Embracing and Implementing Multicultural Education

Jenna Passananti, '08

Abstract

As our nation continually becomes more diversified and the demographics of the classroom are changing every year, the need for culturally responsive pedagogy intensifies. This study examines how teachers, administrators and students are responding to the continuous diversification and asks how our current educators are implementing the idea of multicultural education in their classrooms and school communities. To begin to explore answers and generate conclusions to this study, previous research on multicultural education was reviewed in order to gain a strong understanding of the many perspectives and issues on the topic. In addition to the literature, three teachers, all from dissimilar school communities, were interviewed regarding the implementation of multicultural education in the classroom and local community. Finally, a student based discussion was conducted with high school foreign language students which addressed diversity and the importance of learning a second language in our multicultural society. As a result of the literature, teacher interviews and student based discussion, the study concludes that our current educators are recognizing the growing diversity and changing demographics in the classroom. Rather than perceiving diversity and the changing demographics as a challenge in the school community, teachers, school communities and students are responding proactively to this change through the implementation of multiculturalism on a classroom and school wide basis. In addition to the teachers, the high school students are taking action in response to the diversification of our nation through the acquisition of a second language. As a nation, we continue to inquire how we can embrace everyone's culture as a valuable learning tool rather than a barrier that separates us.