Does our educational system do the job that needs to be done to incorporate multiculturalism into the school curriculum? Over the years we have added Women's History Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month but is this truly incorporating and encouraging multiculturalism or teaching in isolation because Americans have decided these cultural groups have relevance in history?
In the article Multiculturalism in School Curriculum by Waxler, he discusses the importance of not teaching about cultures as a "separate entity." He provides several examples to illustrate how he incorporates different cultures and perspectives into his lessons. As well as providing us with examples, he also argues how his lessons address the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy which is evaluation. At this level, students are comparing, contrasting, defending, evaluating, justifying and supporting their arguments. I think Waxler has illustrated how the classroom can embrace different cultures and perspectives as well as achieve high achievement scores which sadly in the end is the goal without isolating them into categories.
The article Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School by Hirsch looks at the need for a centrist core curriculum. If I am understanding the article correctly, he is arguing centrist curriculum would create true diversity within our schools curriculum. In other words, it would bring together the home culture and the school based culture. As well arguing the need for bringing the cultures together, he also maintains the importance of needing to read, write, engage in a conversation, and solve math problems in order for them to overcome their "victimization" and obtain more meaningful jobs. Are these students needing to overcome their "victimization" or needing to be understood and accepted?
As I read this article, I did agree with the need for our school curriculum to respect each and every students home culture, but one of the characteristic of the centrist curriculum includes to "encourage knowledge of and sympathy towards the diverse cultures of the world." I agree with encouraging all students to have knowledge of the different cultures of the world we live in today, but I am discouraged by the word "sympathy." Should we be encouraging our students to have sympathy or to embrace, accept and understand multiculturalism?
When I look at my students in my classroom and all the diversity represented I am in awe. Just within my classroom, I have Hispanic, Arabic, Ethiopian, Somalia, and Russian children. Watching them interact with each other everyday is amazing. Though they may not all speak the same language, they still manage to communicate and not isolate into groups. Yet, when I was in school, I can remember only one African-American in my school and there was zero in my class. Multiculturalism did not exist or none that I could see.
The school I attended was all about following the typical white-American standards not embracing diversity. The curriculum consisted of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. History involved learning about famous Americans and slavery. I do not recall much if any discussions of immigration or diverse cultures. I am sure if you took Spanish, French, or German classes you were exposed to those cultures, but I did not take any of these classes while in high school or college.
References:
Hirsch, Jr.,E.D. (1992). Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School. Retrieved on October 4, 2009 from http://coreknowledge.org/CK/about/articles/centrst.htm .
Waxler, Adam. (2006-2008). Multiculturalism in School Curriculum, Retrieved on October 4, 2009 from http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/articles/index.pl?page=2;read=1621.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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