Multicultural Educational System Essay -- Multiculturalism Education C

Multicultural Educational System Historically, The United States has been a racially and ethnically a diverse nation. Since Americans represent a variety of cultures and have a variety of viewpoints, we share many cultural traditions, values, and political ideals that cement us together as a nation. Children can develop their ideas and their identity at early stages in schools. Education should stress the value of diversity and avoid portraying one culture or group as superior to others. A multicultural educational system would not only educate the students in a classroom, but also enrich the teacher and society. The definition of multiculturalism is education that focuses on providing equal opportunity for students who’s cultural or language patterns make it difficult for them to succeed in traditional programs. (Oxford) Some discuss multicultural education as a shift in curriculum, perhaps as simple as adding new and diverse materials and perspectives to be more inclusive of traditionally underrepresented groups. Others talk about classroom climate issues or teaching styles that serve certain groups while presenting barriers for others. Still others focus on institutional and systemic issues such as tracking, standardized testing, or funding discrepancies. Some go farther still, insisting on education change as part of a larger societal transformation in which we more closely explore and criticize the oppressive foundations of society and how education serves to maintain the foundations such as white supremacy, capitalism, global socioeconomic situations, and exploitation. The melting pot theory is the Americanization process brought about by teaching everybody English and American social ideals from European Ethnic Cu... ... 30, 2004 Levine, Daniel U. (1997) Foundations of Education, Education in Culturally Diverse Society. Pages 159-170, 535. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston Meacham, Jack (2003) Student Diversity in classes and Educational Outcomes: Student Perceptions, Pages 627 retrieved from Eric Journal September 30, 2004 Ryan, Francis. (1993) The Perils of Multiculturalism, Educational Horizons, spring, pgs 134-138 Sternberg, Robert J. (2002) Educational Psychology, Group Differences, The Big Picture. Pages 191-225 Allyn and Bacon, Boston. Shorter Oxford English dictionary (5th ed.). (2002). New York: Oxford University Press. Viadero, D. Increased choice found to have modest impact on school improvement. Edweek. Retrieved Nov 7,2004 from Edweek.com Watkins, William. (1994) Multicultural Education... Educational Theory, v. 44, no. 1, winter, esp. pp. 99-110