Multicultural Summer Institute, XII

WORKSHOP OFFERINGS

The 3 B’s, Stereotypes, and Arab/Muslim American Students: A Misunderstood Group (WEDNESDAY ONLY)

Dr. Nader Ayish

Room 1117

“Bombers, belly dancers, and billionaires.” There are approximately three million Arab Americans and over nine million Muslim Americans in the United States. The Washington, DC region comprises one of our country’s largest concentrations of Arab and Muslim Americans. As an educator, what do you need to know about Arab and Muslim American students in order to help them (and you) be successful? This session will feature a film montage to increase our understanding of the history, immigration patterns, and assimilation experiences of this often misunderstood group. Participants will also explore effective strategies and approaches educators can use to meet the needs of this diverse population.

Dr. Nader Ayish was born and raised in Elyria, Ohio to Palestinian parents from Jerusalem. He has taught middle school for 15 years (7 years in Houston and 8 years in Fairfax County). He has also studied and traveled extensively throughout the Middle East. Nader holds a BA in English Literature, an MA in Educational Leadership and School Administration, and a Ph.D. in Multicultural and Multilingual Education.

A Silent Minority: Giving Voice to Their Identities and Uncovering How to Stop Bullying to Create Safer School Communities

Denise Palazzo

Room 1104

This workshop will address what can be done to create a commitment to keeping bullied students emotionally and physically safe and what steps should be taken to ensure youth will be respected and valued instead of bullied and harassed.

As the President of Perspectives Unlimited, Incorporated, Denise Palazzo delivers intercultural understanding workshops, and anti-bias training to various school districts, and writes violence prevention curriculum as a consultant. She also delivers conflict resolution training to schools across the United States for Community Matters, a nonprofit organization committed to empowering youth to create a more peaceful world.

Beyond Taco Night: Putting the Equity and Justice Back into Multicultural Education (WEDNESDAY ONLY)

Paul Gorski

Room 1108

One barrier to educational equity is the watering down of multicultural education by well-meaning educators. Multicultural curriculum becomes food fairs. Concern for equitable learning environments becomes a multicultural club. Discuss ways we, “the choir,” contribute to educational inequities and how we can recommit to the social justice roots of multicultural education.

Paul Gorski is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education at Hamline University. He has been an active consultant for ten years, conducting workshops and providing guidance to schools and community organizations committed to equity and diversity. He created and continues to maintain the Multicultural Pavilion and the Multicultural Supersite, web sites focused on multicultural education. Paul is actively involved in the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), and serves on its board of directors. He is Associate Editor, Technology, for NAME's journal, Multicultural Perspectives, and Associate Editor, Multicultural Literature and Reviews, for Multicultural Education. Prior to his current position at Hamline University, Paul taught for the University of Virginia, the University of Maryland, and George Mason University. He earned a doctorate in Educational Evaluation at the University of Virginia.

Brazilian Capoeira Dance Workshop (PM ONLY)

Victor Berry Sr.

Auditorium Stage

This workshop highlighting Capoeira Movement will consist of a short discussion, warm up, and basic to intermediate movement techniques rendered in the native Portuguese language. The class will finish with a non-contact sparing session done to traditional songs and music. Comfortable athletic clothing should be worn for this workshop.

With over fifteen years of experience, Victor Berry Sr. has performed as a principal dancer for several dance companies such as the Nimely Pan African Dance Company. He is currently a member of Kan Kouran and the Balafon West African Company and serves as the artistic director and founder of the Cultural Foundation for Children.

Building Safer Schools For All

Michael Courville, MA, MSW

Mini-Theater

The Respect for All Project (RFAP) is pleased to offer a screening of the powerful documentary film, Let’s Get Real followed by a facilitated discussion on bullying and name-calling. The film features middle school-aged youth who speak frankly about their varied, and often painful, experiences with name-calling and bullying. The 35-minute film includes interviews not only with the targets of bullying, but also with the perpetrators—as well as “allies” who intervene when they witness bullying. The film addresses a wide variety of issues that include sexual harassment, anti-gay taunting, racial prejudice, and religious differences.

Michael Courville is currently Program Director of the Respect for All Project (RFAP) at Women’s Educational Media in San Francisco, CA. He has worked extensively in the fields of education, mental health, community social service, and rural economic development. His work with the RFAP aims to ensure the well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual youth in a variety of community settings and to expand the dialogue on family well-being to include diverse voices of real existing families in America today. He is currently engaged in several ongoing state and national initiatives to implement safe schools legislation.

