The Global Teacher

Multicultural Education:

A Challenge to Global Teachers

All men are pretty much alike.

It is only by culture that they
are set apart.

Confucius

What is

Culture?
the values, traditions, social and worldview
shared by a group of people bound together by a
combination of factors. (Derman and Sparks)

Diversity of Learners and

Multicultural Education
the major goal of multicultural education is to
transform the school so that the male and
female students, exceptional learners, as well as
students coming from diverse cultural, socialclass, racial and ethnic groups will receive an
equal opportunity to learn in school.
James Banks

Students may differ in:

Race

Ethnic or religious groups

Economic status
Languages spoken
Family background
Some could be stricken by poverty,
unemployment, relocations, etc.

In the midst of this diversity, students are

supposed to receive equal opportunities
to education.
In order to do this, we need:
Curricular and instructional modifications
(Different) Teaching styles
Re-examination of teachers attitudes, beliefs and
perception

This movement called

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
enables teachers and educators to give
value to the differences in prior
knowledge, experiences of learners from
diverse background and familiarity with
students histories of diverse cultures.
(Haertel, 1998)

Goals of
Multicultural Education:

1
2 Improve academic achievement of all students
Help the students to develop the knowledge, attitudes
skills needed to function within their own and other
3 and
micro cultures, and within global community
4 Provide opportunities to gain cultural competency
Develop and foster a democratic and just society where
all groups experience cultural democracy and
empowerment

How do we achieve these

GOALS?

To achieve these goals, it is very

important for teachers to be
knowledgeable about differences in
cultures, religion, ethnicity, and even the
language spoken by the students.

Suggestions to understand multi-cultural

learners: (Fraser-Abner, 2001)
Learn as much about and become as sensitive
to and aware of racial, ethnic, cultural and
gender groups other than your own
Never make assumptions about an individual
based on their perception of that individuals
race, ethnicity, culture or gender

Suggestions to understand multi-cultural

learners: (Fraser-Abner, 2001)
Avoid stereotyping
Get to know each student as a unique
individual: Walk in the footsteps of all your
students

Other suggestions include:

Look into your own conscious and subconscious biases
about the people who are different from yourselves
Plan your activities within a multicultural framework
while making your classroom a safe and secure place
for all the students
Infuse multicultural instructional materials and
strategies in your teaching
Foster collaboration and cooperation among your
learners, parents and teachers

a caring environment will always

enhance academic achievement.

The Global Teacher

Broadening Teaching Perspectives:

Teacher Exchange Programs

We cannot hold a torch to

light anothers path without
brightening our own.

Ben Sweetland

What is a

Teacher Exchange Program?

opportunities for teachers, school
administrative and support staff to work
overseas and interstate to exchange ideas and
knowledge and to observe different educational
practices.

Teacher exchange programs enhance

professional development and
broaden perspective.

What are these

PROGRAMS?

Visiting International Faculty Program

(VIF)

US largest cultural exchange program for teachers and

schools started 19 years ago.
Offers highly qualified teachers worldwide to serve as
teacher and cultural ambassador in the US.
Teachers participate for up to three years and then
return home to their country to share international
experiences with students and colleagues.

VIF intends to ensure that students, educators

and communities worldwide reap the benefits of
international educator.

They believe that

All schools should have at least one international
exchange teacher.
All students should be exposed to a variety of
exchange teachers during their academic careers.
All communities should have an equal opportunity to
develop globally literate citizens to help build a
foundation for success in the global marketplace.

Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program

Started in 1946 to promote mutual understanding

between the United States and countries around the
world
For U.S. teachers and involves a year or semester of
direct exchange with a counterpart in another country
teaching the same subject at the same level
30 countries including Philippines currently participate
in the program, and in Philippines, it is managed by the
Philippine-American Educational Foundation

Inter-African Teacher Exchanges

Provides opportunities for African teachers to learn from

teaching environments in other African countries
Aims to extend experiences by encouraging exchange
visits to countries outside Africa as well
On startup year, African teachers exchange visits within
schools in another African country. The teacher will
travel to work for over a period of two weeks after which,
they will engage in different activities by pairs

Canadian Educators Exchange

Non-profit foundation
Offer educators and their students an opportunity to
broaden their understanding of one anothers
cultures, customs, and languages

Two kinds of exchanges for powerful professional

development experiences:
One Year Exchanges
Short-term Exchanges (during spring & summer
holidays)

Global Teachers Millenium Awards

Contributes to the quality of teachers worldwide

though it is limited only to participating countries
Commits to improving the quality of education in
South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, and the U.K., and
promotes partnership between North and South
African countries

The program aims to:

Change the lives of UK educators, personally and professionally
by encouraging them to fulfill their aspiration and use their talents
in innovative ways
Ensure benefits for staff and pupils of UK schools and their local
communities through the dissemination of innovative
development education
Support the aims and activities of Links educational programs in
South Africa, Ghana and Uganda
Set a standard and develop a model for other similar scheme

These programs give teachers the opportunity to

live their personal and professional lives
in another context, in another setting,
in another country, thus strengthening their
skills in understanding diversity and
multiculturalism.

The Global Teacher

Educational Technology and

Innovative Teaching

Technology does not replace

people it enables people; it only
replaces people when they do not
know how to wield it.

T. Richardson

Diversity of learners
By these factors,
Multiple teaching
perspectives
from
we could achieve
exchange programs
INNOVATIVE
TEACHING,
and it is one of the answers
Breakthroughs
technology
to meet global in
demands
for
quality education.

From curricula of facts-based,

memorization-oriented to
curricula in which learning with
understanding and more active
involvement are emphasized.

Roles of technology in achieving the

goal of learning for understanding
Technology provides support to the solution of
meaningful problems
Microworlds which are simulations
or exploratory environments which
allow students to carry out actions,
observe result immediately and do
lots of investigations.

Roles of technology in achieving the

goal of learning for understanding
Technology provides support to the solution of
meaningful problems
Technology acts as cognitive support
Technology promotes collaboration as well as
independent learning

Technology Programs for Teaching

Stand-alone programs

Technology Programs for Teaching

Stand-alone programs
Programs available on the internet

Knowledge Integration
Environment which
teaches students to think
of web information and
evaluate it critically.

Technology Programs for Teaching

Stand-alone programs
Programs available on the internet
The Global Learning and
Observations to Benefit
Environment (GLOBE
Program) which involves
students in gathering data
about local environment
and creating databases.

Technology Programs for Teaching

Stand-alone programs
Programs available on the internet

Electronic Field Trip is a

communication technology
which allows learners to
travel and visit places for
global explorations.

Technology Programs for Teaching

Stand-alone programs
Programs available on the internet
Information databases

Encarta and Grollier which provide learners

access to vast information

Performance Indicators:
1. Technology operations and concepts
2. Planning and designing learning environments and experiences
3. Teaching, learning, and the curriculum
4. Assessment and evaluation
5. Productivity and professional practice
6. Social, ethical, legal, and human issues

With substantial knowledge, skills and

appropriate attitude in the use of technology, we
can apply innovative teaching strategies in our
classroom.

Thanks!

SittiJhoe