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Cultural diversity in the classroom
Importance of cultural diversity in education
Cultural diversity in the classroom
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Multicultural Education
Multicultural education is any form of education that incorporates the values, histories, beliefs, perspectives, and texts of students from different cultural backgrounds (Banks, 2009). The cultural differences between people include race, nationality, ethnicity, language, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, and exceptional of persons with disabilities or special needs. Multicultural education aim is to foster unity within the diverse learning institutions.
History of Multispectral Education
In the 1800s, the African American students required study about the European history and culture in schools. This lead to the establishment of African-American schools. However, they were still using the Whites school
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Biculturalism is the integration of sensitivities and competencies of two cultures in a person (Gorski, 2006). Through multicultural education, students from the various cultural background learn the mainstream culture but also maintain theirs. The bicultural individuals are equally conversant and a part of both the ancestral and the new culture. They have the option of inter-changing the social norms to fit in a certain environment. Through biculturalism, students can embrace their culture as well as the mainstream culture and hence do not detach themselves from their minority group.
Unlike bicultural education, the Traditional Eurocentric Curriculum promotes assimilation and acculturation of the minority groups. Acculturation is the cultural and psychological change due to contact with another culture, while assimilation is the replacement of individual’s native culture with another. Both assimilation and acculturation can happens due to pressure to fit in as the minority group view their culture as inferior.
Empowerment, Engagement, and Critical
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It focuses on the differences, and those who are different are seen as inferior. Therefore, the focus should be on the similarities rather than the differences. According to Bennett (2014), focus on cultural differences fosters stereotypes and negative prejudice because it is human nature to see those different from them as inferior. Bennett (2014) argues that education should make students have a perspective of ‘we are more alike than different’. Multicultural education creates a feeling of being atypical, which creates division between students from different cultures. Contrary to the popular believe by proponents of multicultural education, not all cultures promote and support racial equality (Lisa, 2015). Some cultures support pacifism, others support war, while others are self-ruling entities that promote disregard for the ruling government. Various conflicting values learnt by students in the name of multicultural education only get them confused, having less personal identity which are grounds for division among students.
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1. Becoming Bicultural is another form of assimilation. It entails people of different cultures borrowing from one another’s culture what they consider right and integrating it within their individual cultures. The United States being a nation of immigrants and due to the recent massive immigration, the country is led to a nationwide struggle with the need to become bicultural, a difficult and sometimes painful process of navigating between ethnic cultures. Some former minority groups are now becoming the dominating group due to their high rate of immigration and high birth rate. The Latino and Asian populations form the largest portion of the leading groups that have literally changed the face of the nation and thus calling in for the need to become bicultural.
A multicultural perspective is an understanding of the similarities and differences across culture, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and more. In short, it is a perspective that encapsulates an open-minded and yet holistic view of other individuals that limits (and hopefully eliminates) one’s own biases in their perception of others. The majority of students come from diverse backgrounds (culturally, ethnically, economically, etc.), and thus it is important to not only bring awareness of the dominant culture’s presence, but also make room for other cultures that are less dominant. With the constant stream of subliminal messages being sent to children, it is important to empower students who do not see their identities in popular culture. Even if children see their identities represented, it is often times a stereotypical representation which can perpetuate a negative sense of self. Additionally, a multicultural perspective is not only for children who are not part of the dominant culture. It is also essential for students
The United States has a history of being viewed as a superior culture in which weaker cultures must adapt. However, this attitude has been cause of repression and conflict among the different cultures. As a result, activists have worked for years pushing to empower cultures; thus, encouraging unity rather than cultural divide for the strength of our nation as a whole. According to John Ogbu (1978), every "minority" group has a unique history in the United States that needs to be studied, understood, and validated to more authentically understand, support, and educate them. Education experts have responded to the overall push for this unification by developing an interdisciplinary approach in the development of multicultural education.
Just because other perspectives are incorporated in the classroom, this doesn’t mean that everyone will become more understanding and appreciative of other cultures. When multicultural practices have rigorous standards, allow the advancement of social communications with other cultures, and allow the advancement social justice concepts both inside and outside of the classroom, this is when students will become more appreciative of other cultures (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p.162).
Modes of Cultural Adaptation In order to consider the role of cultural adaption as it relates to bicultural identity and its development, one must first begin by defining culture. Culture is defined as the development of values, beliefs, and behaviors of organized patterns that are shared by social groups over time (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2012). Cultural adaptation can be looked upon as information that has been shared among individuals across generations, which is considered a powerful instrument to be utilized as new situations arise (Cavalli-Sforza, 1988). Equally important, and simplistically put, bicultural identity is to internalize more than one culture, in other words, both ethnic and the mainstream culture are intertwined (Benet-Martnez, 2005). Traditional Adaptation Traditional adaptation gives way to the idea of strong family cultures that are immensely involved in tradition which encompasses the persuasion of ethnic minorities, first-generation, and new immigrants (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2012).
