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Multicultural perspectives: A case study of staff development in an urban elementary school
Abstract
This case study reported on the process of designing, implementing, and evaluating a low-cost, school-based staff development program for teachers at the Ulysses Byas elementary school in Roosevelt, New York serving a predominantly African American population. The study was designed to provide teachers with useful resources for building multicultural curriculum into their regular school program. Action research methodology was used in this case study as a vehicle for the staff development program. The success of this project was contingent upon voluntary participation by staff members who perceived the information and activities of use in their classroom. Prior to this study, the researcher gathered information about teachers' needs and then reviewed numerous studies pertaining to multicultural education and possible answers. A series of four workshops were held. The workshops focused on providing opportunities for teachers: (a) to understand the concept of multicultural education; (b) to acquire some basic cultural knowledge about ethnic diversity; (c) to learn to analyze their own and students' ethnic attitudes and values; and (d) to develop different methodological skills for implementing multicultural education in their classroom activities. Staff development workshops relating to multicultural education among elementary teachers were successful because of the support gained from the school district, administrators, the building principal, the auxiliary staff and the participants. Effective Staff development procedures facilitated a number of essential processes and practices: (1) Opening dialogue among colleagues and administrators. (2) Allowing individual teachers to attend workshops during their work day. (3) Increasing peer interaction and sharing of ideas and knowledge among colleagues. (4) Introducing activities that address the basic concerns and needs of staff and students. (5) Elevating teacher morale by enhancing teacher professionalism. (6) Allowing staff to work collaboratively and supportively to implement school change. (7) Increasing teacher cultural literacy and comfort with cultural diversity in the classroom. Although this project took place within a particular setting, the planning processes, staff development activities may be adapted to other settings.
Subject Area
Curriculum development|Teacher education|Multicultural Education
Recommended Citation
Cambronne, Marie-France, "Multicultural perspectives: A case study of staff development in an urban elementary school" (1993). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9408260.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9408260