This article was downloaded by: [University of Auckland Library]On: 06 November 2014, At: 19:34Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Action in Teacher EducationPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uate20

Multicultural Education for PreserviceStudentsDaisy F. Reed aa Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond , VA , USAPublished online: 04 Jan 2012.

To cite this article: Daisy F. Reed (1993) Multicultural Education for Preservice Students, Action inTeacher Education, 15:3, 27-34, DOI: 10.1080/01626620.1993.10463161

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01626620.1993.10463161

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever orhowsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arisingout of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

MULITCULTURAL EDUCATION FOR PRESERVICE STUDENTS

Daisy F. Reed Perhaps the most critical issue in education today concernstheincreasedneedformulticulaualeduca- tion in the nation’s schools and increased responsi- bility of teacher educators to prepare people to teach in c u l d y diverse classrooms. As with other issues in education, this one seems to have been “recycled.” Back in the 1960s and 1970s, multicultural education was a popular topic. It was then that the results of the desegregation of schools and thecivilrights movement werehaving animpact. Educators andlegislatarscame to realize that it was impa?antthatattenbbegiventotheneeds,interests, and c u l M characteristics of minority children in o r b to preserve the ideals of the nation.

During the 198Os, there was a great decline in intemt about and commitment to multiculturalism. It has been reduced from a major focus to a mere whim, something that is ‘‘nice’’ to do if one is so inclined. Multicultural education became nones- sential in the minds of many. There seemed to be an underlying assumption that all was well, that there was no need fop talk about c u l m and cultural differences, that all problems related to face and culture had been solved

Of course, this has been proven to be a false assumption. Here in the 1990s. we are all aware of the rising number of reparts about racial violence on college campuses and in society. We are all aware of the growing concern about at-risk students and the growing number of school dropouts. These and other problems have let us know in no uncertain terms that we must do something concrete and DaisyReedisMAssociateProf~rof~~wflat

Virginia Commomvealrh University, Richmond, VA. specific about them immediately.

ACTION IN TEACHER EDUCATION page 27

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

In response to these problems, multicultural edu- cation must once again be bmghtto the forefront of educational thought and action. It can no longer be treatedas a whim orbeC0nsidered“nice” to do. It has become an absolute necessity. and teacher educators mustrespondtothisneed. Prospectiveteachersmust be taught to understand and appreciate the many culmesthatexistinoursociety. They mustbetaught to value cultural diversity. They must be taught that throughtheirexpectatim,actiom,wards,anddeeds as classroom teachers, they can foster acceptance andrespectforallchildren Theymustbetaughtthat they have a legal, ethical, and moral responsibility to provide the best education they possibly can to members of all racial, ethnic, and cultural groups.

This propositionbecomesevenmarecritical when we consider two phenomena that are occurring in Amencaneducationtoday. Oneistherapidhaease in thenumber of minoritychildm,especially African AmericanandEclspanicAmerican,inpublicschools. The other is the rapid decrease in the number of minority teachers. Haberman (1989) states that by the year uxx), one-thirdof all school children will be members of a minority group while the n u m b of minority teachers will have fallen to less than 5% African American and 1.9% Hispank American. Graham (1987) presents similar infamation. She states that most teachers who teach today’s childm areAngloAmerican.andt*steaching force will be even more so. Yet, increasingly the students are non-white. She predicts that by the end of the century, perhaps 40% of American school children will be non-white. Henry (1990) says the changes arealready occurring. InNew YarkState, some40% of elementary and secondary students belong to an ethnic minority. In California, Anglo American pupils are already a minority. Hispanics account for 31.4% of public school enrollment; African Americans add 8.9%; andhiansandothersamount to 11% for a non-white total of 51.3% @. 29).

This is why multicultural education has become an absolute necessity, not a meat whim. If the teaching force is going to be i n d g l y Anglo American, we must teach our Anglo American prospective teachers to be motivators far minority children. We must teach our Anglo American p m spective teachers about multicultural education and train them to function effectively in cultudy di- verse settings. These will be the people who must

value cultural diversity, understand and appreciate various cultures. These will be the people who must teach the children in their classes to accept and respect all racial, cultural, and ethnic groups. It is quiteposibletherewillbemfew minority teachers to do i t

‘Ihe issue is especially relevant for an institution like Virginia Commonwealth University. It is lo- cated in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, which has a preQominantly African American public school population. However, the preserviCe teacher popu- lation at Virginia Commonwealth University is overwhelmingly Anglo American. Most of these students are required to have field experiences in Richmondcity F’ublic Schools. Many haveexpressed concern about their lack of preparation for working with totally f i c a n American classes of students in the city’s schools, as well as with the culturally diverse groups of students they find in suburban and rural schools. Many have expressed a need for specific instruction in multicultural education.

