In this article, the author reflects on the 1988 article "The Silenced Dialogue," by Lisa Delpit, which described the lack of communication dividing Black and White educators when it comes to the issue of race, specifically due to the disparity between reliance on theory (White) and reliance on cultural understanding (Black). Nearly a…

This article provides strategies that are recommended to elementary school teachers to help students in the U.S. understand Islam and its followers. It discusses the importance of cultural and historical studies in making students aware of the value of Islam to its followers. Three strategies described herein are: the concept of similarities, the…

To prepare teacher candidates to become social justice advocates, teacher educators have to critically reflect on their curriculum and teaching strategies to examine whether they are "acting on their beliefs" about diversity and social justice. In this article the author examines teacher candidates' perceptions of how their…

Before the detection of ozone depletion in the 1970s, an environmental movement began throughout the nation based on an increasing awareness of air and water pollution, and "deaths as a result of work conditions". Since then, movements for sustainable environmental practices and human rights continue to gain momentum. All over the globe,…

Education research literature is rife with images of pre- and in-service teachers in urban settings. Entire publications are grounded in the study of this population (see Journal of Urban Education, Education and Urban Society, The Urban Review, Perspectives on Urban Education, The National Journal of Urban Education, and Rethinking Schools). In…

This article provides a model for teachers to expand students' thinking about the liberating nature of literacy. Literacy is not just about making kids smarter or preparing them for future careers. Neither is it passive, neutral, or innocent. It is infused with values and ideology. It can be used by people to promote freedom or support…

This study is part of a larger project that explored the use of storytelling as a learning tool in schools in the United States. Here the authors examine storytelling as a pedagogical tool for prospective teachers of American Indian children to enhance classroom learning. The specific intention is to illuminate the pedagogical methodology of…

The overarching goal of multicultural education is "to help all students acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to participate in cross-cultural interactions and in personal, social, and civic action that will help make our nation more democratic and just" (Banks, 2006, p. 202). In pursuit of this goal, teacher educators…

The U.S. Census Bureau (2009) reports that over 50% of school-age children will be other than non-Hispanic Caucasians by 2023. In an effort to help meet the imperative need for preservice teachers who are well prepared to work with these students from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as for teacher education programs to more fully…

The authors of this article work in a university-based teacher preparation program designed to prepare teachers to serve in urban, historically underserved schools. Entrance to the program is competitive. Preservice teachers are selected, in part, for their rich life experiences and interest in working in high-needs schools. Even with this…

In an earlier article appearing in "Multicultural Education" (Volume 16, Number 1, Fall 2008) a number of pedagogical techniques were presented for teaching White students about White privilege and racism (Heinze, 2008). That article emphasized that racism exists along a continuum and that the instructor needs to examine and disclose his or her…

In this article, the author investigates the experience of six preservice teachers who volunteered to work with English language learners (ELLs). For this project, the preservice teachers would meet with their students to conduct one-on-one interviews about their reading and writing, hold conferences with them, and share their own writing as well.…

The purpose of this article is to examine the potential of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to facilitate the development of a critical consciousness among their White students. It discusses philosophical views regarding the process of unveiling "Whiteness," including White critical studies and White identity development…

In this article, the author explores the explicit as well as the implicit connection between the media, education and power. He examines data drawn from two Master's level Sociology of Education classes at a university in Ohio with students who are already teachers. The course raises important questions about the potential for doing critical media…

In today's sociopolitical climate in the United States, nativist anti-immigrant movements drive the marginalization and disempowerment of Latino schoolchildren. Latino teachers need more than a shared ethnicity with their students to help them develop their full potential. Bilingual educators and proponents of dual language programs must…