The Black-White Achievement Gap: A Cultural Response

Presented by

Eileen Carlton Parsons, Crystall Travis, Stephanie Foster, & Jamila Smith Simpson
(all affiliated with North Carolina State University, Raleigh North Carolina;
contact Eileen Parsons at eileen_parsons@ncsu.edu)

Paper presented at the 2005 conference of the Association for the Education of Teachers in
Science, Colorado Springs, Colorado. January 22, 2005.

The Black-White Achievement Gap: A Cultural Response

As denoted by many science education reform efforts like Project 2061, quality
science for all students is a pressing need and a priority. Although it is a concern, little
guidance is given in the reforms on how to achieve this goal. For example, Teaching
Standard B of the National Science Education Standards (NSES) emphasizes the
importance of responding to diversity and getting all students involved in science, but
does not elaborate upon what is meant by diversity or provide strategies and examples of
how to address diversity so that all students are involved (National Research Council,
1996). Rodriguez (1997, 2003) discussed how these omissions compromised the
potential effectiveness of the NSES. Perhaps, this lack of explicitness regarding diversity
and science instruction partially accounts for the limited progress towards science for
all as indicated by the Black-White achievement gap.
Overview of the Problem
The issue regarding the achievement gap between minority and White students is
the topic of much speculation, debate, and research. Analysis of student achievement on
state and national assessments has resulted in a renewed focus upon Black students
(Taylor, 2002). Black students comprise a significant percentage of the minority schoolaged population in the United States and the achievement of this group substantially trails
the science achievement of their White counterparts (Hrabowski, 2002).
The difference in the success rates of Black and White students is not an event
isolated to one region of the nation. The achievement disparity is observed across school
districts and counties across the country (Seiler, 2001). Furthermore, the gap in science
achievement does not differ with respect to economic status; differences exist across
lower, middle, and upper income levels (Hewson, Kahle, Scantlebury, & Davies 2001;
McWhorter, 2000). Additionally, the gap persists across the education level of parents:
the black-white gap is just as significant for students of college-educated parents as it is
for students of less-educated parents (Kober, 2001).
The Black-White gap in student achievement is also present at all levels of
education. From pre-school to college, Black students are performing at a lower level
than their White peers. Research conducted by the U. S. Department of Education
showed that only 57% of Black children entering kindergarten could recognize letters in

comparison to 71% of White children (Kober, 2001). The study also reported that Black
students trailed their White counterparts in early math skills such as recognizing numbers
and shapes, understanding relative orders of objects, and performing simple addition and
subtraction problems (Kober, 2001). The difficulties experienced at the pre-school and
kindergarten levels persist and further confound achievement disparities in subsequent
grades.
The 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed that the
fourth grade proficiency scores of Black students in science were significantly lower than
other ethnic groups (Taylor, 2002). Over the four-year period reported in this study,
black students scores were drastically lower than students from EuroAmerican, Asian,
Hispanic, and Native American backgrounds (Taylor, 2002). Additionally, reports by the
NAEP indicated that Black students were academically two years behind White students
by the time they entered the fourth grade (Robelen, 2002). The disparities in success
between Black and White students increase as children matriculate through the education
system (Seiler, 2001).
The 1998 NAEP reports showed a 40-point achievement gap existed in eighth
grade mathematics between White and Blacks. Consequently, only 5% of the nations
eighth grade Black students scored at the proficient level or above in mathematics
compared to 34% of their White peers (Meehan et al., 2003). Reports for the 1996 and
2000 science assessments revealed similar disparities. According to the test results for
Black and White students for grades four, eight, and twelve, the average scores of
students were between 31 and 40 points lower than White students. Such disparities
continue throughout high school.
In 1999, only 1 in 100 Black high school seniors could read and comprehend
specialized text (i.e., a newspapers science section) while 1 in 12 White students could
complete this same task successfully (Haycock, 2001). This study also revealed that 1 in
10 whites compared to only 1 in 100 blacks could easily solve an elementary algebra
problem (Haycock, 2001). Finally, the research found that by the end of high school
(12th grade), a number of Black students acquired reading and mathematics skills
equivalent to those of White students in the eighth grade (Haycock, 2001).

