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You cannot climb a tree without supports: Part II: Teacher preparation for effective multicultural education. Angela S. McIntosh San Diego State University Festus Obiakor University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Multifaceted approach to special education teacher preparation.
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You cannot climb a tree without supports: Part II: Teacher preparation for effective multicultural education. Angela S. McIntosh San Diego State University Festus Obiakor University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Multifaceted approach to special education teacher preparation • focuses the attention of preservice special education teachers on diversity in the school population and related issues, and facilitates their understanding of the concept of culture; • increases preservice special education teachers’ knowledge level about various multicultural groups; • facilitates the development of multicultural teaching competencies; and • initiates ideological development through synthesis of knowledge, experience, and reflection.
Questions Remain…….. • Will the use of validated instructional practices equalize the educational environment for diverse students? • To what extent do intergroup preferences related to learning style, instructional modality, or communication patterns influence the educational environment for multicultural learners with exceptionalities? • Which educational needs of multicultural learners are related to disability, and which are related to cultural or linguistic difference? Does it matter? • Will an increase in the number of culturally and linguistically diverse teachers solve the problem?
………. • To what degree do social variables such as socioeconomic status and parent’s educational level influence outcomes for multicultural students? • How can the inherent biases generated by the monolingual and macrocultural upbringing of most teachers be negated? • Does American public education represent a “level playing field” for culturally or linguistically diverse students or students with special needs?
A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATOR: • Is aware of his or her own perspectives. • Owns the responsibility to teach. • Is aware that the over-identification of difference is counter-productive. • Does not look for reasons why he or she cannot teach the child, neither waters down the curriculum nor expectations. • Believes all children can learn.
Communicates with students. • Looks at students, not label or color. • Asks for help. • Uses validated methods that work. • Analyzes the environment and ventures beyond the boundaries of the school wall for answers.