(NAME-MCE) multicultural education & standards

[Lee Digiovanni]

I've been reading Sleeter's book Un-Standardizing Curriculum: Multicultural Teaching in the Standards-Based Classroom.  I like how she's chronicled her process in developing a framework for curriculum design and things her students have done to work within the standards.This topic is something I struggle with in teaching pre-service teachers, many of whom are White and female.  It's hard to get past "the test" that students will take [both the test that they have to take to become certified and the tests their students will have to take to advance - seems like there is always so much one has to do to cover content, on every level], and hard to get them to recognize the importance of multicultural education as well as teaching in culturally relevant ways.  Seems there is a gap between "the standards" and multicultural education, and I don't want there to be.  That is, just like the students I teach, I know that I need to present information so they can "pass the test."  I also am working to get them to understand how to teach for social justice, which in some ways is diametrically opposed to the standards both they and their students must "master." Those of you who are teacher educators - do you struggle with this?  And if so, what do you do to help you in this struggle?Thanks for your thoughts, in advance!  Lee Lee Digiovanni, Ed.D.
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