Patricia Quinn Benn
Fundamentals of Curriculum Development
Dr. Jay Dugan
10 March 2009

Position Paper #1: Multiculturalism

As educators, we often hear the term multiculturalism. We know that a multicultural education is supposed to be supported and taught within our classrooms and schools, but do we really know what it is, how to define it, and, more importantly, how to implement it within our classrooms? It seems that many schools across the nation attribute multicultural education to celebrations on Cinco de Mayo and recognition of heroes, such as Martin Luther King Jr. (Holland, 2004). However, theorists and experts in the field would venture to say that it is much more. In her novel Ed Speak, Diane Ravitch defines multicultural education as, “an approach to education that draws on historical, cultural, and scientific contributions and experiences of a wide variety of racial, ethnic, national, and cultural groups” (Ravitch, 2007). Therefore, for an educator, multicultural education is about understanding not only one’s own culture, race, religion, etc., but understanding the students’ lives including music, food, behaviors, community, etc. (Warren, 2006).

The multicultural education movement began and developed from the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. Activists worked to put an end to discrimination in the fields of education, job market, housing, etc. At this time, multicultural education was attributed mostly to African Americans and women (Ornstein et. al, 2009). Today, our definition of multicultural education has expanded to include not only gender and race, but sexuality, religion, special needs, and socioeconomic status. Therefore, students are “defined by a culture which reflects [their] belief systems and behaviors,” (Nuri-Robins et. al, 2007). Once we as educators recognize this, our schools and classrooms will be better adapted to foster, nurture, and provide equal education to all.

Before one can create a multicultural classroom appropriate for 2009, one must sift through the many terms and colloquialisms associated with such. Some of today’s hot terms include culturally responsive, culturally proficient, and cultural pluralism. What do each of these terms mean? Do they all have similar definitions, or are they vastly different? How should each be incorporated within our multicultural educated classrooms? To understand them, they must be examined and defined:
1. Culturally responsive – when students, teachers, schools, and parents work together as a unit or team in understanding and supporting different cultures
a. Schools must send a strong message to families that they are willing and able to be culturally responsive.
b. Culturally responsive schools are “student-centered, powerful enough to transform, connected and integrated, focuses on critical thinking, incorporates assessment and reflection, and builds relationships and community,” (Saifer and Barton, 2007).
2. Culturally proficient – a way to talk about, understand, and embrace differences in such a way that all are respected individually and within their cultures
a. Cultural proficiency is an “inside-out approach that makes explicit the values and practices that enable [us all to interact],” (Nuri-Robins et. al, 2007).
b. Schools that utilize such a method are growing and adapting to educational practices of today and the future.
c. Culturally proficient schools focus on “us” and “our practices,” respect and include all, indicates diversity and inclusion as goals, and examines existing policies and procedures and adapts as necessary.
3. Cultural pluralism – enables various groups to obtain power needed to improve political, economic, and social status
a. A culturally pluralistic classroom is one in which students can study their own cultures and well as others.
b. A cultural pluralism perspective believes that all Americans should be multiculturally aware and understand and respect all facets (Rothstein-Fisch & Trumball, 2008).
Some would argue that all are necessary for a rounded-out multicultural classroom/school. Culturally responsive and culturally proficient classrooms/schools utilize the concept of having everyone from parents to students to staff work together to create a school that acknowledges and works together to understand and implement the concepts of multiculturalism. Cultural pluralism takes it a step further and suggests that it is important that the students and families have the opportunity to continue to embrace their own cultures while learning and respecting new cultures.

These ideas sound wonderful in theory, but are they plausible and feasible? Many experts and researchers say yes. Many suggest that teachers design interdisciplinary lessons to incorporate cultural knowledge. To do such, it is suggested that the teacher go out and understand other cultures by experiencing them (Leiding, 2007). It is once someone is no longer ignorant to a culture, that he/she can truly respect different cultures and the individuals who populate them. Respect is a concept that is highly valued in other countries, much more so than in America. A multicultural classroom engages and demands respect of teachers to students, students to teachers, and students to students. This respect allows the different cultural values and beliefs to become the core of the classroom and school’s vision. While the research is a bit vague, it does allow teachers the flexibility and opportunity to interpret multiculturalism for their own particular classroom whether in the mid-western states such as New Mexico and Texas, or up north in places like Boston, Massachusetts, and New York, New York (Rothstein-Fisch & Trumball, 2008).

With the advent and continual development of No Child Left Behind and the increasing numbers of ethnic and minority students within our classrooms increasing by the year, it is our duty as educators to embrace multicultural education. Although it will require work, time, and effort to be successful and meaningful, it will be a means of opening the door to students who otherwise always met a closed one.

Works Cited

Holland, R. (2004). Divisive multicultural mold. The Washington Times. B04.

Leiding, D. (2007). Planning multicultural lessons. Principal Leadership. September , 48-51.

Nuri-Robins, K. (2007). Cultural proficiency. Principal Leadership. September, 16-22.

Ornstein, A., & Hunkins, F. (2009). Curriculum: foundations, principles, and issues. New York:
Pearson.

Ravitch, D. (2007). Ed speak. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Rothstein-Fisch, C., & Trumball, E. (2008). Managing diverse classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Saifer, S. (2007).Promoting culturally responsive. Principal Leadership. September, 24-28.

Warren, J. For teachers, diversity more than a lesson on King Day. (2006, November 20). The Chicago
Tribune.