A Multicultural Education Project

Reed (1991) found thatpreservice teachers need a multicultural education program that provides specific instruction in three major areas. These are:

(1) the development of positive attitudes and behavim toward culturally different children,

(2) the lolowledge of cultural characteristics of children which may have an effect on learning, and

(3) the ability to select and use appropriate in- structional strategies and materials.

A project designed to provide such instruction was funded by a grant from the Appalachian Educa- tion Laboratory. The purpose of the project was to develop training experiences and materials for multicultural education that would enable prospec- tiveteacherstobecomemoreeffectiveinclassooms with diverse racial and cultural populations. Spe- cifically, the racial and cultural population was Af- rican American students. The major objective of the project was to develop a resource unit which can be used by teacher educators to prepare preservice teachers to work in multicultural classrooms in ur- banmiddlescbls. Whiletheunithasbeendesigned for use with students who are planning to teach in middle schools, it is easily adaptable for use at the elementary and secondary school levels.

Fall 1993. Vd. XV, No. 3 Pliv 28

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

Design of the project

The two major components of the project were (1) the development of the resolrrce unit, and (2) the field testing of the unit with a group of preswviCe teachers.

The Unit

The unit begins with a rationale, an introduction, and goals. These sections are followed by detailed explications of the five majar sections of the unit

A. The Need fur Multicultml Education B. Developing positive Attitudes and B e

C. Understanding the Cultural Characteris- haVi0l.S

ticsofMinorityChildren.Which May Have

D. Selecting and Using ApproPriate Instruc-

E. Planning and Teaching Multicultural

Each section contains instructional objectives and a list of suggested procedures and Strategies for meeting the objectives. Sections I to IV also contain exhaustive lists of resources, including articles. pa- pers,books,frlms,games,andothermaterialsabout the topic. The unit concludes with a summary statement and an explanarion of the evaluation p m Cedures.

an Impact on Learning

tional Strategies and Materials

Lessons

Following is a sample from the unit. Understanding the Cultural Chamcteristics

of Minority Children Which May Have AnImpctonLeaming

Objectives: 1. Students will be able to describe the general

physical, so~ial. intellmtual, and ~ 1 1 0 t i d charac- teristics of middle school children.

2. Students will be able to explain cognitive learning.

3. Students will be able to discuss why it is important for teachers to understand the cultmal characteristics of c h i l h .

4. While avoiding steaeotypes, students will be able to explain some of the general c u l d charac- teristics of various ethnic groups.

5. Students will be able to explain how student characteristics may have an impact on learning.

Procedures and Stragtegies: 1. Show films ‘‘Adolescence: The Winds of

Change” and ‘‘Saturday Morning.”

and relate it to their own adolescence.

tics of middle school children.

2. Studentsdiscuss information presented in films

3. Students read and discuss general characteris-

a George & Lawrence, Chapters 1-4 4. Instructor presents information about cultural

characteristics of minority children and relate these to other characteristics.

a. GilbertZkGay b. Hale-Benson

5. In small groups, students read and discuss “Missing the Message,” “Cognitive Styles and Multicultural Populations,” and “Gender and Achievement Status Differences on Learning Fac- tors Among Black High School Students.”

6. Show films ‘Except the People,” “The IQ Myth,” and “I Wonder Why.”

7. Instructor synthesizes concepts from discus- sions, films, and readings.

8. In small groups, students work on Case Study and report decisions to large group.

9. Studentsparticipatein simulation game,“BaFa, BaFa“

10. Students record their opinions and im- pressions in journal.

Follow-Up

During the practicum experience, students will observe and interview middle school children. They will then compare the characteristics discussed in class with the characteristics of “real live” children.

The Field Test

The unit was field-tested for one semester with a group of thirteen preservice teachers enrolled in a course entitled ‘Planning for Teaching in Grades 4- 8.” The sixcredit course consisted of class work at the university andapracticumexperiencein amiddle school.

