DIVERSITY CONSCIOUS EDUCATION
Maryland State Dept. of Education Approved Course for Teachers offered through Montgomery County Public Schools

Syllabus

Required text: Diversity Consciousness, Richard D. Bucher, Prentice-Hall, 3rd ed., 2009

Diversity Conscious Education

Instructor: PATRICIA L. BUCHER 
WATKINS MILL HIGH SCHOOL 
PHONE: 301-840-3986

E-MAIL: Patricia_L_Bucher@mcpsmd.org

Course Description:

Diversity Consciousness for Educators

This course examines how cultural diversity presents major challenges and opportunities in schools today. It focuses on interpersonal and school-wide relations that maximize resources and empower teachers dealing with students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. We will examine diversity consciousness, communication, teaming, motivation, and behavior management in the context of an increasingly diverse school population. Teaching techniques that are successful for diverse learning styles will be addressed in depth.

General Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

•  understand the importance of diversity in our global society

•  understand how diversity enhances the classroom

•  understand the challenges created by diversity in the classroom

•  understand how any educational organization is influenced by an increasingly diverse population

•  understand the skills that are necessary in schools with highly diverse populations

Attendance:

MCPS Policy

Evaluative Measures:

Credit for the course will be achieved by:

Journal

Presentation

Attendance

COURSE OUTLINE

Introduction

Our shrinking world: globalization and technology

Changing demographics of the USA

The meaning of diversity

Dimensions of diversity

Views of diversity: assimilation and pluralism

Diversity myths

Diversity consciousness

Diversity education

Diversity Skills and Success

Sociocultural theory

Importance of diversity skills

Diversity skills and individual/school-wide benefits

Costs of inadequate diversity skills

Personal and Social Barriers to Success

Perceptions

Ethnocentrism

Stereotypes

Prejudice

Discrimination

Prejudice plus power

Acknowledging and overcoming diversity barriers

Developing Diversity Consciousness

Isolation

Six areas of development

Strategies for developing diversity consciousness

A continuing process

Communication Across Cultural Boundaries

Communication and culture

Electronic communication

Diversity consciousness and communication

The power of language

Barriers to effective communication

Flexibility of thought

Hot buttons

Difficult dialogues

Communicating inclusively

Teamwork

The growing importance of teams

Virtual teaming

Developing teamwork skills

Diversity consciousness and teaming

Team leadership

High-performance teams

Obstacles to teamwork

Conflict

Conclusion

Opening Our Minds to Opportunities

Future challenges in MCPS

Strategies to increase diversity consciousness throughout our school community

COURSE SCHEDULE

(may be adjusted during the semester)

For the Week of	Assignments Due	Tests and Deadlines
Week 1	Introduction
Week 2	Discussion Video: “A Peacock in the Land of the Penguins” Read Bucher, Ch. 1 for next class
Week 3	Discussion Read Bucher, Ch. 2 for next class	Journal entries for CH 1 due
Week 4	Discussion Read Bucher, Ch. 3 for next class	Journal entries for CH 2 due
Week 5	Read McIntosh, “White Privilege”* for next class	Journal entries for CH 3 due
Week 6	Discussion Read Bucher, Ch. 4 for next class.	Reaction in Journal due: “White Privilege”
Week 7	Discussion Read Bucher, Ch. 5 for next class.	Journal entries for CH 4 due
Week 8	Discussion View video “Communicating Across Cultures	Journal entries for CH 5 due
Week 9	Discussion Outside Reading on Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligences, and Sensory Preferences.*	Journal - Reaction to video due
Week 10	Discussion
Week 11	Discussion Read Bucher, Ch. 6 for next class Read Bucher, Ch. 7 for next class	Journal due – Reaction to video and readings on Learning Styles
Week 12	Discussion	Journal entries for CH 7 due
Week 13	Presentations
Week 14	Presentations
Week 15	Presentations

 

*Class members will be provided with copies of these articles

 

Required Text:

Bucher, Richard D., Diversity Consciousness, Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities , 3nd Ed . (Patricia L. Bucher, contributing author), Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2009.

Other Materials to be Used:

The Land of the Penguins

DOES Institute, Inc.

Winston Salem, NC 27105

(800) 236-3637

This animated video examines the challenges and benefits of an increasingly diverse workforce. How do we manage diversity and capture the talent, energy, and commitment of all employees? The video helps viewers understand employee empowerment, effective communication, and team-building skills in the context of diversity.

Valuing Diversity Part III: Communicating Across Cultures

Copeland Griggs Productions ( www.griggs.com )

901 A.. Irwin St.

San Rafael, CA 94901

By examining twelve examples of misunderstanding when communicating across cultures, this video underscores the need for employers and employees to understand differences in customs and social mores in order to effectively communicate in a global marketplace.

 

Teachers, administrators, and parents are put in the position of trying to learn as if they were dealing with a learning disability. (in MCPS film library)

McIntosh, Peggy. White Privilege and Male Privilege . Wellesley, MA: Wellesley 
College Center for Research on Women, 1988.

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