Multicultural education is not as a simple term as it is defined and assumed in many schools. It is actually a broad complex concept , which includes many aspects. To understand the sociopolitical context of multicultural education better, several assumptions need to be clarified. In the whole sociopolitical context, One’s value, experiences and achievement in the society can be influenced by race, ethnicity, social class, language use, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, other social and human differences, and so forth. So one’s identity can frame his or her social experiences. Take the language use as one example, different accent may reflect different images. Put it another way, one person who speaks some certain language with accent appears positive image while another person who speaks the same language with different accent might show negative image.
Meanwhile, multicultural education does not only involve the affirmation of language and culture but confronts the issues of power, difference and privilege in society. Affirming language and culture can help develop students to become successful and well-adjusted learners. However, these issues are just criticized on the base of equity and social justice. Multicultural education must be understood in its larger personal, social, historical and political context and even moved beyond the diversity. The truth, however, is often-times many of these issues are ignored.
As for teachers, who are the main products of educational system, undeniably bear the responsibility to school students. Nonetheless, some teachers, due to their limit experience and education, spurious assumptions and stereotypes, they are still racist and elitist in their interactions with students and parents and thus discourage students from their learning. So teachers, especially those with biases should take a good consideration and responsibility for their own action and challenge the negative school actions and provide a positive learning environment.
Quality public education is worth defending and fighting for. For the young generation, education is their priority. Public schools should make their best effort to provide all students with a good education with rigid standardization and restructuring. In spite that public schools have often been a target of scorn and disrespect in the presss, still the public believes in the promise of quality public education.
Ideologies and beliefs is a very abstractive term in the field of multicultural education. Hereby, the roles and the implication of ideologies and beliefs in educational structures could be explained by two examples for better understanding. For example, if we hold a belief that intelligence is primarily inherited, we will design schools that support this belief. Otherwise, we will develop another belief that intelligence is created by particular social and economic conditions or something. In other words, if set one assumption, we will take action for it at all the best. Sometimes it is so thick and apparent to be found, sometimes it is less apparent. Another good example is given, in the report of 2005, the Education Trust found that we spend $900 less a year on each student in public schools. But The Christian Science Monitor found the difference in annual spending between the wealthiest and poorest school districts has grown to $19,361 per student. Obviously, we can see that the race and social class still matter a great deal.
With regards to the relevance of the ideologies and belief and the issues of power, mainly , students’ learning is an equally central goal of multicultural education. Certainly, in their learning life, they must confront inequality and stratification in either their schools or society. Schools districts stand out as the symbol of the power, who make the policy and practice. They should open up the umbrella to build an equal and equitable ideology or belief that can help provide students an admiring environment, raise their achievement with high quality education and prepare them to become critical and productive members of a democratic society. Meanwhile, teachers, as the authority in the classroom, should present and create an atmosphere of equal education, reducing the racism and stereotypes to bridge the equal opportunities of education.
Above all, multicultural education includes many aspects, such as race, ethnicity, social class, language use, gender, religion and other social and human differences. The fight has been moving on through many decades since Civil Rights Movements, educators need to keep up with it , seeking for bigger change. At a personal level, I largely agree with the stances stated above. I am currently working as a part time language – Chinese teacher in two public schools and a church school. Also, I am totally foreign born with less, say four years of, understanding of this country and its education system. So I am the best person who witness the difference. Which does exist in school districts, different schools, teachers’ , students and parents’ attitude and response to the children’s education. It is true that , in school districts, for many reasons, you still see or feel some visible or invisible ideologies and belief that reflects racism, biases, stereotypes. In the classrooms, teachers with different background still unconsciously discourage students and parents because of their limit experiences and educations. The conflict arises between teachers and students. Among students themselves, they sometimes automatically segregate from each other by race, colors and so forth. Therefore, In my opinion, educators, schools, school districts, parents and the whole society need to face the reality take the responsibility and put into actions to bring about for a better education for the young generation. After all, they the future of the world.
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