Chapter 1 class notes for Multicultural Education Issues and Perspectives, by Banks.

1. Chapter 1
Multicultural Education
Class notes

2. • discuss the three major components of
multicultural education
• understand the difference between
macrocultures and microcultures in the US.
• explain how race, class, and gender interact
to influence student behavior
• Have an understanding of how we got here
• name and describe the 5 dimensions of
multicultural education

3. Multicultural Education Is:
• an idea or a concept– that ALL
students deserve an equal opportunity
to learn in school. BUT, do they
really? Why or why not?
• an educational reform movement–
one that is trying to change the
schools and the way schools
function.
• a process– one that will never fully
be attained; so we must always keep
an intentional effort to give EVERY
student an equal opportunity to learn.
Test
Question

4. So How Did We Get Here?
• Multicultural education grew out of the civil rights
movement of the 60s (public accommodations, housing,
employment, and education)
--- demanded curricula and textbook changes to
reflect diversity struggles
--- hire more black teachers as role models
--- community control of schools in neighborhoods
• Because society was in rush to accomplish these things, they
made decisions without thinking them through. Holidays ,
ethnic celebrations, and courses that focused on one group
were put into place. So, only the group targeted embraced
the changes.
Do we still see these “knee jerk” type solutions? How
effective are they?

5. • The quick and assumed success of the Civil Rights
Movement , the growing rage, and the liberal
atmosphere led the way for other groups to pursue
equal opportunities and eliminate discrimination.
---The women’s rights movement emerged,
showing how women had been limited in opportunities
and how it adversely affected the nation.
---Equal pay for equal work, hiring more women
in leadership roles, and increased the males’ roles in
housekeeping and raising children.
---also pushed for changes in textbooks and
curricula to embrace women in history

6. • Other groups followed by
demanding equal rights and
opportunities
---people with disabilities
(least restrictive environment laws)
---senior citizens
(organizations developed embracing
age)
---gays and lesbians (same
rights as others– still pursuing)
---Immigrant
population (housing, education,
health care, etc.)

7. • Various groups ALWAYS want to be recognized and have their personal
agendas met. This is why multicultural education is NOT one class or
one program. IT IS AN ONGOING, INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO INCREASY
EQUITY FOR ALL.
• We will never see a total school reform without first seeing
individualistic reform.
• The US has a large shared culture called a macroculture. These are
things that Americans believe, do, experience, etc… Influenced greatly
by the British and Native Americans.
• The US also has MANY smaller cultures of various subgroups. These
smaller cultures are called microcultures.
*** The differences between the macroculture and microcultures
is what leads to conflicts, discrimination, and violence.
Why do we have
discrimination?
Test
Question

8. Equality
1776 “All men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.”
Examples of the battle to expand this statement:
In 1870 the 15th Amendment- gives black men the right to vote
after the Civil War 1861-65 However, most still were unable to
vote until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson signed the
Voting Rights Act in 1966. This banned literacy tests and polling
taxes. (Almost 100 years later)
1920 the 19th Amendment was passed giving women the right to
vote.(144 years later, 50 years after black men were given the
right)

9. Individualism
• The American core culture believes:
-individual success is much more important than commitment to
family,
community, nation-state.
-your success is solely by your own efforts.
-the “American dream” is attainable if you WORK
- you can go from rags to riches in one generation if you work hard
enough.
-YOU control your future.
-if you don’t succeed, it is because of your short-comings, your
laziness, you’re
unambitious.
** These beliefs are based on the Protestant work ethic– work is
morally good and laziness is sinful.
Test
Question

10. The Idea of Individual
OPPORTUNITY
Proven to be tenacious
(continuing to exist/a firm hold on
something), even though
research shows that an
individual’s chances for upward
movement socially, economically,
and educationally are highly
related to social class, ethnic
group, race, gender, and other
groups with which individuals
relate.
Which of these groups do you
suppose will be successful one
day?

11. • American core culture has also developed the
individualistic focus on superiority and materialism.
America is known to think of itself as superior to
other nations. This is known as “American
exceptionalism”.
• Schools in America are highly individualistic in the
learning and teaching styles, evaluation processes,
and in developing norms. What about the
microcultures who are family and group oriented?
-This is one reason there has been a huge push in collaborative
learning strategies.
-Educational systems were originally designed for white males. In
order to provide for equitable education for all, we must begin
to change the structure to meet the needs of females and other
cultures and microcultures.

12. Groups
• In America we have social groups that carry their own beliefs,
actions, rules, symbols, and values. (as an example: think of your
surrounding high schools– did you give them labels?)
SO… What kind of issues could develop if you have a teacher from one
social group who is teaching in a different social group, but is unwilling
to change her methods?
When you enter the School of Education, you will have opportunities
for practicums in urban, rural, and suburban schools.
Types of groups: age, gender, economic status, religion/denomination,
sexual orientation, marital status, age of your children, interests,
etc. Think of all the different groups you belong to...

13. Social Categories• Gender- role expectations will vary by
culture, group, race, social classes.
• Sexual Orientation- cause of many youth
hate crimes, discrimination, and bullying
• Race- physical characteristics, bi-racial,
bullying, hate crimes, and discrimination
• Social Class- poverty, middle, and upper. The
characteristic lines between poverty and
middle class have somewhat blurred over the
past 3 decades. However, there is a sharp
contrast in the rich.
-- family of four $24,300 is poverty
($467.31/week or $1869.23/month)
--characteristics are very similar
between
poverty and middle class.

14. 5 Dimensions of Multicultural
Education
These are the guides to school reform when
educators are trying to implement multicultural
education.
1. Content Integration
2. The Knowledge Construction Process
3. Prejudice Reduction
4. An Equity Pedagogy
5. Empowering School Culture
Lets take a look at each one and summarize...

15. 5 Dimensions of Multicultural
Education
1. Content Integration
• When teachers use examples
and content from a variety of
cultures and groups to
illustrate key concepts
principles into their subject
area.
• Easy to do in social studies,
lang. Arts and music
• More challenging to do in
math and science
2. Knowledge Construction
Process
• The extent to which teachers
help students understand
cultural assumptions, frames of
reference, bias and
perspectives.
• Teaching students to look at
something from person's
perspective
• Example: studying the
Westward movement through
an American Indian's
viewpoint, slavery through an
African American's viewpoint.Test
Question

16. 5 Dimensions of Multicultural
Education
3. Prejudice Reduction
• Describes lessons and
activities teachers use to help
students develop positive
attitudes toward different
racial, ethnic, and cultural
groups.
• Students should see: equal
status, common goals,
intergroup cooperation and
support of teachers and
admin.
• Improves intergroup relations
4. An Equity Pedagogy
• When teachers modify their
teaching in ways that
facilitate the academic
achievement of students
from all dimensions of
diversity. (race, gender, social
class, cultural, etc.)
• Change teaching styles and
approaches to personalize
education for different
cultural groups.
Test
Question

17. 5 Dimensions of Multicultural
Education
5. Empowering School Culture
• School cultures and organizations that
promote gender, racial and social-class equity.
• Examples: grouping and labeling practices,
sports participation, disproportionality in
achievement, disproportionality in gifted and
special ed programs, interaction between staff
and students across diverse groups.
Test
Question