Promoting Cultural Pluralism Through Technology

1. Promoting Cultural Pluralism Through Technology NAIS People of Color Conference 2009 Jenn Gutierrez & Cullan Hemenway

2. Narrative & Multicultural Education • David stood in front of the class with his book. He flipped to a few pictures and spoke softly--so softly that only the children  near the front could hear him. We tried to  offer a few details about the Masai, but we knew so little. In spite of these difficulties and limitations, the children were entranced. They had so many questions to to ask David, so much they wanted to know. This was the second time we had seen the children respond with enthusiasm to David's life in Africa. This time we recognized the power of the invitation that he had offered us. Here was the perfect chance to bring David into the full life of the classroom. (Friesen, 2009, p. 15) • “ . . . redefinition of the self through the writing of autobiography places power into the hands of the writer to define who she is and to share her self-identity with the readers” (Harris, 2009, p. 38).

3. Narrative & Multicultural Education • "The margins of the institution are not places anyone would necessarily self-select" (Friesen, 2009, p. 69). • We enticed them to "give their hearts away," to find in the tale the images, characters, words, (the "good bits" as we and the children called them) that really spoke to each one of them and that were the opening or portal or door into what this tale might help us understand about ourselves and the great, mysterious arcs that tether us to this alluring place. Pairs of children carefully mapped out elaborate illustrations to different moments in the story that had for them a special hesitation. These pictures were sweated over for weeks, and the classroom became simply filled up with the images the children carefully, thoughtfully, diligently laboured over. These pictures, with the appropriate re-telling by each child, were posted on the school's Internet site. Part of the labour of understanding this tale, then, involved all of us giving away what each of us found in favour of wider, more generous, more worldly rounds of movement in which each of us were intimately involved. We each found ourselves involved in the movement of "primary social ties that enable[d each of us] to affirm and shape [our] uniqueness“ (Godbout with Caille 1998, pp. 19-20)

4. Narrative & Technology • Students love technology. It is an exciting tool that is “simply motivating to students” (Cummins, Brown, and Sayers 2007, p. 104). And when used intentionally, “when instruction focuses on topics of relevance to students’ lives and when it engages them cogitatively, students will read more, think more, write more, and ultimately learn more” (Cummins, Brown, and Sayers 2007, p. V).