Naturally, Black students underachievement affects this populations future

prospects. Effects are especially evident in college admissions and career opportunities.
In contrast to 50% of White students, 41% of Black students were enrolled in college in
1998 (Hrabowski, 2002). Of the students in college, Blacks were half as likely as whites
to earn a bachelors degree by the age of 29 (Haycock, 2001). The NCES reported that
during the 2000-2001 school year Black students accounted for only 11% of the
associates, 9% of the bachelors, 8% of the masters, 5% of the doctoral, and 7% of the
professional (M.D., D.D.S., J.D.) degrees obtained. With respect to science and math, the
percentages are much lower (see Table 1). Clearly, pre-college differences in educational
achievements have post-high school effects.
The achievement gap that affects Black students during college also affects these
students when they enter the workforce. Because society continues to move in the
direction of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology, Blacks are at a
tremendous disadvantage. In order to be successful in these fields, individuals must
receive adequate preparation. However, the current status of education shows that the
majority of the minority student population, including Blacks, is and will not be prepared
to compete successfully in the aforementioned professions (Hrabowski, 2002). If
successful strategies are not implemented to reduce the gap in achievement and
adequately educate Black students in science and mathematics, a significant percentage
of the United States population will be unable to productively contribute to the workforce
that is projected to expand by 12.3% (Hrabowski, 2002). Some scholars ground such
strategies to address the Black-White achievement gap in culture.
Culture
Culture is not easily recognized, but it has a significant impact on an individual's
worldview. Mintzes and Wandersee (1997) state that, Our perceptions of objects and
events in the natural world are strongly dependent on our store of prior knowledge. we
view the world through a pair of conceptual goggles (p.44). These conceptual goggles
are heavily influenced by culture.
As characterized by Gutierrez and Rogoff (2003), culture is not a trait but a
dynamic repertoire of practices. This repertoire is developed, refined, and transformed
through an individuals prolonged participation in cultural communities. Rogoff (2003)

used cultural communities to refer to a coordinated group of people who share some
common traditions and understandings that span across several generations. In light of
the historical and present conflicts and assumptions surrounding race and ethnicity in the
United States (King, 1991; Ladson-Billings, 1998; Tate, 1997) and the subsequent
physical segregation of ethnic groups into separate communities, Rogoffs (2003)
construct of cultural communities is applicable to racial and ethnic groups.
With respect to race and ethnicity, individuals cultures do not result from
classificatory membership in the racial/ethnic group but emerges from their participation
in the racial/ethnic community. The degree to which the communitys repertoire of
practices is enacted through the lives of individuals depends upon many factors. Such
factors include but are not limited to the extent of the individuals involvement in,
commitment to, and affiliation with the community. For the sake of clarity in presenting
ideas, the dynamic nature of and the individual variability within an ethnic groups
culture are not emphasized in the presentation but are understood to exist. Because
culture is a repertoire of practices that emerge from prolonged participation in particular
communities and the pervasiveness of ethnic and racial segregation in American society,
what occurs in schools in the United States (U.S.) is inherently cultural.
The U.S. school system is based on Anglo-European-American cultural values
(Banks, 1988). Examples of Anglo-European-American values, often referred to as
Western, include the following: rigid adherence to time, time as a valued commodity,
emphasis on destiny control, and individual status linked to possessions. These cultural
values also permeate school curricula, of which science is a part.
In the literature, scholars contend that school science aligns with the
aforementioned Western values (Aikenhead, 1998; Kelly, Carlsen, & Cunningham,
1993). Because school science heavily reflects Western culture, students from other
cultures may face a cross-cultural experience when they study school science. Jegede
and Aikenhead (1999) surmised that to learn science is to acquire the culture of science.
Aikenhead and Otsuji (2000) characterized this process of acquiring the culture of
science as cultural border crossing. For students whose cultural values differ from those
that dominate school science, border crossing may be problematic.

Teachers can facilitate diverse students border crossing into science.

Unfortunately, research suggests that teachers do not view science as a cultural
phenomenon and tend not to see the cultural difficulties their students may experience in
their classes (Aikenhead & Otsuji, 2000). If science teachers are not aware of the
cultural aspects of Western science, and are not aware of the differences between
scientific and other cultures (those of their students), then teachers will not make good
culture brokers and the science curriculum will be less accessible to their students
(Aikenhead & Otsuji, 2000, p. 277). Some of the strategies that use culture to address the
Black-White achievement gap target teachers as cultural brokers as a way to make the
science curriculum more accessible to Black students. The strategies highlighted in this
presentation illustrate culturally responsive teaching.
Culturally Responsive Teaching
Culturally responsive teaching is often viewed as synonymous to culturally
relevant pedagogy, a well-known approach for addressing culture in the educative
process. When viewed as it was originally conceived, culturally relevant pedagogy and
culturally responsive teaching differ in four general ways.
First, culturally relevant pedagogy targets Black students (Ladson-Billings, 1994;
1995) whereas culturally responsive teaching is multicultural (i.e. extends to ethnic
groups other than Blacks) (Gay, 2000). Second, according to Tate (1995), culturally
relevant pedagogy is one of opposition. It seeks to transform mainstream beyond the
school walls by equipping students to critique, question, and challenge. In comparison to
culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching is more delimited to what
occurs in schools. With respect to political structures, culturally responsive teaching
leaves mainstream culture in tact and seeks to incorporate other values in educational
aspects like curricula and learning environments. Third, the two approaches utilize
culture in slightly different ways. On one hand, culturally relevant pedagogy begins with
the students' thinking, experiences, and traditions and builds upon this cultural base; one
primary component of culturally relevant pedagogy is cultural competence. Cultural
competence refers to the acceptance, affirmation, and development of cultural identity.
On the other hand, culturally responsive teaching uses the students' repertoires of practice
as conduits for teaching. As conduits, the students' cultural identities are accepted and