Procedures. During the first week of class, the purpose of the project and the use of the unit were explainedtothestudents. Theywouldreceivepoints toward the final grade for active participation. They were then administered a pretest on racial attitudes and perceptions. During subsequent weeks. the students were provided instruction in the five sec- tions of the unit. The specific information about

ACTION IN TaCHER EDUCATION page 29

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

multiculturaleducation wasintegratedintoon-going topicsofthecourse. Forexample,infmnationabout the cultural characteristics of minarity children was presented along with information about the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual characteristics of middle school children in general.

During class Sessions where! mulhcultd topics

casestudiesinsmallgroups. Theywerealsorequired to record their feelings and opinions about the multicultural topic in rheiijoumals. As part of the course, the students were assigned

toparticipateinapracticumexperbceinaRichmond City middle school. for a minimum of four hours on Thursdays for the semester. During the early weeks ofthefieldexperience,thestudents weaeexpectedto observe and assist the classoom teachers During the latter weeks, they were expected to teach a minimum of three lessons to the children in their classrooms. One of thethreelesscmswasrequiredto be on a “multicultural” topic.

A posnest was administered at the end of the semester.

Popularion. The group of thirteen preservice teachersconsistedofeleven AngloAmerican females, ages 22 tow, one African American female, age 32, and one Anglo American male, age 32. The median age for the group was 27. Eleven of the students were seeking their first college degree and initial certifi- cation. One of the remaining students was an ex- perienced secondary school teacher seeking addi- tional certification, and the other was a “ m r - switcher” with a degree in unnmunidon who was also seeking initial certification. All of the students, except the experienced teacher, had very limited classoom experience. This population is typical of the students who are mlled for middle school certification at VCU.

Practicwn Setting. The preservice teachers were assigned to a large urban middle school. The school had a total enrollment of 1,150 chilclnmconsisting of 95% African American and 5% Anglo American. There were 70 teachers. The children came from the neighborhoods surroundlll * g the school, and their socio-economic status ranged from 40% middle class to 60% lower class.

The preseMce teachas were assigned to class- rooms based on subject matter prefemus. Seven

were discussed, students were required to analyze

were placed in Language Arts classrooms, three in SocialStudies,twoinScience,andoneinMathemat- ics. Sixoftheclassoomsweresixthgrade;twowere seventh grade; three were eighth grade; and two were multi-graded.

Regardless of thegradeor subject area, all students waerequiredtoplan and teach a minimum of three lessons, one of which had to be on a multicultural topic. Some of the topics for these lessons were: “Poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes,” Minority Mathematicians,” and “African American Civil War Hem.”

Data Collection. Data on the project were col- lected from seveml sources A pretest/posnest was administered to the students at the beginning and conclusionofthecourse. Thepurposeofthetestwas to determine if there would be changes in student attitudes and perceptions about minority school children that could be amibuted to the project. ThetestwasadaptedfromMcCuen’s(1974)The

Racist Reader and consisted of the following five parts: Survey I ‘Te& Contact,” Survey I1 “Ad- jectives,” Survey III“Attimdes.” Survey IV “Social Distance,” and Survey V “Impression of Middle School Students.” Because of the small number participating in the project, the data were analyzed by using frequency counts and percentages. Com- parisons were made between the results of the two

Thestudentsparticipatingintheproject werealso given and required to keep j o d s about their experiences and feelings. They were given class time to write in the journals on aregular basis. The Journals were collected and read, periodically, to

Specific questions were included on the midterm and final examination about factual and inferential infomation. presented in class, on teaching mi- norities. In addition, the students were observed and evaluated while teaching their “multiculW lessons. Further, the students were given checklists and asked to rate the effectiveness of the articles, books, films, and other materials used during the Project

Lastly, two external consultants, one in middle school education and one in multicultural education, were engaged to give advice on preparing the unit and to evaluate the final product.

tests to assess if any changes occurred.

notechangesinattitudesandperceptons.

