“The problem was the assumption that U.S. institutions, customs, and beliefs were the best in the world and they should be imposed” (Spring 42).
Throughout much of the past century, the United States sought to stamp its cultural ideal upon almost all peoples who existed within its realm of influence. It is only through the relatively modern ideology of multiculturalism and the celebration of diversity that the United States has begun to make amends for the injustices it has committed on other cultures.
There are many methods of deculturalization, according to Joel Spring, such as segregation, isolation, and forced change of language: when the content of curriculum reflects the culture of a dominant group, it is deculturalization; when dominated groups are not allowed to express their culture and religion, it is deculturalization; when teachers from a dominant group teach those that are dominated, it is deculturalization.
Your midterm essay assignment has two parts (written cohesively in one paper).
PART I: Reflect on your reading by Spring and trace deculturalization in American schools. You should locate at least three other articles that helps you to understand the topic and the process, and the consequential results to minority cultures that have resulted from this process.
Note: Today, as multiculturalism is entering into the classrooms and other realms, different cultures are finally getting the attention they deserve. Do not begin to explore this attention or remedies to this issue at this time – you will advance into that area of thinking for your final paper. This essay is to first identify the problem of deculturalization in depth so that we can later identify potential solutions and strategies that work to implement change and enact social justice approaches.
PART II: You are to conduct an independently arrange, in-depth interview with a person who is culturally different from yourself about their educational experiences. The essay discussing these interviews should consider how race, class, and gender were\are interwoven into these persons’ educational experiences and expectations. You will be expected to use the concept of deculturalization covered in class and in your readings to inform your analysis of your interviews (teacher expectations, peer culture, extra-curricular activities, class and race segregation), connecting their experiences to this idea.
THE FINAL PRODUCT:
This paper will range in length from 6-8 pages. Your resources (min of 4)will include our Spring text, at least two academic peer reviewed articles (use library resources – not google), and at least one interview.
The written style is MLA documentation (I recommend Purdue Owl online) including proper page headings (no title page), format (margins, font style and size – 1”, TNR, 12 pt.), in-text citations, and works cited page.
A rubric will be provided for scoring and distributed one class prior to submission for self and peer edit sessions (you will arrange this on your own – no class time is bring provided for this). A collaborative review of your writing is always encouraged and the resources of our campus writing studio will prove invaluable during this process!
DUE DATE:
(hard copies are required IN CLASS for grading AS WELL AS a D2L submission for authenticity check, i.e. plagiarism – make sure you cite correctly).