The document discusses multicultural education and its goals and benefits. It defines multiculturalism and multicultural education, noting that the latter aims to address diversity and shift power dynamics in education. The goals of multicultural education include creating an inclusive learning environment, increasing awareness of global and cultural issues, and preventing discrimination. Benefits include helping students develop positive identities and allowing multiple perspectives. The document also provides strategies for teachers to incorporate multicultural principles, such as embracing different cultures and adapting lessons for students with special needs.
3. WHAT DOES MULTICULTURAL MEAN?
Consisting of, relating to, or
representing several different
cultures or cultural elements
(dictionary.com)
4. WHAT IS MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION?
More than just celebrating Cinco de Mayo with
tacos and piñatas or reading about Martin
Luther King, Jr.
It is an educational movement
It is a set of strategies aimed to address the
diverse challenges experienced by the rapidly
changing U.S. demographics
It is a beginning step to shifting the balance of
power and privilege in the educational system
(Garcia, Multicultural Education in Your Classroom)
5. GOALS OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
To create a safe, accepting and successful
learning environment
To increase awareness of global issues
To strengthen cultural consciousness
To strengthen intercultural awareness
To teach students that there are multiple
historical perspectives
To encourage critical thinking
To prevent prejudice and discrimination
(Garcia, Multicultural Education in Your Classroom)
6. ADVANTAGES OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
According to the National Association for
Multicultural Education, there are several
advantages of multicultural education
Multicultural education:
Helps students develop positive self-image
Offers students an equitable educational
opportunity
Allows multiple perspectives and ways of thinking
Combats stereotypes and prejudicial behavior
Teachers students to critique society in the interest
of social justice
(Garcia, Multicultural Education in Your Classroom)
7. EARLY EDUCATION TEACHERS
PLAY A HUGE ROLE
What happens during a child’s early years
shapes whether they will be open to or fearful
of people with different backgrounds than their
own
These years determine whether children will
feel proud or ashamed of their heritage
You play a crucial role in laying these
foundations
Your classrooms are one of the first group
environments students will encounter outside of
their homes.
Your challenge: to make it inclusive and
respectful!
(Chang, Many Languages, Many Cultures)
8. NEW TEACHER EVALUATION TOOL
Beginning in August 2008, North Carolina
began implementing the new NC
Teacher Evaluation Process (ncpublicschools.org)
As of August 2010, every teacher in
North Carolina is evaluated using this
tool (ncpublicschools.org)
9. WHAT DOES THE NC TEACHER EVALUATION PROCESS
HAVE TO DO WITH MULTICULTURALISM?
This evaluation process is composed of five
standards and each standard has goals
beneath them (ncpublicschools.org)
Standard II is teachers establish a respectful
environment for a diverse population of
students (ncpublicschools.org)
10. STANDARD II GOALS
Teachers provide an environment in which each
child has a positive, nurturing relationship with
caring adults
encourage an environment that is inviting, respectful,
supportive, inclusive, and flexible
Teachers embrace diversity in the school
community and around the world
Demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultures
Select materials and develop lessons that counteract
stereotypes and incorporate contributions
Recognize the influences on a child’s development,
personality, and performance
Consider and incorporate different points of view
(ncpublicschools.org)
11. STANDARD II GOALS CONTINUED
Teachers treat students as individuals
Maintain high expectations for all students
Appreciate differences and value contributions by
building positive, appropriate relationships
Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit
of students with special needs
Collaborate with specialists
Engage students and ensure to meet the needs of
students through inclusion and other models of
effective practice
(ncpublicschools.org)
12. STANDARD II GOALS CONTINUED
Teachers work collaboratively with the families
and significant adults in the lives of their
students
Improve communication and collaboration
between the school, the home, and the
community
Promote trust and understanding and build
partnerships with school community
Seek solutions to overcome obstacles that prevent
family and community involvement
(ncpublicschools.org)
13. HOW DO I MEET THESE GOALS?
You may feel that attaining these goals is
impossible, but they really are not
Through this presentation we will look at ways in
which we can successfully create multicultural
classrooms
14. SELF-QUIZ: WHAT
ARE YOUR ASSUMPTIONS?
With your co-workers surrounding you, discuss the
following questions:
What are the different cultures in our school? (include
categories such as ethnic groups, students with
disabilities, new immigrants, residents of public housing,
and any others that apply)
What characteristics first come to mind when you think
of each group?
Where did these impressions come from? (Peers, family,
media, religion, etc.)
How do you treat people based on these impressions?
Can you remember a time when someone made
assumptions about you based on a group you belong
to? How did it make you feel?
(Ross, Connect with Kids and Parents of Different Cultures)
15. WHERE DO OUR BIASES BEGIN?
The way we react to those who are different than us is
influenced by many factors:
Our own personal experiences with those who are
different than us
What we’ve heard from our families, peers, the
media, popular culture, school, religious institutions,
etc.
Whether we see ourselves sharing any values,
goals, ways of doing things, etc. with those who
are different than ourselves
How much power we believe those who are
different have in our society and any laws or
special programs we know about that affect how
these people are treated
(Ross, Connect with Kids and Parents of Different Cultures)
16. HOW CAN WE BUILD A SHIELD
AGAINST BIAS?