Fall 1993, Vol. XV, No. 3

PA?= 30

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

Results

ThemulticulMeducationunitconcludedatthe end of the semester. me psemice teachers com- pleted the practicum expeaience, made summary entriesintheirjoumals,andwexegiventheposetest. Theresultsof these finalpwzdms wezecompared with data from theedierpmtof the semester. The purposeof theanalysis wastodetermineifthemof the unit had an effect on the preserviCe reacher’s

students. attitudes,skills,andlolowledgeconcemingminopity

Data from the Pretest/pasttest

Survey I - Personal Contact. ‘”Think back over your lifeand theamountofcontact youhavehadwith (a) African Americans and (b) Anglo Americans.” The answer choices ranged 6rom often to Never. Thetapresponses0r’loften”forcontaawithAfrican Americans wete:

“See in your town” - 92%; “Attend school with“ - 77%; “Read about in newspapem and magazines” - “See on television” - 61%.

“Play with after school” - 7%; “Go on dates with” - 151; “Live near“ - 15%; and “Study about in schools” -15%.

69%; and

The lowest responses were:

As was expected, because of the study’s popula- tion, all responses about contact with Anglo Ameri- cans ranged from 100% to 92% for the “often” category. Theseresponsesremainedthesameforthe p0-t-

Survey I1 - Adjecties. “Check five adjectives which best describe (a) African Americans and (b) Anglo Americans.” The tap adjectives selected were as follows:

Aftican Americans Pretest Posttest Athletic - 69% Religious - 46% Musical - 38% Friendly - 3 1 % Emotional - 30% Kind-30%

Religious - 61% Friendly - 53% Emotional - 53% Athletic - 46%

AngloAmericans Pretest Posttest Hardworking - 38% Dominant - 38% Ambitious - 31% SttlaIt-30% Adventurous - 38%

Friendly - 61% Ambitious - 53% Emotional - 46%

Pushy- 30% Hardworking - 30%

Survey III - Attitudes. “Rank the following state- ments about (a) African Americans and @) Anglo Americans.” Thetopresponsesfor“StronglyAgree/ Agree” were as follows:

African Americans Pretest Posttest Good at sports - 85% Similar to other people

Good dancers - 77% Friendly - 85% Commit crimes - 69% Smile and laugh a lot

Similar to other people Good at sports - 69%

- 85%

Friendly - 77% Tr~~tw~rthy - 77%

- 17%

- 69% Anglo Americans

Pretest Posttest Good at sports - 92% Friendly - 92%

Similar to other people Similar to other people

Loyal citizens - 69% Loyal citizens - 69% Friendly - 69% Discriminate against

Trustworthy - 77% Tr~~tworthy - 85%

- 77% - 85%

others - 69%

Survey N - Acceptance. “Rank the following racial, ethnic, national, and religious groups.” A seven-point scale was given, ranging from No. 1 “I would not let them in my country” to No. 7 “I would be willing for my brother or sister to marry (or date) them.” ’Thosegroups receiving the highestpercentage of No. 7 for both the Pretest and Posttest were:

Anglo Americans - 85%. Bi@~ts - 69% (46%), Irish - 61% (53%), Canadians 53%. Catholics - 53% (61%). African Americans received the same percentage

ofNo.7(7%)onbothtestsasdidBuddhists,Chinese, Japanese,Chicanos,PuertoRicans,andPinereans(a

ACTION IN TEACHER EDUCATION page 31

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

nonexistent group). The Daniemns, another non- existent group, received 15% on both tests. Those groups receiving no peacentage of No. 7 (0%) were

Survey V - Impressions of Middle School Stu- denrs. “Complete each statement, about African

dren, with descriptive words ar phrases.” A sample of the open-ended responses follows

Alabs,Indians(India),camboctians,andIraqii

American and Anglo American middle school chil-

Pretest: 1. AngloAmericanmiddleschoolgirlsare: talk-

ative, intelligent, cliquish, interested in boys, con- cerned about their appearance.

2. African American middle school girls are: talkative, interested in sparts, interested in boys, friendly, concerned about their -.

3. Anglo American middle school boys are: shy, stubborn, restless, interestedingirls,goofy. i n t e r n in sports.

4. African American middle school boys are: wild, aggressive, hard to reach. trying to be cool, interested in sex. talking dirty.

temted in boys, trying to act grown-up, immature,

interested in boys, Concerned about themselves.

3. Anglo American middle school boys are: in-

4. African American middle school boys are:

Posttest: 1. Anglo American middle school girls are: in-

concerned about themselves. 2. African American middle school girls are:

mature, loud and rowdy.

temted in sports, athletic, silly, immahue.

intemted in sports, athletic. loud and boisterous, immature.

