Diversity in Early Education

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.

Learners in urban schools face a myriad of challenges ranging from poverty, poor health, to family instability. For this reason, multiculturalism theme is crucial in promoting equality for these learners. Multiculturalism theme is a positive and significant achievement for the American public education (Holland). In particular, learners are taught how to appreciate cultural diversity in the school. This not only promotes cohesion but more so improves cooperation between learners from different cultural backgrounds. For instance, in urban district schools, multicultural policies and practices have become important in enhancing equality for the majority minority in public schools (Holland). Therefore, multicultural education eradicates prejudice and racism, builds interaction and cohesion between various races, creates cultural tolerance, and eradicates cultural

As an early childhood educator, in an effort to support families who have a lack of extended family support, I will make sure to provide them with resources that support their family needs. Resources that are based in the school setting could be childcare, tutoring or expanded learning programs in the afternoons. These school based resources can help the development of their children and offer parents more support. Other resources are more community based, such as parenting classes, enrichment programs and many more. These community resources can provide families with the support of others that may help them deal with issues or concerns they are facing. Sometimes families just need to know they are supported and

Of all of the course readings that we read and discussed in the past two weeks, I think the one of the most common is the idea that education embraces and affirms diversity and it will affect human behavior and culture. Due to the three articles “Culture and Learning”, “The early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3”, and “Race Ethnicity and Education” have different examples and different audiences, however, the writers used different evidences to show that education has been a big part in our public world.

No one can deny the fact that United States is rapidly becoming a more culturally and ethnically diverse nation. If the information from The Census Bureau which projects that by the year 2100, the U.S. minority population will become the majority with non-Hispanic whites making up only 40% of the U.S. population is anything to go by, it is clear beyond any reasonable doubt that we need to prepare the coming generations to comfortably embrace this change (Great Schools Staff, 2015). The subject of social diversity can therefore no longer be ignored since as a matter of fact, its impacts are already here with us. Public schools are becoming more diverse, and both the teachers and the students are feeling the impact. Teachers should therefore be actively involved in preparing their students to be tolerant to this change and teaching them how to interact in a diverse environment.

The United States school districts have transitioned into a multicultural learning center supportive in the role of teaching students, families, and communities about the benefits of embracing diversity and the positive impact it stimulates in promoting equality. Schools share the responsibility to assist in preparing student development for life after school in a multicultural society. The involvement of schools to provide successful integration for students from all ethnic backgrounds will prove supportive as school’s diversities continue to increase further into the 21st century. In this paper, a discussion of my school’s affirmation for diversity will be included. The next section will include how affirming diversity impacts multicultural education. Third, I will include some of the ways in which teachers and schools can support students for whom English is not a native language. Fourth, I will include an explanation of why schools that serve economically disadvantaged and culturally marginalized students are more likely to have arts programs cuts, including what researchers say about this trend, and how it affects student achievement. Fifth, explain why the choices between assimilation and affirmation are somewhat different today than 100 years ago. Finally, include some of my ideas for affirming diversity in PK-12 settings.

For my JA Experience, I was assigned to attend Moss Bluff Elementary School. I was assigned to a regular Kindergarten class. This school was a predominately Caucasian school. Just by my guess, I would say at least 95% of the students at this school were Caucasian. In the classroom I was in, there were all Caucasian students and the teacher was too. All of the staff members I saw were also Caucasian as well. I was never able to see the entire student body, but from what I saw this is what I estimated. In the class room I observed there were 11 males and 10 females. In this classroom, I would say that all of these students came from a higher class income family or middle class. All students looked nice with some of the best clothing

Australian early childhood setting is composed of diverse people and diversity is growing everyday. Diversity means not only referring to people’s race and culture but it also denotes languages, practices, religions, values, abilities, gender and any aspects that makes people diverse from other people (Saffigna, Franklin, Church & Tayler, n.d.) It is vital for the early educators to be culturally aware and competent, as it will help children and families to have a positive start to school and it will help children to develop a strong sense of identity. Valuing diversity in curriculum is to respect and reflect individual’s practice, culture and beliefs (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relation (DEEWR), 2009). However, culturally

genders, lifestyles and the list goes on as an educator they must be embraced and not

Multicultural education is a process of comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students that affirms the ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic and gender differences that students, their communities, and teachers reflect. “Multicultural education permeates the school's curriculum and instructional strategies, as well as the interactions among teachers, students, and families, and the very way that schools conceptualize the nature of teaching and learning” (Salili & Hoosain 2005). Multiculturalism promotes acceptance of others while rejecting racism and other forms of discrimination. Multiculturalism in education is exceedingly important in the United States, because it is a country comprised of many immigrants.

However, there are questions as to whether or not teachers possess biases that would influence their teaching methods and curriculum. Taking a class in educational diversity is only a start in addressing those biases that may have been unconsciously created. It is the writer’s sincere hope that researching and writing a paper on multicultural education will be a stepping stone toward the critical examination of biases and practices in regards to diversity in the classroom that will continue to influence the readers throughout their educational

With the shifting cultural texture and demographics of the United States (Banks, 2006b; Irvine, 2003), redefining multicultural education has become imperative. There are many views on the benefits and/or shortcomings of the multiculturalization of education. The question is not whether a multicultural education should be adopted but it is rather what we understand from multicultural education and how we are going to initiate such a reform within an educational system when we cannot even define ‘multicultural.’ “The awareness of one’s own assumptions, prejudices and stereotypes is a first step to be able to positively interact and learn from others. In this process

Within the core of many educational institutions, diversity is a commercial tacit. While every institution cannot offer the same kind of diversity, the endorsement of such exists through various definitions. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges define diversity through the various classes: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and age (“Statement on Diversity”)

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

In America, past and present, we are faced with many challenges pertaining to diversity. Diversity is defined as the presence of human beings with perceived or actual differences based on a variety of human characteristics (Koppelman 2014). A challenge of diversity faced is on American Education. Education is most important because our future society depends on it and if we did not have it our future would most certainly fail. Learning and schooling is critical for everyone to gain knowledge and continue leading our diverse society forward into the right direction. Since diversity is a common issue relating to students who have gone through these situations there have been many intense debates and legal cases (Dey 2008). Education in America needs to have more pluralism, where all diverse groups can have the same mutual respect. Pluralism is the equal coexistence of diverse cultures, institutions, and/or individuals within mutually supportive relationship within the boundaries of one nation (Koppelman 2009). In a pluralistic society all the groups in the society should be taught about each other’s diverse cultures, historical events, and so on in school so it can all be fair. Some parents and teachers felt that there were no benefits for the students to learn about multicultural education (Koppelman 2009). There are so many things that can be done to correct the challenge of diversity to American education and so many reasons why there are challenges in