Promoting diversity in the classroom has become a necessity in today’s ever-diversifying society. Diversity can refer to socio-economic background, religion, gender identify, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity among other possible identities. Over the past twenty years or so, the use of multicultural education, in particular multicultural literature, has become a commonplace form of diversity promotion in the classroom. Multicultural education refers to any sort of education or teaching which takes into account the values, beliefs, histories, and perspectives of those from varying cultural backgrounds. Here, culture, “in the broadest possible sense, [encompasses] race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation;” a group of individuals that have a sense of shared values, beliefs, and understanding (“Multicultural Education Definition,” 2013). Therefore, …show more content…
In fact, it was implied that it is crucial to introduce multicultural literature at a young age in hopes of diminishing prejudicial thoughts about different cultures. This is reflected in the fact that much of the research on multicultural literature examines in effects in elementary and middle school classrooms.
However, not all students have the opportunity for such an education at a young age, whether it be because school curriculum didn 't provide them the opportunity it or they grow up in a relatively homogeneous environment. The question then becomes what are the effects of multicultural literature in a college setting. More specifically, whether or not multicultural literature in a college classroom has the potential to reduce pre-established biases and prejudices that college aged students may bring into the
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
When looking at why multiculturalism in school and classroom libraries it is important to understand why there is the need. According to Ruth A. Oswald and Lynn Atkinson Smolen have multicultural books is “timely” because of the “increasing diversity in our schools”. According to the National Center of Education Statistics (2010), 45 percent of U.S. public school population enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade comes from diverse racial and ethnic background” (Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices pg.xi). Educators want to help develop children become empathic, understanding, and tolerant adults, by doing these things educators hope to lessen bullying and
The world is made up of many different types of people, each one having his or her cultural background. Over the years, the United States has become increasingly populated with cultural diversity. This influx has prompted school administrators to recognize the need to incorporate multicultural programs into their school environment including classroom settings, school wide activities, and curriculum as it becomes more evident that the benefits of teaching cultural diversity within the school setting will positively influence our communities, and ultimately the entire nation’s future. The purpose of this paper is to share the pros and cons of multicultural education in the classroom. Additionally, I will express my views compared to those in the reading requirements for this assignment, as well as, new knowledge obtained through the research. Finally, I will share situations where I was challenged introducing a multicultural issue during a class.
When the majority of teachers in America are White, middle class women who only speak English in a country were students are starting to come from a multitude of backgrounds it is no wonder problems are arising. As more people from different cultures and religions immigrate to the United States the average classroom is losing the cultural uniformity it had in the past. Though the faces in classrooms are steadily changing many teachers have not been able to adjust as quickly to the ever growing diversity taking place. One would expect for teachers to still be able to teach students effectively whether they share a similar background or not, but in actuality cultural conflicts between teachers and students are only getting worse. Especially when
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 to gain a high level of respect for those unlike them, preferably from a judgmental and prejudiced view. Diversity has a broad range of spectrums. Students from all across the continent; students from political refugees, indigenous Americans, and immigrants bring their cultural and linguistic skills to American classrooms. Students not only bring their cultural and linguistic skills, but they bring their ethnicity, talents, and 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.
The world is currently undergoing a cultural change, and we live in an increasingly diverse society. This change is not only affect the people in the community but also affect the way education is viewed. Teaching diversity in the classroom and focusing multicultural activities in the programs can help improve positive social behavior in children. There is no question that the education must be prepared to embrace the diversity and to teach an increasingly diverse population of young children.
Lee, E. (1993). "Strategies for Building a Multicultural, Anti-racist Curriculum." Presented at the Books Project Seminar, Washington, DC, May 8, 1993.
A strong understanding of diversity should be the foundation of all classrooms within a higher educational setting, like that of Columbia College Chicago. Diversity should not only be considered as the varying amount of racial/ethnic groups within a classroom, but also the varying experiences and histories of each person. The narrative freedom gained through diversity may allow for personal and historical connections that are often overlooked by textbooks and traditional education to be discovered. By examining the diverse nature of both students and teachers, education can be revolutionized. Common threads in history can be questioned, untold stories, told and empowerment through education, gained.
