multiculturalism in schools essay

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Multicultural education: How schools teach it and where educators say it falls short

Below, we provide a sampling of academic research that looks at how multicultural education has changed in recent decades and inconsistencies in the way today’s teachers teach it.

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by Denise-Marie Ordway, The Journalist's Resource January 25, 2021

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As American public schools have grown more diverse, educators have introduced multicultural education programs to help kids understand and appreciate the differences among them — differences in terms of race, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual identity and other personal characteristics.

Multicultural education, broadly, is a range of strategies educators use to help students “develop a positive self-concept by providing knowledge about the histories, cultures, and contributions of diverse groups,” according to the nonprofit National Association for Multicultural Education .

These programs, which vary by state and even within individual school districts, “should directly address issues of racism, sexism, classism, linguicism, ableism, ageism, heterosexism, religious intolerance, and xenophobia,” the association explains on its website. One goal of multicultural education is developing the attitudes, knowledge and skills students need to function in different cultures and join a global workforce.

Below, we provide a sampling of academic research that looks at how multicultural education has changed in recent decades and inconsistencies in the way today’s teachers teach it. We also included studies that reveal problems in how U.S. colleges and universities train teachers to do this work.

At the bottom of this page, we added a list of resources to help journalists better understand and contextualize the issue, including federal data on how student and teacher demographics have changed over time and links to organizations with expertise in multicultural education.

It’s important to note there are significant differences between multicultural education and anti-racist education — two types of education discussed with greater frequency in recent years. Unlike multicultural education, anti-racism education focuses on race and race-related issues. Anti-racist teachers “create a curriculum with black students in mind” and “view the success of black students as central to the success of their own teaching,” Pirette McKamey, the first Black principal of Mission High School in San Francisco, writes in The Atlantic .

Many educators and researchers argue that schools serving predominantly white communities benefit tremendously from multicultural education. Sheldon Eakins , a former teacher and school principal who founded the Leading Equity Center, writes about this for the Cult of Pedagogy website:

“It’s not uncommon for White people to say, Oh, I’m just White. I don’t have a culture . We need to teach our White students about what their cultural background is and their ethnic backgrounds so they can understand and think about their language and religions going back to their ancestry. Lessons on their culture may help them start to understand how privilege and White supremacy began.”

At the same time, Eakins and others, including education professor Wayne Au of the University of Washington Bothell, have criticized multicultural education for falling short in preparing youth to confront and dismantle racism.

“Yes, multicultural education is important, but in the face of the hateful violence being visited on so many of our students and communities, it is simply not enough,” Au writes in a paper published in Multicultural Perspectives in 2017.

A brief history of multicultural education

Thirty Years of Scholarship in Multicultural Education Thandeka K. Chapman and Carl A. Grant. Gender & Class Journal , 2010.

This paper offers a broad overview of what multicultural education is in the U.S. and how it changed over three decades. The authors rely on academic research to chronicle the trend, beginning in the 1960s, when scholars argued that the histories and contributions of people of color should be part of the public school curriculum.

Thandeka Chapman , a professor of education studies at the University of California, San Diego, and Carl Grant , a professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explain how multicultural education evolved to include discussions about gender, physical disabilities, age and sexual identity and orientation.

The authors also describe how critics of the trend actually helped it.

“Advocates used these attacks to develop more meaningful and appropriate ways to help teachers and students in classrooms,” Chapman and Grant write. “These criticisms of MCE [multicultural education] have further advanced discussions of equity, equality, and social justice in ways that would not be possible if opponents had remained silent.”

Challenges in teaching multicultural education

Multicultural Education and the Protection of Whiteness Angelina E. Castagno. American Journal of Education , November 2013.

In this yearlong study, the author spotlights problems in the way an urban Utah school district teaches multicultural education. She finds that instead of dismantling “whiteness” — she defines this as “structural arrangements and ideologies of racial dominance within the United States” — multicultural education, as offered in this school district, protects it.

Angelina E. Castagno , an associate professor of educational leadership and foundations at Northern Arizona University, writes that her findings should not be surprising considering the teachers she observed and interviewed “were predominantly White, middle-class individuals who, for the most part, have little reason to disrupt the status quo and the current relations of power.”

“Most educators are well intentioned and want what is best for their students, but whiteness is protected despite (and sometimes through) even the best intentions,” Castagno writes. “Part of the problem is that most educators are not aware of whiteness. But in addition to this lack of awareness, most educators are also invested in the status quo of whiteness.”

She notes the importance of getting a better understanding of how teachers are teaching the topic.

“All teachers, administrators, multicultural education scholars, and teacher/administrator educators need a better understanding and awareness of how multicultural education is understood by teachers in schools across the country,” Castagno writes. “While there is much research highlighting the efforts of some teachers who seem to have embraced more critical forms of multicultural education, these teachers probably do not represent the majority of teachers in most schools.”

Problems in how colleges train teachers

Supporting Critical Multicultural Teacher Educators: Transformative Teaching, Social Justice Education, and Perceptions of Institutional Support Paul C. Gorski and Gillian Parekh. Intercultural Education , 2020.

This study looks at how college instructors teach multicultural education to students in the U.S. and Canada who are studying to become schoolteachers. It finds that college instructors who teach a more conservative version of multicultural education perceive their higher education institution to be more supportive of their work.

The researchers analyze data collected from a survey of 186 people who teach multicultural education to future teachers, conducted in 2015 and 2016. Researchers recruited participants by reaching out to instructors individually and by posting invitations on social media platforms used by instructors. About 90% of survey participants taught at institutions in the U.S.

Instructors answered questions related to the ideological approach they took in their multicultural teacher education courses — whether they took a conservative, liberal and critical approach.

The authors explain that the conservative form of multicultural teacher education, or MTE, “is assimilationist; it prepares teachers to help marginalized students conform to ‘mainstream culture and its attending values, mores, and norms.’” Meanwhile, liberal MTE “prepares teachers to celebrate diversity but, like conservative MTE, fails to prepare them to understand or respond to ways power and inequity are wielded in schools,” write Paul Gorski , founder of the Equity Literacy Institute, and Gillian Parekh , an assistant professor of education at York University. “Critical MTE prepares teachers to participate in the reconstruction of schools by advocating equity, confronting issues of power and privilege, and disrupting oppressive policies and practices.”

Gorski and Parekh find that multicultural teacher education classes “tend to have a conservative or liberal orientation, focused on appreciating diversity or cultural competence, rather than a critical orientation, focused on preparing teachers to address inequity.” That might be because instructors believe their institutions are less supportive of courses that take a critical approach, the researchers write.

“Our results indicate that multicultural teacher educators’ perceptions regarding whether the values they teach in their MTE courses are supported by their institutions is correlated with the criticality with which they design and teach those courses,” Gorski and Parekh write.

Instructors who take a conservative approach “pose no real threat to the injustices MTE ought to disrupt, perceive significantly greater institutional support for the values they teach in their MTE courses,” according to the authors. “Contrarily, those who employ a critical approach perceive significantly less institutional support.”

What We’re Teaching Teachers: An Analysis of Multicultural Teacher Education Coursework Syllabi Paul C. Gorski. Teaching and Teacher Education , 2008.

This study, which Gorski also authored, looks at course syllabi to see how U.S. colleges were teaching multicultural education to future teachers. Even though it is an older study, it offers insights into how colleges approached the issue at the time. The gist of Gorski’s findings: “The analysis revealed that most of the courses were designed to prepare teachers with pragmatic skills and personal awareness, but not to prepare them in accordance with the key principles of multicultural education, such as critical consciousness and a commitment to educational equity.”

Gorski analyzed 45 class syllabi from college courses designed to train teachers in multicultural education. Of them, 30 were undergraduate courses and 15 were graduate courses. Gorski finds that “only twelve syllabi (26.7%) seemed designed to prepare teachers to be what might be called authentic multicultural educators.”

Social Foundations and Multicultural Education Course Requirements in Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States Richard Neumann. Educational Foundations , Summer-Fall 2010.

In this study, Richard Neumann , a professor of education at San Diego State University, looks at whether teacher colleges in the U.S. require students to complete coursework in multicultural education. The key takeaway: At the time, fewer than half of the 302 universities studied required students wanting to become teachers to take a course in multicultural education.

Among programs that train students to work as elementary school teachers, 45% required at least one course in multicultural education. For programs that train secondary school teachers, 45% required students to complete at least one multicultural education course. Neumann learned that a larger percentage of public university programs required a multicultural education course than did programs offered at private universities.

Self-Efficacy and Multicultural Teacher Education in the United States: The Factors That Influence Who Feels Qualified to be a Multicultural Teacher Educator Paul C. Gorski, Shannon N. Davis and Abigail Reiter. Multicultural Perspectives , 2012.

This paper looks at which educators feel most qualified to teach multicultural education to students studying to become teachers. The analysis, based on a survey of 75 college instructors, indicates that Black educators tend to feel less qualified to teach multicultural teacher education courses than their counterparts of other races and ethnicities.

Heterosexual educators felt more qualified to teach multicultural teacher education courses than their LGBTQ counterparts, according to the paper, of which Gorski is the lead author. The other two authors are Shannon N. Davis , director of the PhD program in sociology at George Mason University, and Abigail Reiter , an assistant professor in the sociology and criminal justice department of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

The study also indicates that instructors’ experience working in schools — as elementary, middle or high school teachers — or their work as education activists “had no significant influence on their feelings of being qualified to teach MTE [multicultural teacher education] courses.”

Key resources

• This May 2020 report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows how student demographics have changed over time and are predicted to change by 2029.
• This February 2019 report from NCES finds that in fall 2015, the majority of white public school students were enrolled at schools where minority students comprised 25% or less of the student population.
• This September 2020 report from NCES examines public school teacher demographics. More than three-fourths of teachers working in U.S. public schools — 79% — were white as of 2017-18, the most recent academic year for which the federal government has complete data.
• Here is a list of the country’s top education schools , ranked by U.S. News & World Report .
• Kansas State University’s Tilford Group is a research organization that focuses on multicultural education.
• The National Education Association , one of the nation’s largest teacher unions, offers educators various types of training through its Center for Social Justice .
• The nonprofit National Association for Multicultural Education provides a range of relevant resources. The organization’s president is Lisa Zagumny , who also is the dean and director of doctoral studies at Tennessee Technological University’s College of Education.

About The Author

Denise-Marie Ordway

School of Education

The importance of diversity & multicultural awareness in education, drexel university school of education.

Cultural diversity in the classroom is on the rise. In 2014, U.S. public schools hit a minority majority milestone with Latino, African-American, and Asian students having surpassed the number of white students. In 2044, the U.S. Census predicts that over half of the nation’s population will be people of color, so this trend will likely continue.

In our increasingly diverse and multicultural society, it’s more important than ever for teachers to incorporate culturally responsive instruction in the classroom -- whether teaching elementary school, middle school or high school students. And the increase of diversity doesn’t only relate to race and ethnicity; it can include students of different religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and language background.

Interested in becoming a teacher? Learn more about Drexel’s Teacher Certification program .

Why is it Important to Encourage Diversity in Schools and Workplaces?

Fostering inclusion  and awareness around multicultural education and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching benefits all students. Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world. Our Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness Certificate Program  is a great opportunity for teachers to learn how to create positive classroom environments and can serve as a foundation for understanding how to promote diversity in your classroom.

Diversity in and out of the classroom will continue to grow, so it’s essential we prepare students to adapt to an evolving world and embrace those different from themselves. Learn more how the programs at the Drexel School of Education are helping to prepare more culturally-responsive educators today.

Types of Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

Every student is unique. In order to properly understand and promote cultural awareness, teachers need to understand all the different types of diversity they may encounter in their classrooms including:

A person’s skin color can have a great impact on their experience in society. It can also impact how they view themselves and others when engaging in classroom activities.

Ethnicity relates to a person’s culture and nationality. Ethnicity is sometimes confused with race, but it is important to recognize that while some people may have the same skin color, they may come from different places and have vastly different cultural beliefs and views of the world.

It is important to understand that people have different religious belief or no religious beliefs, and it may impact their participation in the classroom. Students may react differently to lessons based on their religion or may not be able to be present on certain religious holidays.

While English is commonly used in American classrooms, for some students, it is not the language they speak at home. Accommodations should be made to help students for whom English is a second language.

Socioeconomic Status

A student’s socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in the classroom without some type of accommodation. For instance, access to a computer at home or reliable internet access is not a given for some children. Teachers should be aware of this and the stress it may cause students who may struggle due to a lack of resources.

Sexual Orientation

A student’s sexual orientation can have a great impact on how they are experiencing the world. Teachers should understand the struggles that exist and ensure that the lessons taught in their classroom are inclusive.

Gender Identity

Similar to sexual orientation, it is important to understand each student’s gender identity and how they would prefer to be recognized. Teachers should respect their student’s identity and use preferred pronouns when interacting with their students.

How can you Promote Diversity and Multiculturalism in the Classroom?

There are several ways teachers and administrators, such as principals  and coaches, can ensure that both the classroom environment and curriculum are responsive to the increasing cultural diversity of our society. These strategies will encourage all students’ cultural awareness, enhancing each student’s sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the classroom community.

Get to Know Your Students

Maintain consistent communication, acknowledge and respect every student, practice cultural sensitivity, incorporate diversity in the lesson plan, give students freedom and flexibility, why is it multicultural education important to students.

It is important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term. Teaching diversity exposes students to various cultural and social groups, preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. These culturally responsive teaching strategies will help you to promote diversity in the classroom.

With these culturally responsive teaching strategies in mind, it’s important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term.

Students Become More Empathetic

Promoting awareness and creating a personal connection with diverse cultures in the classroom can prevent students from developing prejudices later in life. It allows them to empathize with people different from themselves since they’re more aware of the experiences someone of a different race or cultural group may face.

Students Gain a Better Understanding of Lessons and People

When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures present in the classroom, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment.

Students Become More Open-Minded

Naturally, by exposing students to a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural backgrounds, you’re encouraging them to be more open-minded later in life. This will make them open to new ideas and be able to attain a greater comprehension on a topic by taking in different points of view.

Students Feel More Confident and Safe

Students who learn about different cultures during their education feel more comfortable and safe with these differences later in life. This allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves as well as in their interactions with others.

