ERIC Number: ED461623
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1998-Mar-23
Pages: 14
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Teaching Tolerance and Appreciation for Diversity: Applying the Research on Prejudice Reduction.
Titus, Dale
Teaching tolerance and appreciation for diversity becomes more important as changing demographics require schools to prepare students for increasing diversity. Teachers can help students develop more positive racial attitudes through instructional interventions. However, it is important to implement experiences designed to influence educators' perceptions and racial feelings in order for them to successfully modify students' racial attitudes. How teachers present lessons significantly influences how students view content. Teachers must model the positive attitudes they expect in students. Those who prepare teachers have a responsibility to model exemplary practices. A strong belief in the values of the American Creed offers hope for closing the gap between expressed democratic ideals and realities of American society. Teaching democratic values can reduce student prejudice and promote positive attitudes toward tolerance, respect, and cultural appreciation. Students show less prejudice when they are able to think critically, reason at high levels, and have flexible perspectives. Participation in cooperative learning activities helps students choose friends from outside racial groups and develop more positive racial attitudes. The paper presents a cooperative learning jigsaw activity, which requires active participation by five group members, to familiarize educators with research findings on prejudice reduction. Each member receives a different clue sheet, and clues from the five sheets are shared among group members in order to identify 14 research-based strategies for prejudice reduction in the classroom. (Contains 21 references.) (SM)
Descriptors: Classroom Environment, Consciousness Raising, Critical Thinking, Cultural Awareness, Democratic Values, Diversity (Student), Elementary Secondary Education, Multicultural Education, Racial Attitudes, Racial Bias, Research, Student Attitudes, Students, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Role, Teachers
Publication Type: Information Analyses; Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A