Descriptor Details

  • Descriptor Title
    Teaching in a Diverse Society
  • C-ID Number
    230
  • Units
    3.0
  • Date of Last Revision
    6/7/2022 09:08:10 PM GMT+0000

General Description

Examines the historical and current perspectives on diversity and inclusion and the impact of systemic societal influences on children’s development, learning and school experiences. Strategies for developmentally-, culturally-,and linguistically-appropriate anti-bias curriculum will be explored as well as approaches to promote inclusive and anti-racist classroom communities.   Includes self-reflection on the influence of teachers’ own culture and life experiences on teaching and interactions with children and families.

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Advisories

None

Content

  1. Foundational Understandings for Teaching in a Diverse Society
    1. Defining and clarifying dimensions of diversity including
      1. Sex and gender roles, sexual orientation
      2. National identity, culture, race/ethnicity
      3. Language and literacy
      4. Religion and belief systems
      5. Family structure and function
      6. Ability
      7. Age
      8. Socioeconomic status
    2. Trends and current issues of equity and access as they relate to young children’s learning and development
      1. Equity and access
        1. Institutional policies that perpetuate inequitable access
        2. Bias, stereotypes, and prejudice
          1. Implicit and explicit bias
          2. How stereotypes and prejudice develop and are challenged
          3. Recognizing internalized oppression and microaggressions
          4. Stereotypes and biases in the media
          5. Overt and covert social messages
        3. Effects of the dominant culture on holidays and traditions, family roles, religion, values, and beliefs
    3. Addressing Misconceptions
  2. Classroom Curriculum and Environments
    1. The influence of teachers in children’s and families lives
      1. Recognition of teacher’s personal bias and its impact on teaching
      2. Supportive communication and interactions
      3. Modeling of respectful and inclusive behaviors
      4. Collaborative partnerships with families
    2. Culturally responsive, inclusive, anti-racist teaching
      1. Defining the terminology
      2. Curriculum and learning experiences
        1. Equity and access for all children
          1. Culture
          2. Ability
          3. Immigration status
          4. Homelife and family characteristics and needs
        2. Teaching strategies and modifications
          1. Culturally responsive approaches for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children
          2. Talking to children about diversity
          3. Helping children respond to social injustice and bias
          4. Appropriate strategies for supporting dual language learners in developing English language and literacy skills
          5. Pedagogical modifications to meet individual needs
        3. Environments and materials
          1. Elements of an anti-bias environment
          2. Tools for evaluation
          3. Selection of appropriate books and materials

Lab Activities

None

Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. Describe historical and current perspectives on diversity and inclusion.
  2. Identify and differentiate between various forms of diversity .
  3. Discuss how stereotypes, bias, discrimination, systemic oppression and internalized privilege impact children’s learning, development and school experiences.
  4. Reflect on your own values and implicit and explicit biases and the ways in which these may positively and negatively affect teaching and learning.
  5. Evaluate classroom environments, materials, and approaches for developmental, cultural, and linguistic appropriateness for infants and toddlers through the early primary years.
  6. Describe appropriate teaching strategies and potential curriculum and pedagogical modifications to help all young children access the curriculum.
  7. Describe strategies to promote an inclusive and anti-racist classroom community.
  8. Identify approaches to help children negotiate and resolve conflict related to social injustice and bias.
  9. Describe strategies to build collaborative, respectful partnerships with families.

Evaluation Methods

  1. Objective test and exams that measure the ability of the
    student to apply the concepts of anti-bias education and its related terms, concrete strategies and methods of implementation.
  2. Weekly assignments and journals which demonstrates the student's ability to examine and reflect on one's own bias and prejudices and to explore one's own social identity.
  3. Action projects and oral presentations designed to measure the student's ability to help foster children's social awareness and reduce children's bias in the classroom.

Textbooks

Foundations of Early Childhood Education: Teaching Children in a Diverse Society, Gonzalez-Mena, current edition, McGraw Hill Education 

From Parents to Partners: Building a Family-Centered Early Childhood Program, Keyser, current edition, Redleaf  Press

Knowing and Serving Diverse Families, Hildebrand, Phenice, Gray & Hines, current edition, Prentice Hall

Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves Derman Sparks, current edition, NAEYC Publications

Roots and Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Programs, York, current edition, Redleaf Press

Descriptor Administration

  • Public Review Needed
    No
  • Next Descriptor Review
    No information provided
  • Resubmission Requirements for Courses
    No information provided
  • Resubmission Deadline
    No information provided
  • Comments

    Materials adopted by the Early Childhood Curriculum Alignment Project (CAP) in 2007 for use by all California Community Colleges. Endorsed by the California Community College Early Childhood Educators (CCCECE).

  • Notes

    No information provided

  • Keywords

    child, childhood, development, diverse, society