MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 1

Ma Lucila Toscana

Pacificoakscollege

Spring 2016
MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 2

Abstract

Living in multicultural society educators, teachers administrators to recognize the need to

expand their knowledge of multicultural education in the public schools. The United States, for

the most part is a nation of immigrants, and continues to shift towards ever increasingly

diversity. According to (Hoobs & stoopps, 2002) during the 21 St Century, the ratio of people

who were nonwhite to people who were white, was one in four. Knowing the statistics of the

population is essential that teachers, administrators, health providers, and providers who deliver

services must develop a cross-cultural competence. One of the challenges facing teachers

committed to creating a transformative multicultural approach is how to design a learning

community that is reflective of both our multicultural society and individual differences among

citizens. To teach students to participate effectively in a democratic and pluralistic society, one

needs to respond to the needs of various groups within our classes as well as to individual

students.

Developing a cross-cultural competence is a challenge and teachers are facing complex

issues as I stated, but if teachers want their students succeed, it will be necessary to approach

them culturally, their success depends how teachers teach the population they serve.

Administrators need to emphases in teachers, help and prepare them get the knowledge, skills to

work effectively with racial, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse students. Working with a

diverse group of children and families, teachers should become change agents to impact and

empower relationships within schools and families by designing a multicultural approach to

MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 3

Empower learning, embracing individually or collectively in our society. And rejecting any kind

of racism, bias, discrimination, stereotyping, and inequity, but accepting differences in race,

ethnicity, religion, language, economic, sexual orientation, gender, and other differences that our

society will encounter living in a pluralistic cultural society. Analyzing similituries and

differences, will promote the education and achievement of all students.

Developing cross-cultural knowledge, is critical to basic cross-cultural understanding, it

enable to work more effectively with families, it provides information about the new culture,

demands and believes, while helping families to maintain the elements of their traditional culture

or sub-culture. Knowing that cultural differences as similarities exists among cultures and being

aware of possibilities it will help teachers to be ready to respond appropriately and appreciate,

respect for each student or a group and design an effectively approach for children learning.

And before develop an educational approach, teachers need to get information from families

about their children learning goals, what they like to do and encourage parent participation in

school without being judgmental about their practices. When teachers and service providers

embrace any particular culture and take advantage of what they already know, at the same time,

teachers will learn from their unique culture.

Having basic knowledge about their cultural language, it will empower teachers to

develop effective communication across cultures. According to researchers, cultural

communication differences can be identified by 8 different criteria: when to talk; what to say;

pacing and pausing; the art of listening; intonation; what is conventional and what is not in a
 MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 4

language; and the degree of indirectness; and cohesion and coherence. So be aware of these

differences in when communicating to avoid miscommunication.

According to According to McKay, Davis and Fanning (1983), active listening is the

process that requires participation. To fully understand the meaning of a communication,

teachers should be asking questions, and giving feedback. Giving and take get a fuller

appreciation of what is being said. Practicing this skill will go beyond passively absorbing.

Collaboration in the communication process is active listening

After actively listen to families, help families by providing information regarding child

development, children learning styles, and continue encourage families to take an active role to

support their childrens education. According to (Epstein, J. (1991) parents from non-

mainstream cultures are not easily empowered to advocate for their children in schools today.

and he started, there are a lot of barriers that may inhibit parent to interactions with schools.

And those barriers may contribute to their children unsuccessful academically skills. When

parents are involved in their children's education, both children and parents are likely to benefit.

That is the role of teachers to help families get involved in the children academic life to bring the

potential of each child. Researchers report that parent participation in their children's schooling

frequently, enhance, children's self-esteem, improves children's academic achievement, parent-

child relationships, helps parents develop positive attitudes towards school and a better

understanding of the schooling process. Observing and making connections with families the

possible barriers will swept away when teachers understand and help others cultures adapt to a
 MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 5

new culture. Depending on the age of the children, teachers must be very nurture, work at child

eye level, ask open-ended questions, and observe them to evaluate their development and do not

misinterpreted knowledge. By placing children in a non biased classroom, males, females,

exceptional children, or gender by choicer, all groups will have an equal chance to achieve

academically. Besides displaying children cultures in the classroom, items that are relevant

according to them; teachers need to work with children in honoring differences and help them

develop tolerance skills, and respect other people perspectives. And avoid teaching only the

multicultural festival. Rather teachers must apply the transformative approach.

