Koomler 1

Multicultural Education in Today’s Classroom

October 23, 2007

Introduction to Teaching 111

Professor Eastman

Paige Koomler Koomler 2

Abstract…

An issue that becomes more and more relevant in schools as time progresses, multicultural education is something that all teachers need to address. As defined by Mary

Hanley, multicultural education is the transformation of schooling to include the needs and perspectives of many cultures and shaping the ways that our children are educated (Hanley 2). It is estimated that by the year 2020, nearly half of all students in our public schools will be from a minority group (Hanley 2). It has become very important for teachers from both urban and rural school districts to consider implementing cultures into their lesson planning to improve their students’ understanding of our ever diversifying society. In this research, many elements of multicultural education will be analyzed, including diversity in the classroom, stereotypes, bilingual education, multicultural instruction materials, curriculum to integrate culture, and gender roles. It is important for teachers to understand the impact of diversity on their classroom and how to implement culture into their lessons. Koomler 3

Multicultural education is professionally defined as a “transformation of schooling to include the needs and perspectives of many cultures in shaping the ways that children are educated” (Hanley 3). According to Mary Hanley, esteemed author of The Scope of

Multicultural Education, goals of modern multicultural education include not only educating diverse young people with basic skills, but also creating social change inspired by awareness of many lifestyles and cultures (5). It is essential that all teachers, of both urban and rural school districts, understand exactly what multicultural education involves and how important it is becoming. “Multicultural education is a response to the changing demographics of the United

States,” Hanley writes. Schools are constantly becoming more and more diverse. It is estimated that in the year 2020, nearly 50% of all students in America’s schools will be children from a minority group. Many readers may be wondering, why is this relevant for the average teacher?

Lauren Cifuentes notes in her article from Knowledge Quest magazine, “People from different cultures… have specific behaviors and interpretations which derive from their values and assumptions” (Cifuentes 15). This means that behaviors may vary in children from different cultural groups, and knowledge of these behaviors is necessary to run a successful classroom.

Teachers need to consider the needs of all their students, and learn to include all students in every lesson plan they create.

Currently, it is clear that urban school districts encounter diverse children more often than rural areas. In a recent poll, the top 25 largest school districts showed that minorities took up

72% of the schools overall populations (Hanley 4). This statistic helps highlight the next important point. Stereotyping of urban, city school districts is a very big factor. Racial profiling and prejudice appears among board members who view test scores, as well as the community and even fellow students. Hanley notes, “84% of students in grades 6 through 12 indicated that Koomler 4 most teenagers carry some form of racial prejudice” (2). But in addition to student prejudice, stereotyping of minority students to do poorly in school is a factor that puts a damper on multicultural education itself, and on the success of these minority individuals. An article in

Reading Today by Barbara Tierney highlights the fact that only eight states in our country can say that their percentage of minority students who pass standardized testing has increased in the last 15 years (Tierney 1). This leads to the reinforcement of this terrible stereotype in our schools. The implementation of multicultural education in all of our schools, both rural and urban, can make strides toward a change in this prejudice.

One aspect of education that is already attempting to close the gap between minority students and the majority group is called bilingual education. Defined by the textbook as a type of teaching that is “designed to meet the learning needs of students whose first language is not

English” (Stanford 267). Learners in this system are persuaded to develop into a bicultural student, one who can learn and function appropriately in two distinct linguistic groups. In the late sixties, the Bilingual Education Act was passed by Congress, which necessitates that minority students be taught in English, as well as their national language (267). Language barriers have always been one central factor that greatly hinders multicultural education. This is why bilingual programs have inspired great research and debate.

Choosing materials for this special type of education is a very crucial aspect of success.

As noted by the authors of our textbook, there are certain guidelines to consider when preparing instructional materials for multicultural education. First, it is important that the materials

“accurately portray the perspectives, attitudes, and feelings of ethnic groups” (Stanford 273), which students will be able to sympathize with and understand. Other important elements to consider include finding materials that have strong ethnic protagonists which all students can Koomler 5 identify with, include universal conflicts and appropriate illustrations, and are historically accurate. Teachers should avoid any material that is racial biased, or includes any racial clichés, concepts or phrases. Karla Kingsley, author of “Empowering Diverse Learners…” states that it is important to get training in multicultural activities and materials, in order to accurately choose the best activities for your classroom (Kingsley 52).

