CHAPTER FIVE

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CHAPTER FIVE CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

• THE MULTICULTURAL CLASSROOM

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MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

• Approximately 300,000 immigrant children moved to
  Canada in the 1990s
• Most of these children reside in Vancouver,
  Toronto and Montreal, however there is a
  significant immigrant and First Nations
  population in many communities in B.C.

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SCHOOL DISTRICT 61 VICTORIA - Six year Dogwood
Completion Rates

• 2000/01 Non aboriginal 72
• Aboriginal 30
• 2001/02 Non Aboriginal 75
• Aboriginal 33
• 2003/04 Non Aboriginal 75
• Aboriginal 35
• 2004/05 Non Aboriginal 79
• Aboriginal 38

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INDIVIDUALS , GROUPS AND SOCIETY

• Multicultural/Mosaic vs Melting Pot
• Mosaic the belief that individuals can maintain
  their own culture and identity while still being
  respected as part of the larger society
• Melting pot Absorption and assimilation of
  immigrants into the mainstream of society

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Multiculturalism

• Canadian legislation 1989 Canadian
  Multiculturalism Act sets out in law Canadian
  policy respecting the social, cultural, economic
  and political diversity of the country
• Multicultural education recognition and
  promotion of cultural diversity

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CANADIAN CULTURAL DIVERSITY

• CAUTIONS Stereotyping all Chinese Canadians
  are . Socio economic status (SES) , Ethnic,
  cultural, religious backgrounds do not give you
  specific information about an individual.
• Belonging to a particular group does not
  determine behavior but suggests that some
  behaviors more likely

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

• Poverty is a significant factor in educational
  and vocational achievement
• Higher SES across ethnic groups linked to higher
  educational achievement.
• Independent schools (Private) have in general
  very high tuition fees

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SES

• FRASER INSTITUTE RANKING OF SCHOOLS IN BC IN 2005
• No. 1 Crofton House Independent school Girls
  only. Tuition - 13,000. Grades 1 -12
• No. 2 Little Flower Academy Operated by
  Sisters of St. Ann .. All girls. 5,070 tuition
  first child and 2,840 subsequent children
• 100 graduation rate from high school
• 91 of graduates obtained Provincial Honours

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SES

• No. 3 ranked school St. Georges All Boys
  school in Vancouver.
• Non BC residents Gr. 1 7 14, 725
• Gr. 8 -12 16,950
• BC Residents 12, 425
• 14, 675
• TUITION, BOARDING AND LODGING BC residents -
  31, 175.
• Non BC residents 38,000

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SES CONTINUED

• Being poor -
• greater likelihood of poor nutrition, exposure to
  illicit drugs/substance abuse.
• Lower academic expectations and low self esteem.
  Ongoing failure leads to expectation of future
  failure
• Learned helplessness experience of
  prejudice/discrimination come to expect that they
  cannot succeed
• Resistance culture succeeding academically is
  in some way a betrayal of their community.
  Studying cooperating with teachers seen as not an
  appropriate way to fit in
• Tracking placement of low functioning/low
  ability students in classes with less
  expectations. Less chance to interact with higher
  functioning students.
• Lack of resources and support at home

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LOW SES and ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

• Child rearing Children from impoverished
  backgrounds start school with a disadvantage. Do
  not have access to the Internet, travel ,
  cultural experiences. Parents expectations for
  academic achievement may be significantly lower
  than middle/upper middle class families

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ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIFFERENCES

• ETHNICITY Cultural heritage shared by a group
  of people.
• Canada becoming more ethnically diverse. Low
  birth rate and the need for skilled labor as well
  as Federal government policy encouraging well
  educated/trained immigrants to come to Canada

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Ethnic differences and school achievement

• Research concludes that the vast majority of the
  differences in abilities , IQ scores and
  graduation rates can be attributed to
  environmental factors.
• Discrimination, poverty and low SES.

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DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE

• Residential school experience
• Recently (July 2006), B.C., Federal Government
  and First Nations have agreed to transfer much of
  the responsibility for First Nations education
  to Local Bands.
• Have to follow Ministry of Education Curriculum ,
  however cultural and ethnic content dramatically
  increased.

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Prejudice

• Pre judgment or generalization about an entire
  group of people..
• Stereotype Schema (belief) that organizes
  knowledge or perceptions of a category. You may
  have a perception of Americans, Asians, Muslims
  that helps you make sense of your world.
• Stereotypes inaccurate because not all persons
  fit into that view

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Stereotype threat

• Girls do not do well in sciences/math. You
  believe or at least have heard of this , which
  may affect performance.
• When you are put in a position to have to perform
  on a test , stereotype threat may apply. For
  example you may become more anxious and think you
  cannot do it.

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GENDER ROLE IDENTITY

• Beliefs about characteristics and behavior
  associated with one gender as opposed to another.
  
• Feminine characteristics sensitive, caring ,
  nurturing
• Masculine aggressive, competitive, achievement
  oriented
• Androgynous Having some typically male and
  female characteristics
• May actually be measuring more Instrumental (goal
  directed) and Expressive traits (social and
  emotional)
• Gender schemas organized beliefs about what it
  means to be male or female. Socialization,
  parenting, teachers , church and the environment
  generally shape schemas

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Gender Bias in the Classroom

• Different views of male and female , often
  favoring one gender over another
• Historically curriculum may have been biased
  against females. Stories, heroes etc mostly male.
  
• History - Discussion of dead white men
• Teachers ask more questions of males, give males
  more feedback, both praise and criticism.
• Girls/women become more passive less verbal as
  grades increase. Gifted girls in High school
  quite likely to down play their skills

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SEX DIFFERENCES AND MATH

• Largely stereotype threat
• No real difference between males and females at
  the start of high school in Math. By grade 11 and
  12, girls are not enrolling at any where near the
  same level as boys
• Not feminine to be in math -engineering,
  architecture etc..

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LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES

• BILINGUALISM- ability to speak two languages
• More than 50 of the new enrollees in the
  Vancouver school district in 2003 did not speak
  English as a first language.
• Second largest school district in the province -
  Surrey. Very ethnically diverse.
• Very large ESL English as a Second Language
• Large demand as well for French Immersion

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BILINGUAL

• A well delivered Bilingual program enhances
  academic achievement , mastery of English and
  overall self esteem in new immigrants.
• Creating culturally sensitive classrooms
• Must avoid stereotyping.. Ethnic group
  differences in learning styles may very well be
  over stated
• First Nations primarily oral tradition rather
  than written but not exclusively. Tend to have
  above average spatial abilities which should be
  recognized. Once again not always true.

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Culturally compatible classroom

• Individual achievement and competition less
  valued in First Nations culture than in
  Judeo-Christian. Collaboration and cooperation
  seen as more important.

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SOME KEY CONCEPTS

• Know your students ethnic and cultural
  backgrounds
• Treat each student as an individual
• Respect
• Teach all your students, set high but realistic
  expectations
• Emphasize meaning rather than memorizing