(1980). Actividades Para Padres: A Parent Handbook (Activities for Parents: A Parent Handbook). Thirty Mora, New Mexico parents attended a 13-session parent involvement workshop (The Mora Adventure) designed to help parents foster successful school experiences through non-school activities with their children. A parent involvement model was used as the basis of the workshop in which the parents developed more effective communication skills; learned more about Mexican American culture and New Mexico history; discovered, developed, and learned to use educational activities and materials in the home; gained a better comprehension of educational jargon; and learned to evaluate educational materials. The handbook contains a lesson plan outline for each of the 13 sessions which includes goals, necessary materials, and the organization of activities for the session. An additional section contains information for parents about reading, reading readiness, and reading skills such as word attack skills, dictionary use, determining sequence, and drawing inferences. Brief activities and…
(1983). Enhancing the Multicultural Climate of the School. History and Social Science Teacher, v19 n2 p65-75 Dec. If students are to respect minority values, a multicultural philosophy must pervade every aspect of school life. Discussed are indicators which will show that minorities are not receiving equality of opportunity and the behavior patterns and learning styles of six ethnic groups–South Asian, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Portuguese. (RM)…
(1994). Minorities in Central and Eastern Europe. A Secondary Education for Europe Series. This monograph, published as part of the project "A Secondary Education for Europe," makes no claim to deal with all the questions relating to minorities, from either the legal point of view of that of international action. The paper does not aim to suggest recommendations on a theme which has concerned the Council of Europe for years. The approach adopted here is a descriptive overview of the reality of minorities as they appear in 1993 in their territorial dimension. It is an inventory, as up to date as possible, with emphasis on the changes that have taken place since 1989-90. Chapters include: (1) "Problems of Minorities, Old and New"; (2) "Minorities in the Northern Part of Central and Eastern Europe [including] Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and Hungary"; (3)"Minorities in the Southern Part of Central and Eastern Europe [including] Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and the Gypsies (Rom): A Special Case"; (4) "Case Study:…
(1997). Implementing a Multicultural Experiential Sociology Curriculum: Mutual Adaptation and Reframing Theories of Action. This study examines the nature of the initial implementation of a new multicultural sociology curriculum by eight teachers in the 11th- and 12th-grades of seven Israeli high schools. The study examined: (1) the extent and ways in which teachers reframe their theories of action as they learn to implement the new curriculum; (2) the factors that fostered and hindered reframing; and (3) the way teachers' constructs shaped the new curriculum. A variety of qualitative methods were used to gather data about the teachers' theories of action including focus group discussions, individual interviews, and classroom observation. Findings indicate that during the course of the implementation process half of the teachers made considerable modification of their theories of action. Teachers changed core assumptions about learning, teaching strategies, and role relations; however, they reframed their theories in very different ways. Factors found to foster reframing were staff development meetings,… [PDF]
(1995). Images of Germany: Past and Present. A Film Collection, Series II Instructional Activities. This booklet offers classroom activities for use with 15 social studies-related films for teaching about Germany. The series of 25-minute films are made available by Deutsche Welle Television and Goethe House New York. Lessons in the booklet include: (1) "Germany Since 1945: A Focus on Berlin"; (2) "'I'll Get You All Out of Here!' A Portrait of Oscar Schindler"; (3) "Did You Come Out of Faith or Germany? The First German Jews in Palestine"; (4) "Caught Between Hope and Fear: Political Refugees in Germany Today"; (5) "At Home Away From Home: Foreigners in Germany"; (6) "Stalin's Personal Photographer: Yevgeny Khaldiey"; (7) "Heinrich Nordhoff: Mr. Volkswagen"; (8) "Walking a Tightrope: The German Alpine Society"; (9) "Rainbow Warriors: The Greenpeace Organization"; (10) "Fields Without a Farmer: Family Farms in Germany"; (11) "Can You Have Your Trade and Learn it Too? The… [PDF]
