Cultural Diversity In Schools
Since early American history, schools, like society, have addressed
cultural diversity in different ways. In the colonial days, some attempts to
adjust to cultural differences were made in the New York colony, but the
dominant American culture was the norm in the general public, as well as most of
the schools. As America approached the nineteenth century, the need for a
common culture was the basis for the educational forum. Formal public school
instruction in cultural diversity was rare, and appreciation or celebration of
minority or ethnic culture essentially was nonexistent in most schools. In the
1930's, the educators were in the progressive education movement, called for
programs ...
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movement in the 1930's. Another example would be in the
white communitites, that multicultural programs are designed to cultivate an
appreciation of various cultural, racial, and ethnic traditions. Cortes defines
multicultural education by the process by which schools help prepare young
people to live with greater understanding, cooperation, effectiveness, and
dedication to equality in a multicultural nation and inerdependent world (Cortes,
16).
When I observed at Madison Elementary in December, I expected the school
would be multicultural in the sense of ethnic or racial backgrounds. Instead,
I was very surprised to discover that the school was predominately white
students, with only a handful of African American students in each classroom. I
did find out that the Wheeling Island area was in very low status pertaining to
income. Not only did over half of the students receive free or reduced lunch,
but the students academic skills were below the national norm. I never ...
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indirectly by failing to use linguistic qualifiers such as 'some,' 'many,'
and 'most' when referring to cultural groups. There is much diversity within
culture" (Ryan, 27). Teachers must also keep in mind that the process of social
development entails the successful interplay between an integrating function and
differentiating function. It is critical that multicultural education programs
foster both. The challenge is simple but significant: Can we create places of
learning where students are no longer strangers to themselves or to one another?
The answer is clear: We must (Tamura, 24-25).
Students need to understand that they are participating in many
different ...
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"Cultural Diversity In Schools." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 21 Feb. 2007. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Cultural-Diversity-In-Schools/60687>
"Cultural Diversity In Schools." Essayworld.com. February 21, 2007. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Cultural-Diversity-In-Schools/60687.
"Cultural Diversity In Schools." Essayworld.com. February 21, 2007. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Cultural-Diversity-In-Schools/60687.
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