Melting Pot or Tossed Salad? An Investigation of Diverse Perspectives for Pre-Service Teachers

Your group's task is to delve deeply into diversity issues by using a variety of resources (both electronic and printed) to maximize your own understanding so you can create a action plan for managing these issues in your future classroom.  Together you will choose a topic from the following list to research and each of you will choose specific areas to research.

The Final Project Outline at the bottom of this page will be handed out in class and posted on Blackboard for your future reference.  Here are the Diversity Topic choices:

+ Culture

+ Gender

+ Race/Ethnicity

+ Religion

+ Sexual Orientation

+ English Language Learners

 Specific Areas for Each Member of the Group:

Role 1:  Family Issues Consultant

Role 2:  Educational Expectations and Concerns Observer

Role 3:  Society's View and Treatment Historian

Role 4:  Eyewitness of Media Representations and Misrepresentations

 First, read the following excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Review the terms used and the populations to be served by these documents.  Reflect upon these as you continue your research throughout the unit.  Ponder the meaning of human rights and dignity as you reflect upon your purpose as a teacher.

�We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.�

-         Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, 1776

From the Declaration of Independence - http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=rbc3&fileName=rbc0001_2004pe76546page.db&recNum=0

�All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.  They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood� 

"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.�

-         from the UN Universal Declaration of Human RightsFrom the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - http://www.loc.gov/law/help/hussein/docs/UDHR_eng.pdf