The multicultural practices of highly effective teachers of African-American and Latino students in urban schools

Many resources have been spent on school reform in an attempt to close the achievement gap between white and minority students, especially African-American and Latino students. Educators have struggled for years to find ways to successfully educate minority students who live in urban areas and/or in poverty. There have been special programs, curriculum changes, school structural changes, and changes in teacher preparation requirements; yet the gap remains and continues to widen. However, there is evidence that some teachers who educate African-American and Latino students in high poverty urban areas are experiencing success. Scholars of multiculturalism insist that successful teachers of students of color must be culturally competent and teach from a multicultural perspective (Banks, 2001).;The purpose of this study is to explore evidence of multicultural strategies used and not used by highly effective teachers in urban schools with students who are multiethnic and are from low social economic status. This study seeks an understanding of the strategies used by highly effective teachers that are different than those provided by the literature. In addition this study identifies those strategies recommended by the literature on multiculturalism that effective teachers are and are not using. Through the use of observation and interviews, this study also explores how the practices used by these seven highly effective teachers compare to the recommendations made by the literature on effective teachers.;Multicultural literature findings. The literature of multiculturalism recommends nine areas in which effective teachers must be proficient in order for their minority students to experience academic success: (1) deliver intense instructional curriculum materials; (2) hold high expectations for all students; (3) model respect for, and inclusion of, people who are different (in terms of religion, race, language, ability, socioeconomic class); (4) motivate all students to achieve; (5) model positive attitudes about teaching and learning through relationships with students: positive attitudes about teaching and learning; (6) use culturally inclusive curriculum materials; (7) teach students to be proactive in identifying and dealing with prejudice and discrimination; (8) acknowledge the value of languages other than standard English; and (9) identify, analyze, and utilize students' cultural strengths to enhance learning.;Extensive observations and interviews of seven highly effective teachers of African-American and Latino students in this study revealed that they employed some practices that the multicultural literature recommended and did not employ others. It was clear that the teachers in this study tended to: (1) delivered intense daily instruction; (2) had high expectations for their students; (3) showed respect for their students' differences; (4) motivated their students to do their best; and (5) developed relationships with their students. It was also clear that the teachers in this study tended not to: (1) use culturally inclusive curriculum materials; (2) teach students to be proactive in identifying and dealing with prejudice and discrimination; (3) acknowledge the value of languages other than standard English; or (4) identify, analyze, and utilize students' cultural strengths to enhance learning.;Effective teaching literature findings. The effective teaching literature suggests that successful teachers may commonly employ some, if not all, of these practices: (1) motivating high academic engagement; (2) communicating clear and immediate feedback; (3) developing a positive rapport/relationship with students; (4) maximizing students' time on task; (5) setting high, realistic, and clear expectations for all students; (6) utilizing an integrated curriculum that respects diversity, talents, experiences, and ways of learning; (7) establishing a classroom climate that supports learning; and (8) teaching from a culturally appropriate curriculum.;The teachers in this study employed all of the effective teacher practices except: (1) utilizing an integrated curriculum that respects diversity, talents, experiences, and ways of learning, and (2) teaching from a culturally appropriate curriculum. The seven effective teachers in this study understand that they are responsible for providing an environment that affords all of their students the opportunity to experience academic success and hold themselves responsible for their achievement.;The major finding of this study is these teachers exhibit more effective teaching strategies than multicultural strategies. They addressed issues of multiculturalism differently then the literature suggests. They did this by concentrating on the individual child and by encouraging their students to be respectful because it is the humane thing to do. This leads to the questions "are we drawing teachers away from their natural tendency to focus on individual students by emphasizing their culture? Could their concentration on the individual be preventing cultural stereotyping?"...