Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh

Informational Newsletter
Volume 97, Number 1
/projects/ckp/newsletter/v97n1.html

Multicultural Resources on the Internet

Since 1989, multicultural education has been a key program in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The mission of the Multicultural Education Program, as articulated in the Board Policy Statement on Multicultural Education (1989), is to promote an increased knowledge and respect for one's own culture, as well as an increased knowledge and respect for others' cultures. Since 1989, this mission has been operationalized by implementing programs such as conflict mediation centers (operated by both staff and students); peacemaking curricula for younger children (TOWER); learning styles programs focused on eliminating achievement gaps between disparate groups (Equity & Excellence); parent-child reading centers (Raising Readers); multicultural curriculum infusion; parent/community involvement support; and cultural competence training. Through the provision of these programs to schools, important priorities of the district are realized.

Pittsburgh's multicultural education initiative has also become a leading force for change at the state and national levels. The program played a primary role in the development of Different & the Same, the award-winning prejudice reduction series for children from the producers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood; program staff serve on the advisory boards of the National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME) and its Pennsylvania chapter (PA/NAME); and the program's training models have been successfully replicated in numerous school districts throughout the nation. Despite recent cutbacks to the program's staff, Pittsburgh's multicultural education program will continue to be a major tool for equity and cultural diversity as we move into the 21st century.

The following sites are just a sample of the ever-increasing multicultural resources on the Net.

Multicultural Literature

Resources for Evaluating Multicultural Literature - http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/MCGFDA/mcgfda.page7b.html

Criteria for Evaluating Multicultural Children's Literature - http://members.aol.com/mcsing29/bookcrit.htm

Positive Images in Multicultural Children's Literature - http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/special/kay/childlit.html

Multicultural Publishing and Education Council Homepage - http://www.quiknet.com/mbt/mpec/

Multicultural Curriculum

The Multicultural Pavilion - http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/multicultural/initial.html

Multicultural Links - http://www.isomedia.com/homes/jmele/homepage.html

Diversity Links - http://www.execpc.com/~dboals/diversit.html

Multicultural Education - http://www.wce.wwu.edu/edsites/multi.html

Conflict Resolution

Conflict Net - http://www.igc.org/igc/conflictnet/

Lesson Plans - http://www.stark.k12.oh.us/Docs/units/conflict/lessons/

Resolving Conflict Creatively - http://www.benjerry.com/esr/index.html

Achievement Gap

Support for Urban Reform Efforts - http://www.nwrel.org:80/newsletters/prev/nwpolicy/aug95/main.html

Addressing the Educational Needs of Students - http://www.nwrel.org:80/newsletters/prev/nwpolicy/aug95/side3.html

Narrowing the Achievement Gap in Urban Schools - http://www.nwrel.org:80/newsletters/prev/nwpolicy/aug95/side2.html

Mailing List

The MULTC-ED mailing list is intended to serve all educators involved in Multicultural Curriculum, Teaching or Research. For further information contact Joyce Kareem at kareem@pps.pgh.pa.us or at the Multicultural office 488-4600.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question:

What is the goal of multicultural education?

Answer:

Multicultural education is not an ethnic or gender specific movement. Its focus is to empower all students to function effectively in a culturallly and ethnically diverse nation and world. Source: Multicultural Education: Development, Dimensions, and Challenges by James Banks

CK:P Workshops and Support

CK:P will be offering workshops in the spring. If you are interested in signing up, look for announcements via the CK:P servers (oberon), the CK:P homepage (/projects/ckp) and the next newsletter.

Obtaining Help

Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh maintains a number of email addresses that provide users with online help. If you have an account on the system and would like to obtain answers to common questions, send email to:

resources@pps.pgh.pa.us (curricular assistance)

trouble@pps.pgh.pa.us (technical assistance, Macslip and PCslip help)

info@ckp.edu (information pertaining to Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh)

If you are a PPS employee and would like an Internet account, call us at 665-2230.