Tuesday, July 21, 2015

A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education

Vaughan M. Blaney
Director
BSc(UNB,Canada), BEd(UNB,Canada), TEFLA(University of Cambridge), MEd(HKU, Hong Kong)

Book: "A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education"

The Letter 'V'...





Vermicelli, rice, kimchi, balut
Potatoes, spaghetti, sushi, dim sum
Poutin rapee, curry, kærnemælkskoldskål
We all have our favourites – yum, yum

Variety is obvious in our class, still all can agree that we:
  • love to have fun when we are on vacation
  • value education
  • vow to do our best in class
  • have a ‘voice’ in the world
  • enjoy watching a cartoon video
  • have blood passing through our veins
  • feel a little fear when listening to vampire stories
  • believe in the importance of voting on issues
  • like to visit friends
  • know how to print the letter V

I teach an introductory graduate course titled Multicultural Perspectives with an enrolment of about 25 students per quarter. We explore ways in which race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, gender, exceptionality, and social class collide and influence beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. My goal is to equip students with the foundational knowledge, attitudes, and abilities to work effectively in diverse communities …



Educators must create and nurture a sense of safety in controversy-driven courses before learning can happen. Creating a safe place that motivates students to take risks for their personal and professional growth involves at least seven elements: collegiality, empowerment, role modeling, preparation, shared purpose, reflection, and commitment. These elements are the building blocks of a safe classroom. They are prerequisites to a positive class atmosphere where students’ capacity to take risks are maximized. Each element is realized through a number of strategies which make the elements come alive.

Valerio, Nina L.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education

Vaughan M. Blaney
Director
BSc(UNB,Canada), BEd(UNB,Canada), TEFLA(University of Cambridge), MEd(HKU, Hong Kong)

Book: "A to Z: Cultural Perspectives in Education"

The Letter 'U'...




Uniting in the future in many different ways
There will be marriages, weddings, and wonderful things
Arranged, sehra, tea-ceremony, ketubah, pamanhikan
Tsyhanshchyna, zaffa, karamu, and golden rings


Unbelievable are all our differences, still all can agree that we:
  • ultimately want to be good students
  • stand united in class
  • once had an umbilical cord
  • ask the teacher for help when we are uncertain
  • feel adventuresome when searching for the undiscovered
  • sometimes undervalue our personal strengths
  • know we are an important part of the universe
  • often look high for a UFO
  • try to uphold our values
  • know how to print the letter U


Teaching a multicultural or diversity-related course can create a tremendous challenge, and if not carefully approached, can generate and escalate students’ defensiveness and negative dispositions, which can contribute to defeating the whole purpose of multicultural education. Greenman & Kimmel (1995) note, “the road to multicultural education is paved with good intentions, but rutted with potholes of resistance”. My personal odyssey sheds some insights. As I look back on that first experience of teaching multicultural education, I can safely say that the students rejected the ideas I presented because they felt impacted by the issues which they perceived scapegoated the white race of which a vast majority of them claimed membership and because they were determined to protect their cultural hegemony, which resulted in defensive attitudinal behavior …



… those of us in teacher education who teach multicultural education courses will continue to struggle with ways to prepare preservice teachers who are inexperienced and parochial in their worldview and who exhibit high levels of defensiveness when enrolled in multicultural/diversity courses. Yet, in each class, I do believe that the multicultural experience surprisingly touches some and makes a difference in their lives.




Ukpokodu, Nelly