Diversity in the Classroom

This casebook is part of a nationwide effort to capture and use practitioner knowledge to better prepare teachers for the reality of today's classrooms, given a student population vastly different from that of even a decade ago. Consciously designed to provoke engaging and demanding discussion, the cases presented here are candid, dramatic, highly readable accounts of teaching events or series of events. Set in three of the nation's most diverse cities -- San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix -- the cases offer problem-based snapshots of on-the-job dilemmas. The teacher-authors discuss topics that generate heated interchange and run the risk of polarizing opinions and creating defensive assumptions, particularly those dealing with bias, race, and class. These issues, plus cultural behaviors and socioeconomic circumstances have important implications for classroom practices. By examining such issues, the editors hope that educators will see -- and act on -- the need for a greater variety of teaching styles, distribution of opportunities, and educational access for all students.

Auteur

Judith Shulman, Director, Institute for Case Development, Far West Laboratory, USA. Amalia Mesa-Bains, Educational Scholar /Staff Developer, Far West Laboratory /San Francisco Unified School District, USA.

Contenu

Contents: Foreword. Preface. Introduction. Part I: Teaching New Concepts and Skills. A Case of Ganas. Moments of Truth: Teaching Pygmalion. Attempting to Teach Self-Esteem. Part II: Integrating Non-English Speakers Into the Classroom. Then & Now: Insights Gained for Helping Children Learn English. Please, Not Another ESL Student. Part III: Interactions With Students. Fighting for Life in Third Period. Drained by One Troubled Child: Did I Help? Darius: I Hope He Makes It! A Trip to Hell. From "Outsider" to Active Learner: Struggles in a Newcomer School. Part IV: The Influence of Parents and Community. My "Good Year" Explodes: A Confrontation With Parents. Opening Pandora's Box: The Mystery Behind an "Ideal Student." Home Visits. Annotated Bibliography. Appendix: Guidelines for Writing a Case.