Cultural Diversity in Our Schools

Book excerpt: This fascinating text is designed to provide pre-service and in-service teachers with a sharper understanding of the nature of diversity in today's schools. Readers are initially introduced to concepts associates with diversity (culture, worldview, race/ethnicity) and are sensitized to the manner in which their own cultural orientations influence their approaches to the teacher roles. With this understanding, readers are then better equipped to approach the comprehensive chapters on five major racial and ethnic groups in U.S. schools: African Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and White Americans. Later chapters describe strategies and techniques classroom teachers can utilize to enhance their effectiveness in teaching culturally diverse students. Finally, students are lead to critically analyze the bureaucratic dynamics of contemporary schools and how teachers can work to overcome the hurdles that impede effective multicultural schooling.