Stop the Denial and Step Up

School demographics are changing daily. Are teachers prepared for those changes? Should teachers depend on professional development to train them on how to adapt to these multicultural changes? Unless you teach in a school district that can provide training for multicultural

IT IS TIME FOR TEACHERS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF UNDERSTANDING MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION. BY: KIMBERLY BLAIR MARCH 30, 2014

education, it depends on you, the teacher, to take responsibility and educate yourself. My personal voice action plan is designed to inform teachers at my school about multicultural education. My goal is to help teachers have a better understanding and find ways to implement multicultural education in their classroom, school and community. In order to teach in meaningful and relevant ways, teachers must become competent to learn about the many cultures that intersect with our classroom and communities (Bastos, 2006, p. 21). Teachers will first need to understand what multicultural education is and how it will change their classroom environment. Multicultural education incorporates race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation and disabilities. This goes beyond a classroom lesson that covers and mimics a certain culture. In an article by Elizabeth Manley Delacruz on multiculturalism, she discusses the misconceptions to misdirected practices in art education. These misguided teachers assume that jumping from one culture to another is appropriate techniques to multicultural education. These practices perpetuate racial and ethnic stereotyping, teach students little about the nature and value of art, decontextualize art, and further erode the role and value of art education (Delacruz, 1995, p. 60). Some teacher instruct students to copy shapes, colors, textures and styles of a nonwestern cultures and feel that covers multicultural education (Heard, 1999, pp. 477-478). Multicultural education is much more than looking and coping from other cultures. Teachers that embrace the ideals of multicultural education want their students to learn more about themselves and the world around them. Teachers need to be willing to learn about their students cultural identity and allowing the students to share and gain knowledge of each others cultures. I believe that teachers and students should learn to investigate their own cultural traditions, belief systems, and values as well as those of others as a requirement for critical participation in our constantly changing world(Bastos, 2006, p. 20). Multicultural education has had some resistance from teachers that have concerns or issues with implementing it in their classroom. These teachers are fearful that it is too controversial or it would jeopardize their job. Some are in a state of denial and find it irrelevant. This denial sometimes comes across as colorblindness. They do not see that the students are different and treat them equally. Some

teachers have been taught to see uniformness, to use a single standard for student performance and most of all, to urge their students towards conformity to such a norm; they were therefore, resistant to democratic multicultural teaching and learning strategies (Heard, 1999, p. 467). It is up to each

individual teacher to learn to work beyond these issues and concerns. Teachers have to set aside their own biases and be willing to embracing multicultural education. Those teachers that are willing to embrace multicultural education need to be open minded and ready to research and learn. My plan is to present multicultural education to teachers and administration at my school. I understand that this may have some negative resistance. I would like to work with the district and try to have this count as a professional development credit. I would need to research the requirements for teachers to receive credit. My school has had a recent demographic shift and teachers are having issues understanding students multicultural identity. These teachers fail to understand the importance of students identities and the ever-changing cultural dynamics of our school. Students participation in this process is critical because students bring with them to the classroom prior learning from outside the school, motives, goals, insights, strategies for learning, or personal identities that give direction to their growth (Stuhr, 1992, p. 16). I want teachers at my school to have a chance to learn about multicultural education. I understand not everyone will understand nor plan to implement in their classrooms. But I want them to have the opportunity to make that choice. The outline of my presentation would include the main points of multicultural education, selfanalyze, the importance, and some examples of ways to implement them into their classroom. Have the teachers sit in small groups with their content area. Teachers will work together to create ways to implement multicultural education in their content area. Presentation would be created in PowerPoint. Slide 1: Our school is diverse with multiple cultures. This diverse society includes a number of young people who experience some degree of alienation in our classrooms and school. Through the application of multicultural education concepts, we can strive to create more inclusive classrooms and school, in which our students can make personal connections to the curriculum. Slide 2: Multicultural education incorporates race ethnicity nationality language religion social class gender sexual orientation disabilities

Slide 3: Multicultural Concepts Culture (traditions/historical) Cultural Pluralism Diversity is Valued Balancing difference with commonalities Multiple Perspectives Visibility Awareness of Stereotypes

Slide 4: Cultural elements Values and beliefs Customs and traditions Language/communication patterns Diet and food preparation Dress and/or body decoration Religious practices Family structure View of time may vary Recreation-athletic games