These materials must now be implemented into an organized curriculum based around ethnic, historical ideas. This can be the most difficult part for a teacher in today’s schools. Noted in Hanley’s article, it is important to remember that serving tacos at a class party or mentioning

Kwanza rituals at a holiday celebration is not enough for classes full of multicultural students.

Hanley writes, “Multicultural education is more than holidays and food, it requires critical thinking with attention paid to complexity” (3). With this in mind, content integration is a great way to create a meaningful curriculum. Based on information in our textbook, content integration is the inclusion of materials, concepts, and values from a variety of cultures. Using the materials previously mentioned, and basic knowledge of lesson planning, a great curriculum can be formed that will be beneficial not only for minority students, but also for the average student in a classroom. Ethno-mathematics is an example of a study that includes all students.

This combines mathematical thinking with cultural ideas, a perfect way for all students in the class to better understand math concepts.

Most people would not consider gender a part of multicultural education. However, many students are discriminated and treated differently based on sex, and this effects learning in an immense way. Sex role stereotyping comes with a preconceived notion of how boys and girls are

“supposed” to act. This can influence a teacher’s behavior towards the students, in turn affecting their education. Title IX, passed in 1972, really laid the groundwork for equality in classrooms. Koomler 6

The main goal of the act was to ensure that women were guaranteed equal opportunity in education. Quoted by the authors of our text, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige said,

“Without a doubt, Title IX has opened doors for generations of women and girls to compete, to achieve, and to pursue their American dreams” (Stanford 275). In 1974, the Woman’s

Educational Equity Act was passed, creating various, more advanced science, mathematics, and technology programs for females, as well as requiring the reduction of sexually bias classroom materials (Stanford 276). This helped move towards a fairer classroom. It has become crucially important for teachers of all backgrounds to include diverse material that appeals to both males and females accurately.

As shown throughout this essay, it is clear the level of importance that teaching diverse learners has reached. Without a valid knowledge of diverse cultures, teachers are denying their students a fulfilling education. The definition of multicultural education implies that students are becoming more socially aware and reducing ignorance of cultural ideas. The way that our students are educated must change to ensure that this is happening. It is apparent that our schools are becoming more and more diverse as time passes, increasing the need for multicultural education in our country. This paper has shown a way to beat stereotypes, how to implement bilingual education and culturally diverse materials into classroom curriculum. Teachers need to consider bringing multicultural education into their classrooms in order to instruct a classroom of culturally diverse students in today’s world. Koomler 7

Bibliography

Cifuentes, Lauren, and Serkan Ozel. "Resources for Attending to the Needs of Multicultural Learners." Knowledge Quest 35.2 (Nov.-Dec. 2006): 14-15. 16 Oct. 2007 http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=115&sid=bf552077-863e- 4743-9073-c5742bd9417e%40sessionmgr109

Lock, Robin H., Dept. Editor. "20 Ways To..." Intervention in School and Clinic 43.1 (Sept. 2007):52-56. 16 Oct. 2007 http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=7&hid=115&sid= bf552077-863e-4743-9073-c5742bd9417e%40sessionmgr109

Parkay, Forest W., and Beverly Hardcastle Stanford. "Teaching Diverse Learners." Becoming A Teacher. Seventh Edition ed. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc, 2007. 245-279.

Sadker, D., & Zittleman, K. (2005, April). “Gender Bias Lives, for Both Sexes”. Education Digest, 70(8), 27-30. Retrieved 14, 2007, from Academic Search Premier database.

Tierney, Barbara. "Leadership Academy Focuses on Reaching Diverse Learners." Reading Today (Dec.-Jan. 2006/2007). 16 Oct. 2007 http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf? vid=5&hid=115&sid=bf552077-863e-4743-9073-c5742bd9417e%40sessionmgr109

.