ERIC EJ871362: Unexpected Convergences: A Dialogue across Differences

2009·0.19 MB·English

by  ERIC

Personal Perspective
Unexpected Convergences
A Dialogue across Differences
John Ambrosio & Gilbert C. Park
Over the past two years, we have been first course on Antonio Gramsci given in of immigrants,” promoted by conservative
meeting regularly to discuss issues and the U.S., taught by Perry Anderson at scholars like Diane Ravitch (1990), and the
challenges related to multicultural educa- the New School for Social Research. I was racial tension in my immediate surround-
tion. The majority of our students are from fascinated and very excited by Gramsci’s ings. I saw the need to challenge this false
small, rural, mostly White, working and writings on education, by his conception of image of U.S. society. I wanted schools to
middle class communities located within a the role of education in social transforma- be honest to poor students and students of
150 mile radius of the Midwestern campus tion. This was the beginning of my interest color about the harsh social and economic
where we teach. in theorizing education. realities, and about how this affects their
In this dialogue, we discuss how we Gramsci always thought strategically, pursuit of happiness in school and in the
became involved in teaching multicultural and his theory of education was part of an wider world.
education, describe transformative experi- overall strategy for revolutionary social So, I walked into the classroom with the
ences that shaped our lives and thinking, change. My interest in education first attitude: What’s the point of all this hold-
and examine some of the key conceptual emerged with Gramsci’s theory of educa- ing hands and doing Kumbaya? My limited
and pedagogical issues related to the prac- tion. Then I discovered the work of Paulo understanding of multicultural education
tice of multicultural education. By provid- Freire. Multicultural education provided was challenged as we read and discussed
ing a window into our own experience and continuity with my earlier interest in the works of multicultural educators like
thinking, we seek to problematize and in- Gramsci and Freire. The more transforma- Carl Grant, Christine Sleeter, Geneva Gay,
form the work of multicultural educators. tive and anti-racist versions of multicul- James Banks, and Lisa Delpit, to name
tural education were consistent with my a few. Gloria’s course taught me that an
Coming to the Field long-standing commitment to education important aspect of multicultural educa-
of Multicultural Education for social justice. tion is to equip students with the tools to
Too often, multicultural education is succeed academically and to think critically
Gilbert: Let’s start by sharing how about cultural understanding, diversity, as citizens in a democratic society.
you became interested in teaching multi- and tolerance, but that’s not really what I also learned that it’s important to
cultural education. interested me. I wanted to examine the create a safe learning environment where
relation between socially constructed dif- everyone feels that they can contribute.
John: I came to multicultural educa-
ferences and issues of power. For me, the Gloria wasn’t as forceful about her politics
tion through critical pedagogy. I mean
purpose of multicultural education isn’t as she was about legitimating different life
that’s where I started, with Paulo Freire.
simply to facilitate cultural acceptance and experiences and opinions that made us
I began studying multicultural education
understanding—although that’s certainly who we are. At the same time, she made
because of its similarities to critical peda-
necessary. us think and ask: Why are you doing this?,
gogy. There’s a lot of overlap between the
In previous discussions, you men- as a way of critically evaluating our own
two, but there are some important differ-
tioned that Gloria Ladson-Billings had an stance and how it affects our understand-
ences, too. Critical pedagogy is more con-
important effect on your thinking. How did ing of students of diverse backgrounds.
cerned with issues of power as opposed to
she influence your interest in becoming a What I got from her was the view
cultural difference or diversity. Although
multicultural educator? that there are other ways to look at things
there are different conceptions of multi-
that are just as important. By validating
cultural education, some versions shared Gilbert: Her class on culturally
different perspectives, she helped me con-
many of the same concerns with issues of relevant pedagogy showed me the pos-
ceptualize my own view of multicultural
equity and social justice. sibilities of multicultural education. I
education. I think about her teaching a lot.
