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Chapter 3
- 1. Chapter 3: EducationThat is Multicultural Multicultural education is developed through: - diversity - equality - social justice Goal of multicultural education: - to help students learn and reach their potential, regardless of SES, ethnicity, race, gender, religion, and ability or disability Curriculum in multicultural education: - value diversity, draw on cultural experiences, support democracy and equity - all content should be presented through viewpoints of different groups - help students understand there is more than one perspective on the interpretation of events and facts - Ex. Tasting ethnic foods, celebrating black history month Requires that all teaching is culturally relevant - classrooms and schools are models of democracy Achieving equity: 1. Place student at center of learning process 2. Promote human rights and respect for cultural diff. 3. Believe ALL students can learn 4. Acknowledge and build on histories and experiences of studentsmicrocultural memberships 5. Help students understand racism, sexism, classism, discrimination 6. Critique society in the interest of social justice and equality 7. Participate in collective social action to ensure a democratic society People fought for equal education throughout history - women, low income families, oppresses ethnic and religious groups Brown v. Board of Education (Supreme Court, 1954) - separate-but-equal education for black and white students declared illegal Civil Rights (1960’s) - new curriculum content about various ethnic groups - emphasis on equity for women, disabilities, limited-English speakers Social justice and equality remain goals for society - to be modeled in classrooms and schools Discussion of multiculturalism - side 1: promotion of diversity will strengthen the nation - side 2: promotion of diversity will divide the nation and Western tradition is denigrated as diversity is highlighted Outgrowth of discussion has led to establishment of general education requirements for ethnic, women’s and global studies in colleges and universities Diverse student body and faculty allow for interactions in authentic settings with people from different backgrounds Social Justice and Equality Justice - related to fairness, moral rightness, equity Social Justice - focuses on how we help others in the community who are not as advantaged as we are - ethic of social justice is essential in teaching - requires all schools to provide all students equal access to a high-quality education Schools reflect on inequities of the broader society See page 110 Antiracist Ed. V. Multiculturalism Ed.: The critique See page 110 Most students are subjected to the same curriculum Traditions in the school - regional influences, social structure, location of the school - sports, activities
- 2. - rural schoolsemphasize Future Farmers of America, agricultural programs, 4H clubs Read Jean Anyon’s article 4 types of curriculum: 1. Overt curriculum 2. Hidden curriculum 3. Extra/ co-curriculum 4. Null curriculum Preferred teaching and learning styles - embedded in cultural backgrounds and experiences Making generalizations about culturally diverse learners is very dangerous Many differences exist among members of the same group Culturally relevant teaching is complex Teacher must: - listen to and observe students and parents - assess student performance to develop the most effective teaching strategy Culturally relevant teaching validates the cultures of students and Building on Cultural Context Teachers should helps students see the relationship between subject matter and the world in which they live Use students’ prior knowledge and experiences Repertoires are limited for beginning teachers - good teachers are able to draw on many different strategies Know knowledge, skills and commitments valued in cultures - some students rebel as a form of resistance against the values of dominant society Lack of understanding about cultural differences and nonverbal communication lead to student- teacher conflict Teach communication patterns of the dominant culture to all Centering the Cultures of Students Curriculum for all academic areas should reflect integration of principles of diversity and equality Additive approach - including one unit on another group sporadically 1/3 of students in US schools do not see themselves in the curriculum -Curriculum does not normally include stories of women, disabilities, English language learners, poverty, elderly Inclusive curriculum reflects the reality of multicultural world Private schools grounded in different cultures - Afrocentric, Latino, Native American, religious affiliations, single sex The opportunity to speak and be heard as equal Respect for differences is key in affirming student voices Incorporation of voices requires the development of listening skills and the validation of multiple perspectives, languages, dialects Teachers encourage students to contribute their own realities and experiences - must listen to ALL voices 1/3 of students in US schools are from ethnic groups other than European By 2020, more than 45% of the school-age population will be students of color The Challenge of Technology and Equity Technology is important in today’s society Most of the world’s population does not have access to computers or the Internet On some Native American reservations, only 60% of residents have a telephone 2% of low income, rural homes have Internet access 50% with income $75,000+ do have access Digital divide - based on income, race, education, household type, geographic location - difference in access to technology tools and the Internet
- 3. African Americans, Native Americans,Hispanics, women hold few technology jobs More than 90% of all schools in the country are wired with at least one Internet connection - Internet connections differ by the income levels of students 5 characteristics of a positive information society 1. Is community driven and meets real community needs? 2. Overcomes major content barriers facing the underserved 3. Provides people to help 4. Offers online content that is easy to use 5. Is sustainable The Challenge of Gender-Sensitive Education Traditionally, females were trained to be wives and mothers Today, 40%+ of graduates from medical and law schools are women Rigid definitions limit the options and potential of both males and females Today’s realities: See p. 122 To promote gender equity, females should be encouraged to be involved in math, science, and computer science A gender-sensitive education provides equity to boys and girls - does not mean males and females are always treated the same Teachers in gender-sensitive classrooms monitor interactions among girls and boys and their own interactions with the sexes The Challenge of Language Diversity Immigrant students populating large cities Language differences used at home and at school can lead to dissonance between students, their families and school officials Dropout rate of English language learners is 2-2.5 times as great as for other students of the same age Nat.’l Assoc. for the Education of Young Children - urges teacher to encourage “the development of children’s home language while fostering the acquisition of English Assimilationist instruction integrates students into the dominant or mainstream culture - bilingual education, newcomer programs, sheltered instruction Teachers as Social Activists: Thinking Critically Critically-thinking educators ask how and why inequities are occurring in their classroom and school Teaching equitably does not mean teaching everyone the same way - helping students function effectively in multiple classroom settings and used by the students in the classroom Critical thinkers challenge the philosophy and practices of the dominant society that are not supportive of equity, democracy, and social justice Practicing Equity in the Classroom Caring and fairness Teacher perceptions may be based on personal characteristics of the student and/or group membership Multicultural education does not tolerate unjust practices by teachers No discrimination Students learn to respect differences and to interact within and across ethnic and cultural groups Teachers might praise some students while tending to correct and discipline others Everyone has been raised in a racist, sexist, and classist society in which the biases are so embedded that it is difficult for people to recognize anything other than overt signs. Reflecting on practice and on the practice of those you observe - are students from different gender, economic and ethnic groups treated differently? - are the fewer discipline and learning problems among students who are from the same background as the teacher? - Which students receive the most assistance?
- 4. Equity is theability to recognize one’s own biases and make appropriate adjustments Culturally relevant teaching helps students struggle in class with social problems Racism, sexism, classism, prejudice, and discrimination are felt differently by students of color than by members of the dominant group Anger, denial, guilt, and affirmation of identity are critical parts of learning about and struggling with the pernicious practices that permeate most institutions. Students from the dominant group have never experienced discrimination and often believe it does not exist In teaching for social justice, teacher help students understand the equalities, oppression and power struggles that are the realities of society Maxine Green - “To teach for social justice is to teach for enhanced perception and imaginative explorations, for the recognition of social wrongs…” Students learn to apply the knowledge and skills they are learning to a local, regional , or global issue - the learning becomes authentic Involving communities and families Parents and the community are the essential resources in the delivery of multicultural education Few beginning teachers will have had direct involvement in multiple cultural communities Learning to function effectively in several cultural communities requires participants to be comfortable with their own background Teachers who are most successful in helping students from diverse cultural backgrounds learn there are those who “struggle to confront their own histories, hear the dissonance in their own profession