Multiculturalism is not a new idea. However, it is now being worn as a crown and presented as a noteworthy character trait. In my opinion America has always been and will always be multicultural. I can see how the idea is one that needs to be opened, refined and reformed. If we reflect on peoples’ multicultural views, it easy to see that we as a culture have come a long way since the civil rights era. However, I can see room for improvement with better ideas of integration especially in the classrooms of America.
When I reflect on my education growing up I can remember that my circle of influence was predominately white. I am sad to say that the small town in which I grew up and many of my immediate family members were prejudice. I can clearly see however in just one generation a new way of thinking has emerged. I personally have always considered myself color-blind and I can say without a doubt that my children do not have racial issues. It is interesting that even though many of those black/white racial barriers have come down, there are still others that resurface and still other areas that need our attention.
The curriculum of our schools should reflect an overall cultural view of critical historical events. I am glad to see that there is a movement to rethink textbooks and how the information is transmitted. I really enjoyed the idea of spreading out multiculturalism throughout the curriculum as Adam Waxler suggested in his web article Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. I have often thought one way to really integrate current history with past history is bringing out current happenings on-going in historical sites from the past. So if you were studying Egypt and the pyramids, you would look it up on a current map and talk about what was going on in Egypt currently. Perhaps have students look up news articles in the last week from Egypt and find cultural influences from early Egypt in today’s Egypt. This makes all the information relevant and also gives perspective to the fact that there is still current Egyptian culture to be valued and respected.
History is not the only subject that can reach across cultural barriers. Various holidays throughout the year can give teachers ample opportunity to draw in other cultures. Knowledge is power and gives us the power to educate one another. If each student studies a different aspect of culture and shares with the rest of the class, then each student learns from another the value of a different culture. Being Americans automatically makes us multicultural whether we respect other cultures or not. We have many different cultures in our backgrounds. A family tree is another way to bring in various cultures and get parents involved in seeing that we truly are all diverse.
I divide from Waxler in that I see the value in having certain historical months where various groups are honored like Black history month or Women’s history month, because it does give us an opportunity to point out that these groups are worthy of recognition in history. However, I do agree with Waxler in that stitching a thread of multiculturalism throughout the curriculum really epitomizes the idea of melting the groups together. I have never liked the fact that the Revolutionary War is seen as great triumph for Americans, but we tend to overlook the fact that Native Americans were overtaken and forced into small plots of land we “gave” them. History always has more than one perspective and we must present it with an unbiased view to the best of our abilities.
According to the textbook there are many charter schools who have redirected their curriculums to be more focused on the culture of their choosing (Webb Metha, & Jordan, 2010, p. 356). I am not sure that is in the best interest of the children, because it is also a slanted view of society. You can try and integrate multiculturalism into the curriculum but the best way to teach it is to expose children to it either in word or by way of presenting diversity face to face. I think most textbook companies are making an honest effort to integrate many cultures into the text teacher are currently using in schools. I can definitely see a broader cultural curriculum than when I was in school.
I certainly think that as Americans we need things that also make us unified, a common ground to which we can all relate. E.D. Hirsch, Jr. points this out in his article Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School when he said, “[C]hildren need to have basic foundations and share common points of reference that will enable further learning.” The wheels of change turn very slowly, but I have certainly seen a big change in the curriculum, in people, and in American ideals about multiculturalism in my lifetime.
Resources
Hirsch, E.D., Jr. (1992). Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School. Retrievd from the Core Knowledge Foundations. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133313
Waxler, A. (n.d.). Multiculturalism in School Curriculum. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133312
Webb, L., Metha, A., Forbis Jordan, K. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed.). New Jersey: Merrill.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Diversity & Multiculturalism Entry #3
When I think of the term diversity I think of people being from different racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. The term diversity makes me think of appreciating people’s differences. When I think of the term multi-cultural it gives me more of a factual feeling. People of different cultures coming together to represent a unified cause. Neither term threatens my Caucasian heritage or American decent.
When I read and reflected on the web articles presented in this Module I felt that all were based on extreme views. My personal views fall somewhere far from all three representation, but if I had to choose one article that I could most relate to it would be Why is Multiculturalism Wrong? I really think the more we focus on trying to include everyone with differences the further away we get from being inclusive. When we look at a person and derive any notions about them based on race, culture, religion, or ethnicity it is biased and in my opinion prejudice.
I think any view that pulls all the power from one side to the other is stealing the melting pot image that has always represented the American ideal. It will be impossible to incorporate every historical perspective fairly as stated in The Challenge of Multiculturalism. However we should strive to have each party represented as it is historically relevant. Unfortunately the multicultural ideas have forced more segregation as criticized by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, “Of course we must all respect differences , but we do not want… a society where communities coexist side by side” (Tyrrell, 2011). Europe is seeing similar problems trying to find the right balance for their government and school policy.
I find myself in my white heritage a bit disgruntled by Affirmative Action because it immediately categorizes people by race and gender. You have a better chance at getting this job not because you are smart and well-schooled, but because we have not hired a white girl this year. No thanks, I do not want my job because of my race or gender, but if it means my children can eat this week, then I will see you Monday morning. I think the very idea of forcing people to look at those attributes is a backward movement in and of itself. Paul Rockwell examined how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might have felt about Affirmative Action in his web article Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Rockwell commented, “King promoted affirmative action not as preference for race over race (or gender over gender), but as a preference for inclusion, for equal opportunity, for real democracy” (Rockwell, 1995).
I want to see people respected and valued because they are human beings not because they are minorities. Of course that may be easy for me to say because I am white and have not experienced any of the color based stereotypes. However, I am female and sought a career in a male dominated profession. I could feel all the slams and stereotypes thrown my way and I was well-aware of how it made me feel. I do not want to sound unsympathetic to the idea that we should include other people’s views and opinions. I do think that the less we look at differences the more we include people who have them.