Students Are Better Prepared for a Diverse Workplace

With the rise of globalization, it’s more important to be able to work with people from different cultures and social groups. If students are exposed to diversity and learn cultural awareness in the classroom, it sets them up to flourish in the workforce.

Learn More About Cultural Diversity in Education

There are additional resources available to help educators grow their knowledge of cultural diversity and apply it to their classrooms. Here are a few sites where you can find more information:

• Learning for Justice
• The American Association of Colleges and Universities
• Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

Additionally, Drexel offers programs that can help broaden a teacher's expertise in multicultural education including our online Teaching English as a Second Language  and Social Emotional and Behavioral Wellness  certification programs. You can also contact us  to request more information.

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The importance of multicultural education

America has always benefited from the contributions and viewpoints of diverse people. Multicultural education emphasizes and celebrates the wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds that students bring to school and society. The multicultural classroom embraces equity and inclusion as a means of teaching global awareness and promoting student success. 1

This post will explore the benefits of multicultural education for fostering inclusion and understanding among students.

Celebrate cultural diversity

A classroom is a unique blend of students from different economic situations, cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, ethnicities, and traditions.

Celebrating cultural diversity shows that you value all of them equally and appreciate the richness they bring to your classroom. It also gives you the opportunity to expose students to other cultures on a regular basis, a practice that has many academic and social benefits, including higher student achievement, cultural competence, and increased empathy. 2

Classroom teachers can celebrate cultural diversity in the classroom in the following ways:

• Coordinate with special area teachers to explore the music and art of other cultures 2
• Build a classroom or school library that contains books that feature characters from many different countries and living situations as well as books written by diverse authors 2
• Encourage students to bring items from home that represent their culture and talk about them with the class 2
• Celebrate holidays from around the world, not just the ones from the predominant culture and religion in your school 2

Foster inclusive learning environments

A culturally inclusive learning environment creates a safe and fair classroom where students from all backgrounds can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Social and cultural considerations can impact how a student learns.

Teachers can help students succeed by recognizing and adjusting for individual cultural differences among their students.

Culture is a broad term that includes the following elements:

• Language differences 3
• Family values 3
• Family dynamics, such as multigenerational homes 3
• Socioeconomic status 3

By getting to know students, teachers will be better able to predict issues that may arise with a particular lesson or activity. They can also tap into the cultural knowledge of their students as a learning resource for the entire classroom. 4

Global citizenship and interconnectedness

Global citizenship recognizes that we are all connected to each other through economic, environmental, social, and political factors. Multicultural education seeks to promote peace through learning and embracing our shared humanity. Global citizens understand the value of others and the interconnected nature of the challenges of inequality. 5

Teachers can promote global awareness by including a global perspective in the curriculum, organizing multicultural events, and establishing connections and partnerships with schools in other countries.

Technology provides a window into other countries, cultures, and perspectives through virtual exchanges and meaningful conversations. 6

Embracing diverse students

In the realm of multicultural education, where the tapestry of knowledge weaves together, embracing diverse students becomes a cornerstone of fostering an inclusive and dynamic learning environment.

Each student brings forth a unique mosaic of experiences, rich cultural backgrounds, and varied learning styles to the classroom. It is within this diversity that the true beauty of education unfolds.

Teachers, as architects of knowledge, hold the power to implement innovative strategies. An example of a classroom activity that embraces diverse students is "Cultural Carousel." In this activity, students rotate through stations that represent different cultures, engaging in activities such as art, music, or storytelling. This allows students to experience and appreciate various cultural expressions, fostering a sense of unity and understanding among classmates of all abilities and backgrounds.

By employing a diverse range of teaching methods that cater to different learning styles, educators create an atmosphere where every student's voice is heard and valued. The curriculum becomes a canvas, enriched with the vibrant hues of diverse ethnic groups' perspectives, offering students a profound understanding of the intricacies of our diverse world.

This approach cultivates well-rounded individuals, fostering an appreciation for the manifold tapestry that shapes our collective journey.

Nurturing the school environment

Crafting a positive and inclusive school environment is a pivotal endeavor in the landscape of multicultural education. Doing so extends beyond the confines of the classroom, enveloping the entire school community in an atmosphere of acceptance and celebration.

Schools, as nurturing gardens of knowledge, can organize vibrant events that pay homage to various cultural traditions, involving parents and students alike in the mosaic of multicultural activities that foster unity.

An example of nurturing the school environment with students is the "Global Friendship Project." In this project, students collaborate with peers from different cultural backgrounds to create a shared project, such as a presentation, artwork, or a story that reflects the diversity within the school community. This not only encourages collaboration but also promotes a sense of belonging and understanding among students of all abilities and backgrounds.

This endeavor involves not only the celebration of diversity but also the establishment of policies that sow the seeds of inclusivity and holistic growth, creating an environment where every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally. In this nurturing space, the spirit of multicultural education takes root, promising a journey of learning that transcends boundaries and fosters a rich understanding of our interconnected world.

Enhance critical thinking and perspective-taking

By exploring diverse perspectives, multicultural education promotes critical thinking and the ability to look at issues from multiple perspectives.

Older students can examine current events through a more comprehensive lens that includes historical perspectives and social injustices, such as institutional racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia. With these wider considerations, students are better able to understand the various factors at play behind some of today’s most controversial social issues. 7

Address social injustice and equity

A multicultural education promotes equity and inclusion for all students. Teachers can lay a foundation of respect and tolerance by facilitating meaningful discussions about racial justice and equity. Raising students’ awareness about inequalities in their daily lives can help them identify and stop patterns of discrimination and unfairness. 8

Educators can address social injustice by teaching students to relate to others as individuals and recognize stereotypes. Teachers can point out the unfairness displayed in individual interactions versus injustice at the institutional level. Students can analyze the impact of injustice in the world, both historically and currently. 9

Teach multilingualism and language diversity

The United States has a rich linguistic culture, with over 20% of children speaking a non-English language at home. Multilingual students maintain stronger connections with their cultural heritage and family, fostering broader social networks and cross-cultural understanding. Bilingualism enhances cognitive skills, such as task-switching, focus, and environmental awareness. Research indicates bilingual children excel in problem-solving and working memory tasks. 10

Dual language programs allow students to achieve better academic outcomes and English-language skills than English-only programs. Multicultural educational programs that promote multilingualism and language diversity lead to higher college attendance rates and better job prospects while fostering inclusive civic participation. 10

Measuring the impact of multicultural education

It can be difficult to assess the impact of multicultural education among diverse students. However, research has shown that multicultural education is highly beneficial in fostering understanding and tolerance among students from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds in both low- and high-socioeconomic school districts. There is also evidence of associated improvements in student behavior and achievement that make the investment in creating multicultural classrooms worthwhile for both students and educators. 11

Become a leader in multicultural education

An online master’s in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Kansas will equip you with the skills you need to create future global citizens. Make a difference in your school, community, and world by developing policies and initiatives that foster justice and interconnectedness for all students.

Earn your degree in two years with our flexible, convenient online program. Contact a KU admissions outreach advisors today to get started.

• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from interculturalmontessori.org/multicultural-education-characteristics/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from continentalpress.com/blog/cultural-diversity-in-the-classroom/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from teachbetter.com/blog/celebrating-diversity-for-an-inclusive-learning-environment/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from globallytaught.com/blog/8-powerful-habits-to-build-a-multicultural-classroom/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from unesco.org/en/global-citizenship-peace-education/need-know
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from everydayspeech.com/sel-implementation/fostering-global-mindset-in-high-school-students-best-practices-for-educators/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from culturalinfusion.org.au/6-reasons-why-multicultural-education-is-essential-in-our-diverse-world/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from militarychild.org/upload/images/MGS%202022/WellbeingToolkit/AL_4_1_Social_Justice_interactiv.pdf
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from learningforjustice.org/frameworks/social-justice-standards
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from tcf.org/content/report/why-we-need-to-cultivate-americas-multilingual-multicultural-assets/
• Retrieved on January 12, 2023, from jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/d97b93d2-7bcf-4490-bdd2-ffe874099c78/content

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Essay on Multiculturalism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Multiculturalism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Multiculturalism

What is multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism is when people from different places, with different ways of living and different beliefs, come together in one society. It’s like a salad bowl, where each unique ingredient adds to the flavor, making it better.

Benefits of Multiculturalism

When we live in a place with many cultures, we learn a lot. We get to try new foods, celebrate different festivals, and make friends with different backgrounds. This teaches us to be kind and open-minded.

Challenges of Multiculturalism

Sometimes, people find it hard to understand each other’s ways. This can lead to disagreements. But, talking and learning about each other’s cultures can help solve these problems.

Multiculturalism in Schools

Schools are great for multiculturalism. Kids learn about the world’s cultures and languages. This helps them become better citizens of the world, ready to work and live with all kinds of people.

250 Words Essay on Multiculturalism

Living in a multicultural society is like having the world at your doorstep. You get to learn about other ways of life without traveling far. For example, you can try different types of food, listen to new music, and make friends with people who have different stories to tell. This can help us become more understanding and accepting of others.

Sometimes, when people from different backgrounds live together, they might not agree on everything. It can be hard to understand someone who is very different from you. But it’s important to talk and listen to each other. This is how we can solve problems and live together peacefully.

Learning from Each Other

In a place full of different cultures, we can learn a lot from each other. We can see that even though we might do things differently, we often have the same hopes and dreams. By sharing our cultures, we can teach each other new things and grow together.

In conclusion, multiculturalism is about different cultures living together and learning from one another. It has its ups and downs, but it makes our world a more exciting and caring place.

500 Words Essay on Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is like a big garden with many different types of flowers. Each flower has its own color, shape, and smell. This garden is more beautiful because it has so many kinds of flowers. In the same way, multiculturalism means having people from many different cultures and backgrounds living together in one place. Just like each flower adds beauty to the garden, every culture adds something special to a country or community.

In a multicultural school, you might have friends from different countries. You can learn from them about their holidays, how they dress, and what games they play. This is not just fun, but it also helps you understand how people see the world in different ways. By learning about other cultures, you become smarter and more understanding. It’s like each new friend is a new book full of exciting stories and lessons.

Sometimes, having many cultures together can be hard. People might not understand each other because they speak different languages or have different customs. It’s like when you play a team game, and everyone has different rules. To play well together, you need to learn the same rules. In multiculturalism, the “rules” are respect and kindness. When everyone follows these rules, it’s easier to get along.

How to Support Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is like a colorful quilt. Each piece of fabric is different, but when sewn together, they make something warm and beautiful. Living in a multicultural world helps us learn, grow, and understand each other better. It’s important to remember that even though we might look or speak differently, inside, we all have feelings, dreams, and the need to be loved and respected. So, let’s celebrate the beauty of every culture and build a world where everyone feels like they belong.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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Multiculturalism in the Classroom is the Gateway to a Richer Learning Environment

Grant Davis, Divya Anroop, Armaghan Ahmadian, Nicol Dumais, Amena Shamisa

Please cite page as:

Davis, G., Anroop, D., Ahmadian, A., Dumais, N., & Shamisa, A. (2022, April 1). Multiculturalism in the classroom is the gateway to a richer learning environment . Classroom Practice in 2022. Retrieved [date] from https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/educ5202/chapter/multiculturalism-in-the-classroom-is-the-gateway-to-a-richer-learning-environment/

MULTICULTURALISM – AN INTRODUCTION

What is multiculturalism? Examining the term multi-, cultural-, and ism-: multi- meaning to have multiple, many, or more than one; cultural- meaning the different indicators of a group of people through their values, beliefs, customs, religion, language, history, art, socioeconomic status, social institutions, achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social groups; and ism- is the suffix meaning a distinctive doctrine, theory, system, or practice. Together it means the practice of multiple cultures – or the way society deals with cultural diversity on multiple levels (Longley, 2020). Regarding education, culture and education are intertwined as they impact and value one another. It is crucial to teach multiculturalism in the classroom from earlier ages as studies show that children start creating biases regarding race by the age of four, and when they are twelve, they become set in their beliefs, making it harder to change (Dickinson, 2020). Each year, classrooms are becoming more diverse and as teachers, we need to embrace diversity and foster a culturally inclusive classroom focusing on equality, justice, and equity.

To implement a multicultural classroom, educators need to be aware of biases; value life experiences; understand learning styles; and assign multicultural projects (American University, 2020). There are four main points to creating a multicultural education which are done through: contributions  – needing a deeper understanding of cultural differences to reshape curriculum and pedagogy; additive – educators branch out and teach what is missing from mainstream norm or the perspectives that are missing; transformative – norms are shaped by many intersections which allows teachers to reflect how the lessons, activities and conversations are framed; and decision-making/social action – support and guide children to develop their comprehension of equity and justice and take action (National Association for Multicultural Education). The benefits of incorporating a multicultural education are that people learn value in all cultures. As teachers, we need to ensure that we do not neglect a major part of a student’s identity, especially if it has been historically ignored or marginalized (Walden University). The more diversity is promoted and focuses on people’s similarities with different groups, it promotes positivity, whereas only looking at people’s differences creates alienation and othering, promoting negativity and hate. Students and their experiences should be valued and discussed, enabling others to address multiple ways of thinking or open themselves to different perspectives, eventually becoming inclusive adults.  Throughout this paper, we will examine the different levels of multiculturalism, such as socioeconomic status, language, religion, gender, and values, and how these practices are applied in the classroom, what opportunities are presented to address concerns, what challenges can occur when discussing these topics, and what strategies can be used to overcome these challenges.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

Socioeconomic Status (SES) is the combination of income, education attainment, financial security, and subjective perceptions of social status and class (American Psychological Association). Socioeconomic status affects everyone in different ways, whether they are from higher statuses, lower, or in-between – everyone fits into a category. Socioeconomic status may affect quality of life attributes and opportunities and privileges offered to people (American Psychological Association). Those from lower SES suffer from these consequences and rarely get the chance to reap the benefits, sometimes propelling their children into the same cycle.