In a prior incarnation, when I was a was frustrated with the diversity courses
She forced me to come to an understanding
doctoral student in sociology, I took the I took as an undergraduate that focused
of what multicultural education is for me,
on improving human relationships. I felt
and that’s what I’m trying to do for my own
that it was such a deception and disservice
John Ambrosio and Gilbert C. Park students.
to poor students and students of color. I
are assistant professors For me, multicultural education is
grew up as a person of color in an inner
in the Department of Educational Studies a pedagogy that’s culturally relevant,
city with first hand experience in the dis-
at Teachers College, Ball State University, that emphasizes educational equity and
crepancy between images of the U.S. as a
Muncie, Indiana. academic success, and that challenges
racially harmonious society, as “a nation
FALL 2009
27
Personal Perspective
students to think critically about the world can find ways to serve their own interests. Gap Min’s (1996) study of Korean shop
and their place in it. We want students to ask questions like: owners in New York City.
Who benefits from this? As they begin to As all this was happening, I was intro-
John: In a sense, then, you’re trying
understand how they fit into the world, and duced to some readings about power issues,
to replicate the experience you had in
to recognize the limits and possibilities of about who has the power to name reality.
Gloria’s class. I think all good teachers
their profession, I want to equip them with I was beginning to look at race issues as
draw on each other’s work. That’s one of
the tools to make changes. more than just interracial conflicts on an
the things I learned early on: You don’t
What I have students do is define re- individual basis, but about the dominant
have to reinvent the wheel all the time.
ality in their own words. I think naming group’s power to reduce the range of
When you come across effective pedagogi-
reality for themselves is empowering. I humanity for others. Around this time,
cal practices, you shouldn’t hesitate to in-
grew up wanting to be a truck driver but I I sought out works on Asian American
corporate them into your own repertoire.
was told that it’s a White man’s job. There experiences as a way to better understand
At the same time, you cannot reduce teach-
was a point in my life when I started to ask myself, to empower myself to name my own
ing to methodology. It’s really a craft, an
myself: Why is it a White man’s job? Why realities.
ongoing apprenticeship in which we learn
did I accept what others told me? One of the books, Unraveling the
from each other.
I began to develop a consciousness Model Minority Stereotype by Stacey Lee,
Gilbert: Yes. It’s important that we about my relationships with others, and talked about the experiences of Asian
engage in conversations with our students about how they described the way the Americans in schools. Reading her book
and other teachers in the field to foster world is, and how it should be. I felt em- was a catalyzing experience that inspired
a sense of collegiality and collaboration. powered when I began to ask: What is it me to pursue this line of research. As I be-
Instead of promoting the idea that there like being an Asian American man in this came more educated about Asian American
is one best way to teach, we should be able society? history and the school experiences of Asian
to teach the way we see fit, in conversation American students, I saw some similar
with other teachers. Personal Journeys struggles we had as a racial group. I began
toward Empowerment to see myself more as an Asian American,
Education instead of just Korean, which is consis-
for Empowerment John: What was the catalyst that tent with Espiritu’s (1992) study of Asian
made you think about your place in the American pan-ethnic identity development
Gilbert: How do you understand the world? as a political choice. I saw that I shared a
concept of empowerment? common set of experiences as an American
Gilbert: For me, the catalyst was the
of Asian heritage, an identity that could be
John: Students are empowered when Los Angeles riot or civil protest in 1992,
translated into political power. I found my
they become informed, self-reflective, and the events that took place following the
own community, and a perspective, a lens,
critical thinkers. You don’t empower stu- beating of Rodney King. I come from a very
to examine the world around me.
dents by filling their heads with someone close-knit Korean community in Chicago
Lee’s view, that there’s no point in
else’s meanings or interpretations. It’s where most of the people are employed in
conducting academic studies if there are
important that we recognize and affirm the small Korean-owned businesses such as
no practical implications, was very power-
voices of our students, and value their con- flea markets, laundries, and shoe stores.
ful for me. That’s how I was led toward
tributions. At the same time, we have to The businesses are located in economically
the field of education. I wanted to chal-
continually challenge students to examine impoverished neighborhoods, and cater
lenge students to think about why they
the assumptions and preconceptions that mostly to African Americans and Latinos.
