Center for Educational Pluralism
Newsletters
Winter 1999
Voices Panel: How Can Educators Become Allies For Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Students Within Their Classrooms?
By: Renee Pedersen
Thursday, March 4, in the Library Presentation Room from 6-8 p.m.,
the CEP and the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Alliance (LGBTA) held
a discussion forum concerning diversity in education. The panel
consisted of four individuals from Western and Fairhaven who spoke of
their experiences and concerns. The students focused on the lack of
support and education they and others receive due to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender issues.
The LGBTA has put together and distributed a handbook,
"Beginning Handbook for Educators who want to be Allies for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning People," to
help bridge the gap between students and educators.
The handbook consists of four basic levels in becoming an ally in
the classroom:
1. Becoming aware of differences in perspective.
2. Becoming educated about policies, laws, and practices and how
they affect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.
3. Developing effective communication skills.
4. Acting in the interest of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender people.
The handbook also has a list of helpful definitions, resources for
all age levels, the qualities of an ally, and how to address sexual
orientation in the classroom.
There are free copies of the handbook available for students who
want it at the CEP.
Resource Review
Did you know that the CEP has curriculum materials?
By: Kris Hibler
We have curriculum resources that focus on a variety of topics,
suited for all grade levels. One of our newest is called Building
Cultural Bridges. Building Cultural Bridges is a great resource
for educators of grades 6 through 12 that focuses on increasing
multicultural awareness. The resource's end goal is to teach students
to take action in their own lives to further multicultural
understanding. There are four main ideas that help get students to
this point:
- Learn about similarities and differences within the human race.
- Examine prejudice and stereotypes. Why do we have them? What
stereotypes do I hold?
- Gain communication and listening skills.
- Learn strategies for resolving conflicts.
Topics of diversity are integrated into each of these sections of Building
Cultural Bridges.
This resource could be used in a variety of different settings:
classroom, extracurricular activities/clubs, staff training, and peer
mediation programs. Building Cultural Bridges includes over
fifty lesson plans with many more activity ideas. It comes with a
"Leader's Guide" to help educators implement the material in
a way that is most appropriate for their needs. Finally, this
curriculum includes a list of other programs and resources that
educators mights find useful in a classroom.
Come in and examine it!
Art and Culture/Diversity Workshop
By: Renee Pedersen
This workshop took place on February 17th and 19th at the CEP, and
was conducted by Patti Hayes, a student completing an Individual
Diversity Plan (IDP). The workshop focused on Hayes' experiences
living and teaching art in Africa. Hayes, a Secondary Education and
Art major at Western, related her experiences with multicultural
education and diversity.
Six students attended both workshops. At the first workshop,
participants were given a list of things to draw, paint, and define
using their creative minds.
At the second workshop, Hayes described how each individual's art
linked to each individual's culture and to other cultures--including
African cultures.
I would like to end with a poem that Hayes gave to each participant
relating to Art Culture/Diversity:
Creativity has no definition;
It isn't a thing or a goal or a law.
Creativity is an attitude, a process, a happening.
There is no shape to creativity;
It comes in assorted sizes and colors.
It is an event not limited to art or science,
an event that takes place in the kitchen, on the
street, at the office.
Sometimes its results are tangible, in a good
soup, a painting a special filing system.
Sometimes its results are intangible and seen
only in passing, by the manner of a walk, the joy
of a greeting, the revelation of a dream.
Creativity means freedom, it means risk, it
means reflection.
Art is in the midst of life in every deed and
thought.
As more students choose to do the IDP, more student workshops will
be available.
New Volunteer Database Established at the CEP
By: Renee Pedersen
We have added a new database to our resources to help students
search for volunteer opportunities. We have listed the opportunities
under multicultural topics to relate volunteer work and the Center for
Educational Pluralism. The database consists of information such as
the name of the organization, e-mail address, phone number of the
contact person, requirements (if applicable), and a description of the
activity.
The database is accessible to anyone and everyone.
We also welcome new volunteer opportunities to add to the database.
If you, someone you know, or a group would like to be added to the
database, contact Claudia or another staff member at the CEP (x3827).
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