Running head: Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism
Aleigha Simerly
Multicultural Teaching
Professor Sandra Mahl
March 7,2015

Running head: Multiculturalism

2
Abstract
Multiculturalism has a huge effect on todays society and the education system. As an
educator, it is your job to create a positive learning environment that is inclusive as well
as safe. A teacher must teach the students how to accept one another based off differences
and similarities as well as teach them to understand diversity; this helps create a more
effective classroom and promote success in the future. Families should play a part of
introducing their children to other cultures; they should also teach them more about their
own culture and values. As the world becomes more and more diverse, multiculturalism
will always be a component of the education system along with society. As teachers
evolve along with their standards and teaching strategies, they will continue to encourage
diversity and multiculturalism.

Running head: Multiculturalism

3
Gollnick and Chinn define multiculturalism as a condition in which different
cultural groups can maintain their unique cultural identities while participating equally in
the dominant culture (2013). Students along with communities are influenced by
multiculturalism. Schools are so diverse; there are so many different ethnicities, cultures,
and religions. Teaching students in a diverse school setting allows them to interact
socially as well as learn academics together. As students become more and more socially
interactive, they are more apt to understand one anothers similarities and differences.
The more effective ways learners communicate and function together helps to create
more diverse relations amongst themselves. Accepting one anothers diversity along with
understanding it allows each teacher to encourage a multicultural relationship. It is
important that teachers accept other cultures into the class while still utilizing the
dominant culture values. Using a variety of teaching styles and designs of the classroom,
teachers can effectively teach diversity and multiculturalism.
When a teacher is thinking of incorporating a multicultural curriculum into the
classroom, they have to keep in mind what it is, how it should be taught, and why it is
important; it is also important for the teacher to know effective teaching strategies that
play a key role in a multicultural curriculum. Gollnick and Chinn state: A multicultural
curriculum supports and celebrates our diversity in the broadest sense; it includes the
histories, experiences, traditions, and cultures of students in the classroom (2013). It is
important for all teachers to teach students to value everyone and their diversity. Schools
need to encourage a learning environment where students learn to respect one another,
understand responsibility for themselves and their actions, and gain an understanding of

Running head: Multiculturalism

4
multicultural diversity. For a child to gain an understanding about diversity, they have to
witness it and explore it.
Parents usually rely on teachers to cover certain aspects that they wont discuss
much into depth at home; one of those issues is diversity. Janet Gonzanelz-Mena and
Dora Pulido-Tobaissen stated:
We all want children to grow up in a world free from bias and discrimination, to
reach for their dreams and feel that whatever they want to accomplish in life is possible.
We want them to feel loved and included and never to experience the pain of rejection or
exclusion (1999).
This means that we want all children to be included in any activities that are taught in the
classroom; they shouldnt feel excluded due to the cultural differences that may arise in
the classroom. It is important that children feel comfortable with their culture; this will
help them to teach it to the other students in the classroom to help promote the cultures
into the learning environment. If you have children in your classroom that are part of a
different culture, as a teacher, it is important to incorporate that into some of your lessons
so that other students can better comprehend the ideas of those cultures. Also, parent
involvement could greatly benefit the classroom as a whole; parents can help choose
important aspects of the culture that they think the children should know about,
sometimes the teacher is unaware of those aspects. Students along with their families feel
the need to get their culture out there so people are informed about it; this is a way to gain
respect for cultures that others may not have knowledge about. As an educator, it is
important for teachers to help build a relationship with the parents in your class. Parents
are always eager to do what is best for their child; by allowing the teacher to know more

Running head: Multiculturalism

5
about their cultural needs, the teacher is better apt to make changes based on the diversity
that is incorporated into the classroom. This will help to create a valued relationship by
getting to know the students and their families.
Multicultural curriculum involved teaching values and respect of diversity. It is
important to teach students that differences are okay; everyone does not have to be the
same nor have the same beliefs to be accepted into society. A good way for teachers to
involve lesson plans about peoples differences; they would be based off of core
curriculum. An example for second grade would be creating a chart to discuss differences
amongst cultures; the topics would be the same, the students would have to help tell the
teacher what the answers would be to complete the chart. It would be a good idea to
present a PowerPoint to the students before completing the chart; this would help them to
get a better understanding of other cultures views. This lesson plan would help the
students better understand different holidays that are celebrated, foods that cultures eat,
etc. Another way to help children gain a better understanding of diversity would be to
have learning centers set up where the students learn about the cultures at each center.
You can group students of the same culture in the same groups; you could also group
them by gender or academic ability as well. By grouping students in various ways, they
will all learn how to handle different social interactions that they wouldnt usually take
part in. By allowing each of the students to interact, they will grow more inclusionminded about diversity.
Providing a supportive learning environment, students will feel accepted and
included; this will help to represent a multicultural classroom. There should be numerous
cultures, classes, genders, and ethnicities in the classroom to show how diverse students