Understanding academic-level texts requires a certain level of cultural literacy. If a group of people were to read one article about cats and one about the quantum entanglement theory, it is quite clear as to which article would be better comprehended among the group. Ignorance of a particular subject will inevitably lead to confusion and misunderstanding among readers. Best-selling author and educator E.D. Hirsch, Jr. believes that a shared cultural knowledge is crucial to be able to understand advanced, academic-level texts. However, creating this common culture vocabulary will undoubtedly be a challenge. Although it may be impossible for older generations to suddenly gain all the necessary knowledge about the hundreds of cultures in the world, it is certainly not too late for future generations to start developing immense cultural knowledge. It is imperative that schools begin teaching more diverse curriculum in order for students to become culturally literate on an array of topics. Integrating multicultural subject matter into public school curriculum ensures that students
Parrish, Patrick, and Jennifer A. Linder-VanBerschot. “Addressing the Challenges of MulticulturalInstruction.” Cultural Dimensions of Learning 11.2 (2010): 10 pgs. Web. 8 June 2015.
According to Bennett (2015), “Multicultural Education is a complex approach to teaching and learning that includes the movement toward equity in schools and classrooms, the transformation of the curriculum, the process of becoming multicultural competent, and the commitment to address societal injustice” (p. 2). Teaching and learning in a multicultural system is designed around collaborative decision making, respect for all parties, and nurturing a cultural diverse society. Multicultural education recognizes and integrates cultural characteristics into the learning environment.
The concepts included in providing a more diverse, multicultural education are requiring teachers to review their own issues and prejudices while expanding their knowledge of the many cultures that make up the classroom. These efforts help the educator recognize the various individual and cultural differences of each student, as well as gain an understanding on how these differences impact the learning process. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon individual and cultural difference research and why diverse students struggle to succeed in school. Furthermore, I will share some instructional approaches I could implement in the classroom to accommodate diverse students. Finally, I will discuss the responsibility of educators in addressing the issue of how our o...
At first glance, I will be totally honest, I knew little to nothing about diversity. I am a white female from a middle-class family and was lucky enough to never see a diversity problem in my schools. This course reiterated the fact that I was not aware of all the diversity in the classroom and the world today. Growing up, none of my teachers really discussed or related topics to cultural backgrounds other than the most common “white middle class”. My parents have always taught me to treat everyone the same no matter the color of their skin, religion, ability, disability, cultural background, sexual orientation, and values of life. I believed that my upbringing and surroundings contributed to the way I acknowledged diversity, but I was wrong. Diversity is more than just accepting the facts, but acting on the facts. Diversity indeed comes in many from the race, gender, ability/disability, age and cultural background is just a few. As a future educator, it is important for me to understand diversity and how to incorporate that into my future classroom. This class really helped me open up about what diversity means to me and how I can be an effective teacher to those who need me the most. For the first time, I was able to put in the effort to
According to David O. McKay (2013), multicultural education is constructed to prepare pupils for citizenship in a democratic society by facilitating them to take into account the needs of all individuals; it shed light on how issues of language, ethnicity, culture, religion race, abilities/disabilities, and gender are entwined with educational content and processes. A multicultural curriculum is needed to accommodate for diverse learning and teaching styles of facilitators and pupils and to expose biases, stereotypes, and policies that can restrict achievement. What is more, a multicultural curriculum is also needed to help pupils, faculty, and staff become advocates for multicultural awareness, to ensure that content is fair, accurate, and inclusive, and to prepare pupils for diverse workplaces and multicultural environments. In writing this paper, the author will describe key issues of culturally diverse students, recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected. In addition, she will describe three key issues of male and female students recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected. In closing, she will describe three key issues of students with disabilities, who are mainstreamed, recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected.