Blog #6

For blog post number 6, I decided to dig a little deeper into the very broad topic of adapting curriculum for multicultural classrooms. Doing so, I came across the article titled, “Curriculum & Schooling: Multiculturalism, Critical Multiculturalism, and Critical Pedagogy,” which does not have a listed author, but does include a large abundance of recent scholarly sources. The article opens with a “food for thought” quote that I found very valuable; “School exists to prepare young people for the future. Throughout that future, students will be exposed to a multiethnic societal curriculum. How they perceive the curriculum, how it affects their beliefs and attitudes, and how it influences their interethnic behavior will, to a great extent, be a result of today’s schools preparing them to be multiethnically literate,” (Banks & Banis, 2008). The article then gives a lengthy overview of Multicultural Education. Our textbook from class emphasizes on the theme that multicultural should not be an additional part of the curriculum, but instead it should be the basis of the curriculum entirely. It should help form the positive beliefs and affirm cultural pluralism within our growing culturally diverse society.

            The article describes the conservative critiques of Multicultural Education as being that , “schools and universities are responding to diversity in an increasingly harmful manner, and that damaging ideas increasingly drive public education with ‘myths of multiculturalism fed to all school children by a state monopoly that is masquerading behind the values of tolerance, diversity, and pluralism.” On the other hand, the article says that, “Liberal multicultural education values cultural pluralism.” It also proposes to adapt curriculum, teaching styles, learning strategies, and communication between school and families of all diverse backgrounds.

After taking this pluralistic society course, and hearing Patty Bode, the author of our book speak, I agree with the liberal view. Before, I always knew it was a good idea to introduce children in the American education system to all cultures, but I now realize the extent of the importance to include it and use it to build the curriculum as a whole.