To critically explore race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality as social relations of power that differentially shape school experiences and individual and collective identities. To prepare the urban, professional, multicultural educator to critically reflect on and re-examine assumptions about identity formation and the organization of social relations in schools and to explore ways that institutional arrangements can be transformed to reflect the diversity of US schools and society at large. The Culture of Violence in Inner-City Schools , Chapts. McQuillan, Educational Opportunity in an Urban American High School , Chapts. McQuillan, Educational Opportunity in an Urban American High School , Chapts.
Attendance is required.
You are allowed no more than two excused absences after which your class grade will be lowered one full letter grade. This course will depend largely on active student participation. Therefore, it is important that you come to class having read assigned material and prepared to discuss the readings as part of small group work and larger class discussion. Students are expected to pose questions, challenge assumptions and raise issues for further exploration. We will work together as a class to deepen our understanding of key debates in education and develop critical skills for reading and analyzing issues presented in the educational literature.