3-Credit Courses

Diversity Awareness in Education: A New Perspective for a Changing World

Course Description

This course is designed to help educators gain a greater awareness of the many facets of diversity within your school community and beyond. These include race, culture, sexual orientation and more. Through introspective and insightful learning, emphasis is placed on defining a personal worldview and appreciating the worldview of others around diversity. In the end, participants will be equipped to infuse effective strategies for use in any curriculum relevant to your position. Although not required, it is recommended that this course be taken before Being An Ally: Confronting Homophobia in the Classroom and Activating Diversity Awareness: Creating Positive Change.

Participants will

Complete a written self-assessment to determine your own current level of awareness of diversity in order to assess personal goals for the course and to initiate your personal understanding of a number of diverse students needs within your specific area of discipline.

Establish a rationale to validate the importance and necessity for each individual to attain diversity awareness and to learn how to answer those tough questions from decision makers in your school community who may not be in favor of diversity initiatives.

Examine your self-awareness of diversity as it has evolved throughout your life to better understand the origin of your own negative assumptions, stereotypes and prejudices.

Comprehend your personal worldview as it pertains to diversity and to begin to develop a lifelong examination of the worldview of others in order to become more empowered to appreciate differing perspectives that can lead to improved classroom instruction.

Leave with a complete understanding of how to differentiate between “Active Racism” and “Institutional Racism”; how Racial Identity in America & Homophobia deeply affects all of us throughout our lives and why k-12 educators should learn to safely infuse these topics into their current curriculum.

Develop a personal plan of action that can initiate genuine and relevant diversity awareness that will allow you to expand upon classroom instruction/learning methods you can really use.

What folks say about “Diversity Awareness in Education: A New Perspective For A Changing World"

Professional Value

“This was absolutely the best class I have ever taken!”

"This course should be required in all school districts nationwide.”

“This course reinforced things I already knew, introduced me to new ideas, perspectives and information I did not know, and reminded me of how critical this issue is. What a fabulous class!”

Great course! It opened my eyes, made me think and gave me great ideas!”

“This course should be mandatory for anyone who works in a school and for anyone who works in an office determining the policies of education.”

"This course has already changed my worldview and helped me to change my approach to teaching and to life.”

Personal Value

“Thank you for the concept of ‘worldview’. It will be helpful not only in the classroom, but also throughout my life.”

“I feel that I have had an awakening that I have never experienced before in any of my post-graduate education.”

“This class was an excellent resource and provided self-awareness and the chance to look deep into one’s values.”

“This was a great class! There were a lot of ideas that I can use in my classroom and in my life.”

“I intend to apply this knowledge to my world and those people who share my world.”

Workshop Environment

"This class was better than ‘a breath of fresh air’…”

“Each of us felt challenged but never threatened. Subsequently, this was the most thought-provoking course that I have taken.”

“I never looked at my watch – not once!”

"This course was far better than I expected.”

“Time spent reviewing our current views and how we can contribute to awareness was awesome!”

“Fantastic course! Tremendously insightful. Presentation of material could not have been better.”