This paper documents our learning over a 3-year period from students of colour in our M.Ed. certification programme. Students of colour are always a minority (8% to 20%) in our programmes. Despite a variety of efforts, these students continued to complain that we were not meeting their needs or dealing adequately with diversity issues. The…

As the diversity of the students on campus increases, the importance for everyone in authority to understand students' distinct cultures and how they perceive institutions, and equally, to understand their own privilege, and often unconscious cultural assumptions, has never been greater. This book presents a comprehensive set of resources to guide…

The School of Education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is addressing the urban teacher retention challenge through its Institute for Urban Education (IUE). IUE focuses on recruiting individuals from underrepresented populations who have a commitment to their urban communities. Its curriculum is distinguished by five features: (1) an…

"Teaching for Joy and Justice" is the much-anticipated sequel to Linda Christensen's bestselling, "Reading, Writing, and Rising Up." Christensen is recognized as one of the country's finest teachers. Her latest book shows why. Through story upon story, Christensen demonstrates how she draws on students' lives and the world to teach poetry, essay,…

This paper examines the situation for Maori learners for special needs in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Despite considerable legislation and official documentation supporting the provision of culturally appropriate special education services for Maori, research shows that these learners are often neglected, overlooked and sometimes even excluded. The main…

The racially-based academic achievement gap demonstrates that schools are not equally successful with all students. There are gaps in discipline; placement in remedial, gifted, and honors classes; assignment to special education programs; grade point averages; dropout and graduation rates as well as in funding and resources. The elimination of…

The report on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996), the Kelowna Accord announced in 2005 (five-billion dollars) followed by its demise in 2006, and the settlement in 2006 for Aboriginal survivors of residential schools (1.9 billion dollars), are but some of the recent high-profile indicators of the challenges to Canada in dealing with…

Educators and policymakers who share the goal of equal opportunity in schools often hold differing notions of what entails a just school in multicultural America. Some emphasize the importance of integration and uniform treatment for all, while others point to the benefits of honoring cultural diversity in ways that make minority students feel at…

This article examines the notion of "culturally responsive leadership" through a historical case study of the life of Gertrude Elise MacDougald Ayer, the first African American woman principal in New York City. I begin by situating Ayer's leadership practice in light of the social and political context of Harlem in the 1930s and early…

Since the 1980s, "Rethinking Schools" magazine has been renowned for its commitment to racial equality in education. Now, "Rethinking Multicultural Education: Teaching for Racial and Cultural Justice" has collected the best Rethinking Schools articles that deal with race and culture. "Rethinking Multicultural…

Research has increasingly highlighted the importance of children's social and cultural experiences for understanding about learning, what is learned and what is perceived as being important for learning. The development of literacy learning begins well before children start school as they engage in the literate practices of their homes and…

"Rethinking Early Childhood Education" is alive with the conviction that teaching young children involves values and vision. This anthology collects inspiring stories about social justice teaching with young children. Included here is outstanding writing from childcare teachers, early-grade public school teachers, scholars, and parents.…

This paper describes the implications for the work of teaching and the curriculum of teacher education programs of three different views of teaching expertise and teacher education (professionalization, deregulation and social justice) that have competed with each other for dominance in the USA since the inception of formal teacher education in…

The schooling of Gypsy children has become a major challenge for the Spanish educational system. After centuries of, first, exclusion and then segregation in separate schools, an egalitarian policy and a sudden enforcement of compulsory schooling have resulted in difficulties and conflicts in numerous Spanish schools. The specificity of the Gypsy…

Diversity related dispositions (understanding, tolerance, and respect) of prospective teachers are crucial aspects of today's teacher preparation programs. Can prospective teachers challenge and change their diversity-related dispositions through the use of Teaching Tolerance's culturally responsive curriculum materials? Students watched the…