Be aware of your assumptions
Notice when you make a judgment, then figure
out why and what it is based upon
Invite an objective outsider to observe you in your
classroom
Be aware of cultural differences
Everything we do is shaped by our culture
You can learn a lot about other cultures from your
co-workers
Organize an after school gathering for all staff
members to bring a cultural dish and discuss some
of their cultures characteristics
(Ross, Connect with Kids and Parents of Different Cultures)
17. Keep every student in mind
Be sensitive to any cultural shocks that new students
experience
Be direct and deal with any student biases right away
For example, a kindergarten teacher shared a story of one of her students who
had brought her new purse to show and tell. She innocently said that on the
way to school her mom made her walk faster when an African American male
was walking behind them, because her mom was afraid he might try to steal
her new purse. In a situation like this, it’s important to ask the child why their
mom would have felt that way. Then start a class discussion about how people
who steal things come in many colors and why it’s a mistake to judge people
by their outer appearance.
Establish expectations and clearly communicate them,
this way no one will feel superior or inferior
Encourage students to be honest about their fears and
misconceptions
Make sure your classroom reflects diversity
Do the pictures on your walls include a variety of cultures?
Do you have a multicultural curriculum?
Familiarize yourself with all the holidays/traditions your
students celebrate or participate in
(Ross, Connect with Kids and Parents of Different Cultures)
18. A GREAT WAY TO START THE YEAR!
At the first meeting between you and the parents of
your students, usually Open House, set the right
foundation in order to be as knowledgeable as
possible about your students
Ask the following questions:
How would you like us to recognize your child
ethnically?
What family traditions would you like us to
acknowledge?
What can we learn about your culture to help us be as
respectful as possible?
What language, or languages, does your family speak?
(Chang, Many Languages, Many Cultures)
19. RELIGION IN THE CLASSROOM
As a teacher, you must be careful not to ask a
student to participate in anything that may
have an effect on their religious beliefs
Make sure you are aware of the different
religious beliefs of your students
Best way to do this is ask the parents along with the
other questions at Open House
Also, make sure that all students’ religions are
respected and not ridiculed in the classroom
20. STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
It is also very important that teachers remain aware of
their students with special needs
As a teacher you will be expected to make adaptations
to your lessons for your students with special needs
A helpful printable that I found on teachervison.com
uses an acronym to help teachers before selecting
possible adaptations
The acronym is the FLEXIBLE acronym:
Feasible
Lively
Eliminated
eXplicit
Intentional
Beneficial
Limelight
Evaluated
Let’s refer to the FLEXIBLE handout you received
21. FLEXIBLE ACRONYM
Feasible
Successful adaptations must be feasible for the
classroom teachers to implement
Lively
Successful adaptations must be lively, engaging,
and/or fun
Eliminated
Successful adaptations must be developed with
the goal of working toward independence with a
gradual fading and eventual elimination of the
adaptation
22. FLEXIBLE ACRONYM CONTINUED
eXplicit
Successful adaptations must have a definite
purpose, a purpose that is made explicit to
students, other professionals in the classroom,
parents, and if necessary the students peers
Intentional
Successful adaptations should be part of a
comprehensive plan for the student with disabilities
Beneficial
Successful adaptations should benefit the student
with disabilities and either enhance or at least not
detract from the learning of other students in the
classroom
23. FLEXIBLE ACRONYM CONTINUED
Limelight
Successful adaptations do not place undue
attention on the student with the disabilities or put
the student in a potentially embarrassing situation
Evaluated
Successful adaptations are evaluated on an
ongoing basis
24. ROAD BLOCKS TO IMPLEMENTING
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION SUCCESSFULLY
Not as easy as a yearly celebration or
supplemental unit here or there
Require schools to reform their traditional curriculums
Most curriculums focus on North America and
Europe more so than any other region
Multicultural Education is most successful when
implemented as a school wide approach
Unfortunately, most institutions are not prepared for
implementation
Implementation requires:
A diverse, culturally competent staff
Educators must be aware, responsive, and embracing of
diverse beliefs, perspectives, and experiences
Must also be willing to address issues of controversy
(racism, sexism, religious
intolerance, classism, ageism, etc.)
(Garcia, Multicultural Education in Your Classroom)
25. Let’s make it Eastern
Elementary’s goal to
multiculturalize our classrooms
and help each of our students
become what they most want
to be!
Go Beavers!
26. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chang, Hedy. “Many Languages, Many Cultures.” Scholastic. Early Childhood
Today, April 2006. 20 November 2010.
http://www2scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4278
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC, 2010. Web. 28 November 2010.
http://dictionary.reference.com
Garcia, E.K. “Multicultural Education in Your Classroom.” Teach Hub. n.p. n.d.
20 November 2010. http://www.teachhub.com/news/article/cat/14/item/203
North Carolina Public Schools. Department of Public Instruction, 2010. Web. 28
November 2010. http://www.ncpublicschools.org
Ross, Linda. “Connect with Kids and Parents of Different Cultures.” Scholastic.
n.p. n.d. 20 November 2010.
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3638
Notes de l'éditeur
Discuss the different questions that the FLEXIBLE acronym refer to in order to help select possible adaptations to lesson for students with special needs.