Socioeconomic status is not something one can practice, but can know and address in a healthy way, especially in the classroom. As previously mentioned, the earlier and more students are exposed to a topic, such as SES, multiculturalism, or multiple perspectives, it can create positive thoughts, allowing the students to carry these positive notions throughout childhood and into adulthood. However, students who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds tend to have more problems at home, affecting their behaviours at school (Hayes, 2019). Regardless of a student’s SES, all students have the same rights and responsibilities, even though some may require extra care and support (Taylor), and it is the educator’s role to teach, support and meet the needs (social needs included) of all students. Students from low-income backgrounds have different needs than students from higher-income backgrounds as they have access to less resources, they are more stressed, sick more often, home provides less emotional support and intellectual stimulation (Hayes, 2019). There are lots of comparisons between children from low socioeconomic statuses and high socioeconomic statuses, such as those from low SES develop academic skills slower, which is related to poor cognitive development, language, memory, socioemotional processing, and poor income and health in adulthood (American Psychological Association). Not only do the students develop slower, but the resources provided by the school are not adequate, as that impacts their academic progress. It is important to note, as educators, we need to develop personal, caring relationships with students to develop trust and transparency. Through this, teachers will have a better understanding of the child’s homelife and can relate to their students from an empathetic, equitable, equal, or just position and provide resources or solutions to the students and their families (Taylor).

Opportunities present themselves in many ways to address the concern of SES in the classroom. Starting on the first day of class, it is important for the educator to set classroom rules for behaviour emphasizing respect, honesty, and an open-door policy for students (Yale). This is a time and place to set ground rules regarding acceptance and civility, though also begin building an open and trusting relationship with students – however, it is not probable for students to open up freely about difficult conversations as there has been no trust or sense of safety developed amongst classmates and teacher-student. Teachers should also present themselves as available to have open discussions with students anytime but should also require one-on-one check-ins with all students to discuss learning progress and personalize strategies for their improvement (Yale). Throughout the term or year, teachers are able to take their time and examine requirements of assessments and evaluations, clearly state what is required of them, provide resources and instruction (Yale). However, another approach to target lower SES students would be to have an open discussion about what the students reckon is reasonable considering the resources they have available. This also ensures that students have a voice, a choice, and that it matters – they are given autonomy in their class pertaining to their education, where not many lower SES students have that opportunity at home. Other examples for opportunities to address SES could be reading a book and having an opening discussion, allowing students to open up in different ways, exposing students to multiple viewpoints (Hayes, 2019). It is important to integrate content with diverse perspectives and representation through including books, authors, videos, and examples, as this helps students recognize the content through a personal connection (Yale).  Another opportunity could be witnessing stereotyping and using this time to remind students of the classroom rules – that all students need to be addressed with respect as this teaches civility (Taylor). Students want representation, whether that is having the curriculum relate to their own experiences, it is important to place value on diverse experiences in the classroom, use pop cultural examples or even examples referencing the student’s interest (Yale). Ensuring that students have a quality education reduces the likelihood that they will continue the cycle of remaining in a low SES. As Kindergarten to grade 3 is a crucial development period for students, if they remain in a higher quality classroom, they are more likely to attend post-secondary school, save for retirement and live in better neighbourhoods (American Psychological Association).

Discussing socioeconomic status is not an easy topic to explain and there are many challenges that can occur. A student’s SES is not necessarily detectable as students find ways to self-normalize and appear middle-class (Yale); it is unlike race or gender where it is explicit and obvious. Everyone wants to be accepted and included, and if a child does not feel this way at home, the school should provide opportunities for a student to find a home in the school (Hayes, 2019).  Not all students have access to all the same resources, for example, internet or even colouring utensils (Hayes, 2019). For instance, children’s literacy environment in the home affects how they develop fundamental skills of reading acquisition, such as phonological awareness, vocabulary, and oral language (American Psychological Association). Students from low SES are less likely to have the fundamental skills to develop at the rate they should compared to their high SES counterparts, caused by the lack of books owned at home, parental distress, less access to learning material and experiences, or lack of a positive literacy environment (American Psychological Association). Students from high SES have the support and resources to succeed, hence they are equipped with the tools to meet curriculum expectations or exceed. If these students are not meeting the requirements, parents can afford tutors or take the time to create a positive environment for skill-building or development. Another challenge that is important to note is that schools in lower socioeconomic neighbourhoods have fewer library resources for students to draw on, such as fewer staff or open for fewer hours (American Psychological Association).

With all challenges, there are strategies and solutions to overcome problems. Being able to share resources with your own class, or other classes is important. Many times, teachers buy resources for their class with their own money, and the more you buy, the more it adds up. Though, being able to share tools around the class or with other classes, allows students to access tools they may not have access to at home. Increasing school funding may also help with providing resources to students (American Psychological Association). Also being able to offer students a way to access the internet outside of school, whether it is the public library or even a McDonalds (Hayes, 2019). While this is great advice, some students may not have access to technology at home (laptop, computer, tablet). Another way to offer resources is allowing students to come to school early or stay later and use the school resources – this way students can also utilize the teacher for help with homework, clarify other questions they may have, or just use the time to complete the homework as they may not have had a chance to complete it. In terms of creating inclusivity in the classroom, this can be done through extracurricular opportunities (Hayes, 2019) where students can connect with other students or develop new skills independently – as both promote student engagement and development. Understanding that students have different learning styles, lessons can be taught through simplified language or offer several approaches to different content for students to capture important concepts and meet the various levels of SES and academic preparedness (Yale). Ensuring that student emotions are protected in the classroom permits honesty, valuable insights, and encourages academic discussion with personal experience (Yale). One of the best ways to do this is through share-circles where one student speaks at a time, moving in a circle, as everyone is able to listen respectfully and everyone has an opportunity to speak, unlike a debate or conversation and some voices are forgotten or ignored (Bickmore, 2014). Staying connected to the world around us with current and relevant information allows teachers to improve teaching and learning, as well as continuing their professional development, and involving parents (American Psychological Association), all contribute to strategies of discussing and tacking socioeconomic inequalities in the classroom as these are all aids to better teach and bring attention to topics pertaining to diversity. By having a multicultural approach to teaching and learning, it allows students to become active seekers and producers of knowledge, learning more, faster, and developing a higher curiosity (National Association for Multicultural Education).

Language development is essential to all students’ education, regardless of their prior or current experiences with language. Many students in Ontario have rich linguistic and cultural backgrounds, some of which are in the process of learning English (English Language Learners or ELLs; Ministry of Education, 2007). These students are unique because they are learning the language of instruction and the curriculum simultaneously. (Ministry of Education, 2007).

ELL students can be recognized by the programs that support them. (Ministry of Education, 2008). The first includes English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, where students have a first language other than English and are given opportunities to develop literacy skills that are age-appropriate (Ministry of Education, 2007). The second includes English Language Development (EDL) programs, where students have a first language other than English, but were not given sufficient support in development of language and literacy skills (Ministry of Education, 2007).

It is a teacher’s responsibility to support children’s language development in both English and their home-languages (Ministry of Education, 2008). It is important to note that supporting all language development is essential because home-languages are fundamental to student identities and their cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development (Olivia-Olson et al., 2019). Therefore, it is imperative that education programs recognize, honour, and cherish children’s identities or home environments/cultures (Olivia-Olson et al., 2019).  Taking this into consideration regarding classroom management will help create an inclusive and equitable classroom.

This notion of fostering inclusivity can be applied by adopting the general principle that ELL students should be included in whole-classroom activities. In this case, language is made visible and accessible to them (Ministry of Education 2008). To ensure equitable and fair opportunity to language development in the classroom teachers:

• Ensure their delivery models are flexible and student-centered. This includes giving ELL students ample opportunities to interact with proficient English speakers in the classroom (Ministry of Education, 2007).
• Follow Integrated Classroom Support models, where they collaborate with ESL and EDL teachers to develop tailored and comprehensive planning, instruction, and assessment strategies that complement and support ELL students. This includes appropriate scaffolding techniques, adaptations to the Ontario curriculum and learning tasks, and differentiation of instruction to ensure every student can complete and participate in classroom activities. (Olivia-Olson et al., 2019).
• Provide Tutorial Support in small groups of ELL students to give them opportunities to practice and reinforce language and literacy skills (Olivia-Olson et al., 2019).
• Support integration into the academic and social school life (Ministry of Education, 2007).
• Communicate effectively with parents (Ministry of Education, 2008).

With these actions teachers must also understand what bilingual students bring to a classroom. Often referred to as bilingual advantage, students with previously developed language skills present advantages regarding their mental flexibility, problem-solving skills, communicating with family members, development of cultural understanding and continuity, awareness of global issues, and their access to future career opportunities (The National Association for Multicultural Education, 2021).Understanding and expressing these advantages helps ELL students feel confident and take risks in classroom. It also develops a welcoming and supportive classroom dynamic that perceives ELLs as a positive asset to the social atmosphere (Ministry of Education 2008).

Although seemingly flawless, the construction of an inclusive and equitable classroom environment could present a few challenges. For example, ELL students may suffer from negative impacts on their self-esteem Students may be unable to communicate initially which can cause feelings of isolation (College of English Language, 2021).  Additionally, students may feel disengaged as a result of undifferentiated instruction, which affects their ability to participate in class activities (College of English Language, 2021).

The best strategies for these challenges include proactivity and preparation. For example, teachers should attempt to personalize language through family engagement (The National Association for Multicultural Education, 2021). This includes building rapport with family members and encouraging students to use both languages at home to help build confidence and safe environments for them to practice their language (Ministry of Education, 2007). As a result, teachers will develop supports for students’ cultural identity and literacy skills by cultivating an encouraging network, to prevent feelings of isolation. In addition, teachers can build a supportive classroom environment, where ELL students are recognized and celebrated for the advantages and complexity they bring to the classroom (Ministry of Education, 2007). This can be done by teaching the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity, encouraging group activities in the classroom with differentiated instruction, making language visible and accessible and developing a classroom expectation regarding respect for self and others (The National Association for Multicultural Education, 2021).

Students come into the classroom all with their own cultures, customs, and language, and the importance of allowing students to express their cultural identity is crucial in their growth and connection to this part of themselves. Providing space and opportunities for students to celebrate their religious identity is another place where students need to feel as though their values and faith matter. While religions are often debated based on their differences, opening up conversation to share the similarities could give students an idea on just how similar religions are and their connections to individuals. “Educators and students do not leave our faith at the door before entering a classroom. An educator who is an observant Muslim, for example, does not stop believing in justice, mercy, and inclusion — core dynamics of Islamic ethics — when she engages her students.” (Garofalo et al., 2020).

With the opportunity for a multicultural education, students can develop a culturally diverse outlook on various topics with the ability to see the perspectives of those who may share different experiences and opinions.   The community of the school or classroom has the potential to foster these relationships and can be beneficial to students’ learning and achievement. “Educators have an opportunity to foster communication among people creating mutual respect and understanding” (Garofalo, 2020). Part of having multiculturalism thrive comes from the ways we as educators model an importance for celebrating empathy and community in the classroom.

The idea of religion in schools has been controversial and yet the inclusion of the beliefs and values of students is crucial to promoting an inclusive and meaningful education where students can feel connected and welcomed to share any connections to their faith. Educators have the ability to demonstrate showing respect for others and their religions by speaking from a place of respect for every individual to feel comfortable. “Historically, leaders from Muslim, Christian, Hindi, Buddhist, Jewish, and Catholic faiths have urged for humanity to live in harmony and respect and have advocated for peaceful interactions” (Ilosvay, 2016). Faith-based schools gives students the chance to deepen their religious identity, as well as their cultural background all while forming relationships with peers who share similar values, backgrounds, and beliefs. In the article ‘Religion in Schools? The Importance of Recognizing the Impact of Religious Experiences’, the author makes note of ways educators can use the ‘religious beliefs of students as strengths of their identity’, and how it may eliminate some misunderstandings and establish an environment of mutual acceptance, which could also be helpful outside the school environment. (Ilosvay, 2016).

Gender is unquestionably a distinguishing characteristic of every human community. When a teacher develops a learning environment that is more conducive to the achievement of boys or girls, gender becomes a factor in classroom teaching (Bray et al. (n.d.), p.5). These perspectives often impose tight definitions on the natural skills and attitudes of each sex, as well as on the societal roles judged acceptable for men and women (Alan et al, 2018, p.2). Furthermore, for all youngsters, gender development is a normal process. Understanding gender identity and how it develops is a critical approach for educators to promote and encourage healthy gender development in early childhood. Gender identity is an innate feeling of self that individuals experience as a result of the combination of their biological characteristics, developmental impacts, and environmental factors (Nduagbo, 2020). In addition, while pupils may come to school with an awareness of gender stereotypes, instructors have the power to reinforce or dismantle them; teacher philosophy and verbal and non-verbal communication play a critical part in the classroom development of societal gender norms (Lo, 2015, p.15).

Moreover, cultural differences are comparable to gender differences, but they are not the same. There are physiological differences between men and women, but they do not translate into intrinsic disparities in the capacity to perform in school or at work. Culture affects the impact of gender on education and accomplishment (Bray et al. (n.d.), p.5). Also, regrettably, schools often encourage gender prejudices in a variety of ways. While publishers have developed rules to ensure that educational materials are free of gender bias, it is sensible to check for prejudices. For example, although children’s novels now have an equal number of male and female characters, the titles and artwork still feature more men, and the characters (particularly the boys) continue to exhibit stereotypical behaviour. Boys are more combative and confrontational, while girls are more expressive and loving. Girl characters may straddle gender stereotypes in order to be more active, whereas guy characters seldom exhibit “feminine” expressive characteristics. Additionally, video learning packages, virtual worlds, social media platforms, and other sources, such as YouTube, may not be as thoroughly screened for gender, racial, ethnic, economic, religious, or age stereotypes and biases as most texts are, and they can serve as sources of stereotyped messages (Woolfolk et al., 2016, p. 218).

Throughout the education system, teachers will preach respect.  Respect the materials in the classroom, respect the teacher, the staff, but most importantly, each other.  Students can struggle with respecting each other though due to a misunderstanding of their values.  If not exposed to diversity, how to respect other’s values comes from imitation of their parents, or the media they consume, both of which can be extremely offensive due to outdated terminology and appropriateness.  That is why it is vital as an educator to incorporate the teaching of different cultures values in to lessons as often as possible.  This can be done seamlessly through many subjects such as language, dance, art, music and more.