affirmed but not necessarily developed. Lastly, in contrast to culturally responsive

pedagogy, culturally relevant teaching is less prescriptive. In its focus upon what
teachers can do, culturally responsive pedagogy consists of five components (see Figure
1).
In culturally responsive pedagogy, teachers acquire knowledge about cultural
diversity. They learn about various cultures and communication with ethnically diverse
students. They also learn how to use the curriculum to address culture-related issues
pertaining to race, class, and gender. With respect to the previously mentioned
knowledge, teachers develop, critique, and alter curricula and deliver the curricula in a
way that is culturally familiar to their students.
Changing teaching so it is culturally familiar to students is called cultural
congruent instruction. The aim of cultural congruent instruction is not to replicate the
students' home and community cultures but to incorporate them into what occurs in
schools and classrooms (Au & Kawakami, 1994). In teaching in a culturally congruent
way, teachers show care and build community. The teachers validate the students'
cultures by using them as resources; they teach in a spirit of belief in the students'
intellectual capabilities rather than in a spirit of remediation; and they act in the best
interest of the students.
In sum, culturally responsive teachers know about the cultures their students bring
with them to the classroom; use that knowledge to create learning experiences that
incorporate the cultures of ethnically diverse students; establish and maintain learning
communities that validate the students and their capabilities; and communicate with
students such that culture is not an impediment to learning. Even though all five
components are important in addressing the Black-White achievement gap, we focus
upon the communication component since effective communication is imperative to
effective instruction.
Communication Patterns of Black Students: Achievement Implications
As described in the work of several scholars, the communication patterns in Black
communities differ from those operative in mainstream society (Hale-Benson, 1987;
Heath, 1983;Shade, 1982). To name just a few differences, the communication patterns

differ in their logic and rhythm, delivery, discourse structures, vocabulary usage, and in
the relationships and roles of the speaker and listener.
In Black communities, dialogue occurs around episodes and themes;
consequently, numerous topics are interconnected and discussed. Scholars labeled this
communication pattern topic associative or topic-chaining. In topic-chaining, subjects
change from one moment to the next, are revisited in a circular fashion, and relationships
among topics are implied. When discussing topics and ideas, speakers act as passionate
advocates in their delivery and creatively use language to present positions. The
effectiveness of the presentation is determined by the degree speakers conveyed a sense
of personal ownership of the topic or idea, challenged listeners, and evoked an emotional
response in others. Effectiveness is also determined by the engagement of listeners.
Such engagement is shown while speakers talk and may take the form of vocalizations or
explicit non-verbals like nodding and the movement of other body parts. This protocol of
engagement is called participatory-interactive.1 Topic-chaining differs from topiccentered communication, the pattern typical in mainstream settings including science
classrooms.
In topic-centered communication, the speaker arranges facts and ideas in a linear
fashion, focuses upon one issue at a time, and makes meaning and relationships explicit.
Speakers act as spokespersons expecting listeners to adhere to a passive-receptive
protocol. That is, one person speaks at a time and the speaker dictates when and how
listeners interject. In their presentations that focus upon facts, speakers use language that
separates them from the topic, lessens opposition, and eliminates emotion. The
differences in the communicative repertoire of practice in Black communities and those
that are expected and enforced in science classrooms are problematic for Black students
access or border crossing into science; restricted accessibility inevitably limits
achievement. In their case study of Carlas, a Black female, interactions in a three-person
science group, Kurth, Anderson, and Palincsar (2002) provide insights on how the

