I’ve written about this in my previous posts but I continue to see connectons between our “American ways” and our performance against other countries in the world. We continue to see it as a competition of us against them when really we would all benefit from working together and using strategies that are effective. Obviously there is not one educational or teaching strategy that would work for all students. Due to different cultures, personalities, and environmental factors there must be some adapting to the specific situation. Although this is true I think we can also look at what has worked and modify it to our needs in the classroom.
This type of approach is seen in multicultural education where students are instructed about a variety of perspectives and experiences from many diverse cultural groups. It is not an us against them mentality but simply an approach to help understand all the differences that exist in the world around us. It is important to note that multicultural education is an approach to show that people are more alike than different and we can learn from each other.
I find that this style of teaching is lacking both in the classrooms and in the minds of Americans. More than once I’ve heard people say that Americans speak ‘American’ and any other language is unacceptable. We expect anyone coming to our country to assimilate to our ways and learn our culture yet we make no effort to do the same when we visit their countries or get to know them as an individual.
Why is multicultural education and for that matter culturally responsive education not a more prominent matter in our schools? Instead of only skimming the surface of an issue or another opinion we should be striving to look outside of our own environment and align ourselves with a view we’re unfamiliar with. By doing such I truly believe we would have higher testing scores and be ranked higher in the educational systems of the world.
“When multicultural literature is used for the purpose of critical multicultural education, teachers can help students become engaged in critical discourses of ideology and social actions.”
(Bogum, Simpson, Claudia, 2010)
All students are given a reason to take pride in their ethnic heritage and backgrounds when multicultural education is ongoing. We are not saying one group is better than another or that we should all assimilate with one way of doing, thinking, or being. By creating a more accepting, caring environment in the classroom where everyone is valued we will produce future contributing members of society who are more likely to hear all sides of an argument before making a decision. We are helping to develop the critical thinking skills necessary in life and to function in a increasingly globalized world. When you are forced to examine your own beliefs and views against another’s in a safe environment you grow as a person.
As it is our educational system is failing our students. We are teaching them in many of our schools that America is the best country, that our ways are the best of all. Regardless of whether this is true or not we should be critically analyzing other countries, other cultures, and other perspectives outside of our own. When we make such claims as this we are being narrow minded and not allowing opportunities for our students to examine for themselves what best practices are or what they place their faith in. We are to explain practices in the context of which they occurred. The focus is on fostering an appreciation for diverse practices, not portraying them as all equally acceptable.
This focus on fostering an appreciation will help our students to adapt to many different situations. Instead of approaching a situation or dilemma with a need to defend views they focus on understanding and appreciation other views. This is a skill that would serve students throughout their lifetime and prove valuable.
Citations:
Bogum, Y., Simpson, A., & Claudia, H. (2010). Assimilation Ideology: Critically Examining Underlying Messages in Multicultural Literature. Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(2), 109-118. doi:10.1598/JAAL.54.2.3
Comments on: "Ch.3- Multicultural Education" (2)
Caitlin, I too have found this viewpoint to be very discouraging. I am in agreement with you on the negative effects of this narrow-minded view of culture. In the past it seems this is synonymous with “American culture.” In many of our courses here at VCU the topic of multicultural education has been discussed, and at times even those conversations seemed disconnected and continue to feel like a passive approach to a much larger problem. It worries me that too often we fall into the trap of believing we are teaching culturally relevant instruction in our classrooms and creating an environment where all opinions are valued. I really think you hit the nail on the head with your point about being able to critically examine others’ viewpoints. If we don’t allow those viewpoints to be expressed in our classrooms, how is there room for growth? It goes back to our knowledge about cognitive development on the most basic level. Learning is a social process, and as such we need to engage in conversations with people of different viewpoints in order to grow ourselves. Until we recognize that in order for change to occur we must first start with ourselves, I fear no change can happen. Speaking to the inclusion of all cultures in our future classroom: I believe that we can make a change for the better. I have to believe that we can take the strategies we have learned in our coursework and apply them in our future practice. Whether it be through conversations daily about what’s going on in the world around us, allowing all students to express their opinions (appropriately of course,) or having discussions about what questions students have about other people around the world. Unfortunately, I too have seen this all-American view too often in classrooms today, where it wouldn’t even be acceptable to speak another language or to do things a little differently. What kind of educators are we if we fail to answer questions from our future leaders? I think it is so important to create that open environment where all opinions are valued, all cultures are represented, and all voices can be heard. It sounds cliche, but I think we can change the thinking one step at a time with just one classroom of students.
Comment: Caitlin Ramsey 2/17/2013 Week 3
I agree that students should take pride in their heritage and background. However, I also think that there are different ways of accomplishing this in a way that is productive and not stereotypical. In my home- school collaboration class we have discussed that many classes in elementary schools only focus on stereotypical standards of ethnic backgrounds. Most lessons only include the food they eat or how they dress. Teaching lessons in this way can provide a scewed outlook on the world they must be forced to interact with in the future.
When teaching these lessons I think that we must consider how the modern population of that culture acts, differs, dresses, eats, and their family dynamic. If we are teaching students that Arab families all have a patriarchal households, have their woman in all covered clothing, and live in the desert we are not truly educating our students on the object of how cultures differ. I find that many schools generalize a population of people from a certain area, because that is thought of as the stereotypical norm of that region.
I think that as we are teaching we must take it upon ourself, as teachers, to incorporate the students in our classrooms who may be in the culture that we are teaching. Students get excited and engaged when they have the opportunity to share and learn from one another, and best of all they can teach each other in way that provokes thought and interest in one another. Also, we must take it upon ourself to do research through up-to-date materials and publications that can offer us insight into cultures that we may not have been exposed to properly in the past. Cultures can differ entirely by region.
If people were to generalize Americans we would get very heated, very easily. We pride ourselves in coming from a multitude of backgrounds, heritages, ethnicities, and regions. We have different traditions, customs, and even ways of eating food. I found that a very useful way of teaching food isn’t to just teach the “traditional” foods, but what that culture may eat on a daily basis. Websites, like the one I posted below, can offer an insight into how food that adults, families, and children eat around the world can differ and be alike as well. The students can also see how families, and their clothing, look alike and differ.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html
We have so many resources in the arena of technology, and we can use this to open the minds and eyes of our students in how cultures and people differ in great ways all around the world.