Teaching and Learning in a Diverse World: Multicultural Education for Young Children / Edition 4

by Patricia G. Ramsey

Overview

How can we create truly multicultural classrooms? In this new edition of her popular text, renowned early childhood educator Patricia Ramsey draws on a wide range of research and practice from different communities around the world to further explore the complexities of raising and teaching young children in a world fraught with societal divisions and inequities. Using engaging examples and stories, this comprehensive volume offers concrete suggestions to encourage teachers to reflect on their own histories and experiences and to challenge and rethink their assumptions and attitudes toward children and teaching. This new, up-to-date edition describes research-based classroom practices to engage children in exploring the complexities of race, economic inequities, immigration, environmental issues and sustainability, gender and sexual orientation and identities, and abilities and disabilities. It also addresses the challenges of teaching in the context of globalization, pervasive social media, and increasing standards and accountability.

Book Features:

• Addresses social and economic inequities and how they affect staff relationships, interactions with parents, and children’s classroom experiences.
• Offers strategies to help teachers initiate conversations with colleagues, parents, and children.
• Discusses long-term structural decisions about early childhood programs, as well as day-to-day classroom teaching plans.
• Includes questions that prompt teachers to recognize the influence of overt and covert societal forces on their motivations and views of children.
• Free supplemental resources, including a comprehensive list of suggested books for children, can be downloaded at www.tcpress.com.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807756256
Publisher:	Teachers College Press
Publication date:	03/20/2015
Series:	Early Childhood Education Series
Edition description:	4
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	311,924
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Patricia G. Ramsey is professor of psychology and education at Mount Holyoke College, and co-author of the bestseller What If All the Kids Are White?, Second Edition

Table of Contents

Foreword Sonia Nieto ix

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

Part I Multicultural Schools and Classrooms 1

1 Growing Up in a World of Contradictions and Injustices: A Multicultural Response 3

Purpose, Trends, and Scope of Multicultural Education 6

Multicultural Goals for Children 9

Families and Schools Working Together 12

The Language of Multicultural Education 12

2 We Are All Learning 15

How Adults Can Identify and Challenge Their Assumptions 18

How Children Learn About Their Worlds 20

3 Creating Caring and Critical Communities 38

Creating Caring and Critical Communities Among Adults 40

Creating Caring and Critical Classroom Communities 50

Part II Contexts of Learning 63

4 The Context of Race 65

Reflections on Race 65

Growing Up in a Racially Divided Society 66

Children's Responses to Race 73

Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel About Race 79

5 The Context of Economic Class and Consumerism 84

Reflections on Economic Class 84

Socioeconomic Divisions in the United States 86

Children's Awareness and Feelings About Economic Class 94

Reflections on Consumerism 97

Living in a Consumerist Society 98

Children's Understanding and Experience of Consumerism 99

Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel About Economic Class and Consumerism 102

6 The Context of Culture and the Natural Environment 107

Reflections on Culture Children and Culture 107

Learning About and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel About Culture 118

Reflections on Culture and the Natural Environment 120

Children's Knowledge, Attitudes, and Feelings About the Natural Environment and Sustainability 122

Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel About the Natural Environment 126

7 The Context of Gender and Heteronormativity 132

Reflections on Gender Identification and Roles 132

Growing Up in a Gendered and Heteronormative World 134

Children's Responses to Gender 136

Reflections on Sexual Orientations and Identities 139

Growing Up in a Heterosexist World 141

Children's Understanding of Sexual Orientation and Identity 144

Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel About Gender and Sexual Orientation 145

8 The Context of Abilities and Disabilities 152

Reflections on Abilities and Disabilities 152

Growing Up in an "Abled" World 154

Social Participation of Children with Disabilities 157

Children's Knowledge and Feelings Related to Abilities and Disabilities 162

Learning and Challenging What Children Know, Think, and Feel About Abilities and Disabilities 164

Conclusion 169

References 171

Index 195

About the Author 208

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A pioneer in multicultural/social justice education for young children, this book reflects Patty Ramsey’s life-long commitment to, and ever-deepening understanding of the issues, challenges, and hopes of inclusive, equitable early childhood programs . At a time when our country seems increasingly polarized over the value and meaning of justice for all, her insights and suggestions are as needed as ever."
—Louise Derman-Sparks, international consultant on anti-bias education with children and adults, and co-author of Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs
A Guide for Change

"This book is a timely, relevant resource for anyone who works with young children in any capacity. It supports practitioners to develop an individualized approach to infusing multicultural education—broadly defined—into their world views and work. Ramsey makes a clear and convincing case that multicultural education is not an 'add-on'; it is a vehicle for shaping children’s lives and creating a more just society."
—Takiema Bunche Smith, Director of the Early Education Leadership Institute at SCO/FirstStepNYC