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Foundations of Multicultural
Education
Chapter 1
Multicultural Education
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“Multicultural education is an educational
strategy in which students’ cultural
backgrounds are used to develop effective
classroom instruction and school
environments.”
Addresses cultural diversity and equality in
schools…ensuring the same access to the
benefits of society regardless of group
membership
Characteristics of a Multicultural School
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Faculty, administration, staff accurately reflect the
pluralistic composition of the U.S.
Academic achievement differences disappear
Curriculum incorporates multiple perspectives and
contributions of many cultural groups
Students are able to use their own cultural
resources
Students learn to confront inequities
Adults view themselves as learners
Staff deals with controversial issues
History of Multicultural Education
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From deficiency to difference
Issues of power and oppression…critical
pedagogy, antiracist education, critical race
theory
Five basic concepts supporting
multicultural education
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Culture
Cultural identity
Pluralism
Equality
Social justice
Characteristics of Culture
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Enculturation and socialization
Culture is shared…most points of agreement
are outside awareness
Culture is an adaptation…to the setting
Culture is a dynamic system
Cultural Identity
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Ethnocentrism versus cultural relativism
Gender, exceptionality, ethnicity, age,
geography, class, language, religion
Cultural borders
Biculturalism… “In our expanding, diverse
nation, it is critical that educators themselves
become at least bicultural.” (border crossers)
The Dominant Culture
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Anglo-Saxon, Western European tradition
Individualism
Freedom…not having others determine
values, ideas, or behaviors
Privilege…most members of dominant culture
do not see themselves as privileged
Acculturation
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Dressing, speaking, and behaving like
members of the dominant group…adopting
the dominant group’s cultural patterns
Acculturation does not guarantee acceptance
by the dominant group
Involuntary immigrants…limited structural
assimilation
Equality and Social Justice
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Egalitarianism…the belief in social, political, and
economic rights and privileges for all people
Individualism and Meritocracy…the belief that
everyone has the opportunity to be successful, if
they just work hard enough
The individual over the group, the individual can go
to the top; focus on differences and competition,
internal characteristics such as motivation…the
individual’s responsibility to use these
characteristics to go as far as possible
Obstacles to equality
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Prejudice…focuses on attitudes…feelings of
anger, fear, hatred, distrust about members of
a certain group…negative stereotypes
Discrimination…focuses on behavior,
individual and institutional