Multicultural Autobiography

The primary purpose of this module is twofold. First, this module invites you to complete Part II of your multicultural pedagogical project: A Dialogue between the Self and the Other. Second, we will undertake a critical examination of the merits and demerits of reading multicultural autobiographies in the context of teacher education.

II. Multicultural Autobiography

As indicated before, the experiential multicultural pedagogical project is based on a concentric circle model of developing multicultural pedagogical competence. Specifically, one must recognize that one is always surrounded by “a series of concentric circles,” namely the self, the immediate family, the extended family, the local community, the nation, and the world. As noted by Cochran-Smith (1995), “[I]n order to learn to teach in a society that is increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, prospective teachers, as well as experienced teachers and teacher educators, need opportunities to examine much of what is usually unexamined in the tightly braided relationships of language, culture, and power in schools and schooling” (p. 500). To this end, I invite you to review one of the following books:

Non-Fictions

Arana, M. (2002). American Chica: Two worlds, one childhood. New York: Dial Press.

Carlos, E. (2011). Learning to die in Miami. New York: Free Press.

Mandela, N. (1994). Long walk to freedom. Johannesburg: Macdonald Pumell.

Treuer, D. (2013). Rex life: An Indian’s journey through reservation life. New York: Grove Atlantic.

Troncoso, S. (2011). Crossing borders: Personal essays. Houston, TX: Arte Publico Press.

Yang, K. K. (2008). The latehomecomer: A Hmong family memoir. New York: Coffee House Press.

Yousafzai, M. (2013). I am Malala: The story of the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban. New York: Little Brown.

Fictions

Gains, E. J. (1997). Lessons before dying. New York: Vintage.

Kingston, M. H. (1989). The woman warrior. New York: Vintage.

Sáenz, B. A. (2014). Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe. New York: Simons and Schuster.

Woodson, J. (2007). Feathers. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books.

X, S. (2007). Bilal’s bread. New York: Alyson Books.
Task 1
After reading the aforementioned text, write your reflection on or annotation of how the character’s (or characters’) lived experiences are different from your lived experiences. You must include two (2) narrative stories recounting, describing, and chronicling your lived experience. When working on Part II, please consider “go[ing] beneath surface meaning, first impressions, dominant myths, official pronouncements, traditional clichés, received wisdom, and mere opinions, to understand the deep meaning, root causes, social context, ideology, and personal consequences of any action, event, object, process, organization, experience, text, subject matter, policy, mass media, or discourse” (Shor, 1992, p. 129).