Description:
Diversity in Society and Schools, edited by experts across the disciplines, provides vital, engaging readings that reposition the multiple perspectives and experiences that exist within the classroom. It supports educators in creating learning environments that scaffold learning to maximize student achievement. The goal is to clarify, demystify, and increase understandings of important aspects of culture. As educators increase in their capacity to be respectful and culturally inclusive, they contribute to the learners' construction of a healthy ethnic identity and a more productive home-school partnership.
The chapters honor the epistemologies and skills that exist within marginalized communities, while proposing the inclusion of multiple perspectives in the curriculum. The 12 sections discuss polemical communities (e.g., African American, Asian, Latinx, LGBTQ+, women and gender) with suggested activities. Essays by cultural experts begin each section, followed by curated articles that stimulate discussion. Pre- and post-reading questions are designed to promote critical thinking, topic engagement, and respectful dialogue. Diversity in Society and Schools is an essential resource for inclusive educational programs.
Brief description: Howard L. Smith is a professor in the Department of Bicultural Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas, San Antonio. He holds a Ph.D. in bilingual-multicultural education from the University of Arizona. Dr. Smith's research focuses on the development of literacies in multicultural contexts through multiple languages and sign systems, multicultural children's literature, and bilingual education.