Skills Self-Evaluation

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Consistent, systematic implementation of

teacher pedagogical behaviors in classrooms promotes growth in eight complementary student dimensions.

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Developing Cultural Competency 

Teachers are the single most important resource in any classroom.

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Few hold as much potential and responsibility for improving the schooling experiences of children as teachers and those who help prepare them.

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Adaptation and Accommodation to Contextual and Situational Conditions Children acquire and display knowledge and skills in different ways; therefore, teachers must adapt and participate in a mutual accommodation.

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Knowledge of Culture To be effective, with culturally diverse children, teacher preparation and schooling goals must be framed within the context of the learners始 diverse cultural strengths and cognitive competencies.

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Issues in Bilingual Preparation Diversity coursework often focuses on sociopolitical issues.  Generally, language-dominated preparation programs ignore other cultural dimensions.  The paucity of scholarship on diversity coursework in bilingual teacher preparation programs is problematic. 

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Implications for Teacher Preparation  

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Development of candidate cultural competence missing in programs and in the scholarship.

Teacher educators need research based knowledge on best practices in the preparation of bilingual candidates.

Programs need comprehensive frameworks addressing learning, learning to teach and ways teaching is constructed.

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ÂĄGracias!

Educar para transformar Teach for freedom Equitable access for all children Sheets Š 2009