Another pattern of engagement that is appreciated in African American communities

involves the prominence of context. Before embarking upon a task, individuals expend
time and effort addressing the context (e.g. establishing a personal connection, altering
aspects of the surroundings so they resemble other surroundings).
8

students and teachers limited understanding of cultural communication patterns

impacted Carlas access to the group experience.
Carlas enthusiastic attempts to participate in the completion of various tasks were
thwarted by her sixth grade peers; they and the teacher viewed her breach of turntaking as interruptions and the embedded nature of her responses into context as
distracting. Consequently, they ignored her invaluable contributions and enforced
structures to place Carla into a specific and subordinate role in the group. When her
contributions were acknowledged, they were co-opted; that is, the contribution was
attributed to another group member. Gradually, Carla ceased to participate and
eventually withdrew from the activities. When the researchers viewed Carlas
interactions within another group at a later time, the quality of Carlas contributions were
significantly less than those she provided in the first group assignment and the roles she
elected to assume in the group were far less challenging. The aforementioned case study
demonstrated how the various communication patterns influence students experiences in
science; the following descriptive role play not only illustrates the different
communication patterns but also is used as a tool to show how a teacher can respond to
the distinctive patterns in a culturally responsive manner.
Illustration
The Role Play.
The class is studying electricity. They are in the exploration phase of the learning cycle.
Instructor: At your stations, you have a battery, one wire, and one light bulb. The
challenge is to light the bulb. The recorder should sketch out at least one try that does
not work and each try that does light the bulb. (The teacher then circulates from group to
group. The teacher is a distance from the group in the skit.)
{The groups begin to work and the instructor circulates around the room.}
You have ten minutes for this activity. The challenge is for you to light the bulb. I have a
worksheet where I want one of you to sketch out tries that dont work and another person
to sketch out tries that do light the bulb.
Crystall: Okay. We have ten minutes. (Crystall grabs the materials and starts to work).
Lets try this. Lets put it together like this; either it will work or it wont. At least, we
will get one thing done. (She looks at Ariel and pushes worksheet towards her). Here you
can do the sketches.
Jamila: Hey, Ariel, what did you do this weekend, girl?
Ariel: (shrugs shoulders and quietly responds) It was okay.
Jamila: (turns to Crystall) What about you Crystall?

Crystall: (Crystall is manipulating the materials). Hmm (Cyrstall completes one

failed attempt while Jamila and Ariel observe.) Why didnt it work?
Ariel: (pointing at the wire and the bulb). Well, it seems like(Jamila interrupts)
Jamila: (looking at Ariel) Ah, girl just draw the thing. Now back to what I was saying
Crystall, how was your weekend? (no response from group members; Crystall continues
to work with materials and Ariel sketches the first attempt) (Jamila begins to talk about
her weekend.) Well, this weekend I went to the movies to go see that movie Shark Tale
and it was really good. And Will Smith is the voice of the main fish. And he was really
funny. And then we went to the fair and I rode the rides and I got to get some corn dogs
and cotton candy. Have you guys been to the fair yet?
Instructor: (from a distance) Are we talking science over there?
Jamila: Yes, Ms. Foster were talking science (Jamila grabs some of the materials).
Instructor: Okay, whats going on?
Jamila: (gets some other materials from Crystall and begins to mimic what Crystall did
earlier.) She took this wire and put it here and then placed the bulb and it didnt work.
That reminds me of our Christmas lights. (Jamila tells the story about the Christmas
lights and then she goes back and begins to speculate on why Crystalls circuit did not
work. Then Jamila starts another personal story) We had these Christmas lights one year
that were really old, and we put 'em on our Christmas tree, and when we plugged them
up, they didnt work. And we couldn't figure out why they didn't work, and my dad kept
saying one of the lights was out and I was like, "why does that matter?" and he figured
out that because the one light bulb was out the power wasn't going from the plug to all
the other light bulbs and so that's what I think happened with Crystall's set up, the power
couldn't get to the bulb to make it light up. Like on that movie, Christmas Vacation,
where the dad is trying to beat his neighbor and have the best Christmas lights in the who
neighborhood, and he has his whole house covered. And when he goes to cut the lights
on, they don't work, and he can't figure out why. And then he goes on the roof to find
which light bulb isn't working and
Instructor: (interrupts Jamila). Okay, Ariel, what do you think about Jamilas reason
for the bulb not working?
Ariel: Well, I dont know. (Instructor uses proper wait time). (Ariel begins to repeat
what Jamila said)
Crystall: (interrupts Ariel). Well, when I put
Instructor: Wait a minute, Crystall. Let Ariel finish.
Ariel: No, its okay.
Instructor: Alright, go on Crstyall.
Crystall: (Crystall repeats what Jamila said but without the stories) The lights werent
connected properly and they didnt work because the electricity couldnt flow.
Instructor: Thats good Crystall. Ariel, do you have anything to add?
Ariel: She tried a whole bunch of stuff. But each time she did this; she put the wire here
(Ariel points at the base of the bulb). So maybe if she put the wire here(Crystall takes
the materials from Jamila and makes the bulb light.)
Instructor: Great job, Crystall. (Instructor walks off to the front of the classroom and
begins) Seems like everyone is ready to move on.

