Affirming Diversity Through Democratic Conversations

by Fu, Victoria R.; Stremmel, Andrew J.

• ISBN13: 9780023398339
• ISBN10: 0023398337
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-06-19
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

This collection of essays and personal reflections is written from a social constructivist perspective and proposes practices that promote democratic conversations regarding diversity by creating opportunities to share personal stories and to listen to other people's stories. It examines policies and practices that can either empower or stifle understanding in different situations and presents stories to serve as catalysts to promote democratic conversations and multicultural understanding in various contexts. Focuses on feminist and micro-interaction issues. Features authentic stories told in the author's own voice which paints a picture that is sometimes challenging, sometimes difficult to hear, but always meant to stimulate conversations with self and others to deconstruct and reconstruct personal notions of diversity. Presents information from a social constructivist view to support the belief that affirming diversity is an ongoing process of evaluating and reconstructing knowledge through social discourse and interactions. Addresses important questions such as "How can we build bridges and connections without being able to talk across differences?" and "How can we affirm diversity when selected views are allowed to be voiced, while others are silenced?" For educators, counselors, and social workers.

Table of Contents

PART ONE CONVERSATIONS IN DIVERSITY	1	(60)
1 Stories of We the People: An Invitation to Join in the Conversation on Diversity in a Democracy	3	(12)
`Stories of We the People'	5	(2)
What Is Democracy?	7	(2)
What Is Tolerance?	9	(1)
Creating a Public Space	10	(5)
2 Hermeneutic Listening in Multicultural Conversations	15	(14)
From Empathy to Ontological Hermeneutics	17	(6)
Openness	20	(3)
Fusion of Horizons in Multicultural Conversations	23	(2)
Listening and Democratic Dialogue	25	(4)
3 A Feminist Perspective on Diversity: Taking Women's Voices Seriously	29	(14)
Toward a Gendered Understanding	31	(2)
Deconstructing the Standard of Marital Permanence	33	(1)
Postindustrial Society and Postmodern Families	34	(2)
Families and Diversity	36	(7)
A Feminist Vision for Families	37	(6)
4 Weaving Multiculturalism into the Fabric of the Community	43	(18)
Community Involvement	44	(1)
Defining Community	45	(1)
The Ecological Perspective	45	(1)
Maximizing Community Systems Development	46	(1)
Personal Examples of Community Contexts	47	(4)
The Story of L. Jones	48	(2)
The Story of B. Gines	50	(1)
Community Process to Affect Multicultural Sensitization	51	(10)
Assessment	53	(1)
Awareness	54	(1)
Action	55	(1)
Adaptation	56	(1)
Weaving the Steps Together	57	(4)
PART TWO PRACTICES IN DIVERSITY	61	(64)
5 Use-of-Self in Social Constructionist Therapy	63	(14)
Theoretical Background	64	(1)
Use-of-Self	65	(2)
Use-of-Self Description and Theory	65	(1)
Current Use-of-Self Themes	66	(1)
Use-of-Self as Points of Connection	67	(2)
Points of Connection	67	(1)
Points of Connection in Therapy	67	(1)
An Example	68	(1)
Stance of the Social Constructionist Therapist	69	(8)
Therapy as Conversation	69	(1)
Therapy as Intentional	70	(1)
Therapy as Creating New Possibilities	70	(1)
Therapy as the Introduction of Difference in the Present	71	(1)
Therapy as Narrative	71	(6)
6 Developing Interpersonal Understanding in Teaching Culturally Diverse Children	77	(16)
Perspectives on Development--Piaget and Vygotsky	78	(2)
The Role of Interpersonal Understanding	80	(1)
The Process of Guided Participation	81	(2)
A Plea for Responsive Teaching in Early Childhood Education	83	(1)
Examples of Responsive Teaching in Early Childhood	84	(9)
7 A Pedagogy of Caring and Thoughtfulness: Living and Sharing Our Lives with Our and Other People's Children	93	(12)
Pedagogical Relationships	94	(2)
Democracy and Discipline	96	(4)
Constructing a Pedagogy of Living and Sharing Our Lives with Children	100	(5)
Vickie's Story	100	(1)
Andy's Story	101	(1)
What Are the Next Steps?	102	(3)
8 Children, Schools, and Social Class	105	(20)
Issues of Social Class	106	(2)
Children's Developing Perceptions of Social Class	108	(4)
Social Class and the Experience of School	112	(2)
Teacher Biases Toward Children of the Working Classes	114	(2)
Class Differences in the Interactions of Schools and Parents	116	(9)
PART THREE JOURNEYS IN DIVERSITY	125	(76)
9 Photo Elicitation of the Heuristic Meaning of Multiculturalism	127	(14)
Heuristic Research as a Conversation with the Self	127	(1)
Reflections on Five Images of Multicultural Experience	128	(13)
Introduction	128	(13)
10 Toward Multicultural Understanding: A Reflective Journey	141	(16)
Lynn's Story	142	(4)
Conversation as Teaching	143	(1)
Finding a Perspective	143	(2)
Introducing a Multicultural Component	145	(1)
Confronting Conflict	146	(2)
A Reflective Turn	147	(1)
Awareness and Understandings	147	(1)
A Few Words on Collaboration	148	(1)
Expanding a Vision of Collaboration	149	(2)
On Freedom and Empowerment	151	(6)
Implementing a Reflective Approach	152	(1)
Toward Multicultural Ways of Being	152	(5)
11 A Journey in Understanding Teaching	157	(14)
Experiences in Teaching	158	(3)
Knowing the Students	158	(1)
Learning to Listen	159	(2)
Graduate Experiences	161	(6)
Conversation with Other Teachers	161	(1)
Observing Beginning Teachers	162	(1)
Observing the Experienced Classroom Teacher	163	(1)
Observing the School Culture	164	(1)
Observing and Building Relationships with the Learners	164	(2)
Observing Myself as a Teacher	166	(1)
Good Teaching Revisited	167	(4)
12 Parenthood and Pregnancy: The Journey of a Lesbian Couple and Their Children	171	(16)
Preparing to Tell Our Story	172	(1)
Getting Together	173	(1)
Planning the Pregnancy	174	(2)
We're Pregnant!	176	(1)
The First Trimester	177	(4)
The First Month	177	(2)
The Second Month	179	(1)
The Third Month	180	(1)
The Pregnancy Progresses	181	(2)
He's Here...a Month Early!	183	(4)
13 Contextual and Multicultural Perspectives on Intervention Services for Families	187	(14)
Awakening to Diversity	188	(2)
Early Intervention and Families	190	(2)
Reflections on Practice	192	(4)
A Woman Named Rhonda	193	(3)
Theoretical Perspectives	196	(5)
Epilogue: Different Voices, Common Ground	201	(4)
Index	205