do the things they do, and who benefits
inform their interpretations. Many of them were taken over by Koreans
the most. Multicultural education gives
For me, empowerment means equip- when Jewish shop owners left the area af-
Asian American students some much
ping students with the knowledge, skills, ter the civil rights protests of the 1960s.
needed and deserved attention that the
and dispositions that enable them to think In protesting against racial injustices,
model minority stereotype often prevents
critically about the world they inhabit and some people showed their anger and frus-
them from receiving. So, my interest in
their place in it, to consider social realities tration through violence against Korean
multicultural education is also practical:
beyond their own experience, and to act ef- shop owners, who were caught in the
it’s a way to better serve the population
fectively in creating a more just society. middle. The media portrayed the event as
that I’m most interested in—recent Asian
a Black and Korean thing, when the real is-
Gilbert: It sounds like transformation immigrants who are becoming Asian
sue was larger social injustices. It made me
is an important aspect of multicultural Americans.
think about how the media had the power
education for you.
to portray reality, and how this version of John: You experienced a sense of em-
John: For me, multicultural educa- reality was embraced by Koreans and by powerment in naming your own reality, in
tion is about developing certain disposi- people in general. not accepting other people’s perception of
tions, or what Deborah Meier, in her book It wasn’t just a Korean and Black you, your community, and your academic
The Power of Their Ideas, calls habits of issue, although there were some miscon- potential. I know that you’ve written about
mind, that enable people to function intel- ceptions and friction between the two com- the model minority stereotype, and how
ligently and effectively in the world. munities. It was a wake up call for me and it places Asian American students who
many other young Korean Americans, who need academic support at a disadvantage.
Gilbert: I agree with you that it’s im- started to question our place in the larger Equipping students to name their own
portant for people to understand who they society, which was illustrated in Pyong reality, and to name their own needs and
are and how they fit into the world, so they
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
28
Personal Perspective
the needs of their community, is essential Reading Democracy for the Few totally transformation while we were in college.
to empowerment. blew my mind. It completely changed my How do you think this plays out for col-
perception of social reality. Parenti’s book lege students who may not have had the
Gilbert: When did you first experience
gave me the language and concepts I experience of being “othered,” or who are
a sense of empowerment?
needed to name my own reality, to think unlikely to have this experience? How do
John: My own transformation hap- about my own experience in new ways. I fi- we challenge these students to see beyond
pened, quite unexpectedly, when I was nally had a way of understanding the social their own experience?
in college. I grew up in a working class world, and my place in it, that made sense
John: That’s a very good question. For
Italian American family. My father was to me. Reading that book was a transfor-
me, the purpose of education is transfor-
a butcher in a local supermarket and my mational experience in my life. After I took
mation. But we can only invite students to
mother worked as a secretary during the that course, I changed my major to political
think critically, to seek new possibilities.
school year. Both of my parents are first science, and never looked back.
We can only invite students to consider
generation Italian Americans. Our social Because I come from a working class
others perspectives, other ways of think-
life revolved mostly around extended family, my consciousness was shaped by the
ing. We can equip them with language,
family gatherings and religious events. realities of the world I lived in. Parenti’s
concepts, and theories, but ultimately they
My parents rarely socialized with people book gave me a way of understanding why
must want to move in that direction.
outside of their social class, and they were I was so alienated from myself, from others,
I don’t judge students on the degree
shunned by some of the adults in our and from society. It gave me a compelling
to which their thinking mirrors my own,
neighborhood because of their ethnicity. way of understanding my own reality, of
but on their willingness to consider other
Because I grew up in a suburban com- what it means to be a working class person
people’s realities. As I said, students don’t
munity in central New Jersey, I was very in late capitalist American society.