Leaders in the field of multicultural education such as, (Banks, 1997; Nieto, 1996, 1999;

Sleeter; Grant, 1994), defines the goals of multicultural education similarly. And stated that the

primary goal of multicultural education is to promote the education achievement of all students,

particularly those who are dismissed and underserved in our education system.

Other leaders said that the implementation of multicultural education varies greatly,

and leaders mentioned above develop a model to explore and define different approaches to the

integration of multicultural content in the curriculum. And the model includes four approaches to

content integration.

The contribution Approach: utilized form of multicultural characterized by adding ethnic

heroes, items, but they are limited to special days, weeks, months, or events. Such as Dr. King or

any particular celebration in schools. But not experiences related to the event, nor the cultural

significance or true history explored in depth before or after the event. According to (NCSALL),

this is the easiest approach and it gives the vision of diversity. But does not discuss oppression,
MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 6

social inequity, struggles, racism, or poverty. This approach leads to the perpetuation of

stereotyping superficial understanding of any ethnic groups.

The additive approach much like the first approach, just adding content to the curriculum

without any restructuring. This approach is studied from the mainstream perspectives. Individual

groups are including, but any inequity, racial injustice is addressed.

The next approach differs from the previous two. This is the transformative approach. It

enables students to see the concepts from other cultures and ethnic groups. This approach is a

challenge because teachers must be willing to deconstruct their own existing knowledge,

explore alternative perspectives critically, research and include voices and ideas other than those

that they traditionally presented to us. And address their own roles in pertuating racism and

oppression. This approach infuses perspectives, frames of reference and ideas that will expand

understanding.

It includes immigration, the Eastward movement, Westward Movement and the

impact these movements patterns had on those people already living on the land. (Native

Americans). People need to know abiut reservations, Indian school, missionary work, and

genocidal polices that contributed to the loss of thousands lives. Because most of us regarless of

our race or ethnic have learned that white people, European men made the history of USA. This

approach is challenged and only passionate teachers will be able to help the transformation of

real teaching.

The last approach model refers to decision making and social action approach. This

approach includes all of the elements of the transformative approach. It requires students not

only explore and understand the dynamics of oppression, but also commit to make decisions and
MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING 7

to take action related to the concept, issue, or problem. By fighting to change systems through

social actions. To eradicate racism, sexism, or any form of oppression in schools, work

environment, and personal lives. The main goal of this approach is to teach thinking skills and

decision making. To empower them and to help they acquired a sense of awareness and efficacy.

(e.g., Nieto, 1996; sleeter, 1996) Making a case for a multicultural approach for learning is a

challenge.

But since we live in a multicultural society, teachers should work with any ethnic group

to bring the children potential to be successful in school. Without regards of origin, gender social

economical status, language or any exceptional ability. Being sensitive to personal culture and

behaviors, understanding basic information about family traditions, language and acknowledge

their knowledge, teachers are willing to deconstruct their own existing knowledge and giving

voices to the voiceless. And committed to eradicate any form of racism, sexism, stereotyping,

and oppression then teachers will be able to make a case for a multicultural approach to

learning.

Besides that, the discovery of the four approaches, it provides a powerful resource to

study and gives ideas how to implements a multicultural approach.

MAKING A CASE FOR A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH FOR LEARNING

Bibliographies.

NCSALL: multicultural education connecting Theory to Practice

Banks. J. A, (1998). Approach to multicultural reform.

http://diversityweb.org/digest/F97/curriculum.html

http://www.ncsall.net/index.html@id=208.html

(Personal perspective)/Philosophical Framework and Model for Teaching