When teachers of young students teach with respect to the values of different cultures, it was found that students of different culture gained equal access to opportunities and education in the school was enhanced (Soner & Munevver, 2019).  Intuitively this makes sense, when students are aware of why their classmates act or think the way they do, instead of getting bullies they can be praised, raising confidence levels and willingness to try new things as well as putting themselves out there (Soner & Munevver, 2019).  American University School of Education (2020) suggests four ways of being able to implement multicultural education into the classroom to help make students aware of the different values their classmates may hold as outlined in the table below. Multicultural education is a great way to allow students learn how they are similar and unique (American University School of Education, 2020).

• Be Aware of Biases

Challenge the status quo to eliminate bias.  Question inequalities that occur within the school or community.

• Value Life Experiences

Give students the opportunity to share life experiences if they feel comfortable as it allows others to either feel validated in their own experience or provides exposure for others to grow and learn from.

• Understanding Student Learning Styles

Students from different backgrounds can learn in different ways.  Lessons should be designed to allow all students to succeed.

• Assign Multicultural Projects

Researching different cultural backgrounds is a great way to get students thinking and understanding how others act.  Language and the arts are great subjects to incorporate multiculturalism into the classroom.

Bibliography

Alan, S., Ertac, S., & Mumcu, I. (2018). Gender stereotypes in the classroom and effects on achievement. Review of Economics and Statistics 100 (5), 1-36 DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_00756

American University School of Education. (2020, May 19). What Is Multicultural Education? An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Diverse Students. Retrieved from School of Education Online Programs: https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/multicultural-education

Aren’t They Too Young? (n.d.). The National Association for Multicultural Education – Advancing and Advocating for Social Justice & Equity. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from  https://www.nameorg.org/learn/arent_they_too_young.php .

Awareness of Socioeconomic Diversity. (n.d.). Yale – Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/SocioeconomicDiversityAwareness .

Bickmore, K. (2014). Peacebuilding Dialogue Pedagogies in Canadian Classrooms. Curriculum Inquiry, 44:4, 553-582.

Bray, M., Brown, A., & Green, T. D. (n.d.). Chapter 1: looking at gender, culture, and other diversities in the classroom: an overview. Technology and the Divers Learner: A Guide to Classroom Practice, 1-17.DOI :https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483328911.n1

College of English Language. (2021). Challenges for English Language Learners (ELLs) in Content. College of English Language. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.sac.edu/AcademicProgs/ScienceMathHealth/MathCenter/PDF/Tutor%20Training/Module%204/Challenges_%20Tips%20for%20English%20Language%20Learners.pdf .

Dewan, A. (2018). An Apology for Multiculturalism [Image]. Open Canada. https://opencanada.org/apology-multiculturalism/ .

Dickinson, G. (2020). How to talk to your kids about racism and protests. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.inquirer.com/news/protests-george-floyd-toddler-teens-elementary-advic

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Education and Socioeconomic Status. (2017). American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/education .

​​Garofalo, S., & Culture. (2020, December 5). What is faith’s place in education? Excalibur. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.excal.on.ca/features/2020/12/04/what-is- faiths-place-in-education/

Hayes, J. (2019). 5 Ways Teachers Can Address Socioeconomic Gaps in the Classroom. Social Studies School Service Blog.  https://blog.socialstudies.com/5-ways-teachers-can-address-the-poverty-gap-in-the-classroom .

James, C. E. (2001). Multiculturalism, diversity, and education in the Canadian context: The search for an inclusive pedagogy. Global constructions of multicultural education: Theories and realities, 175-204.

Ilosvay, Kimberly K. EdD (2016) “Religion in Schools? The Importance of Recognizing the Impact of Religious Experiences,” The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community: Vol. 1 : Iss. 2 , Article 2. Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/jfec/vol1/iss2/2

Jutzeler, S. (2020). Set of Figurines on Steps Representing Social Ladder [Photograph].Pexels.   https://www.pexels.com/photo/set-of-figurines-on-steps-representing-social-ladder-5152102/ .

Lo, D. (2015, April). How teachers challenge gender stereotypes in the classroom. Teaching and Learning Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/68765/1/Lo_Dawn_201506_MT_MTRP.pdf

Longley, R. (2020). What is Multiculturalism? Definition, Theories, and Examples. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-multiculturalism4689285#:~:text=Multiculturalism%20is%20the%20way%20in,harmonious%20coexistence%20of%20different%20cultures .

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for Ontario educators, grades 1 to 8. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/esleldprograms/guide.pdf .

Nduagbo, K. C. (2020, July 23). How gender disparities affect classroom learning. Ascd.  https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/how-gender-disparities-affect-classroom-learning

Olivia-Olson, C., Epinosa, L. M., Hayslip, W., & Magruder, E. S. (2019, January). Many languages, one classroom: Supporting children in Superdiverse settings. NAEYC. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/dec2018/supporting-children-superdiverse-settings .

Soner, & Munevver, M. Y. (2019). Investigation of Classroom Applications for Multicultural Education in Terms of Various Variables. Prizen Social Science Journal, 3(1), 38-49. https://doi.org/10.32936/pssj.v3i1.83

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Classroom Practice in 2022 Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Catherine Vanner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Multiculturalism in Education Essay (Critical Writing)

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

The question, Hypothesis, and Purpose

Review of the literature, methodology and results, reliability, validity, and limitations.

Tonbuloglu, Aslan, and Aydin (2016) conducted research focused on multiculturalism in education. The authors engaged teachers, as they are held responsible in regards to matters that pertain to the environments of learning, to correct stated negative views. The abstract is well-written and gives a summary of the research. The reader is able to understand the critical details about the research study from the abstract.

The general flow of the research is also good. Additionally, the work is detailed with facts and verifiable sources and facts. The article is well-written as the researchers provide a clear definition of terms, making it easier for non-technical readers to still understand the research. The researchers give details on multiculturalism and race and age, proposing that even within one race, one can find several types of cultures.

This study was well-written. The purpose of the identified study was to determine the nature of the views of the teachers in regards to multicultural education, the associated diversity of learning environments, and the efforts teachers have put in place to include multiculturalism in their yearly plans of the school syllabus. Even though the significance of the study was not evident, the reader was able to deduce it in the introduction of the paper. The research questions are highlighted as:

• How the teachers reacted to the system of multicultural education?
• What was the teachers’ first evaluation concerning the multicultural type of education and the associated sphere surrounding the activity?
• What are the teachers’ suggestions concerning the multicultural type of education?
• What are the associated proficiency levels of the respective teachers in line with the yearly involvement of the multiculturalism system in the school syllabus?

The literature review is detailed. The authors used several scholarly articles and journals to explain their premises. For example, the argument that teachers also have to be taught multiculturalism is supported by several other scholars and authors. They also included citations that criticized some of their premises. For instance, the scholars quote Kaya (2015), who argued that multiculturalism should not be taught within a classroom set-up.

The addition of the sources that critique the proposed arguments ensured a rich and informing literature review. Interestingly, the researchers combined the literature review with the introduction part of the paper. It is more common to have the two sections separate. Sources were also used in other sections of the paper to both support and criticize different arguments.

Tonbuloglu et al. (2016) employed a qualitative design for their research. In the study, the teachers presented their views concerning a multicultural type of education. Towards the end, the teachers reflected on the respective schools’ plans for the introduction of multiculturalism in their curriculums, thus, fulfilling their purpose. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to select the sites and participants. In this study, the study group for this research consisted of six teachers employed at a primary school in the Istanbul province during the 2012-2013 school years. Purposeful sampling techniques were selected because participants had the needed experience and ability to respond to the research questions.

Data analysis was comprehensive and reliable. The data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. During analysis, it was realized that the actual knowledge of every teacher in line with the multicultural type of education, together with the diversity of the system, was adequate. The respective opinions from the teachers towards the multicultural kind of training were identified to be positive. However, the teachers appeared confused in regards to the multicultural type of education, which made them experience some problems due to certain inadequacies. Moreover, a yearly analysis was conducted, and it showed that the efforts applied to the multicultural education system were not enough. The results were appropriate and complete for the research design.

The presentation style and the general flow of the study, including proper sentence construction and grammar, allows for an easy read. Additionally, one can quickly pick out various views concerning the multicultural education system. The in-depth questions also allow the reader to note the proficiency levels of the teachers. The data collection and analysis approach also go hand-in-hand due to the many variants of study that were identified. From a research design perspective, the study gives refined data, which increases reliability.

One weakness of the study is that the teachers lacked the required skills and knowledge that are necessary for multicultural education. Thus, the teachers also have to be culturally competent to engage in multicultural education processes with their students.

The research is reliable. The authors explained their process well. There appears to be no sign of bias in the study, as well. The purposeful random sample size also ensures the reliability and validity of the data. It is important to also note that the reliability and validity of the research, to academics, lie in its impact on globalization. In a culturally diverse world, students should be molded on competency amidst differences.

The researchers proved the importance of multicultural education, and in so doing, demonstrated its usefulness in real life. Additionally, multicultural competency allows for personal growth. A limitation of the study is that a good number of the teachers did not know what multiculturalism involves. Such participants could not be avoided due to the methodology and sample selection design used in the study.

Kaya, Y. (2015). The opinions of primary school, Turkish language, and social science teachers regarding education in the mother tongue (Kurdish). Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 2 (2), 33-46.

Tonbuloglu, B., Aslan, D., & Aydin, H. (2016). Teachers’ awareness of multicultural education and diversity in school settings. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research , 64 , 1-28.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Multiculturalism and Education

Introduction, textbooks on multicultural education.

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Multiculturalism and Education by Jose Luis Alvarado , Valerie Ooka Pang , Melissa Naranjo LAST REVIEWED: 28 March 2018 LAST MODIFIED: 28 March 2018 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199791231-0108

This article presents major pieces within the field of multiculturalism relating to children, youth, teachers, and schooling. In particular, the research has examined much of the work that forms the foundation of multicultural education. Though the area primarily arose from the civil rights movement in the United States, Britain, Australia, and other nations throughout the world, the push for equality in society and schools became a more powerful force after World War II when discussions of race relations developed. The field is vast and includes characteristics of children, youth, and adults such as race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, disabilities, language, exceptionalities, sexual orientation, and religion. The resources that are cited include foundational and conceptual research and contemporary analyses. There has been controversy about the use of the terms multiculturalism and multicultural education. Some scholars believe that the expressions are dated and should be replaced. This is viewed as being more inclusive and general in nature; thus, terms have changed over time. For example, in the 1970s the field was identified as “multiethnic education.” As the field of education became more inclusive, the term was changed from “multiethnic education” to “multiculturalism.” Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a move toward the use of expressions such as cultural diversity or cultural and linguistic diversity. For the purpose of this bibliography, we present resources that are about multiculturalism within the contexts of student identity development, cognition, linguistic development, the learning process, teaching methods, and educational policies. This will include references that discuss the maturation of children and students, descriptions of theoretical frameworks, examination of conceptual models, and presentation of culturally relevant content. Since multicultural education is the major avenue for the inclusion of cultural and linguistic diversity in schools, we begin with the major textbooks in the field.

There are a variety of textbooks on multicultural education which have been published since the 1970s. Initially, textbooks such as Banks 2002 and Banks 2008 were written from the perspective of ethnic studies and reinforced the term “multiethnic education.” However, as the field progressed, more emphasis was placed on multiculturalism. As the discipline evolved, other work such as Bennett 2003 developed a strong orientation toward curriculum development and instructional delivery. Later Nieto 2000 contributed the inclusion of critical theory into the philosophical core of multicultural education. Presently, there is a greater focus on the need to identify theories that form the philosophical and educational psychology foundation of the field, which can be found in Pang 2018 . The references in this section present different viewpoints about how the field should influence and shape schooling. McLaren 1989 is unique in that it describes examples of what the author experienced as a teacher about how inequalities are readily reproduced in schools. The author of Warner 1986 describes her work with indigenous Maori students, which was an early narrative of how multiculturalism could be integrated into schooling. Gay 2010 , by one of the founders of the field of multicultural education, expands on the principles she believes are at the core of the disciplines. The authors in multicultural education have different orientations from a progressive stand to one embracing critical theory.

Banks, James A. An Introduction to Multicultural Education . 5th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2002.

This book gives readers a forward-reaching look toward increasing their understanding of what multicultural education means for teaching in contemporary classrooms. The author explores the concepts, principles, theories, and practices of multicultural education in such key areas as the goals and misconceptions of multicultural education, citizenship education and diversity in a global age, curriculum transformation, curriculum reform, and school reform and intergroup education.

Banks, James A. Teaching Strategies for Ethnic Studies . 8th ed. New York: Pearson, 2008.

This was a popular textbook in multicultural education when the field was developing. It was based on the importance of teaching educators the history of underrepresented groups in the United States. For example, separate chapters were included on Asian Americans, black Americans, Jews, Native Americans, Latinos, and women.

Bennett, Christine I. Comprehensive Multicultural Education Theory and Practice . 5th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2003.

This text assists teachers in how to become competent educators in a nation that has extensive student cultural and racial diversity. Four areas of focus are curriculum reform, equity pedagogy, multicultural competence, and teaching toward social justice. Strategies about how to eliminate prejudice and lessons on equity are included.

Gay, Geneva. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice . 2d ed. New York: Teachers College, 2010.

Culturally responsive teaching can be integrated into schools to challenge academic failure of students of color and address the achievement gap. The text provides important theory, research, and practice along with case studies and other examples of how teachers can implement education that is meaningful to students.

McLaren, Peter L. Life in Schools: An Introduction to Critical Pedagogy in the Foundations of Education . New York: Longman, 1989.

This book calls into question the role of teachers as reproducers of inequality. McLaren challenges educators to resist imperialistic pedagogy, which creates an unfair society. The author believes critical pedagogy should be adopted as the foundation for transformative education and describes his own experiences as a classroom teacher.

Nieto, Sonia. Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education . New York: Longman, 2000.

This text is based upon critical theory and the work of Paulo Freire, which calls for education that is based on the values of social justice and equality. Discrimination and power inequities are the two major themes throughout the text.

Pang, Valerie Ooka. Diversity and Equity in the Classroom . Boston: Cengage Learning, 2018.

This text describes a comprehensive theoretical framework for multicultural education called Caring-centered Education. The framework is comprised of the ethic of care as developed by Noddings, the sociocultural theory of learning established by Vygotsky, and education for democracy cultivated by Dewey. This framework has an educational psychological foundation and includes a section on culturally relevant teaching.

Warner, Sylvia Ashton. Teacher . New York: Touchstone, 1986.

