Multiculturalism in the Classroom

Paper Summary:

The writer of this paper analyzes the changing demographics in American schools today. The writer contends and proves by way of published studies and reports that by the year 2020 approximately 46% of students in public schools will be minorities. This paper, written from the writer's personal point of view, examines the importance of training and equipping teachers with the tools necessary to meet the needs of culturally diverse students. This paper details the various strategies and methods currently available when creating and implementing multi-cultural lesson plans. The writer of this paper stresses the importance of empowering students to be aware of non-traditional cultures and societies which may seem unfamiliar to them. This paper explores the many advantages in teaching about culturally diverse issues. The writer also details the style in which the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo was introduced in a classroom setting and the resulting impact on the students.

From the Paper:

"All the students can benefit from a multicultural lesson. It is good for traditional students to understand that other cultures, different from their own, not only exist but add richness to the fabric of society. This could be explained to the students, in fact, by bringing in a piece of hand woven fabric--preferably multicolored--as a semi-concrete metaphor for society. We could talk about the different colors and how they contribute to the beauty of the whole. Mexican weaving would be particularly appropriate! Furthermore, the world is globalizing. Globalism, which started as a trend, has become a fact of life in today's world of business and will continue to develop more in the future. The world is quickly growing smaller, with travel and communication more commonplace. There is a good chance some of the students will travel to Mexico someday, and it will help if they know a little about it before they arrive. A lesson of this kind will encourage them to continue learning about Mexico in the future."

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