Diversity and Culture

As we progress towards learning the issues in education, we visit cultural diversity and its role in the educational world.


So, what is cultural diversity in relation to education?

• Cultural diversity means that significant differences exist in students' performance and interactions in broad areas such as verbal and nonverbal communication, and in orientation modes such as conceptions of time, social values, and cognitive tempo. Cultural differences in learning may be especially obvious in three areas: learning styles, communication styles, and language differences (Mindel & Habenstein, 1984).

Basically, saying that a school or group of children is culturally diverse, is saying that they are all different, maybe even from different backgrounds. They learn differently, act differently, and speak differently. Cultural diversity is a part of multicultural education which includes all races to be taught equally and learn to live in a diverse world. Many people mistake multicultural education to include only races outside of the white race, that is not true. Major researchers and theorists in multicultural education agree that[it] is a reform movement designed to restructure educational institutions so that all students, including white, male, and middle-class students, will acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to function effectively in a diverse nation and world (Banks&Banks, 1994; Gay, 1995; Grant&Sleeter, 1997).

School is designated to prepare children for the real world, that includes learning about the cultures of various groups. Children should be learning how to solve problems and using their knowledge effectively for a successful future. In a classroom, ideas should be tied together to make learning about other cultures and diverse groups logical and simple to understand. Many researchers believe that incorporating multicultural education should begin in pre-school (Winzer&Mazurek 1998). I agree with this theory and believe that the sooner children learn about diversity, the sooner they understand not to be prejudice and how to avoid any conflicts with children of different cultures. This also promotes children to develop an understanding of social standards leading to their development in the classroom. The earlier children learn about diversity the sooner they begin to understand the importance of equality and take it with them to their future.

Multicultural education consists of four interactive dimensions: (a) equity pedagogy, (b) curriculum reform, (c) multicultural competence, and (d) teaching toward social justice (Burnette, 1998). As a future teacher I believe that it will be my job to teach and give children equal opportunities to learn. I don't however believe in targeting mostly minorities and the economically disadvantaged because that would not be and "equal" opportunity. All children, all races, and all economic statuses should be treated as one and in doing this, I believe children will see what living in unity and accepting all cultures means. Including "monoethnic" courses will enable expanding children's knowledge of cultures even further. This will lead towards multicultural competence and teach them how to be socially just. This means, taking away sterotypes, disregarding gender and race, and ending discrimination in the classroom and in the world.