Little Rascals in the City of God: Film Reflection and Multicultural Education

Year 2012, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 60 - 83, 01.08.2012

Terri Patchen

Abstract

Research has highlighted the factionalizing of pre-service teachers into two groups: Ethnic Minorities who understand diversity, and Whites who do not. In an exploration of the relationship of this distinction to the resources pre-service teachers actually bring into diversity courses, this study utilizes an innovative instructional strategy, ―Film Reflection And Multicultural Education‖ (FRAME) to access the cultural assumptions in pre-service teachers‘ understanding of ―others.‖ Using FRAME, data analysis of 133 pre-service teacher reflections revealed distinctions that fell within expectations related to pre-service teacher ethnicity, but also uncovered variations within ethnic groups. Findings suggest that bifurcating pre-service teachers along ethnic lines, therefore, does little to advance our understanding of the resources with which students enter teacher education programs. Assuring diversity instructors recognize the capacity of all their pre-service teachers to understand diversity is critical to protecting the rights of students (of all ages) to an equitable education. The results of this study show FRAME can help us achieve this goal

Keywords

diversity, teacher education, equity, reflection, film

References

• Allard, A. (2005). Capitalizing on Bourdieu: How useful are concepts of ‗social capital‘ and ‗social field‘ for researching ‗marginalized‘ young women? Theory and Research in Education, 3, 63-79.
• Auer, G., Nozik, M., & Tejani, A. (Producers), & Nair, M. (Director). (1988). Salaam Bombay [Motion picture]. India: Cadrage.
• Banks, J. A. (1994). Multiethnic Education: Theory and Practice (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
• Banks, J. & Banks, C. M. (Eds.). (2004). The handbook of research on multicultural education (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Birnbaum, L., & Brito, P. (Producers), & Salles, W. (Director). (1998). Central do Brasil [Central Station] [Motion picture]. Brasil: Riofilme.
• Black, T., Navarro, B., & Thomas, A. (Producers), & Nava, G. (Director). (1983). El Norte [Motion picture]. Mexico: American Playhouse.
• Bluestone, C. (2000). Feature films as a teaching tool. College Teaching, 48, 141-146.
• Boler, M. (2004). Teaching for hope: The ethics of shattering world views. In D. Liston & J. Garrison (Eds.), Teaching, learning and loving: Reclaiming passion in educational practice (pp. 117–131). New York: Routledge Falmer.
• Borko, H., & Putnam, R. (1996). Learning to teach. In D. Berliner & R. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (pp. 673–708). New York: Macmillan.
• Brown, E. L. (2004). What precipitates change in cultural diversity awareness during a multicultural course the message or the method? Journal of Teacher Education, 55, 325-340.
• Brown, B. A., Reveles, J. M., Kelly, G. J. (2005). Scientific literacy and discursive identity: A theoretical framework for understanding science learning. Science Education, 89, 779-802.
• Chandler, R. & Adams, B. (1997). Let‘s go to the movies Using films to illustrate basic concepts in public administration. Public Voices, 8, 9-26.
• Chen, H. & Chen, K. (Producers), & Chen, K. (Director). (2002). He ni zai yi qi [Together] [Motion picture]. China: 21 Century Shengkai Film.
• Chizhik, E.W. & Chizhik, A. W. (2005). Are you privileged or oppressed? Students‘ conceptions of themselves and others. Urban Education, 40, 116-143.
• Choo, J., Austin, H., & Renshaw, P. (2007). Reasoning with cultural categories in understanding student diversity. International Journal of Educational Research, 46, 229-239.
• Cochran-Smith, M. (1995). Understanding allies: Understanding the boundaries of race and teaching. Harvard Educational Review, 65, 541-570.
• Cochran-Smith, M., Davis, D., & Fries, M.K. (2004). Multicultural teacher education: Research, practice, and policy. In J. Banks & C. M. Banks (Eds.), The handbook of research on multicultural education (2nd ed., pp. 931-978). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. NY: Touchstone.
• Duckworth, E. (1996).―The Having of Wonderful Ideas‖ and other essays on teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
• Easter, L. M., Shultz, E. L., Neyhart, T.K., & Reck, U.M. (1999). Weighty perceptions: A study of the attitudes and beliefs of preservice teacher education students regarding diversity and urban education. The Urban Review, 31, 205-220.
• Erikson, E. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton.
• Fischman, G. (2001). Reflections about images, visual culture, and educational research. Educational Researcher, 30, 28-33.
• Fleming, M., Piedmont, R., & Hiam, C. (1990). Images of madness: Feature films in teaching psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 17, 185-187.
• Florio-Ruane, S. (2001). Teacher education and the cultural imagination: Autobiography, conversation, and narrative. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Freire, P. (1970/1993). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
• Garmon, M.A. (2004). Changing preservice teachers‘ attitudes/beliefs about diversity: What are the critical factors. Journal of Teacher Education, 55, 201-213.
• Gay, G., & Howard, T. (2000). Multicultural teacher education for the 21st century. The Teacher Educator, 36, 1-16.
• Gay, G. & Kirkland, K. (2003). Developing cultural critical consciousness and self- reflection in preservice teacher education. Theory into Practice, 42, 181-87.
• Ghazali, A. (Producer), & Ghobadi, B. (Director). (2004). Lakposhtha Parvaz Mikonand [Turtles Can Fly] [Motion picture]. Iran & Iraq: Mij Film Co.
• Goffman, E. (1974). Frame analysis. Harper & Row, New York.
• Gori, M., Gori, V., & Ippolito, C. (Producers), & Wertmüller, L. (1992). Io Speriamo Che me la Cavo [Ciao Professore]. Italy: Penta Film.
• Gurin P., Dey E. L., Hurtado S., & Gurin G. (2002). Diversity and higher education: Theory and impact on educational outcomes. Harvard Educational Review, 72, 330-366.