Warner chronicles her teaching with Maori children. She believed in her students and her teaching methodology arose from the interests and knowledge of her students. She used what would be now called an experiential learning and culturally relevant education. She built the curriculum on the culture of her children.

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Article Title

Multiculturalism in the Schools

Tina Bianchi , St. John Fisher University Follow

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In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

• What is multicultural education?
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• Who should be exposed to multiculturalism and why?
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Bianchi, Tina. "Multiculturalism in the Schools." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 2 (1999): 4-9. Web. [date of access]. <https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/3>.

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Article contents

Inclusive intercultural education in multicultural societies.

• Rocío Cárdenas-Rodríguez Rocío Cárdenas-Rodríguez Universidad Pablo de Olavide
•  and  Teresa Terrón-Caro Teresa Terrón-Caro Universidad Pablo de Olivade
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.803
• Published online: 29 November 2021

Cultural diversity is a characteristic of plural societies, and the way that each society approaches that diversity determines whether or not the societies evolve or stagnate, whether cultural groups remain segregated or integrate, and whether social inequalities grow or if communities affirm the value of diversity and promote equality.

For this reason, it is important to analyze the cultural diversity management system that guides our interventions because the socioeducational methods and practices designed for any given plural context depends on them. Research refers to the assimilationist, multicultural, and intercultural cultural diversity management models, and the conclusion appears to be that the intercultural model is the framework that [best] accounts for an integrated and inclusive society.

Interculturalism requires the establishment of policies that champion equity, in order to achieve equality at the legal and social levels, and that promote genuine equality of opportunity. At the same time, it demands pedagogical practices based in civic education. An intercultural education should help us learn to live together and should educate people, to grow their knowledge, understanding, and respect for cultural diversity.

Intercultural education is a reflective, socioeducational practice focused on social and cultural transformation through equal rights, equity, and positive interaction between different cultures. Intercultural education is characterized by an acknowledgment of cultural diversity, a positive valuation of egalitarian relations, equal educational opportunities for all, and moving beyond racism and discrimination.

Fundamentally, intercultural education can be understood as an educational model that champions cultural diversity and the advantages it offers within an education context, such as the values of human rights and equality, and a rejection of cultural discrimination.

• cultural diversity
• ethnic minorities
• assimilationism
• multiculturalism
• interculturalism
• social inclusion

A version of this article in its original language

Culture, Society, and Processes of Acculturation

The evolution of human beings over the course of centuries has been possible because humans are social beings. They live in societies, share a common habitat, solve problems together, fight together for survival and for their own wellbeing. They share cultures and a specific way of living and being in the world. For this reason, the concepts of culture and society must be analyzed together.

Tylor’s definition of culture comes from the last part of the 20th century and has remained in use owing to its simplicity, defining culture as “that complex whole made up of understandings, beliefs, art, morals, laws, customs, and any other abilities or habits acquired by man as a member of a society” (Tylor, 1977 , p. 19). However, Rochel ( 1985 ) defined society as “all of the organizational relations generated by the individuals within a social system.” In other words, while society refers to forms of organization, culture is better defined as ways of doing, feeling, and thinking (Cisneros Britto, 2009 ).

All human groups have developed their own culture, which is, ultimately, everything that they have learned or invented to better adapt themselves to the needs of their time and ecosystem. Cultures are diffused throughout a society by individuals, they are shared from one individual to another, in a specific context, and within the society in which they develop. Depending on the society, we will find that cultural transmission is preserved and transmitted in an identical form from generation to generation, or that, through the process of transmission, cultures adapt to a changing reality. Everything depends on the level of openness of the society in question, whether it is a closed, static society, or if it is a society open to change and intercultural exchange.

It is important to note that, in reality, culture serves two functions: an ontological function that allows human beings to define themselves in relationship to others, and an instrumental function that facilitates adaptation to new environments by producing specific behaviors and attitudes, which is to say, a cultural reconstruction. In the most closed societies, much more importance is given to the ontological function of culture: that of belonging to a group and the preservation of cultural practices. However, in more modern societies, the instrumental or pragmatic function of culture is more developed than the ontological function in order to respond to the material needs of these societies: increased (intercultural) contact, rapid changes, and growing complexity.

When a series of continuous (direct or indirect), contacts occurs between groups and individuals from different cultures, the result is a process of acculturation. During this acculturation process, depending on whether we maintain our culture or if we want to engage with other cultural realities, Berry ( 1990 ) established four strategies of acculturation that have inspired the management models for cultural diversity (assimilationist, multiculturalist, and interculturalist). Along these lines, the acculturation strategies Berry proposed are:

Assimilation: The individuals of the dominant group reject the cultural diversity of the ethnic minorities and only engage with them if they adopt the dominant cultural model. Assimilationist Management Model for Cultural Diversity.

Separation: The cultural groups want to maintain their original culture, but they do not seek positive relationships. Multicultural Management Model for Cultural Diversity.

Integration: The cultural groups seek to maintain their culture and also to engage with and learn about the new culture. Intercultural Management Model for Cultural Diversity.

Marginalization: The individuals from the dominant culture don’t respect the culture of the minority groups and don’t want to engage with them.

The three models developed from these acculturation strategies are models that are being developed today in specific countries, and that determine the integration policies targeting the ethnic minorities that live in these countries.

By their very nature, democratic societies must commit to following the intercultural model of integration because it is the only model that affirms the right to be, to think, to express oneself, and to act differently, and because it combines that right with the right to not be treated as a minority. That is to say, within an intercultural model, everyone should have the same rights as the majority. When a group of the population, such as ethnic minorities, isn’t afforded the same moral, political, and legal opportunities as the majority, a robust and active defense of integration becomes necessary.

Management Models for Cultural Diversity: Assimilationist, Multiculturalist, and Interculturalist

The word multicultural refers to a situation within a society, group, or social entity, wherein several groups or individuals from different cultural backgrounds live together, whatever their chosen lifestyle. In general terms, we can say that a multicultural society is one in which groups can make distinctions between one another on the basis of criteria with significant and divisive social force, such as an ethnoracial, ethnonational, religious, and/or linguistic background: all criteria of belonging. Now, in every society, there is usually a dominant group that controls a majority of political and economic power.

Depending on the acculturation strategies the dominant group develops, from a cultural perspective, we can encounter societies that view cultural diversity in negative terms and enact strategies to eliminate or reduce cultural differences. In contrast, there are societies that consider cultural diversity in positive terms and enact strategies to protect cultural groups.

Based on these two positions, as seen in Table 1 , we can establish three management models for cultural diversity: the Assimilationist model, the Multiculturalist model, and the Interculturalist model.

Table 1. Management Models for Cultural Diversity

Source : Prepared by the authors.

Next, we present the three management models of cultural diversity currently being developed in democratic societies.

Assimilationist Model or Assimilation

We can define assimilation as a model based on the belief that there is a cultural code that sustains the dominant and/or majority group, which is socially superior to the rest: in other words, the belief that there is a way of doing things and organizing life that is the most correct, appropriate, and convenient for all of society.

The assimilationist model tries to absorb diverse ethnic groups into a society that is supposed to be relatively homogenous, imposing the culture of the dominant group onto others. Advocates of this model believe that advanced societies trend more toward universalism rather than particularism, and they conceive of ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity as a problem that threatens social integrity and cohesion. This model encourages cultural uniformity: it suggests and assumes that groups and minorities will adopt the language, values, norms, and identity markers of the dominant culture, and likewise, that they will abandon their own culture in the process. This process takes place between a majority with power (the host society or dominant culture) and a minority without power (foreigners and or ethnic minorities). The latter are expected to adopt the culture and customs of the host society and to change their own identity in order to be fully integrated into the dominant culture. This is a process that demands adaptations and transformations on the part of ethnic minorities, but not on the part of the supposed cultural majority.

This model has been strongly criticized because of its negative view of cultural diversity and its efforts to eliminate it. Additionally, it is a model that wrongly assumes that societies are culturally homogeneous in origin and does not account for cultural diversity within groups. It has also been criticized for unilateralism in its approach to change because it only works to change the cultural minorities.

The Multiculturalist Model or Multiculturalism-Interculturalist Model or Interculturalism

Interculturalism is a model that, according to Schmelkes ( 2001 ), works to go beyond multiculturalism and that affirms that a multicultural society cannot be truly democratic if it does not transition from multiculturalism to interculturalism by approaching cultural exchange as a mutual enrichment of cultures in relationship with one another.

It is a model grounded in the idea that cultures are not static, but rather, are dynamic entities that are enriched and energized as a result of intercultural exchange, this interculturality.

The term intercultural is a sociopolitical concept that emerged in response to multiculturalism’s failure to reflect social dynamics. Its first iteration came as part of an action plan in the field of education, where pluralism, understood as the coexistence of all cultures, was an insufficient framework to account for the intensity of the relationships between different peoples. The term intercultural emerged in response to the need for education curricula that were not monocultural, that did not silo individual groups, that did not present cultures as monolithic, that capitalized on the potential for different cultural knowledge and experiences to enrich the educational field, and, ultimately, to provide an education-focused intervention that prioritizes intercultural coexistence within societies. Interculturality is not a concept, it is a practice. It is not a theoretical framework; it is an ethical project. More than an idea, it is an attitude, a way of living and being in the world (Tubino, 2004 ).

The intercultural project is focused on exchange and reciprocal influence. It promotes a positive attitude towards interaction between people from different cultures. Because we know that cultures are dynamic, not static entities, they are enriched and energized as a result of cultural exchange and thus, interculturality. Interculturalism conceptualizes cultural identity as something that each person actively constructs throughout their life. In this way, the instrumental function of culture is prioritized, facilitating a constructivist approach to cultural identity.

In fact, interculturalism suggests that it is not cultures that come into contact with one another, but rather individuals with their own cultural knowledge and understanding who engage with one another. As noted, interculturalism adopts a constructivist approach to cultural identity, wherein no one belongs to any one single culture, but rather, culture belongs to people who use, manipulate, and transform it throughout their lives. Therefore there is no reference culture used to measure others, and there is no established hierarchy between cultures.

As we have indicated, interculturalism focuses on individuals with their cultural knowledge and understandings as open to one another and capable of mixing and producing new cultural syntheses. However, there is one major problem: intercultural interaction almost always takes place in a context of inequality, unequal power relations, and ethno-racial hierarchies.

To develop interculturalism, it is necessary to establish two kinds of strategies: political strategies and pedagogical strategies. This is referred to as “the pedagogical-political approach to interculturalism” (Figure 1 ), which posits that, to develop interculturalism, it is necessary to establish a politics of equity, to achieve legal and social equality for all people. It is also necessary to establish intercultural pedagogical practices and intercultural education, and through education, to learn to live together and to foster knowledge, understanding, and respect for cultural diversity.

Figure 1. The pedagogical-political approach to interculturalism.

For interculturality to become a reality, there must be legal and social equality between people from all cultures. An intercultural education is also necessary to educate citizens in knowledge, understanding, and respect for the different cultures present in their society. Intercultural education imagines cultural exchange on equal terms as well as the establishment of a dynamic cultural reality in constant transformation, where diversity is viewed by all as a source of enrichment.

As Essomba ( 2008 ) reminded us, interculturalism works towards a stable society, with a common understanding of culture shared by all, which means that each citizen should be interested in understanding the other and communicating with them. Interculturality is grounded in the need for participation, coexistence, and mutual exchange between people on equal terms, as well as the potential for each cultural group to contribute something to the rest of society.

It’s about “finding a shared project” rather than creating a uniform society, a model for social relations, aimed at overcoming racism, that focuses its efforts on influencing how people are socialized from an ethical perspective, with special attention to reasoning and sensitivity towards the other.

Inclusive Intercultural Education

School, as an entity whose function is the socialization of individuals to turn them into participatory citizens, doesn’t just communicate basic knowledge. It offers students comprehensive development with the goal of educating them to be informed citizens. Therefore, education today should encourage dialogue as well as equality in opportunities and exchange in order to promote a quality and equitable education for all, without excluding cultural minorities or foreigners. It should account for the heterogeneity of its student body and recognize its diversity in gender, ability, interests, tastes, rhythms and learning styles, functional diversity, languages, races, etc., and within all of this diversity, cultural diversity. School has never been homogeneous, but today it is essential that educators establish strategies for teaching in multicultural environments.

Strategies for approaching diversity within schools have gone through various phases until finally arriving at Inclusive Education. As indicated in Table 2 , these strategies correspond to the different management models for cultural diversity.

Table 2. Approaching Diversity in Schools

Source : Authors, based on data from García and Goenechea ( 2009 ).

Initially, the term inclusion was closely linked with the special education needs of some students, but more recently it has been applied to education as a whole, promoting the idea that education is for everyone, independent of individual characteristics or educational needs. Inclusive education affirms that all boys and girls can learn in a school environment in which diversity is understood to be an added value.

Inclusive education, “recovers the authentic meaning of integration as a process of mutual adaptation which allows the minority to incorporate itself into the host society on equal terms with native citizens, without losing their culture of origin” (García Medina et al., 2012 , p. 21). In other words, and as indicated by the intercultural model, it is a process that impacts both the host society as well as the minority group.

Intercultural education is

a practice, a way of thinking and doing that understands education as cultural exchange and cultural creation. It promotes educational practices geared towards each and every member of society as a whole. It puts forth a model of analysis and implementation that impacts all dimensions of the educational process. The objectives of this education are equality in opportunities (.|.|.), overcoming racism, and the acquisition of intercultural skills. (Aguado Odina, 2003 )

Intercultural education recognizes the values and lifestyles of all peoples and promotes respect and tolerance for different cultural norms, as long as they do not violate the basic human rights of other people. It involves an education centered in difference, diversity, and cultural pluralities, as opposed to an education for those who are culturally different. But it does not stop with respect and tolerance, rather, in contrast to multicultural education, intercultural education seeks out exchange, interaction, and a shared project that everyone can contribute to.

In other words, intercultural education is grounded in a respect for other cultures, seeks out contact and exchange on equal terms, avoids ghettoization, segregation, and assimilation, and promotes a critical view of all cultures.

