Module Three Overview

Personal Preparation

As both Gary Howard and Parker Palmer have stated, the work of teaching requires us to start with ourselves. Our life's lessons, opportunities, and experiences have made us into unique beings. We bring all of who we on this journey and into our classrooms, affecting the work we do with students and families. Unexamined, some of the messages we may have been given regarding groups other than our own could potentially influence the expectations we have of our students...before we have even met them. This workshop provides each of us with an opportunity to peer into our deeper self and, as Palmer states, "If I am willing to look into that mirror and not run from what I see, I have a chance to gain self knowledge — and knowing myself is as crucial to good teaching as knowing my students and my subject." With student success as our destination, prepare for take off!

At the completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Identify effective practices in multicultural education.
• Reflect on the ways personal life experiences shape expectations about teaching and learning in a diverse society.
• Assess his or her own personal cultural lens and how this lens influences student success in the classroom.
• Develop an informed perspective on the social and political influences on our education system.
• Evaluate data relating to national, state, and local trends and how they impact personal teaching experiences.
• Investigate and plan culturally responsive interactions with families and communities to support student success.