have to move in a certain direction, but I
isolated in terms of my exposure to racial As I began to understand myself in
want them to consider the possibility that
and cultural difference. Except for a small new ways, my world was fundamentally
what they think they already know is
number of African American families, who transformed. I wound up writing my senior
not the whole story. It’s a balancing act,
lived in a cluster of tiny wooden houses at thesis on Marx’s concept of alienation. I
because we want students to develop the
the end of a long dirt road, there was little focused on alienation because that’s what
habit of mind of being both skeptical of
diversity. The town was almost completely I needed to know about. I needed to know
other people’s truths, while being open to
White, and mostly middle class in terms what was at the root of this feeling I had
hearing and seriously considering them.
of income. Even thought I grew up in a for most of my life. So I wound up studying
middle class suburb, our family culture Marx, Engels, and Lenin in college, and Gilbert: It’s important that students
was working class, and a stone’s throw continued building my theoretical and con- make an argument instead of simply
from the hilltop village in Italy that my ceptual knowledge. Like your experience regurgitate what they’ve heard. To me,
paternal grandparents came from. with Stacey Lee, Parenti’s book equipped making an intelligent and well supported
Although I had a strong sense of my me to name my own reality, which trans- argument is an important step in devel-
ethnic identity, I grew up feeling deeply formed my life. oping critical thinking skills. But it’s not
alienated, but I didn’t know why. During I think we’re both trying to equip our enough, because there are racist students
my first year in college I took a political students with the analytical tools and dis- out there who are critical thinkers.
science course. A friend of mine took the positions that can open up their world to
John: As you say, we want students
class and recommended it to me. At the new and unimagined possibilities, that will
to think critically, but toward what end?
time, I was a business finance major, and lead them to question the way things are,
Multicultural education should oppose
wanted to become a stock broker. I was and not just accept it. That’s why Freire is
market values that produce poverty and
bored with the subject matter, but didn’t so important to my own thinking. It’s about
inequality, and replace them with com-
know what else to do. opening up new possibilities, new ways of
munal values of equity, justice, and social
As I said, on the recommendation of thinking, being, and doing. Once you un-
solidarity. For me the question is: How do
a friend I took an introductory course in derstand that social reality is constructed,
we encourage students to use their criti-
political science. We read a number of that it’s a human invention, it opens up
cal thinking skills to work toward a more
books from different analytical perspec- new possibilities. We don’t have to do it
just world? Students can either accept or
tives. One of the books, Democracy for the this way—we can do things differently.
reject this invitation, but I believe it’s our
Few by Michael Parenti, was a Marxist-in- That understanding was enormously
responsibility to put this ethical choice
fluenced analysis of the relation between liberating for me. We don’t have to accept
before them.
American politics and capitalism. Reading the way others name reality. We don’t
I tell my students that I don’t expect
that book absolutely transformed my view have to accept other people’s meanings
them to agree with me. Like you, I want
of the world. and truths. As multicultural educators,
students to develop their own under-
You know, you grow up thinking the we encourage students to name their own
standings, but I want them to do so in a
world is the way it is because it’s always reality in order to remake the world.
well-reasoned and coherent way, based on
been that way. Your view of reality, your
some kind of evidence, and not solely on
whole world, becomes naturalized. So, I Empowerment
their personal experience. I want students
never thought that life could be any differ- through Multicultural Education
to be able to deliberate with others who
ent, that it should be any different, or why
Gilbert: It sounds like there are many have different views, in an intelligent and
things are the way they are. I didn’t really
things we share. We were both “othered” in thoughtful way.
think about it. I was never challenged to
different ways, and experienced a personal Of course, there’s information I want
think that way before.
FALL 2009
29
Personal Perspective
students to know, but I also want them multicultural teachers, we struggle with themselves when they trust that you’ll
to develop a certain disposition toward the issue of how to encourage students to respond generously and without being
knowledge, a healthy skepticism regard- reconsider what they think they already judgmental. I think the bottom line is
ing the arguments and claims of others. know about race, social class, ethnicity, that students need to trust you with their
Most of all, that’s what I’m trying to etc. Their deep psychological investment identity and self-esteem before you can
teach, along with a willingness to listen in the meritocracy, for instance, is a major have the kind of conversations that are
to other people on their own terms. I want obstacle to helping students think criti- essential to multicultural education. They
students to learn how to listen, no just to cally about the world. need to know that you value them, and that
hear, as Lisa Delpit discusses in her book The meritocracy tells them that if you you’re going to be considerate with their
Other People’s Children. work hard and play by the rules, you will thoughts and feelings.
