(Resources marked with an asterisk may be used by students)
EDUCATION/CULTURE/MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
Adler, Mortimer J.
The Paideia Proposal—An Educational Manifesto
. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1982. A short, intriguing book devoted to a proposal for reforming America’s educational system.
Cottrol, Robert J. “America the Multicultural” in
American Educator
14, No. 4 (Winter, 1990): 18-21,38. Focuses on why multicultural education is so important in America.
Damen, Louise.
Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension in the Language Classroom. Reading,
MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1987. Good unit on intercultural miscommunication—which would be “fun” to dramatize. Rich resource. Chapter 15 devoted to cross-cultural considerations in the classroom. At the end of each chapter is an excellent annotated bibliography, and they are listed again in a 26 page bibliography at the end of the book.
Hancock, LynNell. “Whose America Is This, Anyway?,” in
The Village Voice
33, No. 17 (April, 1990): 37-39. Interesting article on the issue of integrating multicultural education into the curriculum. Centers on New York City debate.
Hirsch, E.D.
A First Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1989. Dr. Hirsch defines the “core knowledge” needed by all children to understand our culture.
Newhill, Esko E. and Paglia, Umberto La.
Exploring World Cultures
. Lexington, MA: Ginn and Company, 1986. This gem comes with an incredibly useful, readable teacher’s edition. It is available at the Center for International and Asian Studies listed under “Community Resources” in this bibliography. Although the book is written for 6th grade and above, materials can be adapted for the lower elementary. The HANDOUTS section of the teacher guide contains especially useful information on cultural concepts: rules, beliefs, values, how people listen and speak, exploring stereotypes, and categories of behavior found in all known human groups. Lists audio visual resources.
Omaggio, Alice C.
Teaching Language in Context
. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, Inc., 1986. Called “The Bible” for Teachers of Foreign Languages. This book has clear objectives for teaching cultural awareness and includes specific activities. Especially useful is chapter 9, “Teaching for Cultural Understanding”.
Rist, Marilee C. “Ethnocentric Education”, in
The American School Board
178, No.1 (January, 1991): 26-29. Discusses the pros and cons of multicultural education and details pitfalls and advantages of a curriculum designed around a single ethnic group.
DRAMA/THEATER BOOKS
Kase-Polisini, editor.
Drama as a Meaning Maker
. Lanham,MD: University Press of America, 1989. 43 distinguished Drama educators respond to one of three professionals outside the field of Drama: a neuropsychologist, novelist and professor of psychology. Explores Drama as context.
Kelly, Elizabeth.
Dramatics in the Classroom: Making Lessons Come Alive
. Bloomington, Indiana: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, 1976. A short, concise booklet which presents some concrete techniques for using Drama in Education to teach the curriculum.
*Korty, Carol.
Plays From African Folktales, With Ideas for Acting, Dance, Costumes and Music
. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1975. I have successfully used a play from this book with a group of 2nd-5th graders. Simple scripts with good ideas for costuming and staging. Includes an Ananse tale from Ghana, Ananse’s Trick Does Double Work.
McCaslin, Nellie.
Creative Drama in the Primary Grades: A Handbook for Teachers
. New York: Longman, Inc., 1987. Excellent text for understanding the values of Creative Drama and learning a variety of Drama techniques. This book would be a valuable resource for a teacher unfamiliar with Creative Drama.
McCaslin, Nellie, ed.
Children and Drama
. New York: Longman, Inc., 1981. Twenty-one leaders in the field of Drama in Education have written essays on the subject. Particularly interesting are D. Heathcote’s on page 78, E. Kelly’s on page 91, G. Bolton’s on page 178, and J. Hodgson’s on page 238.
Siks, Geraldine Brain.
Drama with Children
. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1983. A Drama text which provides lesson plans designed to meet specific educational objectives. Siks uses Piaget’s theories of personality development in children to provide a rationale for using various Drama techniques with children of different ages.
Wagner, Betty Jane.
Dorothy Heathcote: Drama As a Learning Medium
. Washington D.C.: National Education Association, 1976. Wagner describes Heathcote’s techniques of distilling theater elements for the purpose of creating dynamic, dramatic situations in which learning, through experience, can take place.
Way, Brian.
Development Through Drama
. New York: Humanities Press, 1963. A useful text providing rationales and specific activities for using Drama to assist in the creation of a “whole human being.”
GHANA, AFRICA
*Arkhurst, Joyce Cooper.
The Adventures of Spider
. New York: Scholastic Magazine, Inc., 1964. Contains several Ananse stories, including the story used in Lesson Plan #1 in this unit.
Asihene, E.V.
Apoo Festival
. Tema, Ghana: Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1980. Explains the importance of all festivals and the Apoo festival in particular. It represents the nuisances the community has had to put up with during the preceding year. Every person is given the right to criticize anybody they want. Details on the celebration of this festival are provided. Words and translations to songs are also provided.
*DeLuca, Angelina.
African Arts Curriculum Guide
. West Hartford Public Schools, 1984. Many Visual Art activities with good instructions. Available at the Council on African Studies listed under “Community Resources” in this bibliography.
*Mensah, Isaac Dankyi.
Kano Had His Lesson
. Accra-North,Ghana: Quick Service Books & Stationery Supply, 1986. Great story to read to students with black and white drawings illustrating life in a Ghanaian village. Available at the Yale Council on African Studies.
*Mensah, Isaac Dankyi.
