The Five Dimensions Of Multicultural Education

When I first started this class I was aware of multicultural curriculum but I was not aware of how important it was in a classroom setting. As the weeks have gone by in this class, I have learned that multicultural curriculum is important because it 's a way for teachers to include all children from diverse backgrounds. As we 've have progressed in the study of multicultural curriculum we have learned to address important topics such as biases, social justice, stereotypes, the development of identity and how to communicate with parents.

According to Sonia Nieto, the definition of multicultural education is defined in sociopolitical context and relates to comprehension of school reform. Namely, the multicultural education works in reforming schools and providing an equal and excellent education for everyone. Likewise, the author gave a definition of multicultural education based on her experience surrounding education environment. She divides multicultural education into seven basic characteristics: antiracist education, basic education, important for all students, pervasive, education for social justice, a process, and critical pedagogy (Nieto & Bode, 2012).

Public schools are beginning to see a shift in demographics in the United States. There is now a culturally diverse student population and educators need to respond to this shift in order to ensure an equal education for all students. Culture aids in determining how students learn, and culturally responsive teaching is a way teachers can educate culturally diverse students and provide an equal education for all. Culturally responsive teaching is defined by Geneva Gay as using the various characteristics, perspectives, and experiences of many cultures to effectively teach culturally diverse students (2000). Culturally responsive teaching prepares teachers to work with and teach a culturally diverse classroom of students and allows teachers to create a classroom environment that is similar to their students’ home environments so students do not have to assimilate to the dominant culture or change from their home culture to their school culture depending on their setting (Brown). Multicultural education is not only important for ensuring equal education for all students, but also creates youth who will be able to function and be effective citizens in a pluralistic society (Gay 2003). In order to implement culturally responsive teaching, teachers must acknowledge potential biases and reconstruct their attitudes, create a diverse knowledge base, be caring and empowering, and create a classroom environment that is conducive to a culturally diverse

From the reading on page 254 in chapter 9 of Becoming a Multicultural Educator, by William A. Howe and Penelope L. Lisi, there are myths stated about the failure of bilingual students and bilingual education. In table 9.2 on page 254 it is stated that, “it is a myth that all immigrant groups were successful [with learning the English language]. There were many low-skilled entry-level jobs that did not require advanced language skills.” My question is what is the considered success for immigrants learning the English language? Would it be considered successful if an immigrant learned enough English to obtain a job and earn a living within the United States or does an immigrant need to meet a specific level of mastery in the eyes of educators

In today 's ever changing world teachers need to understand the importance of a multicultural education. It’s becoming essential to provide opportunities for their students to learn about the many cultures represented in america and the world around them. Studies have shown that by the year 2040 as surveyed by the U.S. census bureau, that “white non-hispanics will make up less than half of the school aged population” (Smith) Our country is ever growing and it doesn 't seem right to exclude cultural education to students when our nation was built by immigrants. Building curriculums that acknowledge different cultures,

We are obliged to make sure that every child gets a healthy start in life. With all of our wealth and capacity, we just can’t stand by idly.

However previous to this discussion the classroom was a learning environment that was systematically equipped to assimilate. We as students fell into the curriculum but often times had difficulty identifying with the material presented. Essentially, the presence of diversity is useless if we do not dig deeper into each culture represented. Equally important, is the significance of each culture finding themselves within the curriculum. When topics such as racial tensions in America are presented in the classroom individuals from different cultural backgrounds and walks of life are not only present but seen vividly throughout the courses of society. This transition from a homogenous community to an imagined community can at times be

Chapter fifteen of Multicultural Education is divided into three major sections. These three sections include recruitment and barriers, recruitment recommendations, and retention issues/difficulties. A large part of this chapter focuses on the underrepresentation of culturally diverse students in gifted and advance placement programs. When taking a look at gifted education programs, there is an extreme underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans in these programs. Gifted education programs are a need not just a privilege and should not be used as a simple form of segregation between races or cultures.

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

As the United States grows more religiously, ethnically, racially, socially, and culturally diverse the United States Constitution upholds the civil rights that guarantee personal freedoms that the government cannot deprive its citizens without due process. Based on the Department of Health, Education and Welfare’s (HEW) Title VI regulations prohibit discrimination of a particular race, color, or national origin. When the national origin-minority group of children is excluded from effective and adequate participation in an educational program that receives Federal assistance, HEW (33 Fed.Reg.4955) mandates the district to open its instructional programs to include these students by rectifying the language deficiency,

Chapter eight of Multicultural Education focuses on both understanding and supporting gender equity in schools. Supporting gender equality use to mean providing both equal access and equal outcomes for all students regardless of their gender; equality meant proving students with the exact same rather than providing students with opportunities and experiences based on what they needed in order to succeed and better themselves. Equality does not only focus on gender and understanding, it also includes other diverse aspects of male and female roles such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, and religion. All of these diverse aspects create uniqueness from one student to another, which reiterates why we cannot use a one-size fits all teaching approach in our classrooms.

Chapter 2 and 3 offers readers a roadmap for beginning a research project. In chapter 2, the steps of the process of research are discussed. The text first states researchers should decide if problems can, and should be researched, then offers guidance on how to decide. The details about the difference between quantitative and qualitative research and how research problems differ with each method. The chapter provides an in depth discussion on how to to write the “statement of the problem” and provides a handy checklist on page 64 (Creswell, 2015) which will be used to write the remainder of this paper. Chapter 4 specifical introduces the five logical steps in reviewing literature resources. Those guidelines helped in the selection of peer reviewed articles for this essay (Creswell, 2015). The body of this essay will discuss ways in which art education either services or disservices black students in public schools.

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

and curriculum. The discussion of the historical and philosophical background of multicultural education teaches educators how race and culture influence educational policy and programs. Multicultural teaching and curriculum is also crucial for the development of equitable education for diverse students. The author asserts that multicultural education can lessen biases while also furthering democratic beliefs and practices among students. The text’s discussion of multicultural education is significant to the field of multicultural education as it demonstrates how multicultural educational practices help students become culturally literate and prepared for today’s diverse and globalized world.

Multicultural Education in the United States made its debut beginning with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s. Its intent was to become part of the cultural mainstream. The Civil Rights Movement brought to light the apparent concerns of discrimination, intimidation and inequality. During this period, pressure was placed on the Federal Government to examine their roles in the perseverance of inequalities when it came to Multicultural Education (Russell, Robert, The History of Multicultural Education, 2011). It can be compared to “Affirmative Action” where whites were asked to leave behind their own point of view and gain knowledge of the traditions of Multicultural groups (Taylor, Samuel. The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism'