What is multicultural education? What is the true essence of the word “multicultural"? Is it educating oneself about other cultures? Is it putting oneself in a setting where one can taste a variety of cultures? In Geneva Gay’s article, “A Synthesis of Scholarship in Multicultural Education," she provides a long list of frequently used definitions for multicultural education. The definition I found to be most appealing was the one which defined it as “an approach to teaching and learning based upon democratic values that foster cultural pluralism; in its most comprehensive form, it is a commitment to achieving educational equality, developing curricula that builds understanding about ethnic groups, and combating oppressive practices (Bennet, 1990)”.
Why do I find this so appropriate for defining multicultural education? Well, I look at multicultural education as trying to equalize each culture, especially when being represented in the classroom. However, with that being said, I see the 'so-called' American culture (Anglo/European) being diluted. Why is this? I believe it is due to the fact that all the other cultures in the United States were previously ignored for many years. And I look at it like a pendulum---the pendulum was pulled so far in one direction, that now we are trying to have it land in the middle, and in order to do so, we feel we need to pull it toward to the opposite direction.
In the video seen in my class (Multicultural and Practice in Education at Binghamton University), a woman spoke about how even within a culture, there are sub-cultures. She tells a story about her first year in college in the United States and how her roommate was surprised to learn that she listened to typical American music and spoke English fluently. The roommate had no idea that English was the adopted language in Nigeria. She had assumed that all Africans were basically the same-poor people who lived in a beautifully landscaped country. From this story, we can see the importance of teaching and implementing multicultural education in our schools.
What I then found even more interesting, was when the woman in the video explained how she was too unaware of subcultures within her culture. I find that to be quite interesting because it truly shows how not only is it important to learn about other cultures, but also to become aware of one's own subcultures.
Why is all this so important? Why should we educate ourselves and the youth of America on other cultures? The reason, I believe, is to validate individual differences and bring understanding, acceptance and respect for all individuals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lio0n98QKU&feature=related
