Forty-six percent of Washington’s school children are children of color and, in many schools,
students of color are the majority—and sometimes an overwhelming majority. Unfortunately, for
many children of color, schooling does not respect their identity or ethnicity, and they experience a
very challenging and negative school experience. The children you teach are unlikely to have had
the same schooling experiences that you have had. Washington’s Superintendent of Public
Instruction is emphasizing the demand for teachers who have strong intercultural competence
(being able to work with people who are different than you) and an inclusion mindset (that all
students should be included in the same opportunities to learn).* Because teaching all children is
your moral, ethical, and legal obligation, you need to begin to recognize that there are other
knowledge systems besides your own or the ones primarily used in US schools, and that you will
have to change your teaching to fit the needs of all learners.
To help you do this, I ask you to attend—and possibly even participate in—two cultural events of
your choosing during the semester. These assignments are designed to help you explore and learn
about a culture or group of people that are not so familiar to you. You can attend, for example, a
heritage event (such as a celebration from Black History Month or Native Programs’ Pah-Loots-Puu
Powwow in March), a cultural festival, a museum exhibit, a film festival from other cultures, a
remembrance event, or any of a multitude of events—just so long as it is not something with which
you already have experience. Step out of your comfort zone and experience something different!
You get to choose the two cultural events you want to attend and events at WSU and the U of I
events are your easiest options, but you may go anywhere. Whatever event you choose—whether
here or back home—I must approve it AND you need to share the opportunity with your classmates
by announcing the event at the beginning of class, thus informing and inviting other students.
As you reflect, be sure to explicitly connect what you learned at the cultural event to concepts
covered in the Woolfolk text or other readings. A 2-page (double-spaced) reflection paper** must be
Sample Solution
