Bridging Cultures Teacher Education Module [Paperback]

Bridging Cultures: Teacher Education Moduleis a professional development resource for teacher educators and staff developers to help preservice and in-service teachers become knowledgeable about cultural differences and understand ways of bridging the expectations of school settings with those of the home. In a nonthreatening, cognitively meaningful way, the Moduleis based on teacher-constructed and tested strategies to improve home-school communication and parent involvement. These innovations were developed as part of the Bridging Cultures Project, which explores the cultural value differences between the individualistic orientation of mainstream U.S. schools and the collectivistic orientation of many immigrant families. The goal of the Bridging Cultures Project is to support and help teachers in their work with students and families from immigrant cultures.

The centerpiece of the Moduleis training resources, including an outline, an agenda, and a well-tested three-hour script designed as a lecture-discussion with structured opportunities for guided dialogue and small-group discussion. Throughout the script, Facilitators Notes annotate presentation suggestions and oversized margins encourage integration of the facilitator's personal experiences in presenting and adapting the Module.Ideas for using the Readings for Bridging Culturesare provided. A section of overhead transparencies and handout masters is included. The Modulealso provides a discussion of the role of culture in education and the constructs of individualism and collectivism, an overview of the effects of the Bridging Cultures Project, and evaluation results of the author's use of the Modulein two sections of a preservice teacher education course.

Bridging Cultures: Teacher Education Modulebrings the successful processes and practices of the Bridging Cultures Project to lƒ