10

Ms. Foster, the teacher in the role play, captured the typical responses of teachers;
in essence, she did not act in a culturally responsive way to the communication patterns
dominant in the Black community. She implied disinterest by interrupting Jamila who
utilized topic-chaining and invalidation by seeking responses from others (see Table 2 for
summary of role play with respect to the communication patterns). In contrast, she
responded favorably to Crystall, who utilized the topic-centered approach in
communicating. Ms. Foster provided substantial reinforcements to Crystall (Thats
good Crystall) and validated her responses by using them as a gauge to determine the
pace of the lesson (Okay, it seems like everyone is ready to move on so.). If Ms.
Foster implemented culturally responsive teaching she would continue to validate the
communication patterns employed by Crystall but she would also affirm Jamilas
approach. First, Ms. Foster could have interrupted (to be retained for the sake of lesson
pacing) by building upon the relevant pieces of information provided by Jamila in her
response, instead of interrupting Jamila and seeking responses from others. Second, Ms.
Foster could have celebrated Jamilas desire to contextualize the concepts by asking
Jamilas counterparts to share an example of how circuits relate to real life.
Facilitating the development of culturally responsive science teachers is a
challenge for science teacher educators but it is a necessity. Norman et al. (2001)
characterized classrooms as cultural interface zones because they are places where, in
order to achieve a common aim, members of different cultures must deliberately interact
with one another. In discussing the classroom experiences of Black students, Norman et
al. (2001) contended that teachers and students are unprepared to overcome the
challenges that inevitably arise in cultural interface zones. They concluded without
adequate preparation of teachers to create learning environments of cultural cooperation,
classrooms are at increased risk of defaulting into sites of unintended cultural conflict
that will negatively affect student learning (p. 1107).
Challenges for Teacher Preparation
Teacher education is a critical component in preparing teachers to meet the
demands of their increasingly diverse student population, yet teacher education programs
in multicultural education are battling significant barriers to transformational teaching.

11

Teachers appear to be largely unprepared (or unwilling to change their teaching

strategies) to teach ethnically diverse students. As Gay (2002) explains:
Too manythink that their subjectsand cultural diversity are incompatible, or
that combining them is too much of a conceptual and substantive stretchto
maintain disciplinary integrity. Misconceptions like these stem, in part, from
the fact that many teachersare unfamiliar with multicultural education. What
they think they know about the field is often based on superficial or distorted
information conveyed through popular culture, mass media, and critics. Or their
knowledge reflects cursory academic introductions that provide insufficient depth
of analysis of multicultural education (pp. 106-107).
The first major obstacle in preparing culturally responsive teachers is to challenge
teachers to rethink notions of culture and to see themselves as cultural beings. A few
activities to assist in the start of this process are included in the Appendix.

12

Table 1
Field of Study, Level, and Percentage of Degrees Conferred to African
Americans During 2000-2001 (NCES, 2001)
Level
Field of Study

Associates

Bachelors

Masters

*Doctorate

Biological/Life
Sciences

Engineering/
Related Technologies

11

Health Professions/
Related Sciences

11

10

Physical Sciences/
Science Technologies

11

Mathematics

13

Table 2. Summary of role play with respect to communication patterns exhibited by

actors.

What communication
patterns practiced in Black
communities did the student
express?
CRYSTALL
Topic centered

Whats the evidence of the cultural manifestations in the role play?

JAMILA
1. Topic chaining
2. Infusion of flair and
personal opinions
3. Stage setting
(engagement pattern)

1 & 2:

3:

ARIEL
Demonstrated communication
patterns indicative of another
culture

(Crystall grabs the materials and starts to work). Lets try this. Lets
put it together like this; either it will work or it wont.
(Crystall completes one failed attempt while Jamila and Ariel look on).
Why didnt it work?
(Group members ignore Jamila; Crystall continues to work with
materials while Ariel sketches the attempts).
(Crystall takes the materials from Jamila and makes the bulb light.)

Jamila: She took this wire and put it here and then placed the
bulb and it didnt work. That reminds me of our Christmas
lights we couldn't figure out why they didn't work, and my
dadfigured out that because the one light bulb was out the
power wasn't going from the plug to all the other light bulbs
and so that's what I think happened with Crystall's set up, the
power couldn't get to the bulb to make it light up. Like on
that movie, Christmas Vacation
Jamila: Hey, Ariel, what did you do this weekend, girl?
Jamila: What about you, Crystall?
Jamila: Well, this weekend I went to the movies to go see that
movie Shark Tale and it was really good. And Will Smith is
the voice of the main fish. And he was really funny. And then
we went to the fair and I rode the rides and I got to get some
corn dogs and cotton candy. Have you guys been to the fair
yet?

