Chapter 15 Nurturing Intellectual Voices: “Stirring up” Conversations about Cultural Competence in the University Classroom

Teacher education programs have begun to address the dilemma of preparing a predominantly white and female teaching force to work with diverse populations whose experiences have no connection to the students they will teach (Darling-Hammond, 2006). Those who teach courses that address cultural diversity are challenged to engage students in meaningful dialogue about all things multicultural, as well as provoke thought about understanding the importance of cultural competence and its impact on teaching practice. The university classroom is where meaningful and transformative conversations must occur and they begin with acceptance of ourselves – all of us – as cultural beings.