Chinese-American Festivals (PM ONLY)

Shirley Fong-Torres

Room 1129

Learn about the many Chinese festivals celebrated by Chinese-American students today . The Lunar New Year of the Dog, a typical Chinese Wedding, food for special birthdays, and much more will be discussed along with a screen presentation.

Shirley Fong-Torres is a former teacher, author, chef, media personality, and owner of San Francisco's WOK WIZ Chinatown Tours and Cooking Company.

Confucianism & Students of Modern China, Japan, and Korea

Sharon Cohen

Room 1112

Participants in this workshop will use primary and secondary sources to investigate the extent to which Confucianism shapes the examination systems in East Asia and the attitudes toward education among students of East Asian heritage in American schools.

Sharon Cohen is Co-Director of the Graduate Seminar on East Asia at the University of Maryland. Ms. Cohen received a Master’s in East Asian Studies with a concentration in Chinese Literature and a Master’s in International Education, each from George Washington University.

Cultural Competence: El Salvador 101 (AM ONLY)

Cely R. Argueta

Room 1127

This workshop will offer a brief historical perspective of El Salvador, its history, culture, and peoples. Understanding the history and culture of the Latino student population will provide a guiding post and better starting point for communication between school staffs and administrators to achieve the goals of a multicultural education.

Cely Argueta is currently the Associate Director for Latino Health at Danya International. Born in El Salvador, her family immigrated to the United States when she was ten years old. Cely Argueta received a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the Catholic University of America with a concentration in Latin American Affairs and Communications and a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in International Program Management from American University.

Cultural Competence & Courageous Practice: Bringing Equity Alive in the Classroom (WEDNESDAY ONLY)

Gary R. Howard

Library

In this interactive session Gary Howard brings the ideas presented in his keynote address into practical application for the classroom. Participants will have an opportunity to learn from their colleagues and share their own successes and challenges. The Seven Principals for Building Culturally Responsive Learning Communities will described, and participants will be provided with a school-based action research model they can use to strengthen collaborative professional development in their own buildings.

Educational Learning Differences in Salvadorean Public School Systems (PM ONLY)

Cely Argueta

Room 1127

Educational processes and learning techniques vary from country to country and among cultures. Understanding these differences offers insight into the development of students from youth to adulthood including the way they interact and think.

Cely Argueta is currently the Associate Director for Latino Health at Danya International. Born in El Salvador, her family immigrated to the United States when she was ten years of age. Cely Argueta received a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the Catholic University of America with a concentration in Latin American Affairs and Communications and a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in International Program Management from American University.

History of African American Family Reunions

Jacqueline Galloway-Blake

Room 1126

Sing along, listen to stories, and learn inside information about the history, significance, and modern day practices that are uniting so many families.  Explore the impact such an event has on your students and brainstorm follow-up activities for classroom use.

Jacqueline Galloway-Blake is an educational consultant for Brown Sugar & Spice Book & Educational Services. She has a Master’s in Educational and Developmental Psychology. She has been published in The Detroit Free Press and The Michigan Chronicle and has been featured on radio, on television, and in several publications including Child Magazine.

History of Hip Hop and Strategies for the Classroom

Wil Jones

Room 1106

This workshop will discuss the beginnings of Hip Hop, its evolution and impact on the world today, and the dual nature of the effects the culture has made on our communities. Mr. Jones will also discuss strategies to infuse Hip Hop culture into the classroom. Educators will find creative ways to use Hip Hop in challenging and engaging lessons for their students.

In addition to being an excellent speaker, Mr. Jones is also a writer whose work has appeared on several websites, newspapers and radio stations throughout the United States. William is a member of the African American Males Into Teaching Program at Howard University, has worked with the Million Man/Woman March Organization of Queens, New York to recruit young people into colleges and universities, and has lectured at institutions such as Franklin and Marshall College and Arcadia University. Mr. Jones has also conducted workshops for teachers both in the United States and Ethiopia, where he was part of a humanitarian effort to assist Ethiopians in school construction, education, and financial relief. Mr. Jones is currently a History teacher and mentor in the Maryland/DC area.

Realities of Poverty (TUESDAY ONLY)

Paul Gorski

Room 1108

Despite critiques by anti-poverty experts, Dr. Ruby Payne and her book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, remain standard fare in K-12 staff development. This workshop will outline several anti-racist and anti-classist critiques of Payne’s framework as an introduction to consideration for more authentic anti-classism understanding in and out of our schools.

