Cultural Diversity in Catholic Schools: Challenges and Opportunities for Catholic Educators

This book examines sociocultural factors that affect teaching and learning in today's Catholic elementary and secondary schools. The first chapter, "Cultural Diversity: An Important but Problematic Issue," discusses how demographic and societal changes have created a greater need for cultural diversity in education, and stresses the ambiguities inherent in addressing this diversity. The second chapter, "The Success of Catholic Education: Impressive and Still Able To Be Better," recounts the success of Catholic schools in building community, outlines the sociocultural theory of learning, and highlights the challenges to developing culturally sensitive pedagogy and a welcoming school culture. This chapter also addresses the importance of recognizing the school's hidden curriculum, hiring an ethnically diverse faculty and staff, and being aware of aspects of institutional racism. The third chapter, "The Catholicity of Our Schools: Making the Gospel Concrete," suggests that Catholic schools build on their tradition of Gospel values to explore opportunities for incorporating cultural diversity in their schools. Appendices include suggestions for professional development and faculty inservice workshops that use focus questions to promote reflection on cultural diversity, 43 additional resources for educators interested in cultural diversity, and 36 Internet addresses concerning cultural diversity. Contains endnotes and 116 references. (TD)