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Educating Teachers and Students in Diversity |
Educating Teachers and Students in Diversity
As we approach the twenty-first century, our classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse. It is estimated that by the year 2005 the demographics of California will initiate a significant shift in the composition of our classrooms. 1995/1996 figures show that the breakdown of the population in California to be 40% Caucasian, 38% Hispanics, 8% African Americans, 11% Asian Pacific Islanders, and .9% American Indian/Alaskan. Further examination of 1996 data on population reveals that one in four resident of California is foreign born. The Asian Pacific Islander (API) group is the fastest growing of all ethnic foreign born groups.
This has implications for the relevance of entrenched attitudes about new immigrants and Asian immigrants in particular; but more importantly, methods of instruction employed in our classrooms must be closely scrutinized to evaluate the ability to meet the needs of the students they purport to serve. Historically, the response to Asian immigrants has been hostile, resulting at different times in internment for the Japanese, exclusion of the Chinese, and oppression of the Pilipinos. To understand how to best meet the needs of these new Americans, we must first decide who they are. APIs comprise three primary groups: Pacific Islanders-Hawaiians, Samoans, Guamaanians; South East Asians-Indo Chinese, Cambodian, Thai, Laotians, Burmese and Filipinos; and East Asians - Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans.
In addition to knowing where these students come from, it is important to be familiar with the history that each group brings. These students bring cultural, political, social, economic, and linguistic diversity with them. These differences are often the source of stress and grave misunderstanding among groups. In attempts to address these varying needs, school districts across the nation are implementing a curriculum that is multicultural in tenet. Parents and educational professionals are asking, "what exactly is multicultural education?"
>Multicultural education is a method of education and instruction geared toward building consensus and respect within racial groups. Multicultural education seeks to validate by incorporating the experiences of students and their families in the educational process. Sometimes the intent of multicultural education falls short because of entrenched stereotypic attitudes of teachers who are ill-trained and emotionally ill-prepared to implement the necessary measures. To achieve the goals of multicultural education, teachers seek to reduce fear, ignorance, and disinterest. This is only achievable if teachers and students face conscious and unconscious expressions of racisms and ethnocentrism.
The effective use of multicultural curricula is sometimes hindered by teachers who are unable to accept that other groups are not deficient because they are different. Often this is the case because teachers do not reflect the ethnic diversity in the classroom. Students and their families are often regarded as simple folk to be taken care of, folks who cannot handle and therefore should not be burned with a quality education. Majority culture is fearful of minority groups expressing their independence by choosing to accommodate rather than assimilate to majority culture. Multicultural education challenges the notions of assimilation dictated by majority culture - the perception that assimilation is really Anglo conformity.
>Many educators contend that successful multicultural education must support positive racial interaction, meaningful teacher training, positive teacher expectations, active administrative involvement. With these criteria in place educators are certain that new students will be able to make the transition necessary to lead a smooth and stress-free life in their new environment. Teachers ought to learn how to conduct case history and counseling in culturally sensitive ways. Teachers should have a multitude of alternative assessment procedures. Teachers should also be open to using translators and/or paraprofessionals in the assessment process.
There are many tangible changes that teachers, schools, and students can make to facilitate the progress of multicultural education in the schools. In the area of academics there is increasing availability in the number of books and videos on the market to train teachers and school districts. Conferences and institutes for teachers are more prevalent and readily available. Theh recognition that reading is a social as well as a cultural endeavor contributes a great deal to the students' success as readers. Teachers are also encouraged to draw upon the expertise of parents in the communities they serve. A movement from remedial education for "the poor unfortunates" to excellence in education for all is also an important change in approach. The use of multi models in instruction is essential to the successful attainment of English proficiency.
There is also much that can be done to build concensus in the area of communication with different groups. Teachers can consciously reject positive/negative stereotypes of their students. For example, "Asian students are gifted and docile; Black students are hyper and slow; Hispanic students are emotional and lazy." Teachers also need to actively distinguish between behavior, physical disorders, and communication difficulties. Southeast Asians tend to suffer hearing impairments. Teachers need to positively address stress and negative feelings generated by cultural conflicts. Teachers should seek to help parents make the transition from viewing the teacher as the expert and see themselves as part of a team in the education of their students. Teachers should be aware of cultural norms that regulate real communication. Teachers should be instrumental in helping parents and students arrive at a livable balance between the old and the new environments. Districts should seek to conduct workshops that offer comfortable alternatives to dealing with children in a permissive environment.
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