Paul Gorski is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education at Hamline University. He has been an active consultant for ten years, conducting workshops and providing guidance to schools and community organizations committed to equity and diversity. He created and continues to maintain the Multicultural Pavilion and the Multicultural Supersite, web sites focused on multicultural education. Paul is actively involved in the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), and serves on its board of directors. He is Associate Editor, Technology, for NAME's journal, Multicultural Perspectives, and Associate Editor, Multicultural Literature and Reviews, for Multicultural Education. Prior to his current position at Hamline University, Paul taught for the University of Virginia, the University of Maryland, and George Mason University. He earned a doctorate in Educational Evaluation at the University of Virginia.

Responding to Hurricane Katrina Survivors (TUESDAY ONLY)

PWCS School Counselors

Room 1113

A team of school counselors reflect on their experiences working Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma survivors. The counselors will discuss how the lessons learned from Katrina and Wilma can be applied to other critical incidents in schools. The resiliency of individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds and cultures will be discussed. Photographs and a short video will depict the experiences.

Prince William County Counselors: Susan Danielson (Minnieville Elementary School), Shannon DiMisa (Stonewall Jackson High School), Cathy Fermo (Potomac High School), Shannon Raymond (Neabsco Elementary School), Beth Graney (Bull Run Middle School), Deborah Roche (Woodbridge Middle School), Kimberlee Ratliff (Sonnie Penn Elementary).

Storytelling and Humor with Multicultural Picture Books

W. Nikola-Lisa

Room 1115

Drawing on a wide array of techniques, author and storyteller, W. Nikola-Lisa , will demonstrate how he reads popular multicultural picture books using simple storytelling props.

Mr. Nikola-Lisa, a professor of education at National-Louis University in Chicago, will share his experience through readings, stories, and personal experiences. His books include: Bein’ With You This Way, America: My Land, Your Land, Our Land, Summer Sun Risin’ and, the most recently published, My Teacher Can Teach …Anyone!

Sundown Towns—Places in the US Untouched by the Civil Rights Struggle (WEDNESDAY ONLY)

James W. Loewen

Room 1103

“Don’t let the sun go down on you in this town.” We equate these words with the Jim Crow South, but in a sweeping and groundbreaking analysis, award-winning historian and sociologist, James W. Loewen, demonstrates how “sundown towns” were created in waves of violence in the early decades of the twentieth century and maintained well into the contemporary era.

As a sociologist who spent two years at the Smithsonian surveying twelve leading high school textbooks of American history only to find an embarrassing blend of bland optimism, blind nationalism, and plain misinformation, weighing in at an average of 888 pages and almost five pounds, best-selling author, James W. Loewen wrote Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong and Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong. Dr. Loewen is also a researcher who discovered that many communities were "Sundown Towns" that kept out blacks (and sometimes other groups) for decades. Dr. Loewen attended Carleton College and holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University. He has taught race relations for twenty years at the University of Vermont.

Through the Eyes of a WWII Child and Modern Day Extremist Groups

Ed Lessing

Room 1101

This workshop will open with the showing of a 22-minute segment entitled, “1939-1942: Persecution and Segregation” from the four-part, 2004 movie, Testimony of the Human Spirit, narrated by actor Eli Wallach and featuring Mr. Lessing as well as other Holocaust survivors. After the movie’s introduction, Mr. Lessing, a “Hidden Child,” will relate his experiences as a Dutch, Jewish youngster posing as a gentile, trying to escape his Nazi persecutors during the Holocaust. Mr. Lessing will emphasize the relation of his past to the rise of hate groups in today’s world. The workshop will conclude with a question and answer period.

Ed Lessing is a frequent and popular speaker about the Holocaust in New York Metropolitan Area schools. He has been a keynote speaker and panelist at numerous Holocaust commemorations and teacher seminars in schools, libraries and universities. Ed Lessing writes and publishes for The Hidden Child Newsletter and Metro, the quarterly publication of the Anti-Defamation League.

Traditional African Drum Workshop (AM ONLY)

Auditorium Stage

Victor Berry, Sr.

This workshop on learning to play the African drum is a hands-on workshop. It begins with a short discussion followed by basic techniques of traditional drumming. Traditional rhythms from Guinea and Mali are taught and played as an entire arrangement. Participants will explore sound used for healing by indigenous people throughout history in many cultures of the world. Some drum experience is helpful, but not necessary.