Communication patterns of another ethnic group exemplified

14

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Consists of
Building
knowledge base
about cultural
diversity

Communicating
with ethnically
diverse students
Developing,
critiquing, and
changing
curricula

Showing care
and building
community

Delivering
culturecongruent
instruction

involves

Discourse
structures

Vocabulary
usage
Logic and
rhythm

Patterns of
task
engagement
Delivery
Relationship and
role of speaker &
listener

Gay, G. (2000). Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, & Practice. New York:
Teachers College Press.
15
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education,
53(2), 106-116.

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practice. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(10), 1101-1114.
Robelen, E. W. (2002). Taking on the achievement gap. Retrieved from
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Rodriguez, A. (2003). Science for all and invisible ethnicities: How the discourse of
power and good intentions undermine the national science education standards.
In M. Hines (Ed.), Multicultural science education: Theory, practice, and promise
(pp. 21-35). NY: Peter Lang.
Shade, B. (1982). Afro-American cognitive style: A variable in school success? Review of
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Clearing House, 63(7), 299-304.

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APPENDIX
Activities
Activity One
Source: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/activity1.html
Getting Started--Respect Activity
This is often the first activity we do with a group. Ask everyone to find someone in the
room who they do not know. Instruct them to introduce themselves to that person, and
spend five to ten minutes talking about respect. What does it mean for you to show
respect, and what does it mean for you to be shown respect? After the allotted time, ask
the participants to return to their seats, and open the discussion. What ideas did people
come up with?
Common responses include the "Golden Rule," looking somebody in the eyes, being
honest, and appreciating somebody's ideas even when you do not agree with them. It is
important to mention that respect is a crucial ingredient in any discussion, but especially
in a discussion of often-controversial issues regarding multicultural issues. The point is to
learn from our differences--to understand each other's understanding. The point is NOT
to agree. Another important part of respect is knowing each other's names, and how to
pronounce them. Also, respect includes keeping the conversation in the group. This type
of community building--and the safety which people feel with it--can make or break an
attempt to facilitate discussions on multicultural issues.
This activity touches many bases. First, it starts the crucial path toward building a
community of respect. This is the first step in maintaining a constructive exchange
regarding issues such as racism, sexism, etc. At the most basic level, participants meet
someone they did not know, and exchange ideas with that person. Second, the community
is built through an understanding of how the group perceives respect, and how they
negotiate its meaning. Third, the similarities and differences in participants' ideas about
respect begin to show the first signs of similarities and differences within the group on a
larger level.
Activity Two
Source: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/multicultural.html
Understanding the Depth and Breadth of "Multicultural"
Purpose:
The Depth and Breadth of Multicultural is designed to engage students in a process of
defining "culture" and examining its complexity. Often, especially in a class about
multiculturalism or diversity, "culture" becomes synonymous with "race" or "ethnicity."
This activity reveals the limitations of such a conceptualization and challenges the

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assumptions that are often made by educators about what students identify as the
important strands of the "cultural" in "multicultural."
Preparation:
Preparation for this activity is very simple. You need only a chalkboard or large sheet of
paper. At top, center, write "MULTICULTURAL." Make sure your students or workshop
participants are positioned such that they can all see the chalkboard or paper.
Instructions:
This activity has a several steps. Different combinations of these steps will be suitable for
different audiences, from pre-K students to pre-service teachers. I will draw each step out
individually:
1. Defining "multicultural". Start by underlining the prefix "multi" and asking your
students what this prefix means. Responses will include "many," "varied or
various," "different," etc. Affirm all answers, then sum them up. This portion
should only take a couple minutes. Next, move on to "-cultural." What does this
term mean? Encourage students to define "cultural" both in terms of what they
believe a dictionary-type definition to be and what it means to them individually.
2. Tell the students you would like them to explore the understanding of "cultural"
more deeply. Ask them to suggest all dimensions of culture they can think of,
encouraging them to reflect on their own culture and the dimensions of that
culture with which they identify. There are several effective ways of
accomplishing this task. You can either have students call out these aspects of
culture when they think of them (perhaps even using a student volunteer to list
them under "MULTICULTURAL." You might also decide to simply go around
the room, person by person, asking for suggestions.
There are literally endless dimensions to culture, and this will be reflected in the
answers. It is likely that an influx of answers will come right away, then the rate
of response will slow down considerably. This often happens after some of the
more surface-level cultural aspects are suggested: music, food, etc. Prod the
students to think a little more deeply about how they define their culture. Allow
for some short silences, or suggest some deeper dimensions, including faith,
religion, values, language, family structure, and others. It will be important to get
as many suggestions for this list as possible. Be sure to note that this part of the
activity could go on indefinitely, highlighting the complexity of "culture." Also,
point out how intertwined some of the dimensions are, illustrating how simplistic
it is to make a judgement about somebody based on one cultural dimension of the
person. This step should take 10-15 minutes.
3. What's not there? In my experience, 4 out of 5 times this activity is used, several
interesting cultural dimensions are not mentioned by participants. Ironically, these
are the very dimensions that are most often associated with Multicultural

