March 2011
Teaching Multiculturally
Getting Beneath the Surface By Nicole “Jené” Reaves Guest Writer
In the first week of March, an elementary school teacher in Ohio, in an effort to have students gain a better understanding of slavery, separated the class into slaves and masters, and allowed the “masters” to look in the mouths of the “slaves” and feel their legs to judge their strength. A few years ago, a middle school teacher in New York came under fire after she attempted to show the cruelty of the slave trade to her students by having two African American students act as slaves. The African American girls had their hands and feet bound with tape and then had to crawl under desks to simulate the conditions on a slave ship. Of course the African American students were humiliated, parents were outraged, and community groups called for the teacher to be fired. Even more horrifying is the knowledge that for both teachers, this was not the first time they had conducted these lessons. As misguided as these teachers were, it is possible they felt that reading a passage in a textbook did not sufficiently convey the realities of American slavery. The problem is that they did not have an appropriate way to make multicultural lessons more meaningful. They are not the only educators who are in need of better strategies for culturallyrelevant teaching. Many teachers find that teaching about Eleanor Roosevelt, Garrett A. Morgan and Cesar Chavez does not get to the heart of high African American unemployment, referendums on gay marriage or anti-Arab sentiments. In response to this, some high schools have implemented Diversity Days which are days where the students have a chance to discuss issues that are relevant to them. These types of conversations are Continued on Page 17
On the Track of a
Theta Woman
By Shannon C. Stewart, Ph. D. Guest Writer
I’m getting ready for the big event—the one we’ve all worked on so hard and so long. The girls are ready; they know exactly what to do and when to do it; they’ve been practicing for months. They have the self-confidence, pride, and—let’s face it—swagger that comes from putting in hard work and making a real commitment to an organization, and they are ready to show off. I put on my shirt with its signature colors, recognizable letters on the front, and my own hard-earned and distinct moniker on the back. There’s a number, too, a special one. I continue dressing, putting on black bottoms and the expected and approved footwear for such an occasion— no open-toed shoes here! To top things off, I add some touches that are unique to me but still in keeping with the uniform: a necklace with our symbol on it, a personalized jacket, and so on. Soon the first whistle blows and the pack takes off. Of course, there are lots of butterflies (the in-the-stomach variety),
Continued on Page 6
What’s In This Edition? Meet our NUest Colony... Regionalization Check-In... Spotlight on Girls For A Change...