Data from the Journals

At the end of the semester, the students were asked to respond to two questionS, in theirjoumals: “How did you feel about working with students from a different racial and cultural group?” and “How have your perceptions and ideas about AG-ican Americans changed as a d t of this class and the practicum experience?” Samples of their responses follow:

I don’t really feel that class x3ivities and discussions have helped as much as actu- ally beingwiththestudentsintheschool. A person can sit and talk for days, but until

what is ralked about is putto use, it has little meaning. It didnotbotherme working with students

ofadifferentbackgmund AtfirsfIwasn’t sure I’dbe able to re& to them as well as a h c a n American teacher might. After a while,Irealizedthey wereteenagekids just like any other 14-year-olds. I womed about how they wouldreact toor accept me because I am Anglo American. They had no problem with it and seemed to like me just fine.

I didcome to realize that the students at H. School are just like other middle school students-energetic,restless,andsometimes wild. . . . I learned that A€rican American people do have adifferent outlook on some aspectsoflifethanothercultures,andI find this intemting.

Working with classes of mostly black students did not bother me. The only problem I had af first was pronouncing some of their names. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by mispronouncing their names. So I got a list and practiced saying them, with the help of Mrs. C., my mp- erating teacher.

My multicultural lesson was very well- received. The students were quite im- pressed with my knowledge about thecivil Rights Movement. They relished in the fact that I am Jewish and had experienced someanti-Semitism. Maybe this made me moreof a “ m 1 sister,” someonewho might relate to the black experience more than just some white woman from the suburbs.

Data From Other Sources

On the midterm and final examinations, the stu- dents were able to comt ly answer both factual and inferential questions about teaching minorities. All of the students were intellectually capable and had grade point averages ranging from 2.7 to 4.0. They were quite “grade conscious” and studied diligently for all tests.

The multicultural lessons were prepared using books, pictures. games, and other instructional ma- terials that were specifically purchased as part of the

Fall 1993, Vol. XV, No. 3 PiP 32

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

project. The students who taught their lessons early inthesemestergresentedtechnicallycorrectlessons butremaineddistantEromthechildrtwandappeaml tense and insecure. Students who presented their lessons later in the semestet seemed to feel more comfortable and relaxed. They wereable tocombine affective behavior with cognitive knowledge. They smiled at the children,madeeyemtact,called them by name, and walked among them giving individual assistance.

When evaluating the instructional materials used in the course, the students gave the highest rating to the articles and books that gave specific informarion about some of the characteristics and behaviors of minoritypeople. Theyparticularlyliked Andem’s (1988) paper on cognitive styles, Gilbert and Gay’s (1985) paper on children’s school behaviors, Kochman’s (1981) book on black and Anglo Americancul~styles,andHaleBenson’s(1987) book on learning styles

Theoutsideconsultantsprovidedexcellentadvice and information about perthent books. articles, and sources for ins t ruc t id materials for preparing the unit. They also gave positive feedback on the finished product.

Discussion

Student responses to Survey I of the Pretest and Posttest indicate that the majority havehad very little personal or social contact with Mcan Americans. Their perceptions of them have come from the media,fmmseeingblacksinDown,and6rwn~g schoolwiththem. Similarly,theresponsestoSurvey N of the test suggest that Anglo American students

dating) only with hsewhoaresimilarto themselves, i.e.Ang1oAmericanBaptist.s Theresponsesforthis section were basically the same for both the pretest and posttest The students wete least desirous of personal relationships with African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Amexicans. They gave the same ranking to the Pinemns. a non- existent group, anda higher ranking to the Danireans, another non-existent group. It may be concluded that a multicultural project, such as this one, cannot changedeepseated,personalfeelingsaboutminority grow.

The responsesfor SurveysII andIII showed m e

areacceptingofpersonalrelationshipf(maniageor

changes in attitudes about African Americans from the Pretest, before the students had been exposed to the unit, and the Posttest, after they had completed the unit andthepracticum experience. Most notably, the pefception that Afiican Americans “commit crimes” was reduced from 69% for the Pretest to 46% for the Posttest. Similarly, the perception that &can Americans “are similar to other people” increased from 69% to 84%. Likewise, they were found to be “trustworthy” (69%) in the Posttest, a characteristic not ranked in the f i t test. Another Posttest ranking was “discrimina te against others.” for Anglo Americans.