With over fifteen years of experience, Victor Berry Sr. has performed as a principal dancer for several companies such as the Nimely Pan African Dance Company. He is currently a member of Kan Kouran and the Balafon West African Company and serves as the artistic director and founder of the Cultural Foundation for Children.

Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony (AM ONLY)

Shirley Fong-Torres

Room 1129

Drink sumptuous teas that will forever change your mind about tea bags! Usually offered at weddings and for close family and friends, this ceremony is a time-honored tradition that is still very popular today. The ceremony includes a discussion about the components/utensils used for a tea, while it will demonstrate cleaning, smelling, and making tea. *Tasting for all participants.

Shirley Fong-Torres is a former teacher, author, chef, media personality, and owner of San Francisco's WOK WIZ Chinatown Tours and Cooking Company.

Understanding the Dynamics in the Multicultural Classroom and Effective Strategies

Mary Dilg

Room 1116

Multicultural education provides a rich opportunity for students and teachers. Nevertheless, many factors complicate teaching and learning in the multicultural classroom: the journey between home and school, individual histories and identities, the impact of curriculum and pedagogy, and the nature of discussions and authority. Understanding these factors and ways of responding to them can enable students and teachers to thrive in the multicultural classroom. This presentation will examine, through projected images, each of these factors and will invite questions and observations about education in the multicultural classroom.

Mary Dilg has taught in public and private high schools in New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles, at Northwestern University, and at Washington University in St. Louis. She currently teaches English at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago. Her publications include Race and Culture in the Classroom: Teaching and Learning Through Multicultural Education and Thriving in the Multicultural Classroom: Principles and Practices for Effective Teaching. Her presentations and faculty development workshops at schools, universities, and conferences focus on understanding dynamics and supporting students in the multicultural classroom.

Virginia African American History

Irene Smalls

Room 1107

This workshop will encourage participants to introduce children to history in the touch of the Scary Jack Muh Lantern of Slavery. Shuck corn at the November Cornshucking celebration. See the Johnkankus, Virginia’s 200-year-old first black Christmas celebration in a Winslow Homer painting. Learn of the American Masada: the proud Africans who would not be enslaved.

Author/Storyteller Irene Smalls discusses the power and need for story among today's students. She will demonstrate various storytelling techniques and offer a “how-to” guide on implementing a storytelling strategy in your classroom.

Virginia Native American Culture

Karenne Wood

Room 1102

Karenne Wood is an enrolled member of the Monacan Indian Nation and serves on the Tribal Council. She is the Repatriation Director for the Association on American Indian Affairs, coordinating the return of sacred objects to Native American communities. She has previously worked at the National Museum of the American Indian as a researcher and she has directed a tribal history project with the Monacan Nation for six years. Wood is a Gubernatorial appointment as Chair of the Virginia Council on Indians and she serves on the National Congress of American Indians Repatriation Commission. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Linguistic Anthropology at the University of Virginia.

Welcoming All Families

Michael Courville, MA, MSW

Mini-Theater

The Respect for All Project (RFAP) is pleased to offer a screening of the powerful, award-winning documentary, That’s A Family!, followed by a facilitated discussion on family diversity and inclusive school environments. The film features elementary school children talking in their own words about growing up in a variety of family structures. The 35-minute film uses humor and age-appropriate language to tell the stories of children growing up in families across America today. The film offers insight into what it is like to have parents who are of different races, divorced, lesbian or gay, or to be adopted or raised by a single parent or guardian.

Michael Courville is currently program director of the Respect for All Project (RFAP) at Women’s Educational Media in San Francisco, CA. He has worked extensively in the fields of education, mental health, community social service, and rural economic development. His work with the RFAP aims to ensure the well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual youth in a variety of community settings, and to expand the dialogue on family well-being to include diverse voices of real existing families in America today. He is currently engaged in several ongoing state and national initiatives to implement safe schools legislation.

Youth and Gangs: Creating a Healing Process for Youth

Luis Cardona

Room 1114

This workshop will provide teachers, administrators, and community members with an awareness of youth gangs, causes for youth to join gangs, how to prevent youth gang involvement, intervention and exit approaches. The workshop will provide strategies for helping parents handle youth gang involvement, and will discuss international aspects of gang involvement.

Luis Cardona is the Gang Prevention Coordinator for the Department of Health and Human Resources in Maryland. Mr. Cardona also served as the Director of the Diversity Training Program for the University of the District of Columbia and is the founder of the DC Barrios Unidos, a youth violence prevention/intervention organization.