I can remember feeling ashamed of how white Americans mistreated Native American and African Americans. I specifically remember coming home from 7th grade and telling my dad that I was ashamed to be a white person from the south. He looked at me and said, “We have never owned a slave. In fact, your great granddad was pistol whipped because his son fought for the Union.” This was a fact that was never pointed out in school.
As human beings we should look at history as an opportunity to learn and grow. As members of society we should respect one another and our differences. I can strive to teach my children to be educated in their heritage, but to strive to be color blind. As adults and leaders in the classroom we have the ability to transform student’s ideas subtly. Forcing any one belief or culture viewpoint is wrong. When we teach children that there is more than one way to look at things, it opens them up for accepting diversity and appreciating people who are not the same as they are.
My family recently moved from a predominantly white county to an even more predominately white county, unknowingly. My 11-year-old son has made comments about how racist his new school is. Where we lived previously was more integrated and accepting. I can hardly believe that he would be aware of this change in culture. I have taught him to be color blind and can now see that he has truly embraced that concept. I hope as a teacher I can help children of all backgrounds feel accepted and valued. Adults have to exemplify the concepts of acceptance we want to see in children.
Resources
National Planet. (n.d.). Why Multiculturalism is Wrong. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133307
Rockwell, P. (1995). Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Retrieved from http://academic.udayton.edu/race/04needs/affirm25.htm.
Taylor, S. (n.d.). The Challenge of Multiculturalism. The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133305.
Tobia, P. (February 23, 2009). Pitthissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism, and American Culture. Retrieved from the Nashville Scene. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133306
Tyrrell, R. (2011). Multiculturalism has Failed. Retrieved from the American Spectator. Retrieved from http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/17/multiculturalism-has-failed.
When I read and reflected on the web articles presented in this Module I felt that all were based on extreme views. My personal views fall somewhere far from all three representation, but if I had to choose one article that I could most relate to it would be Why is Multiculturalism Wrong? I really think the more we focus on trying to include everyone with differences the further away we get from being inclusive. When we look at a person and derive any notions about them based on race, culture, religion, or ethnicity it is biased and in my opinion prejudice.
I think any view that pulls all the power from one side to the other is stealing the melting pot image that has always represented the American ideal. It will be impossible to incorporate every historical perspective fairly as stated in The Challenge of Multiculturalism. However we should strive to have each party represented as it is historically relevant. Unfortunately the multicultural ideas have forced more segregation as criticized by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, “Of course we must all respect differences , but we do not want… a society where communities coexist side by side” (Tyrrell, 2011). Europe is seeing similar problems trying to find the right balance for their government and school policy.
I find myself in my white heritage a bit disgruntled by Affirmative Action because it immediately categorizes people by race and gender. You have a better chance at getting this job not because you are smart and well-schooled, but because we have not hired a white girl this year. No thanks, I do not want my job because of my race or gender, but if it means my children can eat this week, then I will see you Monday morning. I think the very idea of forcing people to look at those attributes is a backward movement in and of itself. Paul Rockwell examined how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might have felt about Affirmative Action in his web article Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Rockwell commented, “King promoted affirmative action not as preference for race over race (or gender over gender), but as a preference for inclusion, for equal opportunity, for real democracy” (Rockwell, 1995).
I want to see people respected and valued because they are human beings not because they are minorities. Of course that may be easy for me to say because I am white and have not experienced any of the color based stereotypes. However, I am female and sought a career in a male dominated profession. I could feel all the slams and stereotypes thrown my way and I was well-aware of how it made me feel. I do not want to sound unsympathetic to the idea that we should include other people’s views and opinions. I do think that the less we look at differences the more we include people who have them.
I can remember feeling ashamed of how white Americans mistreated Native American and African Americans. I specifically remember coming home from 7th grade and telling my dad that I was ashamed to be a white person from the south. He looked at me and said, “We have never owned a slave. In fact, your great granddad was pistol whipped because his son fought for the Union.” This was a fact that was never pointed out in school.
As human beings we should look at history as an opportunity to learn and grow. As members of society we should respect one another and our differences. I can strive to teach my children to be educated in their heritage, but to strive to be color blind. As adults and leaders in the classroom we have the ability to transform student’s ideas subtly. Forcing any one belief or culture viewpoint is wrong. When we teach children that there is more than one way to look at things, it opens them up for accepting diversity and appreciating people who are not the same as they are.
My family recently moved from a predominantly white county to an even more predominately white county, unknowingly. My 11-year-old son has made comments about how racist his new school is. Where we lived previously was more integrated and accepting. I can hardly believe that he would be aware of this change in culture. I have taught him to be color blind and can now see that he has truly embraced that concept. I hope as a teacher I can help children of all backgrounds feel accepted and valued. Adults have to exemplify the concepts of acceptance we want to see in children.
Resources
National Planet. (n.d.). Why Multiculturalism is Wrong. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133307
Rockwell, P. (1995). Recasting MLK as an Affirmative Action Opponent. Retrieved from http://academic.udayton.edu/race/04needs/affirm25.htm.
Taylor, S. (n.d.). The Challenge of Multiculturalism. The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 159-165. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133305.
Tobia, P. (February 23, 2009). Pitthissippi Burning: Race, White Nationalism, and American Culture. Retrieved from the Nashville Scene. Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/lms/content/viewer/main_frame.d2l?ou=2975445&tId=19133306
Tyrrell, R. (2011). Multiculturalism has Failed. Retrieved from the American Spectator. Retrieved from http://spectator.org/archives/2011/02/17/multiculturalism-has-failed.
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