The History of Multicultural Education Essay

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).

     The underlying goal of multicultural education is to affect social change. The pathway towards this goal incorporates three strands of transformation known as: the transformation of self, the transformation of schools and schooling, and the transformation of society (Page 2).

There was much less immigration at the time these theories were put in place. There was not much need for services for multicultural students. With the change of a more diverse multicultural students, we need to offer and embrace the learning of these students. Education and teachers need to adapt to these changes. Immigration has been on a rise since the 1940’s, in 1950-1960’s most of the immigrants came from Asia. In the mid 90’s most came from Mexico. These young students cannot become targets of discrimination in the school system in the 21st century. We need to provide services to aid these students to give them the best education

Teachers can begin by incorporating Banks’ five dimensions of multicultural education. In addition teachers must take into consideration DuPraw and Axner’s six fundamental patterns of cultural differences. Then, parents and the community will need to be educated on the cultural differences. However, the parents will need their voice to be heard in order to decrease cross cultural miscommunication. As our country’s population diversifies, it will be our responsibility to not only educate ourselves but our students as well as our parents in order to have a successful

Multiculturalists brand our culture as white, Western, male, Christian, middle-class and heterosexual. They declare that our schools have forced on students a curriculum that promotes only that perspective. The books they read, the ideas they consider, the moral and ethical standards they are taught, explicitly or implicitly, tend to be those of dead white European males. The problem, they argue, is that this leaves out the contributions of many people. People of color, women, homosexuals, and various religious traditions are ignored and thus silenced. As a result, they contend, what passes for knowledge on campus is biased. Their goal is to correct this bias.

Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society, Seventh Edition, by Donna M. Gollnick and Philip C. Chinn. Published by Prentice-Hall/Merrill. Copyright © 2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Why the event is interesting or significant to the study of multicultural education: North America

Global and multicultural education are two concepts that parallel each other based on theory. These ideas focus on the fact that society has undergone an awakening determining that education is a right and not a privilege. Education as right means it is available for all people despite income, social class, gender, and physical or mental impairments. The idea of education has also evolved beyond how it is provided, it has changed to also include how education is presented. Education is presented with the belief that all people possesses a commonality and must be able to function in a competing environment with mutual respect. Education is emphasizes the strength and humanity

In the 1990's Multicultural education has started to address the educational guidelines to help society understand there are various ways to express cultural through education. Richard Rothstein found that during the immigration period from 1880 to 1915, few Americans succeeded in school, least of all immigrants; immigrants of all backgrounds did poorly. Instead, it was the children and grandchildren of European immigrants who fared well in school, but the myth that first-generation immigrants "made it," at least in terms of academics, is firmly established in the public psyche. (Nieto & Bode, 2012). At one time Immigrants used public schools just to fit in. Today protesters and other open-minded groups are trying to preserve native cultures. A lot of immigrant’s parents understand children will do well if the native language education protected the culture at home. But others felt their children's integration mandates teaching in English only.

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

One hundred years ago, people did not leave their hometown, much less move their families into multicultural neighborhoods filled with diverse children from all over the planet. However, that is changing. With a more globalized world, minorities are finally represented throughout the country, and diversity is becoming more important than ever. In schools, some has been done to address this drastic reduction in prejudice and increase in opportunities. While completely integrating diversity into classrooms is a challenge due to differences in cultural behavior, and misconceived notions of diversity education, there are many studies which are benefiting multiculturalism and strategies created by these programs to create a truly

Education made great strides to becoming more equal and multicultural beginning in the 1950’s and has continued to try and accommodate these new innovative

ABSTRACT: John Searle opposes multiculturalism because he views it as part of a movement to undermine the concepts of truth and objectivity in the Western tradition. Richard Rorty disagrees with Searle about the relation between philosophical theories of truth and academic practices, but he is neutral on the issue of multiculturalism. Charles Taylor approaches the issue historically, defending multiculturalism as emerging from one branch of liberal political theory. I argue that the debate over epistemological and political issues has tended to obscure the educational benefits of multiculturalism. A multicultural curriculum works very well in fulfilling the traditional goals of

The supporting side also believes that multiculturalism in education is an essential part of college. Studies have found that appreciation for diversity is lacking on college campuses. Evidence shows that among the growing tensions on college campuses, “multiculturalism

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.