Inquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEA

Joshua CabralBrookwood SchoolManchester, MA

jcabral@brookwood.edu

All powerpoints and documents:

www.cabralaisne2010.wordpress.com

They will tell you that the Americans who sleep in the streets and beg for food got there because they're all lazy or weak of spirit. That the inner-city children who are trapped in dilapidated schools can't learn and won't learn and so we should just give up on them entirely. That the innocent people being slaughtered and expelled from their homes half a world away are somebody else's problem to take care of.

I hope you don't listen to this. I hope you choose to broaden, and not contract, your ambit of concern.

--Obama IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Losing our Language

Dr. Susan StotskyDeputy Commissioner of Education in Massachusetts

Co-chaired the committee that introduced the English Language Arts Curriculum Framework and a member of the Assessment Development Committee for the MCAS.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Losing our Language

Dr. Susan StotskyPedagogical theories and strategies used to teach children English have harmed their cognitive development by supplanting academic goals with social goals.

Multicultural readers used in schools misrepresent American history by refusing to tell children about great American leaders, inventors, and scientists because they tended to be white males. The focus is on American Indians, blacks, and Hispanics, all of whom are presented as victims.

Instructional guides demand that teachers lead small children in discussions of grown-up concerns such as the evils of racism.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEA Program

IDEA: Inquiry into Diversity, Empathy, and Action

Personal work, self-discovery

Outcomes: Self-Reflection/Realization, Framing conversations with each other and with kids. We are not doing this to label ourselves racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., but rather to provide an opportunity to reassess our perceptions.

Opportunities and space and time; so much of this will seem like common sense, but we need to take the time to ponder it.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Empathy is at the heart of diversity work.

How we interact and engage with others that are “different” should be strongly influenced by our willingness to understand their experience.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEA Topics

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Creating a Culture of InclusionOverview of the Process

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The general population is unaware that bias is a challenge for diverse groups.

Homogeneous groups are the norm.Conversations include discussion of “diversity vs. excellence,” as if the concepts were mutually exclusive.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Awareness is growing that bias exists and that diverse groups are negatively impacted by it.

An intellectual struggle is occurring around what is “fair” and how to “fix” the problem.

Individuals believe that barriers exist for different groups.

Issues related to diversity and diversity related services are delegated to underrepresented minorities and women.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Institutional culture change gains progress through special programs, funding.

Leadership is focused on issues of diversity.

People struggle with how to be inclusive and how to value differences.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Institutional culture change is embraced.

Most groups accept and articulate how and why diversity is integral to the success of the school.

Discussions consciously include how diverse faculty, students, staff, and administrators may be affected by any decision, program, or policy being considered.

Improving the climate for diverse populations.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Institution achieves a new culture of inclusion.

Valuing diversity is no longer separate, but is naturally woven into decision making, resource allocation, and social interactions.

Diverse groups are the norm.

Inclusiveness and diversity are assumed to be part of “the way we do business.”

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Media Literacy Foundation

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Popular Understanding of Gender

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Challenging Tannen and Gray

Neither author moves beyond the description.

Is it a misunderstanding rather than intentional or subconscious behavior?

Adds to stereotypes of men and women.

Invites acceptance without a willingness to transgress.

Boys will be boys?

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

• Sex refers to the physical and biological attributes of males and females• Sex includes the chromosomal, hormonal, and anatomical components

of males and females.

• Gender refers to the social, psychological and cultural attributes of masculinity and femininity, many of which are based on biological distinctions

• Gender describes societal attitudes and behaviors expected of and associated with the two sexes.

• Gender identity refers to the degree to which an individual sees herself or himself as feminine or masculine based on society’s definitions of appropriate gender roles.

Sex and Gender

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The Words Have Changed, But…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The Words Have Changed, But…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The Words Have Changed, But…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The Words Have Changed, But…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The Words Have Changed, But…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

The Words Have Changed, But…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

How to be a girl or boy…

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Discussion Questions•Why do you think that Gender Roles in any given society have become so defined? Is this simply a question of power/dominance, or is there a societal need for these roles?

•Can you remember a student (perhaps yourself) from your adolescence who did not conform to a particular gender role? Someone who showed interest in something that was not considered appropriate for his/her gender? How was he/she treated? How did you treat him/her?

•Now on to Brookwood. Do we “teach” gender roles to our students? Do we reinforce them? Is it appropriate to reinforce certain (if not all) gender-specific behavior [as defined by our society and community]? Does this maintain order? What do we need to be aware of?

•Think of images in your textbooks or characters/people in books/stories that you read. Do these representations reinforce gender expectations? What if a student is confused about what a person has done because a behavior may not coincide with what he or she expects? How would you address this?

•What is the possible outcome or consequence to having a school full of students that do not follow gender expectations? Is this a goal?

•Referring back to the “Culture of Inclusion” grid from last time, where are we as a school community, and you as an individual educator, on this continuum? The goal would be no expectation of gender-specific/expected behavior? Is this a goal that you would like to see realized?

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

RacismMulticultural EducationEqual opportunity to achieve.

Ability to participate competently in an increasingly intercultural society.

Teachers facilitate learning for every individual student.

Schools work to end oppression within their own walls and produce socially aware students.

Education is inclusive of the voices and experiences of the students and families.

Educators evaluate educational practices and how they affect learning.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Language Genres

Different genres of language are learned before a child enters school. Minority failure is due to a lack of experience with the genres of language

that teachers expect their students to be able to access.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Language Genres

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Language Genres

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Language Genres

“Beyond Language” (Heath) and “Rewriting Literacy” (Mitchell and Weiler)

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Language Genres

Topic-associated narratives develop themes through anecdotal association. Themes are not overtly stated but inferred from the series of personal anecdotes.

Topic centered styles tend to be associated with school language and with books. They are linear in nature, with a linear progression of events.

In school, where teachers may not share this background, such texts may appear incoherent.

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Dealing with Racism

In the Store

Buying a House

Vandalism

Buying Coffee

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

“Le racisme expiqué à ma fille”

IDEAInquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

Inquiry into Diversity, Empathy and Action

IDEA

Empathy is at the heart of diversity work. How we interact and engage with others that are “different” should be strongly influenced by our willingness to understand their experience.

Closing Activity:

Each group will be assigned a different task based on the answers in your questionnaire. As you complete the task, pay close attention to the questions that you ask and the answers that you give.