The goal of an intercultural education is to foster an open-mindedness toward the world, in a way that eradicates mechanisms of exclusion in all their dimensions and allows the subjects to establish themselves in relationship to others beyond fear of feeling one’s identity is threatened. According to Ander-Egg, “It is not enough to say, ‘I am tolerant,’ one must say ‘I respect’ and ‘I take pleasure,’ in difference and multiplicity, because they enrich me” ( 2001 , p. 11).

However, intercultural education should not glorify cultural differences. Glorification overvalues cultural difference in a way that reifies human beings within cultural groups and runs the risk of falling into a misleading form of passive tolerance that can lead to exclusionary and culturally essentialist racism. Interculturalism values cultural pluralism, but its fundamental element is exchange and contact between people from different cultures, a reciprocal interaction and creative negotiation. Maalouf defined the process thus:

I would like to speak first to “some of you”: the more you immerse yourself in the culture of your host country, the more you will be able to imbue it with your own[. A]nd now to “the rest of you”: when an immigrant perceives that you respect their culture of origin, the more open they will be to the culture of their host country (.|.|.). It is, at its core, a moral contract, in which the parties involved gain more from learning about one another’s specific contexts: within the host country, what is the baseline level of knowledge and understanding that everyone must acquire, and what can legitimately be negotiated or even rejected. The same goes for the culture of origin of the immigrants: what cultural components deserve to be integrated into the adopted country as something of great value, and what components can be put away in the closet? (Maalouf, 1999 , p. 56)

As Sáez ( 2006 ) suggested, we should encourage interaction between culturally diverse people and members of society, rather than fostering an exclusive and exclusionary, closed off cult of original cultural identity.

According to Medina et al. ( 2004 ), intercultural education is based on the following principles:

Recognition, acceptance, and appreciation of cultural diversity.

A refusal to label or define anyone according to their culture. Not segregating people into groups [according to their culture].

A defense of the values of equality, respect, tolerance, pluralism, cooperation, and shared social responsibility.

Fighting racism, discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes by fostering positive values and attitudes towards cultural diversity.

Approaching conflict as a positive tool for coexistence and providing students with strategies to resolve conflicts in a constructive way.

Involving the entire educational community’s participation in the democratic management of the [educational] center.

Curricular revision to eliminate ethnocentrism through universal models of human knowledge and an appreciation for different languages and cultures.

Mandate that educational professionals be trained to work with diverse populations and to utilize cooperative teaching methods together with appropriate resources.

Specific attention should be paid to students still learning the language of their host country. Educators should focus on the communicative aspects of teaching in order to help them succeed.

These principles of intercultural education work to improve quality of life and to strengthen cultural identity through acknowledgement of and engagement with diversity. They promote a nuanced understanding of cultures, and therefore, train students to be cognizant of cultural pluralism.

Interculturality, according to Soriano ( 2011 ), was designed as a pedagogical strategy that works to improve the quality of life of all members of the educational community, and it does so by deepening the value of education, and by valuing education in and of itself. We should bear in mind that teaching and learning processes are multidirectional, and that the pedagogical practices within an intercultural school should affirm diversity and foster spaces for intercultural exchange. It is not a matter of bringing isolated cultural activities into a school, reading a story from another culture, or presenting classes in world music; rather, it is a process of demonstrating the importance of intercultural emotions, values, and skills (Escarbajal, 2015 ). As indicated in Table 3 , sometimes schools carry out activities that they call intercultural, but they are actually isolated events.

Table 3. What Is and Isn’t Intercultural Education?

To summarize, intercultural education is clearly tied to processes of exchange between diverse persons and groups. Intercultural education promotes intercultural communication and interconnection, and this is possible because the cultures are not so static that they can’t evolve, and the people that belong to them are capable of reinventing them and recreating them to adapt to new challenges and improve their lives. As we noted earlier, the instrumental function of culture makes this intercultural connection possible, together with the establishment and evolution of individual cultural identity.

As Sáez reminded us,

this enriching exchange is the product of a relationship between people with diverse cultural roots; me and the other or the others. Not just me. Not just the other. It is a relationship with the other, conceived of individually and collectively as diverse and not as a foreigner or enemy. This exchange and interaction between the I and the Other are the engine that drives intercultural education. (Sáez, 2006 , p. 870)

Living together requires openness to the knowledge of other cultures and the decentralization of one’s own perspective. That is to say, it requires us to learn about other cultures and to think critically about our own cultural norms. It also requires us to understand that cultural diversity is a process of hybrid living, the active cultivation of respect and tolerance for the different ways that other people think and live. In other words, it requires us to develop the intercultural skills that Aguado Odina ( 1996 ) defined as a combination of specific and general skills that facilitate the formation of a citizenry, specifically:

Cultivating a positive attitude towards cultural diversity and expanding one’s understanding of the traditions and beliefs of others.

Fostering verbal and non-verbal communication skills that will facilitate effective communications in contexts where two or more cultures are in contact with one another, learning to recognize and negotiate the tensions that arise from ambiguous intercultural situations.

Developing the ability to understand one’s own culture through action and reflection, and to carry out a critical assessment of one’s own culture.

Regarding the work of interculturality in schools, according to the work of Astorgano ( 2000 ), we can establish four specific areas (see Figure 2 ): (a) Critical analysis of the inequalities in the world, understanding the causes of economic, social, and cultural inequalities, as well as the role we play in maintaining them; (b) The development of communication skills and intercultural dialogue focused on each and every student, and on the acceptance of cultural differences; (c) Basic values such as tolerance, respect, equity, and participation; (d) Constructive intercultural conflict resolution, working for a negotiated resolution through intercultural mediation.

Figure 2. Intercultural education. Areas of development.

Intercultural education involves the implementation of new educational guidelines and practices aimed at preparing students to live in diverse societies. It fosters cultural critique to highlight the ethnocentrism of current curricula, it emphasizes communication, exchange, appreciation for, and acceptance of other cultures, and it works to overcome prejudice and racism.

Furthermore, Essomba ( 2008 ) noted that this kind of education necessitates a curricular transformation, to make sure that the changes made in the classroom make their way out into the world. This curriculum should help students understand the cause and effects of migratory flows, social inequalities, specific prejudices and stereotypes, and should foster an understanding of the broader relationship between identify and place.

By way of example, we indicate some issues [that are always at play] within an intercultural education project:

Respect for and sensitivity to different ways of acting and understanding life: In intercultural relationships it is important to bear in mind that cultural norms such as the concept of time, physical contact, non-verbal communication, etc., are not always interpreted in the same way within different cultures.

Valuing people as individuals: It is important to appreciate everyone’s cultural attributes and language, as we are all cultural intermediaries, but we must avoid stereotypes and, ultimately, treat people like individuals and value their unique characteristics.

Assuming ignorance: To interact with the other, an attitude of sustained humility is necessary, of questioning oneself and one’s own motivations, as opposed to a confident arrogance or a belief that one already knows everything there is to know about the other.

An attitude of openness: To be open to the other and to others, and to be personally and culturally enriched, it is important to be able to listen, to have a large capacity for empathy, to be capable of putting yourself in another person’s shoes, and to know how to engage in dialogue.

Identifying and overcoming prejudices against people and groups of different ethnic backgrounds: This is a baseline skill within intercultural relationships and is an essential starting point because it both acknowledges and resolves anxieties about difference that can sometimes complicate the integration of people from minority groups.

Knowing how to be critical of your own culture in addition to others: We believe all cultures are equal, but we don’t believe that all cultural norms have the same value. For this reason it is necessary that we learn to be critical of cultural aspects that violate basic human rights. Radical relativism and an unconditional praise of difference can lead to ghettoization and the marginalization of certain groups.

Openness to self-acculturation: Within intercultural relationships, we are all simultaneously subject and object. In other words, we have to be open to experiencing personal change.

As Sáez noted ( 2006 ), the goal of intercultural education is not simply to learn about the culture of another person, as interesting and necessary as that may be, but rather, to learn through interaction with another human, as the individual and diverse subject that he/she/they is/are, keeping in mind, that they are above all a member of the human race. Intercultural education must be taught, and for this reason, we all must learn it.

• Aguado Odina, M. T. (1996). Diversidad cultural e igualdad escolar: Un modelo para el diagnóstico y desarrollo de actuaciones educativas en contextos escolares multiculturales. In Catálogo de Investigaciones Educativas: 1997–1998 (pp. 219–222). CIDE.
• Aguado Odina, M. T . (2003). Pedagogía intercultural . McGraw-Hill.
• Ander-Egg, E. (2001). Prólogo. In M. Bartolomé Pina (Ed.), Identidad y ciudadanía (pp. 9–12). Narcea.
• Astorgano, A. (2000, November 27–December 1). Educar sin discriminación [Conference publication]. XV semana monográfica «Aprender para el Futuro . Fundación Santillana, Madrid, Spain.
• Banks, J. A. (1986). Multicultural education: Development, paradigms, and goals. In J. A. Banks & J. Lynch (Eds.), Multicultural education in western societies (pp. 1–28). Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
• Berry, J. W. (1990). Psychology of acculturation: Understanding individuals moving between cultures. In R. W. Brislin (Ed.), Applied cross-cultural psychology . SAGE.
• Cárdenas-Rodríguez, R. , Terrón-Caro, T. , & Pérez-de-Guzmán, V. (2014). Education, gender, and cultural diversity: Conviviality or coexistence? Journal for Educators, Teachers and Trainers, 5 (3), 39.
• Cisneros Britto, Mª P. (2009). Sociedad y cultura . In Román Reyes (Dir.), Diccionario Crítico de Ciencias Sociales . Complutense University of Madrid.
• Escarbajal, A. (2015). Comunidades interculturales y democráticas . Narcea.
• Essomba, M. A. (2008). 10 Ideas Clave: La gestión de la diversidad cultural en la escuela . GRAÓ.
• García, J. A. , & Goenechea, C. (2009). Educación intercultural: Análisis de la situación y propuestas de mejora . Wolters Kluwer.
• García Medina, R. , García Fernández, J. A. , & Moreno Herrero, I. (2012). Estrategias de atención a la diversidad cultural en educación . Catarata.
• Maalouf, A. (1999). Identidades asesinas . Alianza.
• Malgesini, G. , & Gimenez, C. (2000). Guía de conceptos sobre migraciones, racismo e interculturalidad . Catarata.
• Medina, A. , Rodríguez, A. , & Ibáñez, A. (2004). Interculturalidad: Formación del profesorado y Educación . Pearson.
• Rochel, G. (1985). Introducción a la sociología general (9th ed.). Herder.
• Sáez Alonso, R. (2006). La educación intercultural. Revista de Educación , 339 , 859–881.
• Schmelkes, S. (2001). Intercultura y educación de jóvenes y adultos . Revista Interamericana de Educación de Adultos , 27–36.
• Soriano, E. (2011). La educación como valor y el valor de la educación en una sociedad en continuo cambio. In E. Soriano (Ed.), El valor de la educación en un mundo globalizado (pp. 69–92). La Muralla.
• Tubino, F. (2004). La impostergable alteridad: del conflicto a la convivencia intercultural .
• Tylor, E. B. (1977). Cultura primitiva. Los orígenes de la cultura . Ayuso.

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Teaching Students About Donald Trump’s Wiki Page: A Comprehensive Resource

Teaching students about the oldest hockey team, teaching students about st. francis of assisi: enlightening young minds, teaching students about piping: a comprehensive guide, teaching students about sand sharks: a dive into the mysterious world of these intriguing creatures, teaching students about the age of millennials: a new approach to education, teaching students about yerba mate: a cultural and educational experience, teaching students about deliverance cast education, teaching students about malcolm butler: inspiring lessons for the classroom, teaching students about andrew thomas: a fresh approach to learning about a brilliant mind, 6 ways to implement a real multicultural education in the classroom.

Most American citizens are proud of our “melting pot” status. After all, how many of us refer to ourselves as one ethnicity or another, and not just an “American”? It is a source of familial pride for us. Even African Americans, who do not always have an Ellis Island story in the family true, find collective strength in the stories of their ancestors and what it means for their lives today.

While this blending of cultures can most definitely be a blessing—it can also be a curse. With more diversity than ever, teachers have to adjust methods from one student to the next, and from one year to the next. Multicultural education is about more than a classroom with varied skin color – it includes careful examination of the neighborhoods, parenting styles and general experiences that shape each and every K-12 student.

In this article, I want to take a look at several ways to encourage a real multicultural education in our schools.

• Define multiculturalism. Multicultural education is a progressive approach for transforming education based on educational equality and social justice. The components required in educating a multicultural education are content integrations, prejudice reduction, empowering school culture and social culture. These all relate and all require attention as they relate to the efforts of conflict resolution in today’s world. What kids learn in their classroom environments when it comes to interactions with those who are different from them translates into how well they will manage life in the global marketplace.

In the last century, there has been an increase in global mutual acceptance of opposing views and different cultures – though arguably, there is still a long way to go. Specifically when it comes to America, it is crucial that multicultural education exist with the increasing number of students who speak a second language and come from somewhere else. Diversity exists even within mainstream society and students need to have the communication life skills that multicultural education promotes.

• Observe your students closely, and value your real-life experience of diversity over the textbook version. David Kolb created a four-step model for really understanding the needs of a particular student group. He starts with concrete experience, adds reflective observation and then moves to abstract conceptualization and active experimentation.

In other words, multicultural education cannot be taught in a textbook. It must be developed by each educator based on a particular student group.

• Learn your students’ learning styles. Teachers can help students discover their academic strengths by helping them discover their own learning style. In this way, students discover what method of comprehension works best for them based on their own backgrounds and personalities. If educators make this learning style quest a class project, an inherent lesson in multiculturalism is taught.
• Encourage your students to be proud of their heritage. Educators should look for ways to emphasize the differences between students in a positive light. This might mean writing essays on family background or partnering with other students to help each other develop projects that accent the culture of the other. This can include prompts that look back on family history for generations, or could ask students to look at their current family setup.
• Be aware of your biases. In order to fully understand the significance of multiculturalism in the classroom, educators must first thoroughly examine their own cultural beliefs, values, and biases.  Then prospective educators are ready to begin learning about other cultures–to become familiar with their values, traditions, communication styles, learning preferences, contributions to society, and relationship patterns of their future students.  While some of this education can be achieved by simply reading about cultural diversity, it is difficult to truly substitute for genuine interaction and discourse with members of students’ cultures.