The point is to open up different ways succeed. We can provide students with all I also think a certain amount of kind-
of thinking, being, and doing. Because I’m kinds of counter-examples that illustrate ness and generosity is needed. I can be
a White working class heterosexual man, why this claim is false, but the question very academically demanding of students,
I’ve had a very narrow set of life experi- is: How do we get students to consider an but I also try to be generous with them.
ences. I tell my students that I need other alternative viewpoint? I push them. I want students to think
people’s understanding of their own experi- deeply about the subject matter, so I chal-
Gilbert: I think it’s very important to
ence to help me better understand myself, lenge their thinking. In class, I typically
have a rapport with students, so they will
and my place in the world. I can’t do it on respond by affirming their thoughts and
not see me as someone who will criticize
my own. We need each other to obtain a experiences, by finding some common
or crucify them. I want them to see me as
more complex and complete understanding ground—if possible—and then follow up
someone who will support them, which is
of social reality. with a question aimed at unpacking the
easier said than done. I have an assign-
I tell them that I cannot understand statement without being confrontational.
ment in which I ask students to write
how power operates in society, how it ad- I try to get students to recognize what
their reflections on the readings. In my
vantages some and disadvantages others, they just said, to make visible the underly-
written response, I try to point out what
without taking into account the experienc- ing assumptions and preconceptions that
I feel are the strengths, together with the
es of people of color, of low-income people, make their statement possible. I also pose
weaknesses, and try to make sure that dif-
of women, of gay and lesbian people, and “what if?” kinds of questions that compel
ferences in our opinions are not reflected
of people who are disabled. We cannot ad- students to think outside of the norm, that
in the weaknesses.
dress issues of individual and institutional challenge what they assume to be self-evi-
I try to be transparent with students
racism unless we are willing to accept the dent truths about people and society.
in my assessment of their work, while
reality of other people’s lived experiences, It takes a while to build the necessary
encouraging them to pursue excellence.
of their daily struggles. trust with students. Initially, they’re not
It’s very time consuming, but I’m trying
comfortable with sharing their opinions
to engage students in a conversation with
Creating in class. It’s like they’re always waiting
me and with the readings.
Learning Communities for someone to chop their heads off. After
John: We have a similar approach. students realize that I’m not wielding an
Gilbert: To me, it’s similar to teachers I try to build a rapport with students by axe, they slowly begin to open up.
wanting to be color-blind, which is not only sharing personal experiences in class so It’s absolutely critical that we cre-
impossible, but only benefits those who can they can see that I’m a human being, too, ate a non-judgmental atmosphere in the
afford to be blind to color. While some of and that I don’t have all the answers. I classroom, that we accept where students
us can choose to look beyond color, there also have a dialogue, a kind of personal are at, rather then where we would like
are those of us who do not have the option conversation, with each of my students them to be. Students will sometimes say
to look past color because of how it shapes in my responses to their written work. outrageous or ignorant things, but rather
every aspect of our lives, as Mary Waters Students are surprised that I spend so than blame the messenger, I use these
(1996) discusses in her study of Caribbean much time and effort responding to their opportunities as teachable moments to
immigrants. papers. I overheard a few students talking address issues that might not otherwise
The color-blind approach helps to in class one day about a paper they got just become a topic of conversation.
legitimize the experiences of Western
back from another professor: they were
European Americans as normal, against Gilbert: Maybe in the past they were
complaining that the professor didn’t even
which non-Whites are measured. I go evaluated on how much they regurgitated
bother to read their work!