Multicultural education is a process of comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students. It challenges and rejects racism and other forms of discrimination in schools and society and accepts and affirms pluralism (ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic, and gender, among others) that students, their communities, and teachers reflect (Nieto, 2000).
Diversity in classrooms can open student’s minds to all the world has to offer. At times diversity and understanding of culture, deviant experiences and perspectives can be difficult to fulfill, but with appropriate strategies and resources, it can lead students gaining a high level of respect for those unlike them, preferably than a judgmental and prejudiced view.
The core values of this programme are confidence, respect, responsibility, compassion, passion and discipline. Governed by these values, the curriculum will focus on multicultural education, bilingualism and developing the whole-child. Multicultural education is vital in promoting appreciation for diversity since the programme aims to instil in children a sense of acceptance and respect for diversity. Bilingualism is also focused to foster children's mother tongue languages and encourage them to values and speak their home language. Additionally, this curriculum will focus on holistic development, where activities and experiences provided will assist children to develop their physical, intellectual, socio-emotional and creativity skills.
The cultural diversity in society, which is reflected in schools, is forcing schools not to solely rely on content-centered curriculum, but to also incorporate student-centered lesson plans based on critique and inquiry. This requires multicultural education to a dominant part of the school system, not just an extra course or unit. Further, it demands that learning itself no longer be seen as obtaining knowledge but rather, education be seen as creating knowledge. Multicultural education should be seen as affirming the diversity of students and communities, promoting the multicultural ideas of the United States, and building the knowledge and behaviors needed for students to be a positive and contributing member of society and the global community as a whole.
Maya Angelou once said that “perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends." With that quote in mind, I believe that it is vital for teachers to provide inclusion of multiculturalism and diversity within the curriculum and lessons in order to improve positive socialization amongst all students. By providing a strong multicultural education to students, there is a greater acceptance and or respect for all cultures within our society. However, in order to fully appreciate the diverse nature that is our country, we must consider what diversity looks like across counties,
The definition of multiculturalism in Webster's Dictionary is "the existence, recognition or preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society." Therefore with this definition in mind a multicultural classroom is one that is the sum of all these things. A multicultural classroom is a learning environment that strives to reach all of its students, especially those of non-dominant ethnicities. In this environment students learn about the curriculum as well as their own cultural history. The aim of multicultural education is to ensure equity in education for all students and to help empower young people to make the world a better place both individually and collectively (Bigelow, 1993). Multicultural education is designed to help all students reach their full potential. Just about all teachers should have a desire to teach in a multicultural class because most classes in the United States of America contain at least one or two students of a different race or cultural background. This should not be considered a problem, but an asset because h...
Multicultural education is any kind of education that incorporates different perspectives that is not the usual norm. This concept is very important and need to be taught in the schools, but in the right way. We have discussed in class how handing out a MLK picture to color or a Rosa Park’s crossword puzzle will not help enhance the student’s knowledge. Yes, fun activities like this are okay, but only after an educational lesson is taught. It is essential that students understand and know that these historic issues are important. Not only during times like Black History Month, Cinco De Mayo or any other holiday we recognize only specific time of
Multiculturalism was I already know. Races multicultural society, a society that is culturally diverse minority cultural boundaries, beyond the domestic boundaries of cultures and settler’s culture society considers valuable to respect the culture of each other. All people are different abilities, appearance, beliefs, hierarchy tells the children that have defined such that it can be raised to the ability to understand the various cultural differences. Multicultural Education has developed a variety of racial and ethnic nations living together. Multicultural education was necessary to have the misconception that only a multicultural society, resulting in the development of understanding and training materials for training on multiculturalism does not work well. Should be an understanding about the culture and religion of
9). Hence, the advocacy for multicultural education focus is not the content but rather on value each ethnic group places on human rights and environmental issues. Therefore, in a multicultural education classroom the teacher must have a working knowledge of each student’s ethnic beliefs and values about the world around them. Armed without these tools, the teacher may tread into unknown and uncomfortable waters without comprehending they have drowned before they have
There are many factors that play a role in the learning process for every human being. Race, religion, language, socioeconomics, gender, family structure, and disabilities can all affect the ways in which we learn. Educators must take special measures in the delivery of classroom instruction to celebrate the learning and cultural differences of each of their students. As communities and schools continue to grow in diversity, teachers are searching for effective educational programs to accommodate the various learning styles of each student while promoting acceptance of cultural differences throughout the classroom. It no longer suffices to plan educational experiences only for middle-or upper class white learners and then expect students of other social classes and cultures to change perspectives on motivation and competition, learning styles, and attitudes and values that their homes and families have instilled in them (Manning & Baruth, 2009).