While book knowledge about diverse cultural groups can come in handy to a certain extent when designing lesson plans and educational materials, one of the most important reasons for truly learning about the cognitive patterns of cultural groups is so that the interpersonal attitudes and behaviors of diverse students can be effectively interpreted in terms of the culture that they’re entrenched in.  Traditional teaching environments force students from those and other groups to modify their thought and behavior patterns to fit standard European-American norms or else face academic and behavioral consequences.  In a culturally responsive classroom, the onus is instead placed on the instructor to learn about and adapt to the cultural intricacies of the students that they teach.

• Create assignments that celebrate multiculturalism. If used cleverly, classroom assignments can provide a primary window into a student’s cultural beliefs.  Writing assignments can play a significant role in gathering information about student thought patterns and tendencies.  Interviews with family members, assignments asking students to write about learning experiences that occur outside of school, and assignments involving family stories and traditions all can play a significant role in unearthing information about a students’ cultural heritage.  Students’ parents can often be solicited as sources of useful personal information and visiting the neighborhoods where diverse students live can help give educators an idea about the level of social support present and the types of challenges that the student might face outside of the classroom.

There are tons of ways that educators can approach multiculturalism in K-12 classrooms but the first step is recognizing its importance.

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Multiculturalism as a challenge to traditional liberalism

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• Table Of Contents

multiculturalism , the view that cultures , races , and ethnicities , particularly those of minority groups, deserve special acknowledgment of their differences within a dominant political culture .

That acknowledgment can take the forms of recognition of contributions to the cultural life of the political community as a whole, a demand for special protection under the law for certain cultural groups, or autonomous rights of governance for certain cultures; identity politics may be tied to each of these actions. Multiculturalism is both a response to the fact of cultural pluralism in modern democracies and a way of compensating cultural groups for past exclusion, discrimination , and oppression. Most modern democracies comprise members with diverse cultural viewpoints, practices, and contributions. Many minority cultural groups have experienced exclusion or the denigration of their contributions and identities in the past. Multiculturalism seeks the inclusion of the views and contributions of diverse members of society while maintaining respect for their differences and withholding the demand for their assimilation into the dominant culture.

Multiculturalism stands as a challenge to liberal democracy . In liberal democracies, all citizens should be treated equally under the law by abstracting the common identity of “citizen” from the real social, cultural, political, and economic positions and identities of real members of society. That leads to a tendency to homogenize the collective of citizens and assume a common political culture that all participate in. However, that abstract view ignores other politically salient features of the identities of political subjects that exceed the category of citizen, such as race, religion, class, and sex. Although claiming the formal equality of citizens, the liberal democratic view tends to underemphasize ways in which citizens are not in fact equal in society. Rather than embracing the traditional liberal image of the melting pot into which people of different cultures are assimilated into a unified national culture, multiculturalism generally holds the image of a tossed salad to be more appropriate. Although being an integral and recognizable part of the whole, diverse members of society can maintain their particular identities while residing in the collective.

Some more radical multicultural theorists have claimed that some cultural groups need more than recognition to ensure the integrity and maintenance of their distinct identities and contributions. In addition to individual equal rights, some have advocated for special group rights and autonomous governance for certain cultural groups. Because the continued existence of protected minority cultures ultimately contributes to the good of all and the enrichment of the dominant culture, those theorists have argued that the preserving of cultures that cannot withstand the pressures to assimilate into a dominant culture can be given preference over the usual norm of equal rights for all.

Some examples of how multiculturalism has affected the social and political spheres are found in revisions of curricula , particularly in Europe and North America , and the expansion of the Western literary and other canons that began during the last quarter of the 20th century. Curricula from the elementary to the university levels were revised and expanded to include the contributions of minority and neglected cultural groups. That revision was designed to correct what is perceived to be a falsely Eurocentric perspective that overemphasizes the contributions of white European colonial powers and underemphasizes the contributions made by indigenous people and people of colour. In addition to that correction, the contributions that cultural groups have made in a variety of fields have been added to curricula to give special recognition for contributions that were previously ignored. The establishment of African American History Month , National Hispanic Heritage Month , and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States is an example of the movement. The addition of works by members of minority cultural groups to the canons of literary, historical, philosophical, and artistic works further reflects the desire to recognize and include multicultural contributions to the broader culture as a whole.

Schools And Multiculturalism In Schools

Most of the people involved in the education force are white, middle class, catholic, monolingual English speakers. However this profile no longer holds true for the students. Gone are the days when Irish classrooms were full with white, catholic children. These classrooms are now packed with a variety of ethnic diversity. Although these children from different backgrounds are a minority in the classrooms, schools and teachers must figure a way to make them feel just as equal as the majority white, catholic children. Schools should be striving in achieving multiculturalism. This is the acceptance and acknowledgement of the ethnically diversity that is present in their schools. For the longest time ethnic minorities , travellers, Africans, Indians, Muslims, Jews and many others have not been given the same recognition as others. ‘Irish society has undergone substantial change in the past thirty years, typified by a rapidly changing social structure’ (Dympana Devine). Teachers must devise teaching strategies in order to help the children in their classrooms. Bullying is a major issue which teachers must address when introducing multiculturalism into their classrooms. ‘The most salient form of racism among children and young people appears to be in the form of racist name calling’ (Connolly 1998, Mac An Ghaill 1994, Troyna and Hatcher …show more content…

Multicultural education is imperative in classrooms in which there are ethnic minorities it is a set of strategies designed to address the diverse challenges experienced by rapidly changing Irish classrooms. It is a beginning step to shifting the balance of power and privilege within the education system. To motivate children in the learning process, teachers must be aware of the ability of each child in their classrooms. Teachers must not engage in racial or ethnic stereotyping because this may hinder their

Multicultural Education Essay

Just exactly what is multicultural education and how do we as educators incorporate it into not only our classes, but into our curriculum and even more, our everyday lessons? The education system is made up of a wildly diverse group of people. Students are sitting in classrooms from all types of backgrounds, plus coming to school with a wide variety of needs. Where at one point in time it was taboo to discuss one’s differences, we were to focus on how we are all alike. We as a group have come to acknowledge that it is okay to be different. We don’t have to be like everybody else.

Multicultural Curriculum For A Multicultural Classroom

The purpose of this paper is to inform our readers of how a multicultural education benefits children. How can teachers create a multicultural learning community, and how can teachers help guide children

Racism And Racism In Schools

Racism is present in Australian schools. Racism can be directly seen in the acts of racist abuse, harassment and discrimination. It can also be seen indirectly, in the form of prejudice attitudes, lack of recognition of cultural diversity and culturally biased practices (New South Wales Government, 2017). Teachers do not often realise the bias mind they can bring to a classroom. If teachers do not realise and do not address their own bias, they cannot be a skilful and effective teacher to students.

Analysis Of The Story ' Kwanzaa And Me '

The story provided an excellent discussion of the many issues that surround race in schools, it centered on the topic about whether integrated schools were more beneficial than segregated schools. This book focuses on young children in the early grades, listening to parents and racial integration. The author wanted to find the truth that is surrounding multicultural classrooms from those that are involved in it. This book includes many side stories, which serve to explore the concepts, and displays them in a clear way; it also added depth to the book. This book was well written and shows all sides of multicultural education. It does not take one side in particular and it encourages people to explore multicultural education in a new light.

This Paper Will Be Discussing A Recent Fifteen Hour Field

This paper will be discussing a recent fifteen hour field experience I participated in which I observed a classroom which included many students of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. I will discuss any prejudices/discriminations I observed in the classroom based on ethnic and cultural diversity. I will also describe how this experience has made me determined to try to create a positive learning environment for students of diversity in the classroom.

Race And Gender Representations In Advertising In Cable Cartoon Network

My findings can be useful to implement new social policies to create a more diverse educational classroom setting. In the beginning of the year, school administration may not focus on the racial diversity in a classroom when choosing classes, but I believe this should also be another factor when dividing students, to create an equal diverse classroom. While creating diverse classrooms will aid in the ethnic knowledge of children, organizing school-wide ethnic cultural celebrations can also help expand and introduce different cultures and ethnicities to children who may not otherwise be introduced to a different ethnicity and race, other than the ones they are surrounded with. In relation to personal experience, I grew up in a social setting where my ethnicity was the majority, but when I started college at Dominican University, I was sectored as a minority since most students were white, but I was not affected by this cultural shock as I had a close connection to my ethnic roots and did not let the change of environment affect me. Growing up in an environment where you are the majority, but then radically being introduced to an environment where you become the minority can easily affect the cognitive state of a person, if that person was not well-prepared

The Australian Curriculum Has Been Designed With The Specific Goal Of Addressing The Needs Of All Students

Significant learning can only occur in a setting based upon mutual trust and understanding within a culture of inclusiveness or to put it simply “Seek first to understand, then to be understood (Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion | TED Talk | TED.com, 2013) The Australian Curriculum has been designed with the specific goal of addressing the needs of all students and their individual learning needs (ACARA, 2010) while the Early Years Learning Framework lays out ‘cultural competence’ however the specifics are left to the classroom teacher and their school to decide. Australia claims that it is a multicultural society, tolerant of differing views and cultures, however the reality is quite different with the Index of Social Cohesion report by Scanlon Monash finding that attitudes toward different cultures has worsened in the last four years( Ewing, R p 75) . With forty four percent of citizens either immigrants or the first generation of immigrants without consideration and integration of different cultural norms into the classroom room learning experience these children may be left behind (Lawrence, Brooker & Goodnow, 2012 p 75), . Children of low socio-economic backgrounds fare worst of all in all measurable outcomes including lower literacy and numeracy skills, reduced higher education enrolment and graduation rates (Gorski, 2013 p). The Australian Curriculum has been designed with the specific goal of addressing the needs of all students and their individual learning

The History Of Multicultural Education

The multicultural curriculum has its roots in the history of multicultural education which follows the history of the US civil rights movement (Fillion, n.d). The desegregation practices during the 1950s were established in order to provide equal education for all individuals, regardless of race or any other demographic considerations. The 1960s and 1970s, desegregation practices expanded to include application in seeking equity of all students in terms of their human rights (Banks, 2000). With the focus on human rights, multicultural concerns in education were considered, recognizing the importance of establishing awareness in a culturally diverse community. The changes in the teaching curriculum came under the collective heading of multiculturalism. These changes were also apparent in Britain and in Australia just as they were unfolding in the US (Lynch, 1983). The educational authorities recognized the fact that the curriculum must come from the social and the ethical concepts being seen in the multicultural setting. Various references to the inherent value of all human beings were also highlighted, and this attached value was also seen in the human rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s (Lynch, 1983). In these states, the focus was on acknowledging the need for the multicultural curriculum and for teachers to support and promote such a program. Research was then carried out and workshops with teachers implemented. Such actions were able to establish that even as

Whitfield And Klug: An Analysis

There has been a clear notion on what is needed in today’s education and that is diversity in the classroom to include material in the curriculum that openly addresses diversity. Teachers need to be aware that being multicultural is important, adaptation is required and ability to provide students with a safe environment. Meanwhile, also understanding the student’s interest, culture, and background is vital in the student’s learning. For example, according to Karmeen (2013), “21st Century Teacher Educator” and “Teachers as “Healers”: 21 Century Possibility? Or Necessity?” by authors Whitfield and Klug (2004); both promote the ideas of including multicultural materials in the curriculum. They both agree that the reduction of prejudice and promotion of social justice is key. One should obtain the knowledge to understand and recognize what is unique among different groups that each student represent.

Diversity in the Classroom: A Cognitive Call to Action Essay

A major change that needs to take place in order to accommodate the change in population is one in instruction. Teachers and supervisors need to be instructed in gearing education more toward children of different cultures. Because of disparities that still exist between students of color and their white counterparts, teachers will need to understand their own culture and the power functions of society as they relate to learners of all creeds. These power functions of society define learning and communication styles, participation structures and cultural responsiveness (Page, 163). Often, the reason culturally diverse students fail to engage in their own education stems from lack of motivation and the influx of negative influences. These negative influences often offer students a

The Application Of Racial Identity Development Theory In The Classroom

The integration of multicultural issues with the current educational structure needs to be met with caution and the upmost care is one of the messages I got from our class and it’s true. These decisions can cause irreparable damages to the students’ lives and could further distance the divide between achieving cultural understanding and continual ignorance. However, if certain components are taken into consideration, there is hope for a bright and culturally-rich future. First, there are various multicultural issues including stereotype threat and the lack of conversation about race and culture at a young age that should be addressed. Secondly, understanding the power of open-discussions with multicultural issues for I experienced it first-hand

The Classroom Environment Should Look And Feel Welcoming For All Children

Diversity is what makes each person in a classroom different from each other, even though you could be the same color of the person sitting next you, does not mean you are the same. The classroom environment should look and feel welcoming for all children. So it can show the diversity of the world in which we live in. Children should be provided with essential information about who they are and what is important, making an effort for this to happen creates a setting that is rich in possibilities for exploring the diversity of each student in a classroom across the world. A few of the educational practices today is geared towards supporting and eliminating ethnic differences between students in classrooms today.