• Hester, S., & Eglin, P. (1997). Membership categorization analysis: an introduction. In S. Hester, & P. Eglin (Eds.), Culture in action: Studies in membership categorization analysis (pp. 1–23). Washington: International Institute for ethnomethodology and conversation analysis and University Press of America.
• Hytten, K. & Bettez, S. C. (2008). Teaching globalization issues to education students: What's the point? Equity & Excellence in Education, 41, 168-181.
• Irvine, J. (2003). Educating teachers for a diverse society: Seeing with the cultural eye. New York: Teachers College Press.
• Kagan, D. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginning teachers. Review of Educational Research, 62, 129–169.
• Kuzma, L. & Haney, P. (2001). And…action Using film to learn about foreign policy. International Studies Perspective, 2, 33-50.
• Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that‘s just good teaching The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice 34, 159-165.
• LaDuke, A. (2009). Resistance and renegotiation: Preservice teacher interactions with and reactions to multicultural education course content. Multicultural Education, 16, 37-44.
• Lee, C. (2006). ‗Every good-bye ain‘t gone‘: Analyzing the cultural underpinnings of classroom talk. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 19, 305-327.
• Lazar, A. M. (2004). Learning to be literacy teachers in urban schools: Stories of growth and change. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
• Lovell, J. (Ed.). (1998). Insights from film into violence and oppression: Shattered dreams of the good life. Westport, CT: Praeger.
• Lowenstein, K. (2009). The work of multicultural teacher education: Reconceptualizing White teacher candidates as learners. Review of Educational Research, 79, 163-196.
• Lundqvist, E., Almqvist, J., & Östman, L. (2009). Epistemological norms and companion meanings in science classroom communication. Science Education, 93, 859 – 874.
• Malle, L. (Producer), & Malle, L. (Director). (1987). Au Revoir les Enfants [Motion picture]. France.
• McAllister, G. & Irvine, J. J. (2000). Cross cultural competency and multicultural teacher education. Review of Educational Research, 70, 3-24.
• Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
• Milner, H. R. (2006). Preservice teachers‘ learning about cultural and racial diversity: Implications for urban education. Urban Education, 41, 343-375.
• National Center for Educational Statistics (2000). Digest of educational statistics. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
• Nieto, S. & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education (5th ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon.
• Orfield, G., & Kurlaender, M. (Eds.). (2001). Diversity challenged: Evidence on the impact of affirmative action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Educational Publishing Group.
• Packer, M. (2001). The problem of transfer, and the sociocultural critique of schooling. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10, 493-514.
• Patchen, T. & Cox-Peterson, A. (2008). Constructing cultural relevance in science: A case study of two elementary teachers. Science Education 92(6), 994-1014.
• Penuel, W. & Wertsch, J. (1995). Dynamics of negation in the identity politics of cultural other and cultural self. Culture & Psychology, 1, 343-359.
• Pohan, C. (1996). Preservice teachers‘ beliefs about diversity: Uncovering factors leading to multicultural responsiveness. Equity & Excellence in Education, 29, 62-69.
• Ranvaud, D. & Salles, W. (Producers), & Salles, W. (Director). (2002). Cidade de Deus [City of God] [Motion picture]. Brasil: O2 Filme.
• Regenspan, B. (2002). Parallel practices: Social-justice focused teacher education and the elementary school classroom. New York: Peter Lang
• Saffold, F. & Longwell-Grice, H. (2008). White women preparing to teach in urban schools: Looking for similarity and finding difference. The Urban Review, 40, 186-209.
• Scotta, C. (Producer), & Berliner, A. (Director). (1997). Ma Vie en Rose [Motion picture]. France: Canal +.
• Shrestha, L. B. (2006). The changing demographic profile of the United States. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.
• Shi-xu (1995). Cultural perceptions: Exploiting the unexpected of the other. Culture & Psychology, 1, 315–342.
• Sleeter, C. (1995). White preservice students and multicultural education coursework. In J. Larkin, &C. Sleeter (Eds.), Developing multicultural teacher education curricula (pp. 17–30). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
• Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
• Summerfield, E. (1993). Crossing cultures through film. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc.
• Truffaut, F. (Producer), & Truffaut, F. (Director). (1959). Les quatre cents coups [The 400 Blows] [Motion picture]. France.
• Truffaut, F. (Producer), & Truffaut, F. (Director). (1976). L‘argent de poche [Small Change] [Motion picture]. France.
• Turner, G. (1999). Film as social practice (3 ed.). London: Routledge. rd
• Weedon, C. (1999). Feminism, theory, and the politics of difference. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
• Wenger, E. (2006). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Retrieved January 30, 2010, from http://www.ewenger.com/theory/
• Wertsch, J. V., & Polman, J. L. (2001). The intuitive mind and knowledge about history. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Understanding and teaching the intuitive mind: Student and teacher learning (pp.57–72). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
• Woolfolk-Hoy, A., Davis, H., & Pape, S. J. (2006). Teacher knowledge and beliefs. In P. A. Alexander & P. H. Winne (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (2nd ed., pp. 715–737). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Zhang, W. & Zhao, Y. (Producers), & Zhang, Y. (Director). (1999). Yi Ge Dou Bu Neng Shao [Not One Less] [Motion picture]. China: Guangxi Film Studio.