Multicultural

Classroom Management

What is Multicultural Classroom Management?

Let’s Start with Multicultural Education

• Multicultural education as defined by experts in the field, multicultural education can be simply defined as an educational movement that strives to promote pluralism and to minimize racism in the classroom.

• “Comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students that challenges all forms of discrimination, permeates instruction and interpersonal relations in the classroom, and advances the democratic principles of social justice.” (Nieto, 1992)

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Multicultural Classroom Management

• Since mainly white college professors are responsible for teaching predominately white teacher candidates, attitudes and dispositions of the dominant culture are transmitted into the multicultural classroom making learning difficult for many students.

• “These deep rooted old patterns are played out in the school environment, where teachers whether consciously or unconsciously function to maintain the status-quo by imposing their values and standards on subordinate groups of students from diverse backgrounds.” (Au, 1993)

• F.Y.I. White college professors make up 88% of the 35,000 fulltime, regular, instructional faculty in the field of education. Their white pre-service teacher students will make up 86% of the teacher population in diverse public schools. (Ladson-Billings, 1994)

What can the teacher do to help make her/his classroom more culturally conscious?

In a multicultural classroom headed by a white teacher values of the teacher and students will most likely not be shared. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the teacher to,

1. Recognize one’s own ethnocentrisms

2. Acquire knowledge of students’ cultural backgrounds (just ask them; they love to talk about themselves!)

3. Understand the broader social, economic, & political context

4. Be willing to use culturally appropriate management strategies

5. Have a commitment to build a caring classroom

(Weinstein, Tomlinson-Clarke, & Curran, 2004)

Misunderstandings in Cross Cultural Communication

• Differences in cultural values can be attributed to the problem that culture is implicit or hidden therefore issues and misunderstandings arise.

• The failure of many schools to take cross cultural communication issues into account can contribute to school related problems experienced by specific groups of children.

• The current crisis of African American males in many of the nation's schools demonstrates this point.

Misunderstandings in Cross Cultural Communication

• Within many schools, it is a well documented fact that African American males are disproportionately placed in special education and speech language pathology programs, and are more likely to be recipients of disciplinary actions.

• Recent research has shown that language and communication norms among African American males, particularly those of lower socioeconomic status, are related, at least in part, to these problems.

Cross Cultural Communication

Here is a humorous example of cross cultural communication as interpreted by

Mad TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVF nirSq5s&feature=

PlayList&p=8C747FB550D26F82&index=0&playnext=1

Dialogue Journals in Multicultural Classrooms

• Dialogue journals can help the teacher introduce the student to basic classroom practices and maintain an open communication channel without forfeiting valuable class work time.

• Student journal entries are closely tied to the student's development of language skills and understanding of content, both in the student's comments and in the teacher's responses.

• They can also assist the teacher in lesson planning and individualizing instruction, provide information about the students' cultures, activities and needs, provide a channel for honest communication, and help resolve difficult classroom situations.

Dialogue Journals …

Keep a daily written dialogue between the educator and student. When responding to the student, model correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

THE ROLE OF THE EDUCATOR IS:• communicate through writing daily • use mini-lessons for strategies for journal writing • model correct English in written response • scaffold development of writing skills through the

journal • make dialogue journal writing fun!

Dialogue Journals in Multicultural Classrooms

HOW IT WORKS:• Student-centered: Dialogue Journals help make a

connection with an adult.• Privacy: Keep the journal between the educator and

the student. If sharing, get permission first.• Student first: Make sure the student, not the educator,

writes the first entry. This helps set the tone.• Continuous writing: Year Long.• No corrections: Do not use the red pen. Instead,

respond back in ways to show the correct writing.• For all ages and abilities: Use the journals with

preschool through high school students.

Dialogue Journals in Multicultural Classrooms

Examples of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication ContrastsAmong Some African Americans and Some Anglo Americans

Some African Americans Some Anglo Americans Hats and sunglasses may be considered by men as adornments much like jewelry and may be worn indoors.

Hats and sunglasses are considered utilitarian by men and as outwear to be removed indoors .

Touching another's hair is generally considered offensive. Touching another's hair is a sign of affection.

Asking personal questions of a person met for the first time may be seen as improper and intrusive.

Inquiring about jobs, family and so forth of someone one has met for the first time is seen as friendly.

Use of direct questions is sometimes considered harassment, e.g., asking when something will be finished is like rushing that person to finish.

Use of direct questions for personal information is permissible.

"Breaking in" during conversation by participants is usually tolerated. Competition for the floor is granted to the person who is most assertive.

Rules on taking turns in conversation dictate that one person has the floor at a time until all of his or her points are made.

Conversations are regarded as private between the recognized participants; "butting in" may be seen as eavesdropping and not tolerated.

Adding points of information or insights to a conversation in which one is not engaged is sometimes seen as helpful.

The term "you people" is typically seen as pejorative and racist.

The term "you people" is tolerated.

Listeners are expected to avert eyes to indicate respect and attention.

Listeners are expected to look at a speaker directly to indicate respect and attention.

Speakers are expected to look at listeners directly in the eye.

Speakers are expected to avert eyes, especially in informal speaking situations.

Multicultural Classroom ManagementRefrences

• Ambe, E. B. (2006). Fostering Multicultural Appreciation i n Pre-Service Teachers Through Multicultural Curricular Transformation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 693-694.   Irwin, L., & Nucci, C. (2004, March). Perceptions of students' locus of control of discipline

• among pre-service and in-service teachers in multicultural classrooms. Intercultural Education, 15(1), 59-71. Retrieved February 16, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

• Nieto, S. (1992). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of Multicultural Education. New York: Longman.

• Tartwijk, J. V., Brok, P. D., Veldman, I., & Wubbels, T. (2009). Teachers' practical knowledge • about classroom management in multicultural classrooms. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 453-460.  • Weinstein, C. S., Tomlinson-Clarke, S., & Curran, M. (2004, January/February). Toward A Conception Of

Culturally Responsive Classroom Management. Journal of Teacher Education, 55(1), 25-38.