The challenges the United States faces are not unique. Countries around the world are facing similar challenges as people migrate across the globe due to economic, political, social and environmental reasons. The U.S. is a pluralistic democracy rich in diversity and the primary goal of multicultural education is to provide educational equality to all students. Schools must transform to meet these needs. James A. Banks lists five dimensions of multicultural education: content integration, the knowledge construction process, prejudice reduction, an equality pedagogy, and an empowering school and social structure (Banks, 2016, p. 4). Content integration seeks to enrich curriculum with content from a variety of cultures and groups across the content …show more content…
12). On my most recent trip back to the United States, one thing I noticed during a visit to a library with my daughter was the wide selection of children's books featuring characters representing a multitude of ethnic groups as well as books featuring non-traditional families. Readers like these can help reduce negative racial attitudes and values for young children. Cross-cutting or superordinate groups such as sports teams, Model UN, the chess club, and others can create cohesion if they are properly structured and monitored (Banks, p. …show more content…
16). Are punishments equal and predictable from one classroom to another? Do teachers model behavior that promotes equality? Does the composition of the school's gifted and talented programs have members from different racial, ethnic, gender, and social class groups? The school district I attended growing up had a two-track program for math: The math class students tested into at the beginning of sixth grade determined what math class students would be taking in twelfth grade. A handful of students may have dropped from the upper-track to the lower-track, but it was unheard of for a student to jump from the lower-track to the
In chapter 1, Banks discusses multicultural education goals, the debate over the canon of instruction, and approaches to multicultural education. Chapter 2 describes the citizenship education and diversity in a global age and the author describes how the countries all over the world have increased diversity as well as the way they have accepted diversity. Banks talks about dimensions and school characteristics, as well as the dimensions of multicultural education in chapter 3 of his book. Chapter 4 describes the curriculum transformation which is required to help the teachers and students in making model changes so as they can be able to view the American and world experience from the perspectives of diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, racial, and gender
The multicultural movement in education is deeply rooted, and the movement as we know it today dates back to the 1960s, when the civil rights movement was in full swing. Stemming from the Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) decision and out of the demand by ethnic groups to be included in public schools, colleges, and universities, the main thrust of the mo...
Zirkel, Sabrina, and Nancy Cantor. “50 Years After Brown v. Board of Education: The Promise and Challenge of Multicultural Education.” Journal of Social Issues 60.1 (2004): 1-15.
The world is made up of many different types of people, each one having his or her cultural background. Over the years, the United States has become increasingly populated with cultural diversity. This influx has prompted school administrators to recognize the need to incorporate multicultural programs into their school environment including classroom settings, school wide activities, and curriculum as it becomes more evident that the benefits of teaching cultural diversity within the school setting will positively influence our communities, and ultimately the entire nation’s future. The purpose of this paper is to share the pros and cons of multicultural education in the classroom. Additionally, I will express my views compared to those in the reading requirements for this assignment, as well as, new knowledge obtained through the research. Finally, I will share situations where I was challenged introducing a multicultural issue during a class.
As we proceed further into the 21st century, multiculturalism becomes more relevant to obtaining a truly global society. Dr. James A. Banks defines the meaning of multicultural education and its potential impact on society when it is truly integrated into American classrooms. In his lecture, Democracy, Diversity and Social Justice: Education in a Global Age, Banks (2006) defines the five dimensions of multicultural education that serve as a guide to school reform when trying to implement multicultural education (Banks 2010). The goal of multicultural education is to encourage students to value their own cultures and the diverse cultures of those around them without politicizing their differences but rather, as Banks passionately explains in his lecture, “to actualize the ideals stated in the Constitution” (2006) forming “civil, moral, and just communities.”
Multicultural education is a process of comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students. It challenges and rejects racism and other forms of discrimination in schools and society and accepts and affirms pluralism (ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic, and gender, among others) that students, their communities, and teachers reflect (Nieto, 2000).
Diversity in classrooms can open student’s minds to all the world has to offer. At times diversity and understanding of culture, deviant experiences and perspectives can be difficult to fulfill, but with appropriate strategies and resources, it can lead students to gain a high level of respect for those unlike them, preferably from a judgmental and prejudiced view. Diversity has a broad range of spectrums. Students from all across the continent; students from political refugees, indigenous Americans, and immigrants bring their cultural and linguistic skills to American classrooms. Students not only bring their cultural and linguistic skills, but they bring their ethnicity, talents, and skills.
