Global/Multicultural Perspective

In the Education Studies Department at Guilford College, our teacher/learners:

Understand themselves as global citizens who must seek insight into all cultures and voices in order to meet the needs of diverse learners (Global/Multicultural Perspective).

This Habit of Mind allows students to recognize the interrelatedness of education, culture, and the environment, both personally and in the classroom. Students in the Education Studies Program speak respectfully to all areas of difference as they learn about various aspects of national, international, and global diversity. Teacher/learners are urged to position themselves and their students in context, striving to understand how the differences among a variety of learners can influence how and what they learn. As they progress through this Habit of Mind, preservice teachers are not only expected to recognize difference, but also to adapt lesson plans and teaching/communication styles to provide opportunities for all students to succeed.

1. Discovery

2. Guided Exploration

3. Independent Application

Teacher/learners show an emerging interest in learning about some diverse populations. They are willing to examine how the attitudes and beliefs of teachers toward diverse students can influence instruction and they can provide personal responses to scenarios and case studies about diversity. They have begun to build their vocabulary with reference to multicultural issues and they understand why teachers advocate for students' rights, especially among under-represented populations. They have a growing interest in analyzing their own attitudes and beliefs, though they have yet to produce written or spoken reflections which demonstrate depth of thought about issues such as racism or other forms of discrimination and their influence upon education.

Teacher/learners are beginning to engage in behaviors which show their willingness to learn about various aspects of diversity. When provided with cues from faculty and peers, they are receptive to examining how they respond to peers and potential students with diverse backgrounds or orientations. They have begun to describe their attitudes and beliefs about various diverse populations and show an interest in increasing their experience in settings with which they are unfamiliar. They are open to reviewing their own language and stance with reference to diversity in lesson design and express interest in learning how to advocate for students' rights. Teacher/learners can look critically at how others teach diverse populations and reflect upon their observations with reference to the needs of diverse students.

While there may no "mastery" in this area, teacher/learners can routinely engage in behaviors which show their willingness to learn about various aspects of diversity. They take time by to learn about their students or potential students in order to meet diverse needs. They reflect upon attitudes and beliefs as students in multicultural settings who are interested to learn about peers and faculty who have cultural/ethnic and other backgrounds that are unfamiliar to them. They are respectful of differences and actively seek placements/experiences in diverse settings. They are conscious of their language and attitudes with reference to diversity in lesson preparation, and they attempt to adapt lessons appropriately to meet students' needs. Preservice teachers advocate for the rights of students who are under-represented and acknowledge the necessity of teaching all students about diverse populations.