back to the famous “I have a dream” instead of being assessed on how much
As you say, it takes an enormous
speech, where Dr. King imagines a society they grew. I agree that building a sense
amount of time to provide detailed feed-
in which children are not judged by their of trust among students, as well with
back, but I think the effort is well worth
color of their skin, but by the content of the instructor, is an important aspect of
it. Students know that you took the time to
their character. I don’t think we’re quite multicultural education. In my classes I
read their work carefully, and to respond
there yet, and pretending that we are is divide students into small groups early in
in a thoughtful and constructive way. It
just being dishonest. the semester. In these groups, they do as-
gives students a sense of their importance,
signments together, study for exams, and
John: Yes. That goes back to the point and it’s a sign of how much you respect and discuss daily topics of the class.
we were discussing before. If you have al- value their work. What I’m trying to do is encourage
ways been a part of the norm, it’s easy to Some students reveal things to me in students to access their social capital, to
blind yourself to the realities of others. As papers they don’t share in class. Students see each other as a resource, and to share
will share important information about
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
30
Personal Perspective
their ideas. As we share ideas and build John: As you say, multicultural edu- different versions of multicultural educa-
trust, we enrich our teaching and deepen cation is concerned with how the particular tion. I want students to think critically
our commitment to the field. I’m trying to combination of social markers advantage about how they’re going to teach from a
foster a sense of solidarity in students, so or disadvantage students. Even if you have multicultural perspective. I want them to
they see each other as allies in schools. a school full of White kids, they are not the have a clear idea about what they want
same kids in terms of social class, religious to do, how they want to do it, and why it’s
John: I think it’s important to create
affiliation, or ethnic identity. Even if our important.
a supportive learning community. At the
students were all the same, they will be We also examine the connection be-
beginning of each semester I have students
living in an increasingly diverse world with tween multicultural education and equal
share personal stories, through poetry
people different from themselves. educational opportunity. I assign readings
and other activities, to begin the process
with conflicting points of view that focus
of breaking down some of the unconscious Gilbert: To examine the intersection
on various issues. More often than not,
preconceptions and assumptions we all of race, gender, and social class, I have stu-
students recognize their own struggles in
have about each other. Students need to dents read an article by Lois Weis, “White
school related to these issues. But I found
know that you’re not going to devalue, dis- Male Working-Class Youth: An Explora-
that it’s difficult for many students to step
miss, or humiliate them. It’s also important tion of Relative Privilege and Loss,” about
out of the box, to see that their struggle
that we establish and enforce ground rules a group of working class White boys who
might not be the same as that of other
for respectful dialogue. You can’t have a must alter their sense of manhood—which
people. That’s the biggest challenge I face.
successful class, especially one that relies is based on treating girls as their personal
Many of my White students, who are either
heavily on dialogue, without creating a property—when faced with a declining eco-
first generation college students or have
supportive and non-judgmental learning nomic situation that prevents them from
led a comfortable middle class life, have a
environment. equating their worthiness with being the
hard time understanding the lives of others
provider. The article explores how economic
and their struggles in school.
Multicultural Education dislocation had a negative effect on their
and Social Justice interactions with African American boys. John: That’s an important topic, and
For me, the analysis of power is always it gets back to the myth of the meritocracy.
John: Many of my White students about how various issues come together in In my classes, I talk about equality of op-
think that multicultural education is about a specific context, such as schools. Talking portunity versus equality of condition: the
other people, or that it only pertains to about the intersection of these social mark- issue is where you start from in relation to
ethnically diverse classrooms. ers is a useful tool in challenging the view others, not whether or not you’re allowed
that multicultural education is only about to run the race. I think it’s very important
Gilbert: I hear that a lot, too. Early in
people who are different. It’s also about because we’re trying get students to think
the semester some students wonder how
us. Multicultural education is about more about the false promises of the meritocracy,
they’re going to use multicultural educa-
than eating Taco Bell to celebrate cultural the belief that the absence of legal barriers
tion in their mostly White classrooms. I
difference. to social advancement is sufficient to guar-
challenge them to see how the issue of
As I mentioned, I have students come antee fairness, equity, and social justice.