Slide 5 and 6: Guidelines Have knowledge about ethnic groups Be sensitive to racial and ethnic attitudes of students --children are not color blind Classroom should convey positive images of various ethnic groups Be sensitive to the possible controversial nature of some ethnic studies materials Use trade books, films, videotapes, and recordings to supplement the textbook treatment of ethnic groups Avoid mainstream-centric-only views and present the perspectives of ethnic groups from within the group Set high expectations for all students alike Keep in mind that most parents of minority groups are very interested in education and their childrens academic success. Make sure classroom formal and informal groups are racially integrated Students need to feel that they are in a safe environment Trust adults and peers Place to have self-expression

Slide 7: Importance of multicultural education Embracing student diversity

Cultural understanding and respect for each other

Student self-identity Higher self-esteem and self-confidence Learning Motivated and curriculum more effective

Slide 8: Who are You? (Handout for teachers to fill out ) Get in touch with your own cultural and ethnic heritage Analyze your own racial behavior and attitudes towards other cultural groups

Feel free to discuss with your group the different backgrounds each of you come from. (The handout for teachers)
CULTURE PROFILE: To which group(s) do you belong? 1. Language --English only; Spanish; Chinese; Vietnamese; Bilingual; Others________________ 2. Ethnicity/National Origin-people in class with at least one ancestor from the areas: Native American--Tribes/Nations ________________ Latin American--Countries/Regions: Mexico ; Cuba; El Salvador; Panama; South American Country, ________________ Euro-American--Countries/Regions: Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales); Ireland; Germany, France, Italy, Scandinavia; Others ____________ African American--Countries/Regions ______________ Asian American--Countries _____________ Arab American/ Middle East--Countries ___________ 3. Religion Christianity Major Branches-- Catholic; Orthodox; Mormon; Protestant Protestant Denominations: Baptist,Congregational; Disciples of Christ (Christian Church); Episcopal (Anglican) Friends (Quaker), Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Other denominations __________________ Islam (Muslims) Branches of Islam: Shiite; Sunni Judaism (Jewish); Hindu; Buddhist (including Confucianism, Taoism) Other religions______________________ 4. Musical Preference: Country-Western, Rock, Jazz, Rap, R & Blues, Latin, Tejano, Religious, Hip-Hop, Bluegrass, Classical, other 5. Clothes: Casual, formal, uniform, ethnic 6. Food: Fast food, traditional diet, ethnic 7. Drinks: soft drinks, coffee, tea, milk, alcohol

8. Athletics: Golf, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Gymnastics 9. Housing: Apartment, Single family dwelling, dorm 10. Living location: City/urban, rural, small town 11. Politics: Democrat, Republican, independent 12. Transportation: Bicycle, walk, auto, bus, subway

Slide 9: Implementation of Multicultural Education In your content areas groups create ways that you can implement multicultural education in your classroom and content area. Note: Students must feel safe to be able to freely self express who they are. Art example: Students would have prior learning on techniques, skills and understanding of scared spaces. Have students draw in color (marker or pencil) an interior space of their house. Select a section of the house that best describes who you are. Be sure to include items in detail and color. What is on the walls and floor? Identify important social issues related to religion, ethnicity, gender, age and socioeconomic class. Allow students to turn in artwork privately if they need. Last slide would have references and links Redefining race and ethnicity in the United States http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA7La5JgOUk&feature=player_detailpage References Bastos, F. (2006). Border-crossing dialogues engaging art education. Art Education, 59(4), 20-24. Davenport, M. (2000). Culture and education: Polishing the lenses. Studies in Art Education, 41(4), 361375. Delacruz, E. (1995). Multiculturalism and art education: Myths, misconceptions, misdirections. Art Education, 48(3), 57-61. Heard, D. (1999). A developing model of teachers educating themselves for multicultural pedagogy. Higher Education, 38(4), 461-487. Melnick, S., & Zeichner, K. (1998). Teacher educations responsibility to address diversity issues: Enhancing intuitional capacity. Theory into Practice, 37(2), 88-95. Stuhr, P., Petrovich-Mwaniki, L., & Wasson, R. (1992). Curriculum guidelines for the multicultural classroom. Art Education, 45(1), 16-24.