Running head: Multiculturalism

6
truly are. Gollnick and Chinn define multicultural education as an educational concept
that addresses cultural diversity and equity in schools; it incorporates the different
cultural groups to which individuals belong, with an emphasis on the interaction of race,
ethnicity, class, and gender in students lives (2013). Multicultural education is not at the
point where it needs to be according to all people being equal; I feel that this will always
be a changing system. Educators will always be trying to improve this more and more as
the years go on; it will be an ongoing process just like it was in the past.
Teachers need to teach inclusion so that all students accept diversity in the
learning environment. Students learn by example; the teacher should always be practicing
what they are teaching the students so it is important that they are promoting a positive
energy when diversity is being discussed. Some students may ask questions that you are
unsure of how to answer when it comes to diversity and multiculturalism; make sure to
either answer the question or make them aware that you are unsure of how to answer it.
This means that research will have to be done to complete the answer to the best of your
ability. It is important that each student does not assume that one of them is better than
the other due to cultural differences; to learn more about another student, students should
interact to find out their strengths. Also, the student will want to know the interests of the
other student as well; as a teacher, you never want students to assume something about
others based off their cultural views. Teachers have to create a classroom environment
where students can excel academically as well as socially; making students aware of one
anothers differences will help to encourage an inclusive learning environment.
As an educator, it is imperative you grasp an understanding of what
multiculturalism is. It is important to improve curriculum along with the learning

Running head: Multiculturalism

7
environment for all students. Teachers must provide a safe environment for students, no
matter what genders, abilities, ethnicities, or cultural groups that exist. Providing a
learning environment that will enhance these differences to other students will be
important for children to expand their knowledge. Encouraging social interactions will
also allow children to better understand the diversity that may be represented in the
classroom. Lesson plans can help reach all of the students interests as well as grasping an
understanding of their strengths and abilities. Varied learning methods will be utilized in
the classroom to find out the most effective method that will be used for the lessons that
will be taught. Teachers can use situations that may come up to help one another treat the
other fairly; this will help to create a positive and inclusive learning environment where
all students feel protected.
Multiculturalism not only affects the classroom; it affects the community as well.
In the classroom, the students will value each others differences and find ways to learn
how to work together most effectively. These skills can be carried over from the
classroom to the community. This will help students to gain a better understanding of
diversity; this will carry into their homes and other locations in the community, like the
library, grocery store, or even local restaurants. Each person needs to feel accepted in the
community; they have to know that it is okay they continue to practice their culture.
Larry Fish has a great article that discusses steps to create a multicultural
classroom; I would greatly utilize some of his ideas that he shares. Fish (n.d.) states:
Teachers must be open to what the students are doing and find out why

Running head: Multiculturalism

8
they do what they do. This openness will create communication in the class,
which will ultimately develop into a classroom that is learning, understanding,
and culturally fluent.
This encourages educators to make sure that there is communication present to encourage
teachers to be open to their students; this also encourages them to get to know their
students in and out of the classroom environment. When teachers try to understand and
speak the students native language, it is showing a sense of respect for the culture.
Owning literature that varies diversely so that students can gain a better understanding by
simply reading about the other cultures. It is greatly encouraged by all educators that each
student feels comfortable with their background so that they can encourage themselves
and share it with others. This article gives a teacher some great advice on ways to
integrate multiculturalism into the classroom.
Multiculturalism affects students, educators, and persons of the community.
Teachers hold large responsibilities for students so it is important that they can provide a
multicultural classroom. Teaching students to appreciate themselves along with their
cultures as well as accepting other student diversities creates a great start for students to
continue value diversity in the future. Multiculturalism will be huge impact on the
educational system now and forever; educators will have to always seek new possibilities
on ways to improve. The world is constantly becoming more diverse; it is our job as
educators to be open-minded, accepting, and understanding to help create the most
inclusive, supportive learning environment possible for all of our students that we will
impact throughout the years.

Running head: Multiculturalism

9
References:
Fish, L. (n.d.). Building Blocks: The First Steps of Creating a Multicultural Classroom.
Retrieved March 6, 2015, from
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/buildingblocks.html
Gollnick, D., & Chinn, P. (2013). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society. (9th
ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Gonzalez-Mena, J., & Pulido-Tobiassen, D. (1999, November). Teaching "diversity": a
place to begin. Retrieved from
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/teaching-diversity- placebegin-0