ERIC Number: EJ858590
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1068-3844
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Teaching Others: Preservice Teachers' Understandings regarding Diverse Families
Lyon, Anna F.
Multicultural Education, v16 n4 p52-55 Sum 2009
It is well documented that many preservice teachers arrive on campuses with few past experiences or opportunities to interact with people from diverse backgrounds. In addition, they often think of diversity only as an issue of race. Successful teaching requires a wider view of diversity that includes race, ethnicity/nationality, social class, sex/gender, health, age, geographic region, sexuality, religion, social status, language, and ability/disability. It is necessary for teacher education programs to help preservice teachers learn a broader definition of diversity. It is also important that teacher educators provide a variety of experiences for preservice teachers to give them time to reflect on their own beliefs and possible prejudices regarding diverse populations. This article presents a case study assignment designed to help preservice teachers learn about and from diverse families. The purpose of the case study is to have the preservice teachers interact with, learn from, and come to respect the diverse perspective families have on raising young children. The case study offers preservice teachers the opportunity to broaden their perspectives and understandings of young children who are different from their personal family background and experiences.
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, Preservice Teachers, Social Class, Social Status, Teacher Education Programs, Family Characteristics, Young Children, Geographic Regions, Sexuality, Teacher Educators, Student Diversity, Teacher Effectiveness, Case Studies, Cultural Awareness
Caddo Gap Press. 3145 Geary Boulevard PMB 275, San Francisco, CA 94118. Tel: 415-666-3012; Fax: 415-666-3552; e-mail: caddogap@aol.com; Web site: http://www.caddogap.com
Publication Type: Information Analyses; Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A