power plays out in schools along the lines
up with their own definition of multicultur- From this perspective, students con-
of different social markers such as class,
al education. I discuss Christine Sleeter’s clude that since we don’t have Jim Crow
race, gender, religion, sexuality, and oth-
(1996) view of multicultural education as any longer, then we must have equal op-
ers. I respond to their concerns by saying
a political quest for social justice, and then portunity for people of color. I think we
that as they understand themselves better,
use Ladson-Billings’ (1995) definition of need to equip students to challenge such
in terms of their location in the system
culturally relevant pedagogy to explain myths, those official truths that keep
of power relations, they may find a more
my own view of multicultural education. I them from acknowledging other people’s
effective way to serve their students, who
want students to think about what multi- realities, and from becoming allies in the
are not going to be demographically ho-
cultural education means to them, because struggle for social and economic justice.
mogenous or have the same needs.
when they begin teaching they’ll encounter
References
Critical Pedagogical Transformations Apple, M. W. (2000). Official knowledge:
Democratic education in a conservative age
Texts and Authors Mentioned by John and Gilbert
(2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
Delpit, L. (2006). Other people’s children:
Lisa Delpit, Other People’s Children Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York:
Stacey Lee, Unraveling the Model Minority Stereotype The New Press.
Texts Deborah Meier, The Power of Their Ideas Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good
Michael Parenti, Democracy for the Few teaching! The case for culturally relevant
Lois Weis, “White Male Working-Class Youth: pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159-
An Exploration of Relative Privilege and Loss” 165.
Lee, S. J. (1996). Unraveling the model minority
James A. Banks Gloria Ladson-Billings stereotype: Listening to Asian American
Paulo Freire Pyong Gap Min youth. New York: Teachers College Press.
Other Authors Geneva Gay Diane Ravitch Meier, D. (2002). The power of their ideas:
Antonio Gramsci Christine Sleeter Lessons for America from a small school in
Carl Grant Mary Waters Harlem. Boston: Beacon Press.
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31
Personal Perspective
Parenti, M. (2007). Democracy for the few (8th Waters, M. C. (1996). Ethnic and racial identities and loss. In L. Weis & M. Fine (Eds.), Beyond
ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. of second-generation Black immigrants in silenced voices: Class, race, and gender in
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Contribute to Voices of Justice
the Creative Writing Section of Multicultural Education Magazine
We’re seeking submissions of creative writing on topics including diversity, multiculturalism, equity, education, social justice,
environmental justice, and more specific subtopics (race, gender/sex, sexual orientation, language, (dis)ability, etc.). Do you
write poetry? Short stories or flash fiction? Creative nonfiction? We will consider any style or form, but we prefer prose that is
no longer than 750 words and poetry that can fit comfortably onto a single page of text.
Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis
And... If you’re a teacher, Pre-K through lifelong learning, please encourage your students to submit to us! We would love
submissions from the youngsters as well as the not-so-youngsters!
Where to Submit: Submissions may be sent electronically or by postal mail. Electronic submissions should be sent to
Paul C. Gorski at [email protected] with the subject line “ME Submission.” Hard copy, mailed submissions should
be addressed to: Paul C. Gorski, Integrative Studies, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA
22030.
Format: All submissions should be double-spaced, including references and any other materials. Please send one copy of your
submission with the title noted at the top of the page. The title of the manuscript, name(s) of author(s), academic title(s), in-
stitutional affiliation(s), and address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the author(s) should all be included on a cover
sheet separate from the manuscript. If you are a student or if you are submitting work on behalf of a student, please include
age, grade level, and school name.
What to Send: If you are submitting your work via postal mail, we ask that authors send the full text of the submission on
a 3-and-one-half-inch High Density PC-compatible computer disk in any common word-processing program. If you wish the
manuscript or other materials to be returned after consideration and publication, please also send a stamped and addressed
return envelope large enough for that purpose.
Please address questions to Paul C. Gorski at [email protected]
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
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