|
Race
and Respect Among Young Children
|
|||
The
author, a Milwaukee Teacher, addresses on her multicultural literature
website:
The author comments that, "Dealing with issues of race is perhaps the most complicated problem I have encountered as a kindergarten teacher." She provides the insight that children are not color-blind and that they have a sophisticated understanding of race and power. She expressed her perplexity because, she, as well as most teachers feels they should be able to handle problems of taunting, name calling, racial slurs and other forms of intimidation. She refers to Janet McCracken's book, Valuing Diversity, with this statement: "curriculum is what happens in the classroom every day. What may seem innocent 'pretend' play among young children is actually a rehearsal for later activities in life." The authors focuses on three aspects of schooling. The first aspect is creating the best environment. Children need to a) learn about world cultures, b) appreciate similarities and differences, and c) practice sensitive and fair treatment to all. But when the author re-considered all that she was doing, she realized that there were now flaws which previously had gone unnoticed, which is her second concern. Children were not being offered sufficient choices, in their learning groups and academic choices because the plan was all hers, not the students. She still has to contend with the top groups moving ahead faster and the low groups continuing to struggle. One big decision she made, which a lot of other teachers need to make, is get rid of the publisher workbooks. The questions set parameters too narrow for real learning, which should focus on what the children think and feel about the topics, as opposed to the explicit questions about basic data found in the texts. She realized with her improved perspective that there were teaching moments that allowed her to focus on the social objectives of multiculturalism. She concludes with actual situations she encountered and used to reinforce the various social forms of gender, race and culture sensitivity. |
|||
|
More Articles by Rita Tenorio
"Charter
System Hurts Public School Kids," on the Website Shepherd Express,
@ "Learning
Problems and Solutions: Who Needs Vouchers?" on NEA Today
Online, @ "Congratulations
on being Wisconsin Teacher of the Year," on the Website Voice From
The Field, @ "Hidden
Supports in School Restructuring," @ "Rethinking Schools: An Agenda for Change, David Levine, Robert Lowe, Robert Peterson and Rita Tenorio, editors Rethinking
Schools: An Agenda for Change,
by David Levine, Robert Lowe, Robert Peterson, and Rita Tenorio, editors.
|