Issues in Multicultural Education

Effective instructors must understand the issues that impact multicultural education in the United States. The significance of providing an eminence instruction in an unbiased approach to all of their students is essential. The tide of demographic changes in the United States has affected most classrooms in our schools. As a result, some classroom teachers realize they must quickly acquire a comprehensive understanding of ethnic, cultural, and social-class diversity present in today’s schools. Otherwise, these teachers will face difficulty in classrooms comprised of fifty-one percent minority students. (Texas Education Agency, 1993) Nonetheless, traditional teachers with no experience in multicultural

Multicultural Education Reform

Multicultural education is a philosophical concept built on the ideals of freedom, justice, equality, equity, and human dignity as acknowledged in various documents, such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence, constitutions of South Africa and the United States, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations. It affirms our need to prepare student for their responsibilities in an interdependent world. It recognizes the role schools can play in developing the attitudes and values

The History of Multicultural Education Essay

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During the late 1960’s, America had entered into a period of cultural definition especially with the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement. Although the term “multicultural education” had not come into play yet, the idea that the U.S needed to reexamine their efforts of educating diverse groups was emerging. During this time inequality especially among minority groups in comparison to the white dominant culture became a social issue (Banks 1999). Before the arrival of this reform multicultural education was displayed in the classroom as having minorities adapt to the predominant culture. Teachers during this time felt it would be more beneficial for minorities to adapt. However, many parents of these minorities begin to argue that the

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Multiculturalism In Schools Essay

Show More Throughout the state of Arizona there is an issue being debated around the state over multiculturalism in the classroom because of ethnic study classes that are in the schools. This heated argument began when a new Arizona law that was being made, that stated that they will ban ethnic studies from public an charter school. The reason behind the creation of this law is because certain individuals saw these classes as a "threat" to overthrow the government and "promote" ethnic solidarity over other students due the topics and books that were being used in the classrooms as materials. Which they used this law to get rid of Mexican-American studies alone over that reason without looking into the ethnic classes it self, for what it is. However, that not what others who are for these classes see it as, specially the teacher who are teaching theses classes to them. They see as a way for student to embrace their roots and see the world in another view rather than one they knew. As well a way to express …show more content… They 're so wrong over that claim, these class help promote students to think outside of what they are told from society. Yet others still believe that these classes will cause problems, however, it 's the fear of change that is making them feel that. Due to the shift of ethnicity that is in the area that are making them blind to see reason. People who are for the studies state that fear is what,"makes or breaks a community is whether enough people step forward to face history and themselves."(Liu 3). So overall, should ethnic studies be included in high school classroom , I believe it should because if it helps student to learn and promote a new way to think and see the world it 's something that should be in the high schools. If it 's the high schools it will help prepare students before they graduate and see the world for what it

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Multiculturalism Essay | Multiculturalism and Its Influence and Benefits on Society

October 18, 2021 by Prasanna

Multiculturalism Essay: The term multiculturalism refers to the cohabitation of different ethnic, racial, religious and language groups. In any culture, there are always differences in social backgrounds, religious affiliations, ethnicities, and socioeconomic factors. These differences are what make a culture unique.

The term multiculturalism has shifted in meaning over time. It was first used to describe the coexistence of different cultures within a society. Now it is used to describe government policies that support diversity among different ethnic and social groups. This essay will explore the various definitions, arguments for and against multiculturalism. The essay will also look at what multiculturalism means in its wider sense, how it has developed over time and its impact on people’s lives.

You can also find more  Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

The Flaw in the Multiculturalism Argument

Multiculturalism has been a hotly debated topic in recent years. Some argue that it is the only way to live in harmony with one another, and also promote positivity among groups because it creates opportunities for people of different backgrounds to be able to live and work together.

Others may disagree with this notion, believing that because of multiculturalism, there is an influx of people, resulting in a society that has become more stratified and fragmented.

The idea of multiculturalism in the U.S. is not one that was established in recent times, but rather has roots in the founding of America when immigrants arrived to the U.S. from all over the world, speaking different languages and bringing with them different customs and traditions. Similarly, India is also a multicultural nation that celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. This can be attributed to the country’s long and eventful history.

Critique of a Multicultural Society

In a multicultural society, members of various cultures and ethnicities are able to live side by side and share their culture with one another. However, some say that multicultural society is a utopia and does not exist in reality. Moreover, a few pressing problems exist in multicultural interaction. One of the most notable problems is the consequence of the “melting pot effect” – where people from different cultures are randomly intermingled without any regard to their cultural needs or preferences. This can lead to resentment among minority groups, identity crises, and social unrest.

Another big problem is the “divide-and-conquer” phenomenon, which means that people are split according to their ethnic background without regard for equality among all races. This divides people into individual groups of common race rather than forming a united society that can work together to solve a problem. Other pressing issues include the following:

The self-esteem of minority group members are often lower as a result of living in a society with a majority population and also due to certain oppressive norms of society. Instances where the minority group members are treated unfairly because of their race or gender can also lead to low self-esteem.

Minority groups are often discriminated against in organizations, schools, and businesses. Moreover, the average salaries among minority groups are lower in comparison to majority groups. For example, an African-American man in Georgia earns $5400 less than a White man; while Native Americans earn $3200 less than Whites.

Minority groups may find it difficult to find employment. This is because many people are biased against minorities and typically only hire people that they see as “being like them.” To combat this, awareness about diversity in the workplace and other social institutions should be created.

Minority groups often lack the education and skills that are necessary for employment. Too often, minority groups in low-income areas are given less opportunity than their majority counterparts because they lack the education and skills needed to find employment. Many of them cannot afford to take college classes or get vocational training because of the time and money it takes away from their families. This is a significant issue, especially in the current economy where jobs are scarce.

How Multiculturalism Impacts Ourselves & Others in the World

We tend to be more tolerant of people who share our culture. We look for similarities and other commonalities. In other words, it is easier to interact with someone like ourselves – or individuals who share our ethnic values and background. Though this is wrong, we are less likely to see the difference in another person if they also come from our culture, and this has an impact on how we view them. The less we know about a person, the more we rely on our own culture to understand them. This tendency is called the in-group bias and it influences how we see other people in many ways. It can lead to people having inordinate expectations of how someone will behave, and it can also lead to cases of prejudice and discrimination.

Cultural Diversity and its Importance

Cultural diversity is the difference in practices, traditions, or other aspects of the culture of the people in a society. It can be found across the world and is important because it gives people different perspectives of the world. Culture is a powerful idea – it is an ongoing process that has adapted to the ever-changing world. It’s something that influences nearly every aspect of our lives. Culture is also the main force behind shaping people’s identity. It helps people understand how they fit into society and provides them with the opportunity to explore their sense of belongingness. The most important aspect of culture is the influence it has on people’s behavior. Due to globalization, cultures are now more intertwined than ever before. This has caused certain values to change, which can lead to misunderstanding or conflict. For example, one culture may view the act of wearing revealing clothing as desirable and another may see it as inappropriate.

What are the Benefits of a Multicultural Society?

The benefits of multiculturalism are numerous. It is believed that a society in which people from different cultures interact with each other will be more creative and innovative. Multiculturalism also means a better understanding of the world, and having the freedom to choose or express oneself without any cultural restrictions.

However, there are also negative perceptions of multiculturalism. For example, some people might not be happy with the way their country has changed and they may feel like their culture is under threat. Multicultural societies can also create tensions between communities because different groups often live in relative segregation from each other. However, all these can easily overcome by:

Recognizing that different cultures exist: Humans are defined by their cultures, so it’s crucial to recognize that there are many different cultural identities. Being aware of cultural differences will help one to build relationships with people from various backgrounds, which can lead to greater understanding. Sharing stories about other cultures and coming together as a community is one way of eliminating misconceptions and increasing understanding.

Recognizing that different cultures have different values: The world is more diverse than ever, and the values of various cultures are different. It is important to be mindful of these differences when working or interacting with people of other cultures.

Respecting the Values of different cultures: As the world becomes more interconnected, it is important to be cognizant of different cultures and ways of life. This can be done by recognizing that each culture has unique norms and values. If these different cultures are respected, then people will not feel marginalized or isolated by policies enacted in their country.

Encouraging people to learn about other cultures: People often think about cultures as being separated and distinct from each other, but the reality is that there is a lot of cross-cultural sharing. Learning about other cultures can provide an enriching experience and will lead to more understanding and empathy.

FAQ’s on Multiculturalism Essay

Question 1. What are some examples of multiculturalism?

Answer: Multiculturalism can be defined as the celebration and acceptance of diversity. This includes cultures, languages, religion, and ethnicity. Turkish-Germans, Indian-Americans or Chinese-Canadians are just a few of the many multicultural identities.

Question 2. What are the characteristics of multiculturalism?

Answer: Multiculturalism is the idea that the cultures of different peoples and ethnic groups should be preserved and that people should be free to hold on to their cultural heritage.

Question 3. What are the benefits of multiculturalism?

Answer: Multiculturalism is the coexistence, interaction and integration of different cultures. It is a global phenomenon and has been around for centuries. The benefits of multiculturalism include:

• It promotes diversity
• It stimulates creativity
• It provides alternative perspectives
• It broadens the minds of people.
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Teen looking for a summer job? Here's how to get working papers in NJ

With teenagers finishing high school for the year and entering summer break across New Jersey, many will have an easier time getting working papers — the documents needed before they can get a job — thanks to an online system rolled out last year. 

The online system replaced the prior process that had school districts issue working papers for any teenagers under the age of 18 any time they wanted a job.

Now, teenagers can register directly with the state Department of Labor one time via an online system called MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov , the state agency announced last week. 

In essence, the law removes authority from schools to issue working papers and gives this authority to the Department of Labor, which will create a centralized database to register employers and minors

“The changes that have come to our state's working papers process play an integral role in our mission to advocate for the protection and economic advancement of all Garden State workers — including the hard-working and capable younger members of our workforce,” New Jersey Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in a statement last week. 

How to register for work papers

Employers will receive an eight-digit code when they register on the website, which they share with the minor that they hire. The state labor department noted that the teenager should have a job offer before they begin the paperwork process. 

The minor will have to use the code to complete their part of the application. 

Emails will prompt the employer and caregiver to complete their portion of the application — that includes uploading the minor’s birth certificate, passport or other official document to verify the minor’s age. An email will be sent out by the agency once the application has been approved or rejected. 

Anyone who still needs physical working papers can download them from the agency’s website . 

“The NJ Minor Working Papers Program is working effectively because it allows employers to fill jobs, appropriately staff operations and serve their customers while promoting a youth workforce with a skill set and opportunity to succeed,” said Linda Doherty, president and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council, a trade group for grocery stores.  

Business Weed and work: NJ has yet to launch key tool, putting employers in a bind

A controversial law on working papers for teens

The working papers feature is part of a much larger law Gov. Phil Murphy signed in 2022 amid labor shortages that allows teenagers to work longer — up to 50 hours — during the summer breaks. 

That measure was hailed by business groups but criticized by parent advocates and labor experts.

Carmen Martino, a labor professor at Rutgers University, said previously that teenagers should not be required to work long hours without being aware of their rights in the workplace. 

However, teenagers who apply for jobs this summer under the new law are unlikely to be aware of their rights and state lawmakers have neglected to enshrine that requirement in the law, he said.

“The assumption here is that a 16- to 18-year-old knows what falls under the Fair Labor Standards Act and that they’re supposed to get overtime after 40 hours," Martino said. "It's in the law and that’s what employers are supposed to do. But we’re making many assumptions here.” 

Martino said many employers have good intentions, but many others in low-wage industries intentionally skirt the law and this will harm unsuspecting teenagers.

Mary Ann Koruth contributed to this article.

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. 

Email:  [email protected] ; Twitter: @danielmunoz100   and  Facebook

Newsom is right to seek limits on phone use in…

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Opinion Editorials

Newsom is right to seek limits on phone use in schools, it’s time to finally act on all the evidence that phones and social media have warped our kids.

Her thesis: “The advent of the smartphone and its cousin the tablet was followed quickly by hand-wringing about the deleterious effects of ‘screen time.’ But the impact of these devices has not been fully appreciated … . The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health. …  The trends appear among teens poor and rich; of every ethnic background; in cities, suburbs and small towns. Where there are cell towers, there are teens living their lives on their smartphone.”

The piece got a mixed response — and dismissive critics extended beyond the powerful tech firms profiting from phone addictions. Some saw it as alarmism driven by technological ignorance. Some saw it as akin to overblown concerns about the societal impacts of cars, radio and TV in the early and middle 20th century. But here’s who grimly nodded to themselves and said Twenge is right: readers who were among the parents of millions of kids whose middle school and high school experiences often required navigating a gauntlet of phone-driven bullying, derision and cruelty.

Given this history, it is far past time for sharp limits to be put on smartphone use in schools. That is why all should welcome Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Tuesday that he would work with the state Legislature to pass a bill toward that end before it adjourned in August. Newsom, who had to pull one of his four children out of school because of vicious online posts, offered no specifics. And he will certainly face some parental opposition if he tries to entirely ban kids’ access to smartphones while at school. In an era of terrifying, intermittent massacres at U.S. schools, many parents want to be able to hear from their kids instantly. That also holds for parents of children with health issues.

But there are obvious solutions in sight. It is hardly a daunting technological challenge to set up controls on phones that prevent their use for anything but contacting relatives or 911 during the school day. No more sharing cruel gossip about classmates — or videos of fights staged or incited solely to create in-demand content. No more playing of video games. No more ready access to pornography.

Schools that have imposed such limits have quickly seen improvements in student behavior and academics. In Naples, Florida, a private K-12 school reported a 94 percent drop in mental health interventions over a two-year period as well as gains in test scores. In a suburb of Albany, N.Y., a public high school saw its culture “completely transformed,” in the words of its principal, after students were no longer able to instantly share every in-school dispute, insult or provocation.

So let’s follow suit. Newsom is far from the only lawmaker who wants major changes. State Sen. Henry Stern, D-Calabasas, and Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, have been outspoken on the topic. Here’s hoping that other elected leaders only starting with those from the San Diego area quickly offer their support.

Author Jonathan Haidt has called “the rewiring of childhood … the largest uncontrolled experiment humanity has ever performed on its own children.” It’s time to address — and repair — the consequences of this experiment.

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Remembering Willie Mays as Both Untouchable and Human

Mays, who died on Tuesday at 93, had been perfect for so long that the shock of seeing baseball get the best of him was the shock of seeing a god become mortal.

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By Kurt Streeter

At the end, the Say Hey Kid looked nothing like the extraordinary force who had been at the center of the American imagination for much of the 20th century.

The Kid — Willie Mays — struggled at the plate and stumbled on the basepaths. A line drive arced his way, easily catchable for Mays during most of his career. But he fell. Another outfield mistake caused the game to be tied in the ninth inning.

He was a creaky-kneed 42 years old on that October afternoon, Game 2 of the 1973 World Series — Mays’s New York Mets in Oakland facing the A’s. On the grandest stage, the ravages of time had settled upon the game’s most gilded star.

That he would redeem himself at the plate three innings later is often forgotten. The unthinkable had happened. Mays had not only failed, he had appeared lost, clumsy and out of sorts.

The shock of seeing him that way would linger long past his playing days as a warning: Don’t be like Willie Mays, sticking around too long, stumbling in center field, a shadow of his former self. Such became the axiom, uttered in so many words by everyone from politicians to business leaders to commentators weighing in on great athletes who yearn to play into their twilight.

Quit before it is too late.

In retirement, Mays, who died on Tuesday at 93, did his best to ignore the game that would be his last. But there is another way to view its echoes.

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