C&I 216 Dr. Brown Multicultural Education

Intro Activity Write a 5 line poem in which each line begins with the phrase: I am from …

Your classroom Melting Pot or Tossed Salad What are the implications of either term? What types of differences may exist in your classroom? Race, social class, ethnicity, exceptionalities, nationality, gender, sexual preference, religion, etc… Should these differences be ignored? Should these aspects of your students be omitted from their education?

Multicultural Education Curriculum and instructional approaches that teach students to respect and value diversity. Goals to increase educational equality for both gender groups, for students from diverse ethnic and cultural groups, and for exceptional students to help all students increase their achievement and intergroup attitudes and values. to challenge the curriculum to include a variety of perspectives.

Curriculuar Approaches Contributions Approach “heroes and holidays” Cinco de Mayo, Women’s history week, Black history month, Sacajawea (rather than Geronimo), etc… Additive Approach Cultural content or themes are added Special units (African Americans in the West, Indian Removal, book from an African American author) Both approaches are superficial and do not the structure or cannon of the curriculum. Event and persons are typically viewed through the dominant culture.

Curricular Approaches Transformation Approach Changes the assumptions of the curriculum and enables students to view issues from different perspectives Students read and listen to the victor and vanquished, they analyze different perspectives, and think critically. “Westward Movement or Expansion” Social Action Approach Take personal, civic, or social action on what they have studied. i.e. compile a list of more inclusive books, organize something to help the homeless or disabled, or write a Congressperson.