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Education: race, gender, sexual orientation, social class. Do NOT suggest these
additions to the list, because if nobody suggests them, it leads to a wonderful
conversation. If your class or workshop is one of the 4 (out of 5) that does not
suggest one or more of these items, point this out and ask why the participants
believe they didn't think of these dimensions. This will be an interesting
introduction to the following steps, as you will see. It's often the case that when
participants are suggesting items for the list from their own experience, and thus
through how they define themselves, race, gender, etc., don't come directly to
their minds. But, if they're suggesting items for the list based on how OTHERS
define them, or how they define OTHERS, these items immediately come to
mind.
4. Categorizing list items. The next step is to divide the items into categories, which
will make the final step of the exercise much easier. Indicate this intention to the
group, and mention that you will be using Nitza Hidalgo's "three levels of
culture." The citation for this model is:
Hidalgo, N. 1993. Multicultural teacher introspection. In Perry, T.
and Fraser, J. (Eds.) Freedom's Plow: Teaching in the Multicultural
Classroom. New York: Routledge.
Hidalgo's levels include:
1. the Concrete: This is the most visible and tangible level of culture, and
includes the most surface-level dimensions such as clothes, music, food,
games, etc. These aspects of culture are often those which provide the
focus for multicultural "festivals" or "celebrations."
2. the Behavioral: This level of culture clarifies how we define our social
roles, the language we speak, and our approaches to nonverbal
communication. The Behavioral level REFLECTS our values. Aspects to
be listed in this category include language, gender roles, family structure,
political affiliation, and other items that situation us organizationally in
society.
3. the Symbolic: This level of culture includes our values and beliefs. It can
be abstract, but it is most often the key to how individuals define
themselves. It includes values systems, customs, spirituality, religion,
worldview, beliefs, mores, etc.
Write short definitions for these levels on the board or sheet of paper you used to
record the dimensions of culture. Review each of the categories for a couple of
minutes. Give the participants an opportunity to consider further how they define
themselves within these categories. Ask them to look over the categories and the
items on the board for a few seconds. As a group, categorize all items into these
categories. There may be some disagreement about where a certain item falls, so
allow the same item to be listed under two categories.

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5. Consistency in Conceptualization. After you have categorized the links, the next
step is to facilitate a discussion about relatedness, importance, and the consistency
of how individuals define themselves and others.
Starting with "the Concrete," proceed down the list of Hidalgo's categories, asking
participants to raise their hands if they consider the items listed under that
category to be the most important dimensions in how they define their own
culture. Count the responses to each, and list them next to the category name on
the board or paper. Be very clear that they are indicating what they consider
important items for defining themselves, not the ways in which other people
define them.
Sometimes, one or two students will choose "the Concrete" or "the Behavioral,"
but in virtually every case, a vast majority of the participants will choose "the
Symbolic." As you discuss each category, ask those who chose it to describe why
they did so, and encourage those who did not choose it to explain why. Because
most people will choose "the Symbolic," be sure to challenge them on why that is
more important than the other levels.
Here comes the "aha" moment...
After encouraging the participants to convince you that "the Symbolic" is the
most important category, refer them back to the lists. Several questions will lead
to interesting conversation:
o

When you meet somebody, which of those items (under any of the
categories) do you use to understand them culturally?
o Is your attempt to understand others culturally consistent with how you
want to be viewed and understood?
o What forces in our society might contribute to our simplification of the
culture of other's, even though we don't want to be defined simplistically
ourselves?
6. Alternative Consistency in Conceptualization for Groups of Educators. After
recording how many participants define themselves most closely with the three
categories, and facilitating the "why" discussion described above, turn to a
conversation about education. Which of these categories do you, as an educator,
focus on when you are trying to teach multiculturally? (This question will provide
an "aha" moment for a lot of participants. Allow a few moments for that to
happen.) How has education generally tried to be "multicultural"? What are the
aspects or dimensions of culture that we focus on in our classrooms trying to be
"multicultural"? Is this consistent with how we know people want to be defined?
This is especially powerful if you know that a certain school or district is stuck in
the "additive" or "heroes and holidays" stage of multicultural development. Many
schools have a multicultural festival or fair, and refer to that as "multicultural
education."