However, the preservice teachers seemed to perceive African Americans as having primarily affective characteristics that are derived from feel- ings rather than thinking. In both tests, they were described as being religious, kind, friendly, and emotional, never as being smart or intelligent. On the other hand, Anglo Americans were perceived to be hardworking, ambitious, adventurous, and loyal. These are the idealized characteristics of ‘a good American citizen” and are also the characteristics that are highly prized in the classoom.

Research has repeatedly shown that teacher ex- pectations have a definite effect on student achieve- ment. If teachers regard their African American students as incapable of academic achievement, the students will most likely live up (or down) to these expectations.

Theopen-endedresponsestoSurveyVindicated a significant change in perceptions and attitudes about African American middle school boys. While the descriptions of Anglo American middle school girlsandAfrican Amencanmiddleschoolgirls were very similar far both tests, the descriptions of Anglo and African American boys were not In the Pretest, while Anglo American boys were described as shy and goo@; African American boys were described as wild and aggressive. Anglo American boys were described as being interested in girls, and Afiican Americanboysweredescribedasbeinginwrestedin sex. After working with African American boys during the practicum setting, students described them m m positively and found them to be more similar to Anglo American boys. Both groups of boys were perceived to be interested in sports. ath- letic, and immaarre . Afiican American girls and boys were both perceived to be loud and noisy.

ACTION IN TEACHER EDUCATION page 33

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014

The change in perceptions about Afiican Ameri- can boys is a critical one. Teachers’ attitudes effect their behavior toward children, which has an effect on the children’s self-esteem and academic achievement. With the increasing number of young Afiican American men dropping out of school and going to jail, serious efforts must be made to change the direction of their lives. One such effort would be to change the attitudes and behaviors of their teach- ers.

The final entries in the pumal indicate that the preservice teachers perceived the practicum experi- ence to be the most importantpat of the unit and the course. Earlier enmes stated that they felt UIICom- fortable taking the pretest and talking about raceand cultureinclass. Later,theyacknowledgedthatclass discussions and activities caused them to feel better prepared to “do a practicum in an urban school.” However,thefinalentriesshowsthatactuaIly warking inareal school withreallivechildrenhadthegreatest impact on theii attitudes towad minority children.

Observations revealed that rheir behaviors toward the children also improved. Most of the prwrvice teachersseemedtohavepfitedhm theexperience, m e more dramatically than others.

This study has important implications for teacher education pgrams. It in&- that a unit on multicultural education. along with field experi- encesinurban schools,canbebeneficial topreservice students.

The unit did not change basic feelings about personal relationships with minorities. Students would still rather date or marry aDanirean than an Afiican, Asian, or Hispa~~c American. Ironically, these are the most predomjnant minority groups foundin Amencanpublicschools. However,phaps this is all we can realistically expect from a multicultural education program: positive changes in attitudes and behavim toward teaching minority children. These changes could very well reduce dropout rates and permit al l children to become productive citizens.

References

Anderson, J.A. (1988). Cognitive styles and multicultural populations. Journal ofTeucher Education. 29(1),

GilbertS..&GayG. (1985) Improvingthesuccessinschoolsofpoorblackchildren. PhiDeltaKappun,67(2),

Graham, P.A. (1987). Black teachers: A drastically scarce resource. Phi Delta Kappan, 68(8), 598-605. Haberman, M. (1989). Mare minarity teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 70(10), 771-776. Hale-Benson, J.E. (1987). Bkack children: Their roofs, culture, ond learning styles. Baltimore: John Hopkins

Henry. W. (1990. April 9). Beyond the melting pot Time, pp. 28-31. Kochman. T. (1981). Bkack und whife szyles in wflict. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. McCuen, G.E. (1974). The rucisr reader. Anoka, MN: Grennhaven Press. Reed, DF. (1 99 1). Preparing teachers for multiculhd classooms. The Journal of Early Childhood Teacher

2-9.

133-137.

University.

Education, 38(122), 16-21.

Fall 1993, Vol. XV, No. 3 PP 34

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Uni

vers

ity o

f A

uckl

and

Lib

rary

] at

19:

34 0

6 N

ovem

ber

2014