The Two Hunter Friends
. Accra-North,Ghana: Quick Service Books & Stationery Supply, 1986. A story of two hunters with their two dogs on a hunting expedition. One hunter has a brush with death. The story ends on a humorous note. Names several indigenous animals and provides insight into some customs. Available at the Yale Council on African Studies.
*Okai, Atukwei.
The Anthill in the Sea (Verses and Chants for Children)
. Accra, Ghana: Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1988. Collection of 27 verses and chants written by a Ghanaian with an M.A. from the Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow. (Two cultures being studied are represented here!) Beautiful illustrations.
Sale, Kirk J.
The Land and People of Ghana
. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1972. Good book for the classroom teacher to use for basic information on Ghana.
Sarpong, Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter.
Ghana in Retrospect
. Accra, Ghana: Ghana Publishing Corporation, 1974. Gives considerable information on customs and rites of passage which can be adapted for the lower elementary. Covers religion, values, art and crafts, music, myths, etiquette and more.
PUERTO RICO
*Elisofon, Eliot.
A Week in Leonora’s World: Puerto Rico
. New York: Crowell-Collier Press, 1971. A picture book of Puerto Rico through the eyes of a young girl.
*Masters, Robert V.
Puerto Rico in Pictures
. New York: Sterling Publishing Co.,Inc.,1979. Black and white pictures chronicle some of Puerto Rico’s history and significant sites. Text for teachers; pictures can be used with students.
Morris, Marshall.
Saying & Meaning in Puerto Rico
. New York: Pergamon Press, 1981. Looks at the indirectness of language (Spanish and English) in Puerto Rico and the use of body language to convey meaning. Interesting and complex.
McKown, Robin.
The Image of Puerto Rico
. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1973. Traces the history of Puerto Rico from the landing of Columbus to its future as a possible fifty-first state or independent nation.
Tovar, Federico Ribes.
100 Outstanding Puerto Ricans
. New York: Educational Publishers, Inc., 1976. Provides a brief synopsis of the lives of famous Puerto Ricans in a variety of fields.
*Williams, Byron.
Puerto Rico. Commonwealth, State, or Nation?
New York: Parents’ Magazine Press, 1972. Provides good background information for the teacher. Photographs good for students.
*Winslow, Zachery.
Puerto Rico
. Edgemont, Pa.: Chelsea House
Publishers, 1986. Surveys the history, topography, people, and culture of Puerto Rico, with an emphasis on the current economy, industry, and place in the political world. Text for teachers; pictures for students.
RUSSIA, SOVIET UNION
*Cohen, David and Smolan, Rick.
A Day In the Life Of the Soviet Union
. New York: Collins Publishers, Inc., 1987. Incredible photographs of people and places throughout the U.S.S.R.
*Haskins, Jim.
Count Your Way through Russia
. Minneapolis, Minn.: Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1987. Great book with Russian customs and facts appropriate for each number 1-10.
*Jackson, W.A. Douglas.
Soviet Union
. Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Gideler Co., 1980. A good overview of life in the Soviet Union, with many photographs and illustrations.
*Masey, Mary Lou.
The Picture Story of the Soviet Union
. New York: David McKay Company, Inc., 1971. A good book for teachers to use with children. Looks at life throughout the USSR with plenty of maps and illustrations.
*Morton, Miriam, ed.
A Harvest of Russian Children’s Literature
. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1968. Older students can read some of this. This is the book to use for short poems, stories, verse, fables and works by famous Russian authors. A Baba-Yaga story is on page 149!
Parker, W.H. The Russians.
How They Live and Work
. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973. A good description of Russian life. Easy to read. 16 black and white photographs.
*Vandivert, Rita and William.
Young Russia, Children of the USSR at Work and at Play
. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1960. Although relatively old, the pictures do not look very different from many scenes I saw when in Russia in 1989.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES/AUDIOVISUAL AIDS
(The resources listed are specific for New Haven, CT. Hopefully similar local resources are available in your community.)
Casa Cultural Julia de Burgos, Yale University
Center for Puerto Rican Study
301 Crown St. New Haven, CT. 06520
432-0856
Dean Carlos Torre
Primarily historical and political books in Spanish. Contact for people resources.
Council on African Studies, Yale University
89 Trumbull Street New Haven, CT. 06520
432-3438
Maxwell Amoh, Director (Also an artist from Ghana who leads a performing group named Agoro)
Many books, audiovisual bibliography, music, contacts and more!
Foreign Language Department-New Haven Public Schools
21 Wooster Place New Haven, CT. 06520
787-8685
Mary Lowery, Supervisor of Foreign Languages
Lisette Bernier-McGowan, Supervisor of Bilingual Education
Kay Hill, Curriculum/Staff Developer for the Bilingual Program
Many records, cassettes and books—especially on Puerto Rico. Plenty of teacher resources as well. Kay Hill’s record, distributed by Folkways Records, 1979, contains counting-out rhymes in Spanish and English:
Who Goes First? ¿Quién va primero?
International Folk Dance Group
18 Water Street Guilford, CT. 06437
453-3263
Ada Wilson, Contact and Dancer
Ada taught a dance workshop for New Haven Music and Arts teachers. She is very helpful and knowledgeable about folk dances around the world.
New Haven Public Schools-Audio Visual Center
Wexler School-787-8687
Dr. Astarita, Director
There is a catalogue of available materials.
Russian and East European Studies, Yale University
85 Trumbull Street New Haven, CT. 06520
432-5963
Brian Carter, Director of Russian Studies
A veritable treasure trove of materials, including books, filmstrips with cassettes and people contacts.