Content integration is the first dimension of multicultural education described by James A. Banks, this refers to the teacher’s ability to integrate examples and content from different cultures into the curriculum in an understandable way. Content integration should be applied to all subject matters including, math and science. Although, it is sometimes difficult to identify ways to incorporate ethnic and cultural content, to demonstrate important themes and principles into math and science lessons, there are still many opportunities available. For example, the contributions to mathematics made by the different cultural groups such as the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Indians can be discussed and incorporated into math lessons. Growing up as I minority in America, I understand first-hand the importance of content integration.
The cultural diversity in society, which is reflected in schools, is forcing schools not to solely rely on content-centered curriculum, but to also incorporate student-centered lesson plans based on critique and inquiry. This requires multicultural education to a dominant part of the school system, not just an extra course or unit. Further, it demands that learning itself no longer be seen as obtaining knowledge but rather, education be seen as creating knowledge. Multicultural education should be seen as affirming the diversity of students and communities, promoting the multicultural ideas of the United States, and building the knowledge and behaviors needed for students to be a positive and contributing member of society and the global community as a whole.
The world is currently undergoing a cultural change, and we live in an increasingly diverse society. This change is not only affect the people in the community but also affect the way education is viewed. Teaching diversity in the classroom and focusing multicultural activities in the programs can help improve positive social behavior in children. There is no question that the education must be prepared to embrace the diversity and to teach an increasingly diverse population of young children.
Students in the United States experience varying degrees of Multicultural Education. To my benefit, I was brought up in a learning environment that was culturally accepting and engaging. I was enrolled in the Franklin Pierce School District for my entire public education career and at Pierce College during my last two years of high school. Since the beginning of my academic career, I’ve been exposed to a learning environment filled with a rich amount of diversity among students which in turn produced well-roundedness in myself. In my experience as a FPSD student, I’ve shared experiences with fellow peers of different races, cultures, and socioeconomic standings. Pierce College boasts an even more specific type of diversity within the student
There are many factors that play a role in the learning process for every human being. Race, religion, language, socioeconomics, gender, family structure, and disabilities can all affect the ways in which we learn. Educators must take special measures in the delivery of classroom instruction to celebrate the learning and cultural differences of each of their students. As communities and schools continue to grow in diversity, teachers are searching for effective educational programs to accommodate the various learning styles of each student while promoting acceptance of cultural differences throughout the classroom. It no longer suffices to plan educational experiences only for middle-or upper class white learners and then expect students of other social classes and cultures to change perspectives on motivation and competition, learning styles, and attitudes and values that their homes and families have instilled in them (Manning & Baruth, 2009).
Banks, J., and McGee, C. A. (Eds.). (1989). Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
According to David O. McKay (2013), multicultural education is constructed to prepare pupils for citizenship in a democratic society by facilitating them to take into account the needs of all individuals; it shed light on how issues of language, ethnicity, culture, religion race, abilities/disabilities, and gender are entwined with educational content and processes. A multicultural curriculum is needed to accommodate for diverse learning and teaching styles of facilitators and pupils and to expose biases, stereotypes, and policies that can restrict achievement. What is more, a multicultural curriculum is also needed to help pupils, faculty, and staff become advocates for multicultural awareness, to ensure that content is fair, accurate, and inclusive, and to prepare pupils for diverse workplaces and multicultural environments. In writing this paper, the author will describe key issues of culturally diverse students, recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected. In addition, she will describe three key issues of male and female students recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected. In closing, she will describe three key issues of students with disabilities, who are mainstreamed, recommend a curriculum approach to address the issues, and discuss the challenges and benefits expected.
According to Bennett (2015), “Multicultural Education is a complex approach to teaching and learning that includes the movement toward equity in schools and classrooms, the transformation of the curriculum, the process of becoming multicultural competent, and the commitment to address societal injustice” (p. 2). Teaching and learning in a multicultural system is designed around collaborative decision making, respect for all parties, and nurturing a cultural diverse society. Multicultural education recognizes and integrates cultural characteristics into the learning environment.