The United States is made up of many different Ethnic groups from all around the world. This mainly stemed from the US's large demand for workers between 1820 abd 1920. (see page 139) Back then it was expected of these forieners to develop new customs, those which were followed here, along with the english language. In the late 1960's early 70's many riots took place over civil rights, and minorities and ethnic groups. Then soon following produced the idea of "rise of unmeltable ethnics". Cultural pluralism was the new idea for cultural diversity, what were the three basic principles this is resting on? How do you intend to keep these associated and followed in your classrooms? How can you prevent discrimination in your class? How are you going to react to the increase over time (while you are a teacher) of hispanic and different nationalities attending your school and classrooms, how will you keep this a fair setting for the students?
For you and your students to benefit from cultural diversity, you must realize many things. First, differences do not me disabilities. This is the idea of ethnocentrism. How can you avoid this in your class room and even school? Secondly, we must realize that these "groups that differ from us" may be different than the group that you your self put them in. Example: different types of American Indians. Differing by beliefs, dress,etc. How can you avoid crossing this line when getting to know your students? Lastly, Why must we always be cautious when appling general knowledge to particular cases? How can you do this in your classroom? How will you know what is correct and what isn't, to approach these students. How can you keep all ethnic groups from sticking together? Among ethnic groups they have preferences in learning methods, what are ways we can accomadate these learning patterns in our classroom with out being biased? How will you keep from letting ethnic differences in communication pattens and preferences, time orientation, values and thinking styles from leading to misunderstandings between you and your students? Social class is what indicates a families standing in society. This is determined by many material things like dress, housing, occupation, etc. Because these are mostly material things how will you as a teacher keep from letting these interfere with your teahing and Fairness in the classroom?(Without discrimination?) Will your teaching methods, standards, and lessons differ if you are teaching to mostly ethnic groups or groups living below poverty level?If so, why would they, or should they? Educationally disadvantaged students generally have lower standards for themselves in many ways, including in school and career standards, how will you as a teacher motivate and change this in your students? Wuthrick found that initial differences between good and poor readers will either remain or widen throughout the school year. How would you react if this study was done on you as a teacher and how would you change your ways. Would you change your teaching style? There are many factors that help create expectancies of your students in your classroom including, looks, hygiene, athleticism, and economic status. How will you overcome these factors as a teacher? Do you remember any of your teachers doing this to you? How did you feel or react as a student? How would you react now? Multicultural education can be approached in many different ways, what are some of the ways you intend on using in your classroom? Are there any ways that you don't agree with? The book discusses the transformation approach, do you believe in this approach? Why or why not? Does this approach set a positive environment for learning in the classroom? It's believed that ethnic minority students are found to learn more effectively when their materials and assignments contain ethnically related content. How can you incorporate this to your lessons or class? There are many characteristics of effective multicultural teachers. What is the most important characteristic and why? Which ones do you feel most strongly about? The three instructional tactics that are generally most effective in multicultural education programs are cooperative learning, peer tutoring, and mastery learning. These are also very beneficial in every classroom, do you believe in these tactics, why or why not? DId you have this in your classes in high school. Which tactic did you prefer in school? Why do you think this was? Mastery learning is the idea that all students can master the lessons. This is probably the most important idea of teaching. How will you drive your students in a mannor of mastery learning in order to succeed? When is too much pushing and stressing on your students? Heidi Wasteney The Classroom in America is one of the most culturally diverse institutions in the world. Several types of multicultural educational programs have been mentioned in finding a more effective way to teach such a diverse group of students. In order to understand the multicultural education programs, you must understand why it is necessary or helpful.Many feel that these programs reject traditional American values and norms. Multicultural programs offer criteria that are beneficial to students in general, not just ethnic students. These programs allow all students to interact with and understand cultures different from their own. In modern American society, do you think cultural awareness is helpful or necessary? Why or why not? Aside from raising a student's cultural awareness, multicultural education programs encourage student motivation and learning by teachers showing respect for their students' cultures and values. Can you recall a time when you thought a teacher was rude or inconsiderate towards your own or someone else's culture? How did this make you feel? Would you have behaved differently if your teacher had been more respectful? Other reasons for multicultural education programs is the disparity between minority students' and white students' on test scores in vocabulary, reading, writing, math, and science. Only 8.9% or whites dropout of school, 13.6% of african-americans, 35.3% of hispanic americans, 44.5% of native americans. Why do you think these numbers are so high among minorities? Can multicultural education programs help in changing these numbers? How does socioeconomic status affect these numbers, or does it at all?Technology can be used as an important tool in bridging cultural and socioeconomic status gaps in the classroom. The internet has helped to make the world, in terms of communication, a much smaller, easily accessible community. Students can use this to communicate with and experience cultures they normally have no contact with. AT&T introduced the AT&T learning network. Using the internet and learning cirles, composed of nine or so classes, various subjects are discssed and learned. This allows students from numerous backgrounds to interact over a subject of interest to all involved. In your experience as a student, has the internet been a helpful tool? Why/why not?Bilingual education is also a tool used to teach in a culturally pluralistic society. Although there are several methods to bilingual education the goal remains the same. The common goal is to help non-English students obtain English skills needed in school and society. The two main approaches to this are transition and maintenance. In transition programs students are taught in their native language until they function well enough in English to join regular classes. The maintenance approach attempts to maintain or improve the students native language before learning English. Do you think these programs are effective? Why/why not? Bilingual immersion is a program that combines maintenance and transtition. This program allows minority language speakers to maintain their language while immersing majority language speakers in a foreign language. Does this program give certain students an advantage over others? What are the effective differences between bilingual immersion and the programs of maintenace and transition? Chad Gunyon