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7. Wrapping up. To wrap up this exercise, you can lead to a discussion on how the
participants might try to make the consistency of their conceptualizations
more...consistent. Point out that this exercise is not meant to indict anyone, but
instead to highlight how forces ranging from the media to our own education can
sometimes move us backwards when we think we are experiencing progress in
self and social development. The conversations that happen as a result of this
activity can last 10 minutes or over an hour, depending on what questions you ask
and what direction you take.
Facilitator Notes:
As with the rest of these activities, it is vital in both the short run and the long run to
validate the views of the participants. If they prefer to define themselves at the Concrete
or the Behavioral level, do not challenge them directly about that. (This may happen with
some younger participant groups.) This activity can make some participants feel
vulnerable, and it is important not to intensify that to the point that they are no longer
participating.
This activity has been especially valuable and successful with groups of active or preservice TEACHERS because it helps to clarify multicultural education to some extent.
Remember, there are multitudes of books on multicultural education out there that still
present it as an additive approach or multicultural festival. This activity challenges
educators to rethink such a simplification and their own "multicultural" teaching
practices.
This activity also provides an excellent opportunity to weave in the idea of the link
between critical pedagogy and multicultural teaching practices. The various steps bring
out the diversity of cultural dimensions, just within the room of folks you are working
with. This illustrates how the most important multicultural education resources are the
students themselves, and instead of trying to define what is culturally important to them
through special celebrations or additive techniques, it is our responsibility to draw them
into the conversation, allow them to define themselves, and start there in the development
of multicultural education.
Activity Three
Source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/presrvce/pe3lk6.htm
*Assign students to develop a cultural autobiography, a written account of one's cultural
heritage. Using genealogical research, students may wish to investigate family trees,
determine the family's immigration history, and interview older relatives. Emphasize that
one's cultural heritage consists of far more than a family tree. Use questions such as the
following to prompt this deeper consideration:
o Which values and beliefs in your family have remained constant from generation
to generation? How did these values and beliefs originate? Have some outlived their
usefulness? Which values and beliefs have changed? When and why did they change?
o If your ancestors were poor when they entered the United States, were they able
to elevate their economic status? Why and how did this change occur?

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o How has your family been treated in the United States? Have family members
ever experienced discrimination? If so, how did they respond?
o How did your family adapt to its environment? Do you see these attitudes and
behaviors today?
* Ask students to create and share visual depictions of their individual cultural
compositions. These depictions might take the form of Venn diagrams (see Gollnick &
Chinn, 1990) or concept maps.
Activity Four
* For initial discussion, select a nonthreatening type of culture--such as professional-and conduct discussions focusing on such questions as the following:
o How can we distinguish lawyers and teachers (for example) from other people?
o What are the values and beliefs of lawyers and teachers?
o How do lawyers and teachers adapt to and survive in their environments?
Then introduce Rogoff & Guitierezz's definition of culture and how it relates to their
answers and ideas of culture.
* Collect a variety of magazines and newspapers that are representative of several
cultures. Suggestions include Modern Maturity (senior citizens), Ladies Home Journal
(homemakers), American Voices and Essence (middle- and upper-class African
Americans), and Hispanic (middle-class Hispanics). In urban areas, other publications
also may be available: StreetWise (homeless people), Windy City Times (gays and
lesbians), La Raza (Latinos), Chicago Jewish Star, and Irish Voice. Divide students into
groups, with each group receiving several issues of the same publication. Direct students
to peruse the periodicals and determine which beliefs and values are conveyed. In the
ensuing whole-class discussion, ask students to identify values that vary from journal to
journal, as well as those that hold constant. Such a discussion facilitates students'
consideration of differences and similarities among cultures.
Source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/presrvce/pe3lk6.htm
Activity Five
Source: http://www.nwrel.org/cfc/frc/collabexplor8.htm
*Extraterrestrial Culture
Materials Needed: chart paper, markers, and maybe some dress-up clothing items or
other props
Time: 2 hours plus
1. Have group break into four groups.
2. Assign roles to each group (i.e. parents, educators, human service workers,
community members)

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3. Distribute Moon Exercise description facts about the moon's environment.

4. Have each group complete the exercise from one of the following perspectives:
a. Design a physical environment for a Family Resource Center for Moon families.
b. Develop culturally sensitive and responsive educational routines for Moon
children.
c. Assess the interactions your agency is having with Moon Families.
5. Have each group do report back to whole group.
6. Debrief with whole group, discussing the following:
a. What did this activity help you understand?
b. What were your concerns?
c. Did this activity increase your cultural responsiveness?
d. Were there any times when your group couldn't solve this problem?

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