This course is designed for classroom teachers and other school personnel to explore the role that culture plays and has played in our lives, classrooms, city and country. The impact of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other aspects of social group identities on teaching and learning as they relate to contexts both in and out of schools will be examined. Students will analyze the nature and manifestations of culture, the concepts of cultural contact, and the history of cultural diversity in the United States and particular in the classroom. Dynamics of prejudice and biases are studied, and emphasis is placed on delineating curriculum and practices that honor, motivate, and empower all students. Examination of personal biases and identification of areas of deficient knowledge is encouraged. 3 semester hours