FOX CONFERENCE 2008 Gregory P. Meyjes Middle Tennessee State University & Solidaris Intercultural Services LLC

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE:

Preface

Overview INTRODUCTION CULTURE LANGUAGE LITERACY EDUCATION GLOBAL EDUCATION CONCLUSION: “METACULTURAL COMPETENCE”

INTRODUCTION

CULTURE

LANGUAGE

LITERACY

EDUCATION

GLOBAL EDUCATION

CONCLUSION: “METACULTURAL COMPETENCE”

INTRODUCTION

TN & Davidson County: Some Recent SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS http://www.state.tn.us/education/reportcard

TN Students: White vs. Other (‘94-’04)

TN: Ethno-Racial Student Trends (‘94-’04)

TN “Hispanic” Student Population

Davidson: ELL Students (’99-’04)

Economically Disadvantaged Students (Davidson, ’99 –’04)

Davidson County: Sample Elemen. Schools Meeting AYP Standards & Econ. Disadv. Amqui Elementary Charlotte Park Elementary Cole Elementary Haywood Elementary Henry Maxwell Elementary Mt. View Elementary Tom Joy Elementary Una Elementary

MTSU grad student Diversity Survey 2007

Informants by Gender

Informants by Race

Exposure to Other Cultural Groups

Relevance of Global Education

The Challenge of Cultural Diversity

Some Results by Race How relevant are global issues African American - Caucasian - Cultural diversity is rising in TN's public schools. African American - Caucasian: - How well do you believe public African American - Caucasian: - to public education in TN? 75% : somewhat or much. 79% : somewhat or much. How challenging do you think it is? 75% : somewhat or much 93% : somewhat or much schools in TN succeed cross-culturally? 75% : not much 28% : not much

“ CULTURE ”

What do we mean by “ culture ?”

“ working definition ” The set of values, customs, institutions and commodities that most characterizes a people’s identity, i.e. its “spirit” or “genius”, that which distinguishes it from others. We can distinguish material, social, and ideational factors of culture. Though different, cultures are a necessary, largely subconscious part of our humanity, of our needs. (See Sapir, 1949: 308-331)

LANGUAGE

Let’s talk about language…

Some Key Concepts

INNATENESS COGNITION: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis POWER APPROPRIATENESS POLICIES: Education

Language Dialect Standard Variety Non-Standard Variety Regional Dialect Social Dialect Prestige Covert Prestige Style Register Pidgin Creole World English Ebonics/B.E.V./A.A.E.V. Multilingualism Multiculturalism

LITERACY

What literacy?

EDUCATION & CULTURAL DIVERSITY

GLOBAL EDUCATION

Does global education matter ?

CONCLUSION: “ Metacultural Competence ”

Towards a Definition of Metacultural Competence in Education “ A metacultural approach to teaching is not a top-down formula for promoting learning that ignores or negates different forms of knowing, doing, and valuing that exist in society …

Rather, it is a pedagogical stance that actively and creatively seeks a) to continually assess the cultural specificity of the learning content, expectations, and process, and b) to adapt these to an evolving appreciation for the existence and a-priori validity of the diverse cultural realities in society at large.” Copyright © 2007 by Gregory Paul P. Meyjes

INFORMATION: Notes Quotes References Contact Information Training Opportunities… www.intersolidaris.com Click on “ Fox Conference 2008 ”

T H A N K Y O U !