(1998). Milagros in the Mid-Columbia: An Integrated Lesson Plan. Sixth Grade Social Studies Unit on Mexican Migrant Workers. Since the early 1950s, several programs have enticed thousands of rural Mexicans to migrate to California and the Northwest to be agricultural workers. The resultant demographic and cultural impacts have been immense. Hood River County (Oregon) schools are over 30 percent Hispanic. There is much ignorance and prejudice regarding the Hispanic community. This unit for sixth graders aims to get students into the community, enable them to understand and relate positively to diverse aspects of their community, develop their own sense of place and community, and accept an active role in positive citizenship. Activities expand student thinking skills through analyzing and evaluating prevalent attitudes of and toward immigrant workers; enhance listening skills through interviews of Mexican farmworkers; and increase knowledge of causes and results of Mexican immigration to the Northwest. The unit supports state benchmarks in history, civics, geography, social science analysis, and writing…. [PDF]
(1996). Truth, Perceptions, and Cultural Constructs in Ethnographic Research: Music Teaching and Learning in Ireland. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, n129 p37-52 Sum. Presents a personal reflection on an ethnographic study of teaching and learning practices in Irish traditional music. Describes the aims and methods of the study and some of the culture of Ireland. Concludes with a rumination on the nature of truth, applicability, consistency and the role of the ethnographic researcher. (MJP)…
(1996). The Social Studies Video Project: A Holistic Approach for Teaching Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students. Social Studies, v87 n3 p106-12 May-Jun. Describes a class project conducted by multiethnic, limited English speaking, fifth-grade students. The students produced their own videos as part of lessons they developed about their countries of origin. Maintains that this process increases language and social skills while it develops social studies content. (MJP)…
(1996). Africa in Today's Social Studies Curriculum. Social Studies, v87 n3 p125-32 May-Jun. Presents a thorough and innovative approach to integrating the study of Africa into the social studies curriculum. Profiles a three-part process consisting of preplanning, curriculum planning, and implementation. Utilizes different sources and strategies (literature, global approach, cooperative learning) to create a balanced and accurate portrait. (MJP)…
(1997). Appeasing the Right, Missing the Point? Reading the New York State Social Studies Framework. Social Education, v61 n2 p102-06 Feb. Uses the example of New York State to illustrate how the rancorous political debate over education can render national standards irrelevant and contradictory. In appeasing so many factions the standards become inclusive to the point of obfuscation. Provides a brief overview of the controversy concerning national standards. (MJP)…
(1996). Multiethnic Societies and Regions. American Behavioral Scientist, v40 n1 p8-17 Sep. Maintains that sociology must reconceptualize the meaning of multiethnic societies and regions and also advance theories about how such social organizations came into being and transform themselves through conflicting and peaceful processes. Briefly reviews traditional approaches and outlines new areas of study. (MJP)…
(1996). Rethinking Ethnic Conflict: Somalia and Fiji. American Behavioral Scientist, v40 n1 p18-32 Sep. Compares and contrasts the recent years of ethnic conflict in Somali and Fiji. The widely divergent reactions of both populations dispels the belief that ethnic pluralism is both a necessary and sufficient condition for violent conflict in a society. Provides succinct portraits of both societies and their cultures. (MJP)…
(1988). The Great Learning Enterprise of the Four Worlds Development Project. Journal of American Indian Education, v27 n3 p24-34 May. Describes a holistic Native Studies curriculum for ethnically mixed classes, based on a project to eliminate Native substance abuse through traditional Native values. Discusses teaching strategies using Native and non-Native learning styles, teacher as role model, and use of appropriate cultural-symbol graphics to transmit ideas. Contains 24 references. (SV)…
(1994). Five Paradigms of Ethnic Relations. Social Education, v58 n6 p349-53 Oct. Contends that a major focus of contemporary U.S. education is the nature and character of interethnic relationships. Discusses five models of ethnic relations: (1) traditional Eurocentric Racism; (2) Melting Pot Assimilationism; (3) Ethnic Nationalism; (4) Globalism; and (5) Centered Pluralism. (CFR)…
(1995). Transforming Elementary Social Studies: The Emergence of a Curriculum Focused on Diverse, Caring Communities. Theory and Research in Social Education, v23 n4 p355-74 Fall. Examines six elementary social studies textbook series for the absence or presence of multicultural perspectives. Identifies Houghton Mifflin and Macmillan as opposite ends of the spectrum. Houghton Mifflin displayed a global-humanistic perspective while Macmillan favored a nationalistic, exclusionary approach. Includes examples from both. (MJP)…